Anytime I view this list I can't stop myself from tracking down the 3 highschool colleagues and nextdoor neighbor who were murdered on that day. It forces me to hold onto the evil of what was done to us that day. I think that's a good thing. Any move to avoid marginalizing the list of victims is a move in the right direction.
Agreed, BL. We only get one chance like this to honor them, we should make sure that we're creating something that will withstand the test of time and not leave them forgotten about in 30 years.
Every time I visit the Vietnam memorial it's such a powerful experience, even though I wasn't even alive during the war. It makes you so aware of the futility of hatred and war. Those are the kinds of messages we're obligated to send for many generations into the future.
The landscape is awash in memorials where that's exactly what eventually happens.Originally Posted by CitiesfromSpace
The WTC memorial committee could have learned a lesson here. Although there were attempts to alter that memorial into something more "classically heroic" like the bombastic WWII memorial, it survived with the designer's vision mostly intact.Every time I visit the Vietnam memorial it's such a powerful experience, even though I wasn't even alive during the war.
It's a sad experience , so the memorial had to be removed from the everyday bustle of DC. The descent underground is symbolism itself, but also a metaphor for the deeper involvement over time, and the slow withdrawal. The chronological listing of the dead reinforced it, the panels getting larger as a widening war resulted in more casualties.
The black color was hated by many, but the polished wall acts as a mirror; as you view the list of dead, you confront yourself. The black is a stark contrast to the gleaming white of monumental DC. The wings point directly to the Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument.
We see what Maya Lin wanted to say.
What Michael Arad wants to say has been altered by a plaza of trees and cost-cutting considerations. If his design wasn't workable, it shouldn't have been selected.
I don't know if these renderings are real, but I can't believe I haven't seen them until now. Apparently they're from 2007.
There are plenty more which can be found here: http://www.hinicetomeetyou.com/wtc.html
Very interesting. These renders make me think they might get something special out of the underground spaces after all.
It looks like they're starting to lay rebar in the North Tower pool for the concrete that will go over the steel decking. Nice. Now if they could only finish off that last little corner of the pool...
By the way, anyone know WHY they haven't finished that last corner? They were making such great progress but then just stopped all of a sudden and haven't installed any steel there in months. I know they're still working on the western slurry wall, but I don't see why they can't just finish off the pool at least.
I compared the renderings that RKOwens4 posted with the prints and they appear to be very accurate. I'm sure many have noticed the big holes in the decking on the west side ( above the main gallery) they're for lowering some of the larger pieces of steel into the Museum. The renderings do not show the structural glass flooring that well cover the column stubs though.
RKOwens4 I think they haven't put up the last corner due to clearance issues with the crane.
I also think they've got an elevator going in that section and have needed crane access to it.
^Yes. Elevator / hoist complex goes in that hole.
They need to leave the open area for the crane while they can still use it at foundation level.
Good. I was afraid that big hole at the northern part of the gallery was to allow for a staircase or something leading up and out to another building on the plaza level, which would make the plaza even more cluttered.
Do you know where the elevator will be located? North side of gallery presumably? Makes more sense.Yes. Elevator / hoist complex goes in that hole.
I should have said it clearer. That hole is for the construction hoist and will be removed eventually.
Looks like they are working towards a concrete pour into the north building footprint. A good amount of rebar laid out over the last few days there.
Oh. Well do you know if there will be an elevator at all in the main hall/gallery, to allow the disabled (or just lazy) to descend from the top level to the bottom?
Also, during steel installation I noticed a triangular "room" in the very, very northwest corner of the gallery on the lowest level. Does anyone know what this room will be for? Restrooms, maybe?
There are 5 elevators, including freight, just not in that area.
The room you describe is rain water storage tanks and fountain plumbing on the lower levels, there are emergency exit stairs too. The opening in the deck on the top level in the northwest corner is for stair D.1.
Uhh, so are you saying that there IS going to be a stairwell leading from the museum up to the plaza level in that area (presumably with some type of entry/exit building structure on the plaza as well)? You've got to be kidding me. It's bad enough that they have those two small buildings on the west side of the plaza already, making things cluttered, but now there's going to be a third? Jeez.
If they needed an emergency exit for that area, they could have just made an opening leading to the east-west corridor.
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