9 Likes
ah yes, the originally envisioned 1 WTC with a joint as a spire and a Chinese take-out box for a base.
6 Likes
Whatâs your opinion on the memorials?
1 Like
That was my favorite design for the spire. Would have been exceptional.
2 Likes
I believe the base was bound to be oddly-shaped given the Port Authorityâs insistence on adequate protection in the event a large bomb was parked outside.
2 Likes
itâs a far greater public space than the old plaza.
1 Like
That may be, but Iâm curious what you think of the memorials themselves? I was told that some people took issue with a memorial featuring water flowing down into the ground. For my part, I will say that the memorial does not have the kind of profound emotional impact that, for instance, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial does.
1 Like
The original design for the base was far more graceful than the box it sits on now. All the value engineering done on this site just makes me sad. I think the memorial is the only part of the site that turned out very nicely, in terms of the detailing.
4 Likes
I find the annual Tribute in Light to carry more meaning. That I believe is set up atop the Battery Parking Garage. I wonder if it would be possible to incorporate something like that on a permanent basis within the memorial itself, obviously on a reduced scale.
2 Likes
I found them to be quite impactful. The individual spindles of water reminded me of the trident columns at the base of the Twins. The sound of the flowing water is not too loud in the context of the city and, in my opinion, allows for a more reflective experience than the noise of idle chatter or worse, dead quiet.
5 Likes
Well put, thanks for sharing that.
2 Likes
I agree. I liked the chinese takeout box lol. I think it was pretty cool and more impactful.
3 Likes
One of the issues with comparing the Vietnam memorial to the September 11th memorial is the wtc is still an active urban neighborhood. There are thousands of men and women working and living in the area so the district still has a feeling of normalcy (which I think is good because it shows the place couldnât be stopped). The Vietnam Memorial is in a relatively quiet corner of the national mall
4 Likes
Iâm always confronted by that fact. You make a good point about the sense of normalcy and, I would add, solace this creates.
1 Like
I personally think there could not have been a better design for the memorial than what is there right now. Theyâre very beautiful and I especially love how they are lit at night.
As for 1 WTC, I canât help but see that building as a missed opportunity for something truly grand. It just doesnât command the presence the old trade towers had.
6 Likes
1 WTC is a stunning tower but youâre exactly right, it does not command the same presence as the twins. Which is why they should have been rebuilt with the obvious modern upgrades. Iâll never understand why they didnât. Most of us wanted them back, including many of the families.
2 Likes
The decision not to rebuild on the prior site makes some sense. The impressive quality of the memorial pools makes that clear to me. And the original WTC up on a boring podium wiped out a large chunk of downtownâs street grid. It made that part of the city aloof and unworkable as a vibrant urban environment. So something, in my mind, need to be done differently. Whether the powers that be got it right is up for grabs. Much of the street grid is back but not vehicle accessible, security is tight (too tight?), and 1WTC is almost as aloof as the prior incarnation. So I think itâs a mixed bag both urban planning and architecturally speaking. But I think it is better now overall than before.
2 Likes
Depending on the vantage point, 1WTC sometimes takes the silhouette of its predecessor. I think thatâs when it has its largest presence. At other vantage points, the obelisk features make it appear deceivingly smaller.
Also, I think what added to the presence of the Twins was well⌠there was 2 of them. REALLY close to each other. I think we may recapture some of that presence when 2WTC is built since it is also close to 1WTC⌠but only if itâs built to 1360â and not 1280â (which is likely).
4 Likes