Tour | 9/11 Memorial and World Trade Center: Architecture, Urban Planning and History

Meet at the southwest corner of Broadway and Vesey Street (by St. Paul’s Chapel)  

Rebuilding the World Trade Center in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks has been a daunting, contentious and dynamic process. The 9/11 Memorial opened on the tenth anniversary of this tragic event, and 2014 saw the opening of both the 9/11 Museum and One World Trade Center, currently the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere.  

This tour offers participants an opportunity to experience the 9/11 Memorial and to see the now almost-completed World Trade Center site. We discuss the highly publicized competitions for the site’s master plan and memorial, and delve into the design and development of each of the main structure–including the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, office towers and transportation hub. Together we consider the influence and concerns of the different stakeholders by comparing the initial winning plans for rebuilding at Ground Zero to the final, much altered, designs that we see today. 

We will also examine the history of the original World Trade Center site and the transformation of Lower Manhattan after World War II, and we’ll compare Minoru Yamasaki’s 110-story Twin Towers, built on a 16-acre superblock, with current efforts to reconnect the new WTC to the street grid and surrounding neighborhoods. Finally, we explore how the current emphasis on safety, security and sustainability is a response to the design and engineering of the original complex, the 9/11 attacks and a greater concern for ecologically-friendly architecture. 

Tours will run rain or shine. Please arrive 15 minutes prior to tour start time. Registration is limited to 15; walk-ups are not guaranteed a spot on the tour.

$25

AIANY Guide: Doug Fox, Allied Professional, AIANY