Twin Towers

RStar · 09-02-2011, 10:26 AM

As September 11 approches, I got to thinking about the Twin Towers. I know that the way they were built, in conjuction with the intense flames from the jet fuel, were responsible for the total collaps of the buildings. So my questions are:

If they were built differently and had stood, and been repaired, would you want to go in there and work or even visit? Granted, without the total devistation it wouldn't be as horrific a memory, but the fires would have still taken a lot of lives.

Also, if they had decided to rebuild the towers from the ground up to replace them exactly as they were, would you work, visit, or put a buisness in there?

I think the memorial looks great, and was the best use of the land with all things considered. But I just had this thought this morning. My answer would be no on working there daily, but maybe for the visit. I didn't know anyone who died in there.

Alex · 09-02-2011, 12:00 PM

I wouldn't specifically seek it out, but I wouldn't have a problem with working in them either.

In the "damaged but repaired" scenario we already have some degree of an answer to that as thousands of people were still working in those buildings even though it at already been the target of a terrorist attack within the previous decade. And, of course, thousands of people continue to work in the Pentagon every day and at least a dozen a day visit a Pennsylvania field.

But then I find the idea of consecrating the place where people died to be odd anyway so I don't really place any talismanic value on the sites of the attacks either. And the sooner the attacks on 9/11 become an end-of-the-newshour footnote every year (as the Oklahoma City bombing already mostly is) the better for society in general (IMO).

A country that dwells too much on the suck in life finds itself killing people for really stupid reasons a couple centuries down the road.

innerSpaceman · 09-02-2011, 12:06 PM

I wouldn't work there (or, btw, at the new replacement) - but I would hazard a visit now and then. Chances of the eventual attempt to bring down the buildings would be minimal on any particular day - but I wouldn't tempt fated fate by being there every weekday.

I used to, in fact, visit the Towers very often. I worked a couple of blocks from there for many years, and spent a lot of lunch hours on top of the South Tower because it was such a rad and hightacular place to be (if I may quote from my recent el jay entry on this subject).

Fond as I was of the tower top, I also have bad memories from my early childhood of when we had to move every last stitch of my dad's store a to a new location a few blocks north because he'd been evicted so the towers could be built where his small business once stood. Plus, I've always thought there were the plainest, ugliest, boxiest, bloatedest, boringest buildings every built, and I hated the way the two unimaginative behemoths dominated the lower Manhattan skyline. Though obviously not happy about the reasons why and the ways how - I'm actually quite glad the towers are gone. They were an eyesore, in my opinion - and the new replacement tower is going to be much prettier.

The early 70's were not the height of design expression in any field.

I think the new memorial is a bit on the unimaginative side itself, but it will be prettier than the towers it commemorates. I'll be visiting there about 3 weeks after the memorial opens, and as a New Yorker (once and always), an American and a fan of architecture, I will have conflicted feelings about the towers being gone.

Kevy Baby · 09-02-2011, 02:10 PM

Since I really didn't know much about the replacement buildings or their construction progress, I looked and found this site. I am embarrassed that I didn't realize how far along they were on construction.

alphabassettgrrl · 09-02-2011, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex

A country that dwells too much on the suck in life finds itself killing people for really stupid reasons a couple centuries down the road.

I agree.

I would probably visit the site, no matter what happened with it- rebuild, repaired, or monumented. It is a little strange to hold the ground and do nothing with it by virtue of it being a death site, but at the same time, it would maybe be a little strange to know people died in the place you work. At least, given the mass death. I don't think I'd be weirded out by single deaths or small-scale death.

Given how valuable land is in NYC, it shows how much the memory is valued since they aren't reclaiming the site.

innerSpaceman · 09-02-2011, 05:29 PM

Yeah, there's this little thing called Central Park in Manhattan. Boy, so much valuable real estate given up for grass and trees. Unthinkable!

Sorry, but aside from that beautiful island of parkland, there's not much greenery or park space in Manhattan. If just considered that, the memorial is a welcome addition to the island.

It looks like there's a fair amount of trees there. In fact, the two square "holes" with the water cascading down on all sides do not, as popularly assumed, represent the footprints of the towers. Those footprints are represented by lines of oak trees (mere saplings now), positioned a considerable distance further out.

Kevy Baby · 09-02-2011, 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

Those footprints are represented by lines of oak trees (mere saplings now), positioned a considerable distance further out.

I was looking at the plans and couldn't find the lines of oak trees; it just looks like a forest (see below). Or am I not looking in the right place?

Kevy Baby · 09-02-2011, 05:58 PM

BTW: this thread has really prompted me to spend a little time learning about the new site. I still have a hard time seeing the images for the 9/11 attack, so I think I have avoided anything to do with the site. But seeing everything being rebuilt actually has lifted my spirits.

innerSpaceman · 09-02-2011, 06:27 PM

Hmmm, can't find where I saw that, Kevy. Maybe I'll find out more about it when I'm there.

