Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Looking down

Yet another shot from the World Trade Center's observation deck taken in 1994. This is the rather austere plaza at street level, seen from above. I think it was visually impressive and worked geometrically, but it wasn't a very inviting place to be, if memory serves.

Looking down at the World Trade Center's plaza.

Most of the center's ground level activity took place below the plaza in a huge concourse and network of tunnels that connected a rather large retail space (shopping mall) with the surrounding buildings, the subway, and the PATH trains to New Jersey.

The sculpture in the fountain, called "The Sphere," was damaged but not destroyed on September 11, 2001. It was recovered and moved to Battery Park as a memorial. The damaged sculpture is intact, but it has not been repaired. I didn't know about this until now. Isn't the internet cool!

One day I would like to go back and see how the new Trade Center spaces work, after the construction is completed. Since I'm from upstate and go back now and then, a side trip to Manhattan is not out of the question.

5 comments:

  1. I am getting vertigo just looking at this pix!

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  2. I didn't know about the sculpture either. That's an ideal symbol for the memorial.

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  3. Like Susan, I did not know this about the sculpture either. I'm glad it survived and will hold a place of honour.

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  4. Ian's I mentioned before... I remember the plaza well..... As you say....not inviting at all

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  5. Some of my Parisian friends say it's supposed to snow all week!

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