Freedom Tower

kuulani

kuulani

New Member
NEW YORK -- A new design for the Freedom Tower at the World Trade Center site slopes gracefully into a spire rising 1,776 feet, echoing the Statue of Liberty and alluding to the year of American independence.

Bloomberg said the design will "dramatically reclaim" a part of the New York City skyline that was lost on Sept. 11, 2001.

The cost is estimated at $1.5 billion, said Charles Gargano, vice chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the public agency that owns the site.

Gargano said the Port Authority, which had headquarters in the World Trade Center, plans to occupy one-third of the building's office space. The governor's Manhattan offices will also be located in the tower.

The building is to be put up on the northwest part off the World Trade Center site, not on the footprint of the vanished towers. The 1,776-foot structure would surpass Taiwan's Taipei 101 tower and would rise 426 feet higher than the World Trade Center towers.

Leaseholder Larry Silverstein, who appointed Childs to join Libeskind in creating the final design, has promised to build one new skyscraper at the site each year after the expected completion of the Freedom Tower in 2009, finishing the five-building complex in 2013.
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full story
 
I just have one question ... have they worked out an efficient evacuation plan for skyscrapers yet?
 
Well, jumping is pretty efficient. It just doesn't end too well. :s


Is the airspace above the area restricted?
 
Yeah, just open the window and step forward. It doesn't get any more efficient.

Seriously, no. and they never will. Too expensive.
 
Don't think there ever really could be an efficient evacuation plan for skyscrapers. If I ever had to work in one I'd be hoping for an office close to the ground - mainly because I hate taking lifts and usually end up taking the stairs, but also because in case we ever had to evacuate for whatever reason I'd hate to get stuck somewhere - I want to be able to get out as fast as possible.
 
I suppose they could install a slide that wraps around the building, accessible from all floors and then everyone could spiral slide down? :shrug:
 
Rose said:
I suppose they could install a slide that wraps around the building, accessible from all floors and then everyone could spiral slide down? :shrug:
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Lol. I thought of that years ago. It's really a brilliant idea although it would be quite expensive. Another idea i had was giant parachutes for commercial airliners. Sounds silly but many people would live if the plane hit the ground at even 50mph.
 
I don't see the point in building excessively tall skyscrapers to "reclaim" a skyline. If we can't get people out of the building successfully, why would you want to occupy the upper floors of such a skyscraper?
 
as i heard it there was a complex set of cable stays that would reduce the possibility of catastrophic failure of the building in the event of a major incident. it would seem that the stays are there to redistribute loads if primary structures fail.
the bbc article mentions other safety features that form part of the scheme.

i sincerely hope they don't have to find out if it works.
 
ris said:
i sincerely hope they don't have to find out if it works.
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I do too. :(


I hope I haven't offended anyone with any of my remarks in this thread. I don't mean to make light of what happened on September 11th. :(
 
How on earth would you have offended anyone? I'm sure evryone would realise that you weren't being malicious or demeaning what happened on 9/11.
 
Just a thought. I usually disclaimer my posts, but didn't in this case. So i did a little late.
 
They scarpped the plan to go 2000+ feet. Verizon and other communication companies rallied to have an antenna installed that would push the tower 2000+ feet...i guess they stopped that from happening.
 
if my memory is correct the height planned by libeskind's winning design was quite specific at 1776 ft. i'd be surprised if he was willing to be budged on that too much.
 
kuulani said:
I don't see the point in building excessively tall skyscrapers to "reclaim" a skyline. If we can't get people out of the building successfully, why would you want to occupy the upper floors of such a skyscraper?
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Because Safety and terrorist attacks are an afterthought to the profits to be had and the patriotism this building would exude.

Terrorist attack of such caliber is highly unlikely though very possible but the money this building will make is a no question deal...
 
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