NP - Today's WTC Design Proposals

[David Morris]

Here are my reactions to the images in the NYT on the web "slide show" of the
new WTC designs unveiled today:

1.  The skyline image of the five linked identical rectangular towers
(indentified as by the Meier, Eisenman, Gwathmey/Siegel, and Holl group) form
something resembling two sides of a gigantic cage (is Eisenman the author of
this monstrosity?).  The horizontal bars which link the towers resemble prison
bars.  Though not as tall as some of the other proposals, the overall scale of
the combined form overpowers all that it surrounds.  The uniform rigidity of
this composition contributes to its authoritarian feel.  Mier says ``The most
important aspect of our plan is the way in which all of the thinking is
integrated into the memorial.''  This is rubbish.  Those cage walls are the
most prominent aspect of that design.

2.  The Fosters design, though extremely tall, is very pretty.  It is a nice
union of two towers into one, and the space between foms a wonder portal into
the park memorial.  It slightly evokes the fallen towers, but moves beyond them
in beauty of form.

3.  United Architects' undulating group of touching towers surrounding the
memorial site is beautiful, although somewhat unsttling in the way that the
towers look a bit as if they were falling.

David Morris


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