9/11 "up yours": World Trade Center II

[Dr Mordrid]

The new Freedom Tower/World Trade Center announced last week;




Freedom Tower: 1,368 ft; 1,776 ft including spire.
Original WTC: 1,368 ft; 1,731.9 ft including spire.

Full size pics (2500x3592 [day/night], 3000x2119 [top plan] & 5000x2194 [skyline]; 3-4 mb each)

Night: http://digitalvideo.8m.net/wtc2/wtc2night.jpg
Day: http://digitalvideo.8m.net/wtc2/wtc2day.jpg
Skyline: http://digitalvideo.8m.net/wtc2/wtc2-skyline.jpg
Top plan: http://digitalvideo.8m.net/wtc2/wtc2aerial.jpg

The full size pics are so detailed you can see details of the landscaping etc.

[Jessterw]

So many things wrong there, not the least of which is the complete disregard for the surrounding scope and architecture of the surrounding area.

That aside, the buildings are wonderfully designed, though I don't mean in appearance.

[gt40]

They really don't fit the skyline, for some reason.

[Dr Mordrid]

Same things were said of the original towers.

I'd have liked a more art deco look like Chicago's Trump Intl. Tower (1,171 ft);

[Jammrock]

When I first saw this post I thought you were reposting this for the 5 year anniversary:



I do like the new design. Skyscrapers are supposed to look out of place and attract the eye. Which this one nicely does.

Jammrock

[Lizzard[MPE]]

beautiful buildings, but i agree too modern looking for the surrounding area. Kinda the same problem were having with the design of louisvilles future new skyscraper....



and i'm not joking.. thats for real

[Lizzard[MPE]]

http://digitalvideo.8m.net/WTC2/WTC2%2Dskyline.jpg

that is a beautiful render viewed large

actually it doesnt look too bad

[TransformX]

The French despised the Eifel tower, saying it was ruining their city. After a while, they got used and later fell inlove with the thing. I think the people of NY will go through the same with the new WTC.

[Jessterw]

Surely many will, though there's still those that feel it is a mockery and a garish sight that they don't want in 'their' city.

Personally I'm not sure I'd go so far as to call it a mockery, but as someone who studied architecture, I find the complete disregard the surrounding area makes it less than appealing. The buildings themselves aren't horrid looking, and a few are actually quite stunning, but they have to be taken as a whole within their future environment. That's not to say they have to replicate the architecture of the locale, but it should certainly reflect it, even if in passing. But that's just my opinion.

Of course, I think the site shouts, "hey look, my phallic member is bigger than yours... let's see you try to knock it down now..." Sorry, but I'll take the bombing memorial down in Oklahoma City any day over this.

[Umfriend]

I would not be surprised if the surrounding area would, over time, be changed to fit the new towers. Also what TX said.

[Jessterw]

Note, not disagreeing with TX. Nor do I doubt that over a long period of time the architecture of the area will change. That's the natural progression of things, but as things progress, there's also the almost certain chance that designs that are drastically different to this will emerge.

Basically, I think they went overboard and were more concerned with making something absolutely awe inspiring and drastically different that they lost sight of the finer points.

[Brian Ellis]

They said the same thing about the Empire State Building and even worse about the Chrysler Building which, even today, is an art deco monstrosity.

[Technoid]

Looks much better than the first designs they said they were going to use

And I think the buildings will blend in better when they are built, the renderings seems to suffer from a large portion of "3D shine"

[Dr Mordrid]

Actually they might look pretty close. These days archetects are enamoured with tinted glass & open frameworks.

As for the Chrysler building being an 'art deco monstrosity'....most in the US who have an opinion love that building and since the 70's art deco has been in resurgence. Go to South Beach sometime

And if you don't like art deco blame the ancient Egyptians and the French.

[Jessterw]

They said the same thing about the Empire State Building and even worse about the Chrysler Building which, even today, is an art deco monstrosity.

Sigh. Yes, yes, they've said the same about a dozen other buildings. That's not the point. I was expressing a personal opinion that had nothing to do with how other people felt.

Oddly enough though, the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building both do contain elements from the surrounding architecture (at the time they were built). But comparing this to those doesn't make much sense given their intended purposes...

Then again, the purpose of the Twin Tower site really isn't about it being a memorial as much a symbol of commercial interests.