Kevy Baby · 09-02-2011, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

Hmmm, can't find where I saw that, Kevy. Maybe I'll find out more about it when I'm there.

No worries - anything is appreciated

09-02-2011, 10:26 AM	#1
RStar Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Me & Manyard hangin out! Posts: 5,433	Twin Towers As September 11 approches, I got to thinking about the Twin Towers. I know that the way they were built, in conjuction with the intense flames from the jet fuel, were responsible for the total collaps of the buildings. So my questions are: If they were built differently and had stood, and been repaired, would you want to go in there and work or even visit? Granted, without the total devistation it wouldn't be as horrific a memory, but the fires would have still taken a lot of lives. Also, if they had decided to rebuild the towers from the ground up to replace them exactly as they were, would you work, visit, or put a buisness in there? I think the memorial looks great, and was the best use of the land with all things considered. But I just had this thought this morning. My answer would be no on working there daily, but maybe for the visit. I didn't know anyone who died in there. __________________ Meddle not in the affairs of Dragons, for you are crunchy and good with ketchup! www.StarTownGifts.com
	Submit to Quotes

09-02-2011, 12:00 PM	#2
Alex . Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,354	I wouldn't specifically seek it out, but I wouldn't have a problem with working in them either. In the "damaged but repaired" scenario we already have some degree of an answer to that as thousands of people were still working in those buildings even though it at already been the target of a terrorist attack within the previous decade. And, of course, thousands of people continue to work in the Pentagon every day and at least a dozen a day visit a Pennsylvania field. But then I find the idea of consecrating the place where people died to be odd anyway so I don't really place any talismanic value on the sites of the attacks either. And the sooner the attacks on 9/11 become an end-of-the-newshour footnote every year (as the Oklahoma City bombing already mostly is) the better for society in general (IMO). A country that dwells too much on the suck in life finds itself killing people for really stupid reasons a couple centuries down the road.
	Submit to Quotes

09-02-2011, 12:06 PM	#3
innerSpaceman Kink of Swank Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Inner Space Posts: 13,075	I wouldn't work there (or, btw, at the new replacement) - but I would hazard a visit now and then. Chances of the eventual attempt to bring down the buildings would be minimal on any particular day - but I wouldn't tempt fated fate by being there every weekday. I used to, in fact, visit the Towers very often. I worked a couple of blocks from there for many years, and spent a lot of lunch hours on top of the South Tower because it was such a rad and hightacular place to be (if I may quote from my recent el jay entry on this subject). Fond as I was of the tower top, I also have bad memories from my early childhood of when we had to move every last stitch of my dad's store a to a new location a few blocks north because he'd been evicted so the towers could be built where his small business once stood. Plus, I've always thought there were the plainest, ugliest, boxiest, bloatedest, boringest buildings every built, and I hated the way the two unimaginative behemoths dominated the lower Manhattan skyline. Though obviously not happy about the reasons why and the ways how - I'm actually quite glad the towers are gone. They were an eyesore, in my opinion - and the new replacement tower is going to be much prettier. The early 70's were not the height of design expression in any field. I think the new memorial is a bit on the unimaginative side itself, but it will be prettier than the towers it commemorates. I'll be visiting there about 3 weeks after the memorial opens, and as a New Yorker (once and always), an American and a fan of architecture, I will have conflicted feelings about the towers being gone.
	Submit to Quotes

09-02-2011, 02:10 PM	#4
Kevy Baby Chowder Head Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Yes Posts: 18,500	Since I really didn't know much about the replacement buildings or their construction progress, I looked and found this site. I am embarrassed that I didn't realize how far along they were on construction. __________________ The thing about quotes on the internet is that you cannot verify their validity. - Abraham Lincoln
	Submit to Quotes

09-02-2011, 05:29 PM	#6
innerSpaceman Kink of Swank Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Inner Space Posts: 13,075	Yeah, there's this little thing called Central Park in Manhattan. Boy, so much valuable real estate given up for grass and trees. Unthinkable! Sorry, but aside from that beautiful island of parkland, there's not much greenery or park space in Manhattan. If just considered that, the memorial is a welcome addition to the island. It looks like there's a fair amount of trees there. In fact, the two square "holes" with the water cascading down on all sides do not, as popularly assumed, represent the footprints of the towers. Those footprints are represented by lines of oak trees (mere saplings now), positioned a considerable distance further out.
	Submit to Quotes

09-02-2011, 05:58 PM	#8
Kevy Baby Chowder Head Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Yes Posts: 18,500	BTW: this thread has really prompted me to spend a little time learning about the new site. I still have a hard time seeing the images for the 9/11 attack, so I think I have avoided anything to do with the site. But seeing everything being rebuilt actually has lifted my spirits. __________________ The thing about quotes on the internet is that you cannot verify their validity. - Abraham Lincoln
	Submit to Quotes

09-02-2011, 06:27 PM	#9
innerSpaceman Kink of Swank Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Inner Space Posts: 13,075	Hmmm, can't find where I saw that, Kevy. Maybe I'll find out more about it when I'm there.
	Submit to Quotes