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Lesson 2:

World Trade Center Design Proposals

Aims:

1. To appreciate the aesthetic factors appropriate to a design for memorial structures at the World Trade Center site.

2. To develop concepts related to architectural design.

3. To evaluate designs according to specific criteria.

Materials:

computer with Internet capabilities

word processing application

Vocabulary:

Dictionary.com, Enchanted Learning, and Webster's Dictionary Online may be used to define these terms:

architect	design	structure
proposal	criteria	green area

Motivation:

Read aloud to students: "Ground Zero: An Empty Pit That Visitors' Grief Cannot Fill," by Robin Givhan, Washington Post staff writer and "The Memorial To Life," by Burton A. Gellman.

Elicit student ideas on what types of structures might be used to fill the "empty pit."

Students log onto the following web sites to view proposals for a memorial and buildings to be constructed at the World Trade Center site:

http://9-11peoplesplan.org This is the web site of White/Diekman Associates, architecture and planning consultants. On this site students may view "A People's Concept For a 9/11 Memorial and Rebuilding A World Trade Center.

http://archrecord.construction.com/news/wtc/archives/professprops.asp At this site, students may several architect's proposals for the New World Trade Center site.

http://archrecord.construction.com/news/wtc/archives/StudentProposals/CalPolyPanoma.asp This site provides proposals for the New World Trade Center site that were submitted by architecture students at various colleges and universities.

http://inspiretowermemorial.org/photos01.html This site has photos of the World Trade Center design plans of William Mims of Mims Architecture. http://inspiretowermemorial.org/art_discript.html This web page has a detailed description in words of the design plans by William Mims.

http://fredbernstein.com/index.html This site is a proposal for a 9/11 Memorial In New York Harbor. Photos of the memorial, detailed descriptions, and reactions to the proposal are provided.

Do the designs shown on the above sites follow the criteria listed by the Lower Manhattan Development corporation? Explain which criteria is being met by each of the designs.

PROGRAM GUIDING PRINCIPLES

The memorial is to:

EMBODY THE GOALS AND SPIRIT OF THE MISSION STATEMENT;
CONVEY THE MAGNITUDE OF PERSONAL AND PHYSICAL LOSS AT THIS LOCATION;
ACKNOWLEDGE ALL THOSE WHO AIDED IN RESCUE, RECOVERY AND HEALING;
RESPECT THE SACRED QUALITY OF THE SPACE THAT WILL BE DESIGNATED FOR THE MEMORIAL;
ENCOURAGE REFLECTION AND CONTEMPLATION; EVOKE THE HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE AND WORLDWIDE IMPACT OF SEPTEMBER 11, 2001;
CREATE AN ORIGINAL AND POWERFUL STATEMENT OF ENDURING AND UNIVERSAL SYMBOLISM;
INSPIRE AND ENGAGE PEOPLE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE EVENTS AND IMPACT OF SEPTEMBER 11, 2001; AND
EVOLVE OVER TIME WITH OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE EVENTS.

PROGRAM ELEMENTS

The memorial should:
RECOGNIZE EACH INDIVIDUAL WHO WAS A VICTIM OF THE ATTACKS

victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York, Virginia and Pennsylvania
victims of the 1993 terrorist bombing of the World Trade Center
PROVIDE SPACE FOR CONTEMPLATION

an area for quiet visitation and contemplation
a visitor area for families and loved ones of victims
a separate accessible space to serve as a final resting-place for the unidentified remains from the World Trade Center site
CREATE A UNIQUE AND POWERFUL SETTING

be distinct from other memorial structures like a museum or visitor center
make visible the footprints of the original World Trade Center towers
include appropriate transitions or approaches to, or within, the memorial
CONVEY HISTORIC AUTHENTICITY
The memorial or its surrounding areas may include:

- surviving original elements
- preservation of existing conditions of the World Trade Center site
- allowances for public ceremonies and celebrations

Development:

Students use http://cnn.com/SPECIALS/2002/wtc.ideas/designs/page.1 through http://cnn.com/SPECIALS/2002/wtc.ideas/designs/page.140 to see design proposals of ordinary people including children. There are over 140 web pages with 24 proposals shown on each page. These designs were submitted to CNN.com from July 30, 2002 to January 10, 2003 and are posted in weekly intervals page by page. Students may work individually or in groups, each taking one of the web pages to evaluate. Students will complete the following evaluation worksheet for three of the twenty four designs they view.

Summary:

Students report to the class on the three designs they have viewed that they think would best be suited to replace the original World Trade Center structures. In reporting, students show the pictures and orally present their evaluations of the three designs.

Note: Now that the design plans of Daniel Libeskind have been chosen by the Lower Manhattan Redevelopment Corporation, students may critique Mr. Libeskind's design. Students may log onto: http://archrecord.construction.com/news/wtc/ to read architects' evaluations of Mr. Libeskind's design. Students react to the the comments concerning the Libeskind design.

Note: As always, it is important for teachers to prescreen the web sites students will be viewing and assure that the material is age, grade, and maturity level appropriate. It would be advisable to only use excerpts from the web sites that are suitable for students.

Evaluation:

Students will be evaluated on their written descriptions of three designs they chose as the best, their ability to find the symbolism within the designs chosen, and their oral presentation to the class. See rubric and completed evaluation worksheets.