Websites for those interested:
http://www.richardrogers.co.uk
http://www.maki-and-associates.co.jp/
Newsday
May 3, 2006
Architects named to design two more towers at ground zero
By AMY WESTFELDT
Associated Press Writer
NEW YORK -- Architects Lord Richard Rogers and Fumihiko Maki were named Wednesday to design two office towers that are next in line to begin construction at the World Trade Center site.
Rogers, the British architect who is designing an expansion of the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, and Maki, who is designing a temporary United Nations headquarters, will design two of the three towers under developer Larry Silverstein's control at the trade center site.
In an elaborate renegotiation last week of Silverstein's lease to the destroyed trade center, Silverstein gave up rights to the symbolic, 1,776-foot Freedom Tower and another planned skyscraper to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which owns the 16-acre site.
He also agreed to change the order in which he would build the three most potentially lucrative towers on the site. Now, the tower that Rogers will design will be built first, then Maki's, then a third that Lord Norman Foster has been named to design. All three towers are scheduled to be finished by 2012.
"The selection of architects to produce inspirational designs for two of the remaining four towers is yet another sign that the World Trade Center rebuilding is proceeding swiftly and intelligently," Silverstein said in a statement.
The tower that Rogers will design, right next to a planned transit hub, will include 2 million square feet of office space. Maki's building will house 1.8 million square feet of office space, and each will include five floors of retail space at and above street level and in an underground concourse that links to the transit hub.
"It is a rare opportunity to have been appointed to design one of the new buildings on this key site in New York, and we are particularly delighted that we will be working in the heart of the city," said Rogers.
And Maki, a Pritzker Prize-winning architect from Japan, said: "This is undoubtedly the most highly anticipated redevelopment project of our time, and I am honored to have been selected to work on designing 150 Greenwich Street."
Both towers will have addresses on Greenwich Street, which is scheduled to be rebuilt in the 16-acre trade center site. Construction on both is scheduled to begin next year.
Copyright 2006 Newsday Inc.
Websites for those interested:
http://www.richardrogers.co.uk
http://www.maki-and-associates.co.jp/
Wow I cant wait! They both can make good looking towers (I hope)! Better than that Freedom Tower and 7WTC.
This is very good news! All along I was afraid Child's would be designing the other towers and was yet to be officially confirmed. There is still a possibility, as Silverstein's in house architect that he might try and take control of designs here as he had with the Freedom Tower. I am more excited about the Rogers Tower than the Maki one, not only will it rise first but Rogers is one of my favorite architects. Roger's is a tremendously underrated architect, pick up any monograph of his and you'll see what I'm talking about. In my opinion he's more consistent than Foster although Foster has created some more masterpieces.
I just checked out some of Maki's recent works and I'm not that thrilled by this news. They just seem too boxy for my tastes.
Yes I just check Maki website as well, and I don't seem to like most of the stuff there... I just though that since he was a 'Pritzker Prize-winning architect from Japan', he will have done amazing projects. But not really.
Has Maki ever build a tall office tower before? I can't find anything on that website yet. I got bored looking at it.
Something simple and understated might be exactly what's needed at this site. I have faith that Foster and Rogers will create impressive designs for Tower 2 and 3 respectively. Tower 4 is further away from the Freedom Tower and closer to the financial district, an understated design would help merge the WTC site with the rest of the financial district, something that was lacking with the original design of the WTC's Twin Towers. I for one think that 5 towers by starchitects with big-ego's, each one trying to out do the last would be a bad thing for the lower Manhattan skyline.
I-Land Tower in Yokohama is Maki's only hi-rise office. It does not inspire confidence.
http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=131254
In many ways tower 4 is the most important on the entire site. The majority of foot traffic into the complex come from the south east across Liberty Plaza. If there is an entrance into the underground there it will be the most heavily used without doubt. It juxtaposition with the park will also make it highly visible from the pedestrians view point acting as a gateway to the site.
I disagree.Originally Posted by STR
both look like crap IMO, Maki's projects look just dreadful.
Rogers, yes please. Maki, no thanks.
No love for Maki eh? Yeah tower 4 ain't all that. I don't think it was meant to be.
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