The
World Trade Center New
York, New York
Built 1970 - 1977
Minoru Yamaski & Associates, Architect, with Emery Roth and Sons
Designed for strength, demolished by terrorist attack
on September 11, 2001
The Twin Towers of the
World Trade Center soared above the New York skyline Corel Photo
In the words
of Minoru Yamasaki
"There are a
few very influential architects who sincerely believe that all buildings must
be 'strong'. The word 'strong' in this context seems to connote 'powerful'—that
is, each building should be a monument to the virility of our society. These
architects look with derision upon attempts to build a friendly, more gentle
kind of building. The basis for their belief is that our culture is derived
primarily from Europe, and that most of the important traditional examples of
European architecture are monumental, reflecting the need of the state, church
, or the feudal families—the primary patrons of these buildings—to awe and impress
the masses. This is incongruous today. Although it is inevitable for architects
who admire these great monumental buildings of Europe to strive for the quality
most evident in them—grandeur, the elements of mysticism and power, basic to
cathedrals and palaces, are also incongruous today, because the buildings we
build for our times are for a totally different purpose."
—Minoru Yamasaki, from Architects on Architecture: New Directions in America,
Paul Heyer
"I feel
this way about it. World trade means world peace and consequently the World
Trade Center buildings in New York ... had a bigger purpose than just to provide
room for tenants. The World Trade Center is a living symbol of man's dedication
to world peace ... beyond the compelling need to make this a monument to world
peace, the World Trade Center should, because of its importance, become a representation
of man's belief in humanity, his need for individual dignity, his beliefs in
the cooperation of men, and through cooperation, his ability to find greatness."
- Minoru Yamasaki, chief architect of the World Trade Center
World
Trade Center Reconstruction Find
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Trade Center information.
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