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[The images of the Gaudi hotel plans for the WTC site proved to be so popular I had to come up with something good to follow. All I could think of were these photographs I took last month of rats decomposing in the pool of my father's new house. They're not as gruesome as it sounds... some of the pix, in fact, would be worthy of the Hubble telescope.]
Ugh. Can't he pay someone to clean the pool?
Actually, they're kind of beautiful in a Zed and Two Naughts kind of way ...
Posted by: Gary Sullivan at January 25, 2003 11:36 PMNEW VISION FOR WTC TOWERS
The design concept for WTC is displayed at WWW.CHAI.TV and view the perpective sketches in details.
CHAI VISION
CHAI vision of the World Trade Centre Lower Manhattan was inspired
from his original oil painting of a floating "giant lantern" in the sky.
This idea was further developed into a 200 to 300+ storey
height, 1120 metres or 3673 feet twin towers (or can be reduced
to any height but not lower than existing height) with distinctive
contemporary towers which will dominate and embrace
the landscape of the Lower Manhattan city skyline.
It will be recognised in the world as the tallest, minimalist sculpture
and monumental landmark, the Gateway Lantern , with a spiritual
nature and ceremonial light that represent a living symbol
of humanity from man-kind dedicated to world peace.
It represents the city of light, light of hope, light of future growth and
a memorial sacred light that enlighten togetherness, love, harmony,
strength, power, success and stability. The Lantern represents a
powerful symbol of spiritual light that dispels all the evil
spirit on earth.
GATEWAY LANTERN
The goldern white lantern, interlocking between the jointed towers, is a fully
enclosed and climatically controlled open air space with millions of
starry lights floating in the air. It is recognised as the tallest Lantern Towers
in the world.
The elevated Lantern becomes an extension of an open outdoor living
and working space in the sky. It provides a compelling experience
in virtual cyber outdoor living / working space integrated with landscaped trees and bridges, balconies and break-up meeting areas
within the office towers.
The Lantern Towers become the first combined towers in the
world that major tenants will be able to lease the whole floor
level "across" the towers which are linked with an enclosed outdoor
working space to encourage outdoor staff interactions within
different departments.
The "floating air-space" will generate a new concept
of "outdoor lifestyle" work environment incorporated with the principle of an energy efficient siting and planning
of an interior architecture within the towers. This concept provides a new meaning of office lifestyle environment with
exploration of an "electronic cyber air space" to experience the
"heaven dream-alike" interior
architecture of the new millenium.
The Lantern Towers will also be incorporated with cabled bracing structure
capable of strengthening and resistance against the high wind loading between the
towers. This concept of "outdoor lifestyle" Lantern Towers will allow all occupants to capture and enjoy enormous all-round
window views to the city of Manhattan.
CONCEPT PLAN
The concept of the ground level twin towers is a 25 to 50+ storey height transparent
"open gateway"
towers that celebrate and reinforce the entry of the Lower Manhattan
city from the main Hudson River waterfront harbour.
The new concept masterplan designed by CHAI.TV has been re-configured
in master planing, building scale, form and height
after studying the six concept plans developed by the Lower Manhattan
Development Corporation(LMDC).
The concept of the World Memorial Square is derived from the
traditional organic growth of city street patterns with coeherent flow
of sequential urban space "interlocking and inter-connecting"
of street and square indicated in the master plan. The concept can be incorporated with the principle goals and
objectives set down by the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation (LMDC).
WORLD MEMORIAL SQUARE
The World Memorial Square is the world's biggest living memorial
place on earth. The dynamic, contemporary urban square is defined by the mixture of
irregularly controlled stepped (set-back) low rise (3 to 5 storey) and
medium rise (6 to12 storey) buildings as a backdrop. The end of the
square is terminated with a major focal point of the twin towers which
represents a gateway entry to Lower Manhattan city.
The gateway provides a strong visual
connection to other open space which leads to the Transit Centre.
Heavy and soft landscape with water, trees and greeneries will bring
back with nature and generate a new life to the city growth.
The heart, diversity and vibrancy nature of the World Memorial Square
consists of spiritual, memorial place and cultural ceremonial place,
mixture of medium and high rise commercial towers, street level
retail precints and underground shopping centre, residential towers
and townhouses, cultural centres such as opera house and theatre halls
and recreation facilities. All these mix use development will bring
back a city living place with a sense of community lifestyle living,
a place for national gatherings, celebrations and aspirations.
WORLD MEMORIAL FOOTPRINTS
The World Memorial Footprints become a burial ground and a historical
site. The site will be retained and preserved with the footprints of
the destroyed Twin Towers which is installed with an enclosed indoor
transparent glass wall.
The memorial footprints consist of nearly
2800 memorial blade stonewalls with an enclosed 12-storey height contemporary
memorial space, reminiscence of
a cathedral church with high ceiling space and volume. Each memorial
blade stonewall will be engraved with the name and identity of each
victim in order to honor those who died.
The floating, gaint transparent crystal-coloured glass roof will define the
original shape of
the tower's footprints which can be clearly seen from a distance
on the street level.
The translucent crystal glass roofs can be light-up at night with a
crystal diamond effect.
It also includes the "memorial tower laser light" lit up to the
original height and shape of the destroyed twin towers
The pond and water landscape around the footprints are incorporated with the
falling water from the top of the gaint blade walls along the grand
promenade of the tower footprints to give a youthful energy.
The red colour is choosen in the series of the supporting blade columns.
It is in the Chinese belief that red colour will keep away and destroy
bad spirits and evil.
WORLD MEMORIAL RING
The World Memorial Ring consists of an abstract metal sculpture of
"alive" assemblages. The 14 metre (46 feet) height monumental
sculpture is constructed with fragments of the burnt and twisted
steel materials emerged from the destroyed Twin Towers.
The living memorial sculpture symbolises human spirits which gives a new
life and meaning, a living symbol of survival, new hope and world peace.
It is the place to pay respects to the lost souls of the innocent
victims of the WTC.