February 26, 2003—The Lower Manhattan Development Corporation and Port Authority of New York & New Jersey announced February 4 that the field of World Trade Center site design concepts under consideration has been narrowed to two—a design by Studio Daniel Libeskind and a design called World Cultural Center, developed by THINK. The two were chosen after extensive analysis and review of public comment following the December 18, 2002, release of nine designs for the site.
In general, the 12,000 public comments received concerning the rebuilding of the WTC site reaffirmed the need for an appropriate and fitting memorial to those killed on September 11th, a tall symbol or symbols to restore the Lower Manhattan skyline, more civic and cultural amenities and open space, and the integration of the WTC site with the surrounding community.
The two design concepts will undergo further review and modification over the next several weeks to address issues raised by the analysis. By the end of February, a single design concept and its underlying transportation, infrastructure, and land use plan will be selected, providing a core vision for the future of the World Trade Center site. The design concept will then be further refined and modified in response to further analysis and public comment. Once the plan is in place, an international memorial competition will be launched in spring 2003 and much of the on-site underground infrastructure and transportation work can proceed.
For more information about the criteria used to evaluate the nine designs, and to view the two designs currently under consideration, visit RenewNYC.
