In 2003, the new design for the Freedom Tower was presented to the public. It received both praise and criticism, and concerns over security prompted the designers to go back to the drawing board.
Today, a new design is being unveiled. Many of the original elements have been removed from the structure, although some of the more symbolic architectural gestures remain. CNN has coverage of the story.
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3 Responses to “Freedom Tower, Take Two”
This was a front page story here in Chicago - rarely does the architecture critic get front page above the fold….but then rarely does he say anything worth reading - following in the time honored tradition of all types of critics - if they could actually do what they criticized, they wouldn’t be critics - they’d be successful professionals
Nonetheless, the headline was “Too much fortress, not enough beauty”
You can read the entire article here:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0506300270jun30,1,6705321.story?coll=chi-news-hed&ctrack=1&cset=true
hero, June 30th, 2005 at 12:23 pm
Interesting commentary from a non-New York perspective. I think people in this neck of the woods just want something there (other than the gaping hole that goes by the uncomfortable nickname of “Ground Zero.”) That doesn’t mean NYers will forget it, but it is still so much like a fresh wound. (Not a flesh wound, a FRESH wound.)
HeidiTFM, June 30th, 2005 at 1:31 pm
True - thos of us in the great “flyover zone” may not appreciate the NYC perspective. But it is important to recall that people from almost every state in the US and 80 countries died on 9/11 -
It is a difficult challenge - honor the dead, commemorate the survivors, yet build something that is still commercially successful.
Unfortunately, design by committee results in really bland and bad architecture (like the examples seen to date).
My own opinion is that NYC and the entire country has an opportunity to build something that is all these things and more - an anchor in revitalizing that part of Manhattan, a symbol to the US and world that we will not be entirely defined by that tradegy, and an example to everyone that the US is still able to exhibit those characteristics and that character that lead the poet to describe us as “the shining city on the hill”.
hero, July 5th, 2005 at 7:28 am
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