Lessons from a Hyper City

18:00 - 18:30

La Centrale, Nuvola Lavazza

A visionary vision for New York’s future: accessibility, sustainability, and sharing starting with a new transportation network.

The Bigger Apple is a transformative proposal by ReThink Studio aimed at overhauling the New York City Metropolitan area’s fragmented transit landscape. Known formally as the Regional Unified Network (RUN), the project envisions a seamless regional rail system where every corner of the Tri-State Area is directly or easily connected via mass transit. The heart of the plan lies in strategic infrastructure upgrades at critical chokepoints, unlocking the full potential of existing rail assets while enabling long-term growth.

Instead of relying on piecemeal fixes, RUN promotes a single, cohesive strategy more efficient and cost-effective than numerous isolated projects. Phase 1 reimagines Amtrak’s Gateway Program, avoiding the demolition of Midtown blocks by upgrading Penn Station into a fully integrated four-hub nexus. This approach solves Penn’s longstanding issues of congestion, disjointed train operations, and limited access, while giving Moynihan Station full platform connectivity.

What sets RUN apart is its pragmatism: it reuses existing infrastructure wherever possible, replaces outdated or fragmented proposals, and remains within realistic funding limits. The plan is modular and scalable, allowing for progressive implementation while delivering compounding benefits. RUN doesn’t just improve transit—it redefines how the region moves, grows, and thrives as a unified whole.

New York

Jim Venturi Founder

ReThink Studio

Jim Venturi is an American architect, urban planner, and founder of ReThink Studio. He is best known for his forward-thinking work on transit reform and urban infrastructure in the New York region. Son of famed architect Robert Venturi, Jim brings a systems-oriented, practical vision to large-scale planning challenges.

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