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One of the New York City’s most forgettable buildings has been transformed into a model of modern technology. The Port Authority Bus Terminal (PABT), located in midtown Manhattan between 40th and 42nd street, now boasts the world’s largest transparent media façade completed by GKD Metal Fabrics which effectively covers the building’s outdated steel façade. More images and project description after the break.

GKD-USA, the leading manufacturer of woven metal fabrics, secured the contract to manufacture and install 6,000-square-feet of Mediamesh® on the PABT. The façade provides a multitude of benefits to the Port Authority including opportunities for advertising revenue given its prime location one block from Times Square. Second, the addition of the façade will hide the terminal’s 1970s-era steel overlay which earned it the unflattering designation as one of the 10 ugliest buildings in the world by VirtualTourist.com. However, given the transparent nature of the material, natural lighting and interior views will not be obstructed to occupants inside the building.

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The Port Authority Bus Terminal is the largest bus station in the United States and busiest by volume in the world, with 7,200 buses arriving and more than 200,000 people passing through the terminal daily. In addition to serving both local and intercity bus lines, the five-story building is also home to retail space, restaurants and a bowling alley. Since it opened in 1950, the size and shape of the Port Authority Bus Terminal has been continually modified, but the building facade has undergone minimal change since the 1970s.

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“When you’re working in a space as dynamic and high-traffic as Manhattan, you have to put a lot of effort into determining not only how the product will be used, but also how it will be installed,” said Mike Leonard, Technical Director, Mediamesh® Systems for GKD-USA. “Because the building was in use during construction, we engineered a way to carry out the installation from the roof, day and night, so as not to disturb the traffic below and to ensure the building could stay fully functional.”

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The project features 16 panels containing 1.325 million LED diodes. The panels are tensioned stainless steel metal fabric installed on two sides of the building, each side comprising eight panels. The size and shape of the installation creates two surfaces for simultaneous, separate or continuous messaging. The size of the installation allows for an image resolution that retains its brilliance blocks away from the building. Over 265,000 pixels, arranged approximately 2 inches apart vertically and 1.5 inches horizontally, ensure the complete daylight suitability and video compatibility of the large-format display. Additionally, the material’s breathability does not block the free movement of air within the parking structure, eliminating the energy and cost needed to run mechanical equipment to control emissions.

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Mediamesh, a transparent advertising and communication platform made of stainless steel fabric with integrated LED profiles, visually enhances the façade and makes it a model of new digital signage solutions. While advertising facades of this size are often vulnerable to the harsh and varied weather conditions of an urban environment like Manhattan, the nature of Mediamesh® allows it to flexibly cope with temperatures between -4 degrees Fahrenheit and 158 degrees Fahrenheit, as well as hurricane force winds. Additionally, the Mediamesh design features 57 percent open area, which allows both natural ventilation and also reduces solar heat gain on the parking areas.

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Helping drive the selection of Mediamesh® was Boston-based A2aMEDIA, a next-generation media company that designs, installs and operates large-scale outdoor LED displays as transparent building facades. “We have been working with GKD for several years to help bring the Mediamesh® technology to applications throughout North America,” said Brian Schuvart, senior vice president of sales and marketing at A2aMedia. “The installation possibilities for this solution are immense. The integration of digital imagery, transparency and breathability not only provides advertisers with a dynamic medium to share their messages, but makes Mediamesh® the ideal solution for the Port Authority.”

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