WTC Finalists Include Tallest Structures

AP via Lycos.com ^ | 02/04/2003

[GeneD]

Two plans featuring structures that would rise taller than any other in the world have been picked as finalists in the selection of a design to rebuild the World Trade Center, a source familiar with the plans said Tuesday.

One proposal evokes the original trade center with twin latticework towers, while the other preserves the foundations of the twin towers, according to the source, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

A final choice is to be made later this month by the Lower Manhattan Development Corp. and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the agency that owned the World Trade Center.

The formal announcement of the finalists was to be announced publicly Tuesday afternoon.

Both finalist designs -- by an architectural team known as THINK and by Berlin-based architect Daniel Libeskind --- feature structures rising higher than the tallest in the world, Malaysia's 1,483-foot Petronas Twin Towers.

The World Trade Center's twin towers measured 1,350 feet.

The THINK team, led by New York-based architects Rafael Vinoly and Frederic Schwartz, proposed the World Cultural Center, whose lacy 1,665-foot towers have been called 21st-century Eiffel Towers.

Libeskind, who designed Berlin's Jewish Museum, proposed starkly geometrical buildings clustered around the foundations of the fallen towers and topped by a 1,776-foot spire.

Although both finalists include soaring structures, neither plan conceives of office space extending all the way to the top.

The models each include a vision for where the victims' memorial might be built. A specific design for the memorial is expected to be chosen later this year in a separate competition. Nearly 2,800 people were killed in the attack on the trade center Sept. 11, 2001.

Spokesmen for the two finalists did not immediately return calls seeking comment.

The two finalists were among nine proposals for redeveloping the 16-acre World Trade Center site that were unveiled Dec. 18. The plans were selected from 407 submissions from around the world. One of the nine semifinalist designs was later withdrawn.

An earlier group of proposed designs, released in July, was criticized as boring and overstuffed with office space.

While no one expects an exact replica of either of the finalists to rise at the site, officials at the development corporation have said whatever is built there will be based on one of the plans.

Recurring turf battles over control of the site may complicate the decision-making, though.

Developer Larry Silverstein, who holds the lease to the trade center site, complained in a letter to development corporation chairman John Whitehead last week that the proposed designs do not include enough office space.

___

On the Net:

Lower Manhattan Development Corp.: http://www.renewnyc.org

Port Authority: http://www.panynj.gov/

[VaBthang4]

"One proposal evokes the original trade center with twin latticework towers"

Lord please....not that one. It is hidious.

I like the Superman Fortress lookin one.

[Tall_Texan]

The best design would be a building with a distict lower base and then a section in the middle rising up to the top where about a three-story observation deck would be at the tallest point.

In other words, it should look like a giant fist with the middle finger extended - pointed in the direction of Mecca. What other design would so closely capture the spirit of New Yorkers while also telling the Islamofascists that New Yorkers can rebuild anything they'd like to steer a plane into.

A great addition to the Manhattan skyline too...

[You Dirty Rats]

If it is planned to build taller than the original towers, then why don't we just rebuild the towers as they were?

[lepton]

and topped by a 1,776-foot spire.

Somehow, I doubt it.

[stanz]

That's what I keep saying.

[tophat9000]

I glad that both finales would be the new tallest in the world

To me would be “un-American” to do anything less then.....

Go forward, build it bigger, better

This goes for Columbia to

[hellinahandcart]

read it and weep

[BlessedAmerican]

Wonder how long it is going to take to rent the office space, especially in the upper floors????

[finnman69]

I'm weeping at the designs.

[Bryan24]

My design is best.

7 towers in a circle, with the southermost tower being the tallest 111 at stories. The northermost 2 towers would be 80 stories. The next 2 would be 90 stories, the next 2 would be 100 stories, ending with the southermost (tallest) tower.

At about 10-15 stories and then again at 60-65 stories , these towers would be joined by multi-story catwalks providing access to each building.

Each building would be glass exteriored. The appearance of the building would look, from a distance, like a jeweled crown, or, as the name of the complex suggests, The Crown of New York.

The center of the building cluster would be a 2-3 acre courtyard with a WTC memorial/park.

[OldFriend]

Forgive me, but I'd just as soon not have the German firm.

[Malcolm]

WHATEVER is built, they should also include some type of anti-aircraft system that would destroy a plane before it got close enough to crash into the building. Whether it is based inside the building, or somewhere on the ground, matters not to me, as long as some system is employed that will do the job. It may be heartless on the surface, but we have to use something to ensure that this tactic will never be successful again.

[paul51]

Forgive me, but I'd just as soon not have the German firm.

Good point. Should be disqualified

[Search4Truth]

I like it. Have a drawing?

[hoosierskypilot]

I appreciate their guts in rebuilding, but isn't that going to be like a target? I mean, how tempting is that going to be to some more sand-groveling, butt-in-the-air, lice-infested moslem? Pretty tempting, I'd say.

[Bryan24]

Regretfully, no. Maybe I could work on something and get someone to post it.

[AFreeBird]

I mean, how tempting is that going to be to some more sand-groveling, butt-in-the-air, lice-infested moslem?

But just think how much of a "in-your-face" response they'd be to the Murdering Minions of Mad Mo (piss be upon his head). Knock em down and we rebuild them bigger and better.

[Ruger1099]

Put the U.N. in the upper floors. At the very top put all the countries with ties to Al Queda.

[sauropod]

Ping!