Remembering 9/11
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World Trade Center Site

Introduction
The destruction of the World Trade Center in New York City created a 16-acre void in lower Manhattan. New Yorkers quickly began the task of filling that void. The Lower Manhattan Development Corporation (LMDC), a group appointed by the governor of New York and then-Mayor Giuliani, was given the job of devising a plan for the site. The LMDC had many priorities to consider. The most important priority for the site was to build a permanent memorial to remember the losses of September 11. Public open space was called for to make the area more attractive and livable. Rebuilding commercial office space was crucial, as over 12 million square feet of it had been destroyed. To preserve a strong business presence in the area, planners also wanted one million square feet of retail and hotel space rebuilt. In order to make the area more residential, many cultural amenities were proposed, including museums, libraries, and concert halls. On February 27, 2003, the LMDC announced that they had selected Memory Foundations by Studio Daniel Libeskind as the design for the World Trade Center site. Although the site design has been chosen, the design for the memorial itself is still under consideration. The following Web site displays the different concepts for rebuilding, and gives an overview of the design that was finally selected.

Destination Title: Lower Manhattan Development Corporation

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Directions
Start at the LMDC Web site. From there you can explore each proposal in depth.

  • Under Selected Design for World Trade Center Site, read the introduction and look at the Slide Show for the selected design.



1.  What does the architect, Daniel Libeskind, say was his primary challenge in designing this site?


2.  Instead of the previous twin towers, what elements does the new design for the site include?


3.  What is the tallest element in the design? How tall is it, and what will it be called?


4.  Compare this design to the other designs considered for the site (found under "9 Initial Designs" at the bottom of the page). Do you agree that this is the design that should have been chosen? Why or why not?


5.  The LMDC is holding an international competition to design a memorial for the site. What do you think would be most appropriate for a memorial? What should a good memorial for the World Trade Center site include? On a poster board, draw a design for your proposal.









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