Towers and Shadows

Plans are expected to be revealed today that outline several possible uses of the former site of the World Trade Center in lower Manhattan.

“The plans include from two to six office towers, some topped by glass-clad see-through structures, several hundred feet high, to evoke the twin towers. Several include a huge tower, perhaps taller than the twin towers had been. One plan calls for a clear ‘beacon’ tower that would be among the world’s tallest structures.”

Of course, these plans are almost unrecognizable from the plans first submitted in July. And after every group in New York gets their hands on them, the final concept will probably also be completely different.

A pity this question couldn’t have been answered more gracefully, but with so many voices, harmony is all but impossible. Count me, meanwhile, among the people who say, be bold. Build something nearly impossible and unforgettable. Don’t replace a modern Wonder of the World with a mall and a marble plaque.