Freedom Tower - The Design

[jwmorrice]

On July 4th, construction began on Freedom Tower in New York. It's being built on the site of the former World Trade Centre and will rise up 1776 feet.

Here's a link to show how it will appear when finished in 2008. (http://www.emporis.com/en/il/im/?id=199158) I confess to not knowing what to think of the design. Is it inspired? Ugly as sin? Just too overwhelming?

I guess I'm not very appreciative of modern architecture. My favourite New York skyscrapers would have to be the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building.

But at least the Freedom Tower will not be just another glass shoe-box. One hopes for the best. When completed, it will certainly be worth a visit to see.

jwm

 

[The Fruity Hare]

Unfortunately, a very attractive target for you know who!

 

[Cardinal Fang]

Architectural Critics?

 

[The Doctor]

Sensitive are we? I always wanted to be an Architect.

 

[Goober Mcfly]

I always wanted to be a lumberjack.

 

[The Doctor]

Or maybe a Marine Biologist.

 

[happygrump]

Is it supposed to look this disjointed and chaotic?

 

[jwmorrice]

It's ugly but it will grow on us down the road.

Now there's a compliment!

jwm

P.S. Sheik: What's with all the misplaced modifiers? You having a bad day??

 

[Drunken Master]

I submitted a design, which was, sadly, rejected.

It was called the Fortress of Doom. It occupied the entire island of Manhattan. It was twice as high as the WTC Towers. Its outer structure was composed entirely of five-foot thick titanium. On every story, separated by thirty-yard intervals, were anti-aircraft missle/50 cal machine gun placements. Boiling oil could be poured from any level onto any invaders or pedestrians below. The roof was occupied by a battery of 6,000 Patriot missles. The building was also capable of launching up 5 thermo-nuclear missles simultaneously. Finally, on top of the building I attached a giant-neon sign that flashed "Fuck You!" at 2 second intervals. This sign, along with the building itself, would be clearly visible from space.

I was told I came in a close second, and that as soon as the 800 trillion dollars required to begin building could be raised, construction would begin.

 

[BigBob]

What a shame

 

[Keebler Elf]

That's a pretty ugly design, IMO. I think they forgot the cardinal rule to "Keep it Simple Stupid." If you know your design is going to be controversial, why not keep it simple and modest out of respect for the dead. Not some towering monstrousity which basically, to me, reads as "Look at us a-holes! You knock it down, we'll make another one that even more extravagant(ly ugly)!!!"

What a kick in the balls it would be if the new one gets knocked down too!

 

[james t kirk]

They might as well just paint a big bulls eye on the side.

Not flaming, but the whackos are just going to be chompin at the bit to knock it down and everyone knows it. Hopefully the engineers acount for the possibility of a plane driving into it full throtle.

 

[james t kirk]

When it comes to architecture, Frank Lloyd Wright said it best, "God is in the details"

A merely hugely tall building is not as awe inspring as some low rise buildings that have tons of architectural details. Someone else mentioned the Chrysler Building and I would have to agree with that.

 

[brat_man_7]

Sensitive are we? I always wanted to be an Architect.

I always wanted to be a gynecologist, at least after I joined terb.

Cheers

 

[anon1]

When it comes to architecture, Frank Lloyd Wright said it best, "God is in the details"

Wasn't that Mies van der Rohe?

I prefer the original design of WTC by Gaudi, not the glass boxes that got knocked down.

 

[healer677]

Its always hard to judge models and artists renderings.

Its hard to tell actual spacial dimensions, how the light will interact with it....how the materials weather over the years etc, etc.

I guess I'll reserve judgement until I see the whole thing in its completed state.

 

[The_Jaded_One]

Personally I like it. I think it looks like a bunch of diamonds cut out in interesting shapes.

 

[jwmorrice]

Re: Yuk!

Oh it's ugly alright! Judging by the renderings it is representative of what is being produced by the graduates of the various schools of architecture for quite some time now. Predictable, expected and boring.

It is a conceptual design at the moment so there is hope for the development of a great building. By the time it gets through the preliminary design aspects there will be various adjustments to the original scheme that should improve the exterior appearance. Failing all that, perhaps when the structural engineers get a hold of it they will have a tough time making the damn thing stand, sending it right back to the drawing boards for a complete redesign!

In any case, rest assured that the final design will make world headlines and will receive the most prestigious award honours and kudos from the design community worldwide.

Sara

Sara:

That IS the final design. Construction has begun. See the story below from the NY Times.

jwm

N.Y. Begins Construction of Freedom Tower
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Published: July 5, 2004


Filed at 4:47 p.m. ET

NEW YORK (AP) -- The cornerstone of a new skyscraper that will one day soar over ground zero has been unveiled, a symbolic step for victims' relatives and a chance for Manhattan to reclaim its broken skyline.

A crane lifted the 20-ton stone, quarried from the Adirondack Mountains, and placed it Sunday in the southeastern corner of what will be the Freedom Tower's foundation.

The inscription read, ``To honor and remember those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001 and as a tribute to the enduring spirit of freedom -- July Fourth, 2004.''

Gov. George E. Pataki said he chose to begin construction on the 1,776-foot tower -- no other building in the world will be taller -- on July 4 to show that terrorists who brought down the towers on Sept. 11 didn't destroy the country's faith in freedom.

``Let this great Freedom Tower show the world that what our enemies sought to destroy -- our democracy, our freedom, our way of life -- stands taller than ever,'' Pataki told about 500 people gathered at the 16-acre site.

New Jersey Gov. James McGreevey said: ``We reclaim this ground in the names of those who we have lost.'' The 13-year-old son of a police officer killed on Sept. 11 read portions of the Declaration of Independence.

Family members of victims attending the ceremony were pleased that construction was under way.

``It's a new beginning,'' said John Foy, whose mother-in-law, Rita Blau, was killed in the south tower. ``We all need to move on and rise above this.''

The stone and its inscription will eventually disappear from view, as crews work over the next year to remove ruins of a parking garage and shore up the 70-foot-deep foundation before building the Freedom Tower above street level. Parts of the parking garage will go to a storage hangar at John F. Kennedy International Airport for historic preservation.

When it is ready for occupancy in 2009, the twisting glass and steel tower, topped by a 276-foot spire designed to evoke the Statue of Liberty, will include 2.6 million square feet of office space on 72 floors. Sixty stories of office space will be topped by 10 stories of open-air retail and restaurant space, an observation deck and energy-generating windmills.

Trade center leaseholder Larry Silverstein has plans to build four more towers between 2009 and 2015, although some have questioned whether he still has the money to do so after losing a trial aimed at doubling his $3.5 billion insurance policy.

Silverstein has said he has more than enough money to build the Freedom Tower, budgeted at $1.5 billion, and will use ``traditional financing methods'' to pay for the rest of the development.

Construction is also planned for a memorial that would transform the twin towers' footprints into reflecting pools and cultural space including several small theaters.

A group of victims' family members passed out pictures of the tower footprints outside the ceremony, saying they couldn't support the rebuilding until they were assured the historic elements of the site would be protected.

Architect David Childs, of Skidmore Owings and Merrill, was hired by Silverstein to become the building's lead architect after Daniel Libeskind created the master plan.

Taiwan's Taipei 101 tower, at 1,676 feet, recently supplanted Malaysia's 1,483-foot Petronas Towers as the tallest building in the world. The 110-story World Trade Center towers were 1,350 feet tall.

On Sunday, Mayor Michael Bloomberg noted that once again, ``the world's tallest building will rise in lower Manhattan.''