07/10/03 – 11:36 am
Sustainability over revenge

Picture a middle-aged man building a sand castle on the beach. It is a grand sand castle, yet it could be better. There is a plethora of problems w/ the design of said castle. Sure enough, one day some little kid w/ ADD comes through and steps on it. Can you imagine what this guy would look like hunting this kid down, beating his ass and building a bigger castle? The only revenge we should have is making sure that nothing like that could ever happen again. Yes, I know, people died, and that is a scar that cannot be covered. But think of it this way; if the buildings were designed better, people would have escaped. All buildings should be disaster-ready, ESPECIALLY ones that are landmarks holding thousands of people.

Joshua Horne entasis1150@yahoo.com
San Jose, CA

03/04/03 – 7:26 am
the future

I am an Architectural Technology student at the University of Brighton, UK studying the future of tall buildings as my dissertation topic. It appears apparent at this stage in my research that despite the threats posed to tall buildings, on September 11th especially, the economic need within city-centre locations is far too high to consider anything less than a tall building.

I will be conducting a questionnaire as part of my research in the near future and would appreciate anybody completing it for me. I am also looking to post the questionnaire on line.

Chris Scarr scarrchris@hotmail.com
University of Brighton, UK

02/10/03 – 3:34 pm
High

The future is the highrises of 500-1000 floors that are intergrated with each other for fast moneuverable transport.

Observer

01/15/03 – 1:07 pm
wtc rebuilding

I think we humans have reached a limit for high-rise buildings, who wants to live and work in structures that take you your whole lunch break to get to the news agent? skyscrapers ultimatly become claustophobic. Bigger is not always better and trying to build the tallest building is a a challange which will always be beaten by some one with more money and arrogance.

Penny penelopecrayon@yahoo.com
London

12/30/02 – 4:44 pm

skyscrapers are a highly valued commodity in today's world. Building a quality of life and sense of place whithin this confinement of a tall structure should be revolutionized. we have the technical skill to do just that. And make it so people start to envision the role of good architecture in their lives, not neccesarily resorting to past paradigms but creating new ones (of social reform)

tx ag

11/26/02 – 2:42 pm
In response to Tower of Babel posted 11/07/02

There's nothing wrong with striving for ever greater achievements, be it taller Towers or otherwise. This is not about ego or God but about the meaning of human existence. If we do not leave the world with more greatness in it than we found, life was in vain.

Alex Butziger ambutziger@hotmail.com

11/07/02 – 1:07 am
Tower of Babel

....lest we forget, TOWERS represent man's ego... that he can reach GOD. Towers have been built before (history) ...and have always come tumbling down or have been destroyed. America is strong as an Empire, but we should learn...and we don't need to flaunt our ego in the face of our enemies -- ever again! It is not about being cowards. To rebuild a gigantic office building again, would tout the world, and such an edifice could suffer repeat occurences of terrorism. ...and let's not forget our NEW FEAR of tall buildings. WHO will inhabit them again and feel comfortable?? esp. in New York or any major city? Certainly it could become a WHITE ELEPHANT that cannot be rentable.... I am for a good representation on WTC site of PEACE and PROSPERITY in this nation, a TALL structure/memorial...but not a building that houses people -- ever again.

L. Alston Nalstonusa@aol.com
Livingston, TX-Retired

View response.

11/04/02 – 1:57 pm
skyscrapers are a physical and metaphorical target

The architecture of the World Trade Center was conducive to the type of attack it suffered. A cartoon that was widely circulated showed a "new design" for the towers as being a middle finger flicking off the rest of the world. My opinion is that the towers already conveyed that message. To rebuild towers of the same size, as a writer below mentions, would be reacting as if we did not learn anything, structurally, politically, or metaphorically. The one thing the U.S. needs to let go of for a while is its ego. By rebuilding to the oppressive height that what we had before would be yet another taunt. Though there is obviously numerous site constraints, let us consider a design that is responsive to the necessary elements of the program and not worry about how "powerful" or "fearless" we look to other nations. A humble, thoughtful design may command more respect.

Aeryn

10/14/02 – 1:30 pm
An Engineer's perspective?

With all of the design proposal by architects, why haven't we heard a professional engineer opion in regards to what is the condition of the existing caissons which I'm sure go to a depth of 500-1000 ft. at least Are they structuraly safe? Can't believe the impact they must of sustained without any cracks of fractures. Who has determined this? Could The WTC be built exactly the same using the caissons.

B.Y. architect by@moaarch.com
Denver

10/13/02 – 12:13 pm
Regarding rebuilding the same size or larger

If we do not rebuild buildings of the same size, the terrorists know they have control over us. Do we want to look like cowards? I am aware safety goes before our egos, but you are dealing with egomaniacs. What we, the United States of America, rebuild in the World Trade Center's place will reflect to the terrorists they have put fear into us--we fear them). If we stand tall, secure, don't back down with smaller buildings they will get a firm message of our strength united.

I found this website today and I think it is a great plan (www.wtc2002.com/start.lasso). I would incorporate into this plan, an air traffic watch center in the top of the building "set" which is monitored day and night. That is safety.

We are not cowards, so don't show them that by building half, or even three-fourths, the size of the World Trade Center Towers. Your designs show FEAR that has been instilled by the terrorists.

I don't mean any disrespect, but think about that before you build these.

Barbara

09/14/02 – 10:48 pm
future of skyscrapers

I am not a real native person so I could view things from different angle. Anytime or sooner high buildings in a different form going to be a target of disillusionists. In my opinion, in WTC site architects better opt for building with same capacity but spread in a large foundation base. Approprately satisfying the former flow of white colar persons, bringing security and convinience of descending to the ground.

Thanks from Mongol State
enkhtur byamba enkhturs@yahoo.com

03/20/02 – 7:13 pm
future of the skyscraper/WTC

Why should we even have to question the future of the skyscraper in the first place?

Human history is littered with ruins of buildings. Sometimes the ruins have more to give to future generations than the the original structure. I am sure the WTC ruins will speak with a voice louder than any monument, structure or memorial that is built as a resoponse to what happened. Any reconstruction of the towers in their original form would not only be a joke and absolutely unimaginative, but they would also take away the power and emotion one feels upon visiting the site.

Keep the ruins as part of a memorial!

Farhad
Sydney

02/07/02 – 11:06 pm
will the skyscraper be the same again

i am researching for my architecture dissertation, and am questioning the image of the skyscraper since the september 11th attacks. i think that this issue will remain a discussion point for a long time to come, and that there will be a lot of conflicting opinions and views.

i personally think that there should be a memorial on the ground zero site, which is incorporated within a low rise complex of buildings.

bex