New WTC design proposals released today (1 Viewer)

[Ted Todorov]

I like the defiant sentiment of building new buildings that tall, but that's akin to painting a bulls eye on oneself

You'd better run right over to the Empire State Building and tell them to start evacuating immediately And the Chrysler Building, White House & Capitol Building while you're at it.
Manhattan bellow 96th street is one BIG bulls eye. Those of us who live here know this and chose to live here. If you are afraid, just live elsewhere. Meanwhile, I am all for the new WTC being the world's tallest building!
Ted

 

[Dennis Reno]

I like the clean lines of the original towers better than all of the proposed buildings. Some are interesting, some are just plain ugly IMO.

Does anyone really believe that NYC will be targeted again ONLY if grand buildings replace the WTC??? America and her major cities are all targets now, regardless of how tall the buildings are.

 

[Justin Lane]

As time goes on, I really don't see the need to rebuild the towers. If anyone is familiar with the history of the WTC, the whole project was somewhat of a failure with many unfullfilled promises. At the time the terrorists struck there was already more office space there then what was being used, so building a new larger complex just does not make sense. With the increased stigma of the location and possible terrorist repercussions in the future, I would think businesses would be even less inclined to move into a new complex. Honestly I don't think I would like to go to work each day on the site where 5000 people were murdered. A memorial park for people to enjoy in the future would probably be more appropriate, and actually show that America is about more then just commerce.

J

 

[Tommy Ceez]

DO NOT GET YOUR HOPES UP PEOPLE AS THIS "COMPETITION" IS ALL JUST A SCAM!

When the first wave of designs came out everyone complained about how boring they were. So our friends at the LMDC decided to pull a fast one on us! They get some designers together to put out 7 totally unfeasable designs and one design left over from the origional competition. So now no one can complain about the boring designes and the LMDC gets the one they always wanted (the one with the two short seperated towers with the spires on top). If you think its not fixed consider this...the team who designed the one that will ultimatly win are paid consultants of the LMDC, were not initially part of this competition but were instead inserted by the Chairman of the LMDC, a man who started his carear with that very same design team.

Its the same design as always with a couple of Sci-fi decoys.

 

[Tommy Ceez]

oops

 

[Grant B]

All I know, I would quit before I worked in the new WTC, outside of the 1st few floors and I think a good amount would feel the same way. I think building a new tall huge building there is saying, "HEY BET YOU CAN'T KNOCK THIS DOWN". You dont have to be a terrorist to know that it'll make it more of a target -it's a dare if anything.

You'd better run right over to the Empire State Building and tell them to start evacuating immediately And the Chrysler Building,

The Empire state building and Chrysler building are built like brick s***houses. They do not build them like that anymore... way too expensive. A bomber ran into the ESB during WWII and barely mussed it up.
I just think you are playing with people's lives and thats not right.

 

[Jason_Els]

Given the opportunity, I'd work in the world's tallest building in Manhattan if it were to be built. You might say they're one big bullseye but what do we get if we live in fear of terrorism all the time? Is everything we build in this country going to be dictated by al Qaeda? Either we look back in fear or we look ahead to the future and live our lives to the best of our ability in the way we want.

The dead and injured of 9/11 are done a disservice if we say they lived and worked in nothing greater than a target.

The motto of New York, my state, is, "Excelsior".

I think the design should be a fierce rebuke to the evil ones who did this thing. It should say "we're building something even more soaring, even mor inspirational".

Here! Here!

 

[Joel Mack]

Given the opportunity, I'd work in the world's tallest building in Manhattan if it were to be built.

Exactly. Sign my ass up right now. I'll even volunteer to work on the top floor.

 

[Tommy Ceez]

I think you could put the worlds tallest building back in Manhattan but JUST NOT ON THAT SPOT!

 

[MickeS]

I didn't like the original Twin Towers at all, but these proposals are even worse. No, I'm not an architect, and I can't come up with anything better, but these proposed building range from ridiculous to total disaster. Next, please. If I was in the committee that had to pick one, I'd resign.



Well, somebody's gotta pay the rent for the site. Office buildings make sense, building something like WTC again does not (IMO).

