Memorial to 9/11 Victims Is Selected

Associated Press ^ | January 06, 2004 | Amy Westfeldt

[AntiGuv]

NEW YORK - Two pools of water with pine trees and a paved stone field has been chosen as the design for the World Trade Center memorial, capping an eight-month international contest that drew more than 5,000 submissions, The Associated Press has learned.

"Reflecting Absence" created by city designer Michael Arad, was chosen by a 13-member jury of artists, architects, civic and cultural leaders after months of intense deliberation that culminated in a marathon 12-hour-long meeting this week.

The decision was to be announced publicly later Tuesday.

[Snowy]

Are they going to put buildings in the square holes?

[AntiGuv]

[Dog]

I just want the Twin Towers back....like they were before the planes hit that terrible morning.

That would be the most fitting memorial...

[MattAMiller]

There are going to be buildings. There's going to be a new WTC complex AND this memorial.

[Shermy]

The holes are interesting, I like them...if they were in the actual "footprints" of the WTC. Are they?

BTW, and off-topic, what's the Mirage going to do without Siegfried & Roy?

[cpforlife.org]

Pedestrians walk on the eastern edge of the World Trade Center site Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2004. The winning design for the World Trade Center memorial, part of the larger redevelopment at the 16-acre trade center site, was to be announced Tuesday, capping a contest that began eight months ago. At right is the entrance to the new Path Train station. (AP Photo/Zack Seckler)

[AntiGuv]

If you look at the third image in my post #4, I believe the original concept design would have the names of the victims engraved on plaques atop that wall separating that you look out over and through the cascading water.

[mlbford2]

BTW, and off-topic, what's the Mirage going to do without Siegfried & Roy?

I guess they'll have to increase the booze and hookers.

[dandelion]

Oddly enough, I like it; but not because of a scintillating design or cleverness. Rather, I like it because it uses the brutal emptiness of the original towers demise, and turns it into a peaceful, contemplative space for families to view the final resting place of loved ones.

This in itself is victory; the attackers and their culture are erased, their destruction is rendered beautiful, and our America pauses for just a moment to reflect before continuing down the street to the next busy moment...

[StoneColdGOP]

Ugh.

Indeed. To me, the whole thing lacks courage, defiance, resolve, bravado, mettle... basically the whole "F you bastards, we're not going to die at your fithy hands, get ready an ass-whippin'' so bad Mohammed himself and all his band of camel herders will feel it!" kind of attitude.

A giant clenched first raised into the air would do nicely.

[rintense]

Sounds good to me!

[TomServo]

"The Toddler Motel"

Bwahahahahahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!

[CyberAnt]

What do you know about the designer ..??

[Flux Capacitor]

Wow. Just look at all that wasted, wasted, wasted space.

I don't ever want to hear another word about how much of a premium there is on real estate in Manhattan.

-Dan

[Shermy]

Good ideas.

With the theme-aholic bent of the hotel industry, my idea is to dump the "family"-is theme, and remodel as "Old Vegas." Rat Pack, obvious-mobster types, old desert coots working together to relive the Las Vegas of old.

[Lunatic Fringe]

I like it.

[finnman69]

I disagree...this is one of the few memorials that recall the void/footprint of the towers so well and provide a tribute to the massive engineering triumph of them.

[dandelion]

Here's from his bio page:

http://www.wtcsitememorial.org/fin7_bio.html

Michael Arad, New York, NY
Statement
Illustrations & Models
Biography/Credits
Animation
Original Submission


Michael Arad
Michael Arad grew up in Israel, the United States and Mexico. He has been living in the U.S. since finishing his military service in the Israeli Defense Force in 1991. He received a BA from Dartmouth College, and a MA from Georgia Tech's College of Architecture. He moved to New York City in 1999 and worked as an architect at Kohn Pedersen Fox for three years. He recently joined the Design Department of the New York City Housing Authority and has been working on the design development of two police stations for the New York City Police Department. He lives in the East Village in New York City with his wife, Melanie Arad Fitzpatrick, and his newborn son, Nathaniel.

[Peach]

A beautiful tribute to The Blood of Heroes is located at this site below. Have the sound and music on.

I've tried posting it to my FR web page, but have been unsuccessful.

http://members.cox.net/classicweb/email.htm

[eastsider]

Wow. Just look at all that wasted, wasted, wasted space.

Just as Mohammed Atta evisioned it ...