 

[Grant B]

I think there is a difference between 'not living in fear of terror' and endangering peoples lives because some people think the prestige of the tallest building outweighs safety consideration.I am sure their would be people who would work there. I am also sure there would be people who do it because they need to make a living and thats where their employer tells them to work.
Whatever is built, I hope it evokes a dignity which the dead deserve and not put more lives at stake because of a "We are #1" mentality

 

[David Susilo]

they are ugly, ugly and ugly.

What's with that twin-tower lookalike with a bridge in the middle looking like a deformed letter "H"? That looks like either a twin-tower wannabe or Petronas Tower wannabe.

Doesn't matter who designed these buildings, they are UGLY. Using any of these designs is equivalent to defacing NYC.

 

[Cam S]

To be honest, I really like some of the new design ideas that were recently showcased. Hopefully some of them will make it to the final design process.

 

[Peter-PP]

Remember the public also hated the original plans for the WTC before and after the towers were built in the 60's and the 70's.

 

[MickeS]

I realized what that ridiculous #-sign-looking building reminds me of: it could be something out of a superhero-movie, the headquarters of the evil mad billionaire genius, built to look like his company logo.

 

[Ted Todorov]

I think there is a difference between 'not living in fear of terror' and endangering peoples lives because some people think the prestige of the tallest building outweighs safety consideration.I am sure their would be people who would work there. I am also sure there would be people who do it because they need to make a living and thats where their employer tells them to work.
Whatever is built, I hope it evokes a dignity which the dead deserve and not put more lives at stake because of a "We are #1" mentality

As I said before, living in New York City, specifically Manhattan makes one a target, period. If the US is subject to a nuclear or biological attack, Manhattan will be the first target. Anyone who lives here and doesn't realize this is being delusional. Whether one is working in WTC II (which will be a target regardless of the it's height, because of the symbolism involved) one is a target simply by being in Manhattan.

If you choose to live in fear, please don't live here, don't work here, don't visit. Meanwhile, please, let the rest of us have a magnificent new WTC and don't tell us that lives are being endangered because of it.

The next successful attack against us will be different from the previous one. Having no building in the US taller than 10 stories isn't going to save us. What will save us is knowing that we have nothing to fear but fear itself and the "can do" American spirit, which the WTC exemplified and WTC II should as well.

Ted

 

[Jack Briggs]

A leading architectural critic and one of the architects who submitted one of the proposals were on PBS's The News Hour With Jim Lehrer last night, and the words "bold" and "visionary" were oft repeated.

The thinking is that these new designs are the first in establishing a new direction for modern office towers and skyscrapers.

Again, New York City is itself audacious. Why not erect buildings on the site that reflect the city's grandeur and audacity?

 

[MickeS]

Sounds like a great idea. Too bad that these designs don't reflect that. IMO they only reflect the vanity of the architects, at the expense of the above mentioned qualities.

 

[Joseph Young]

I've seen most of the designs and have been completely underwhelmed by most of them. Too much emphasis on pragmatism in the design. If some of these firms followed Vitruvius over vanity, we might be seeing designs that marry the visionary with the functional. I.M. Pei & Maya Lin are just two architects whose general architectural philosophies I deeply respect. It really feels like the submitted designs, for the most part have been totally lacking in inspiration, 'designs by phone-in committee,' if you will. Guliani had some very good comments to this effect earlier in the week.
It is utterly, absolutely imperative that the designs contain aspects that are reverent, symbolic, memorable, and indellible. It would be a national tragedy to simply re-insert office and retail space with nary a thought as to the significance of the site. There is so much potential for us to do something great there, to reflect the change in our country in the most timeless of ways - through our architecture - and it would be a damned shame to see that opportunity squandered for sake of the bulsh** "bottom line." :rolleyes
~j

 

[Michael Martin]

Of all of them, only the Peterson/Littenberg seems to "jibe" with NYC and have any kind of classical elegance to them.

I like the _ideas_ behind the design using "sacred space" but as a place to live and work - ugh. It's an eyesore.

What's with all the "leaning" or diagonal buildings?

On one hand, I don't feel a need to rebuild, but to protect the space as hollowed ground. However, I also understand the motive to rebuild bigger and "better," as a way of saying "We're not going to let your actions dictate our growth."