World Trade Center Site Memorial Competition
Encyclopedia
The World Trade Center Site Memorial Competition was an open, international memorial contest, initiated by the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation
(LMDC), as per the specifications of architect
Daniel Libeskind
, to design a World Trade Center Site Memorial (later renamed the National September 11 Memorial) on a portion of the World Trade Center site
. The Competition began April 28, 2003 and the winner—Michael Arad
and Peter Walker
's Reflecting Absence—was revealed January 14, 2004 in a press conference at Federal Hall
in New York City
. The contest garnered 5,201 entries from 63 nations and 49 US
states out of 13,683 registrants from all 50 US states and 94 nations, making it the largest design competition in history.
Pataki
, Mayor
Bloomberg
, and the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation
(LMDC) jointly announced plans for an interim memorial to the victims September 11, 2001
and February 26, 1993 World Trade Center attacks.
announced that a series of public meetings would take place to discuss a future World Trade Center Site Memorial.
The Selection Jury for the World Trade Center Site Memorial Competition were announced on April 10. The Competition began on April 28, when the Guidelines were released, Registration was opened. The LMDC accepted questions from competitors between April 28 and May 18, which were answered on its website on May 23 and removed at the end of the competition. Potential entrants were given until May 29 to register for the stated purpose of gauging the volume of entires. On May 15, the LMDC announced that it had received registrants from all 50 U.S. state
s and 70 other nations; on May 30, the LMDC announced that 13,683 competitors had registered from 94 nations.
Submissions were accepted from registered entrants between June 9 and June 30. On July 17, the LMDC accounced that 5,201 submissions had been received, representing competitors from 49 U.S. states and 63 nations. The LMDC displayed the 8 finalists in the Winter Garden
on November 19.
and Peter Walker
's "Reflecting Absence" as the winning design, which was displayed publicly January 14.
On February 19, all 5,201 entries on its website were made available on the LMDC's website. On April 8, the LMDC announced the creation of an Advisory Committee to ensure that the Competition Guidelines are incorporated into the final design, which had undergone revision since January 14. On April 13, the LMDC announced that associate architect Davis Brody Bond would assist Arad and Walker with their final design.
In addition, entrants were expected to conform to the following "guiding principles":
Entries were examined by "LMDC staff" prior to jury review to determine whether they met the competition requirements. Although the Jury was allowed to review the list of ineligible submissions, the LMDC itself was to make the final determination.
Honorary Member:
and Peter Walker
's Reflecting Absence consists of a field of trees interrupted by two large voids containing recessed pools, marking the footprints of the Twin Towers
. The deciduous
trees are arranged in rows, forming informal clusters, clearings and groves. The park is at street level, sitting above the Memorial Museum. The World Trade Center site is a bathtub as the area was excavated to construct the original World Trade Center and the earth used to build Battery Park City, a neighboring residential community.
The names of the victims of the attacks (including those from the Pentagon
, American Airlines flight 77
, and United Airlines flight 93
) and the 1993 bombing
will be inscribed on parapet
s surrounding the waterfalls.
A portion of the Slurry Wall
(approximately half of what Libeskind originally wanted to preserve), the wall designed to hold back the Hudson River
will be maintained in the Museum.
, Governor Pataki's
chosen architect, felt that the limited competition was designed to grant legitimacy to the overall site memorial plan although only 4.7 of the 16 acres (64,749.8 m²) to be reconstructed were opened to the competition.
Some have also claimed that the stringent guidelines, shortened time period for the competition, and/or the influence of political and economic elites have marginalized local discourses and imposes a specific interpretation of the events of September 11, 2001 onto the memorial site. Those under the age of 18 were excluded from entering the competition on the grounds that they could not enter into agreements with the LMDC.
Lower Manhattan Development Corporation
The Lower Manhattan Development Corporation was formed in July 2002, after the September 11 attacks to plan the reconstruction of Lower Manhattan and distribute nearly $10 billion in federal funds aimed at rebuilding downtown Manhattan....
(LMDC), as per the specifications of architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
Daniel Libeskind
Daniel Libeskind
Daniel Libeskind, is an American architect, artist, and set designer of Polish-Jewish descent. Libeskind founded Studio Daniel Libeskind in 1989 with his wife, Nina, and is its principal design architect...
, to design a World Trade Center Site Memorial (later renamed the National September 11 Memorial) on a portion of the World Trade Center site
World Trade Center site
The World Trade Center site , also known as "Ground Zero" after the September 11 attacks, sits on in Lower Manhattan in New York City...
. The Competition began April 28, 2003 and the winner—Michael Arad
Michael Arad
Michael Arad is an Israeli-American architect who best known for being the designer of the World Trade Center Memorial. He won the competition to design the memorial in 2004.-Early life and education:...
and Peter Walker
Peter Walker (architect)
Peter Walker is a landscape architect in the United States.-Biography and Influences:Peter Walker grew up in California and attended the University of California, Berkeley. Walker initially started out in Journalism but quickly changed his field...
's Reflecting Absence—was revealed January 14, 2004 in a press conference at Federal Hall
Federal Hall
Federal Hall, built in 1700 as New York's City Hall, later served as the first capitol building of the United States of America under the Constitution, and was the site of George Washington's inauguration as the first President of the United States. It was also where the United States Bill of...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. The contest garnered 5,201 entries from 63 nations and 49 US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
states out of 13,683 registrants from all 50 US states and 94 nations, making it the largest design competition in history.
History
2002
On March 5, 2002, GovernorGovernor of New York
The Governor of the State of New York is the chief executive of the State of New York. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New York's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military and naval forces. The officeholder is afforded the courtesy title of His/Her...
Pataki
George Pataki
George Elmer Pataki is an American politician who was the 53rd Governor of New York. A member of the Republican Party, Pataki served three consecutive four-year terms from January 1, 1995 until December 31, 2006.- Early life :...
, Mayor
Mayor of New York City
The Mayor of the City of New York is head of the executive branch of New York City's government. The mayor's office administers all city services, public property, police and fire protection, most public agencies, and enforces all city and state laws within New York City.The budget overseen by the...
Bloomberg
Michael Bloomberg
Michael Rubens Bloomberg is the current Mayor of New York City. With a net worth of $19.5 billion in 2011, he is also the 12th-richest person in the United States...
, and the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation
Lower Manhattan Development Corporation
The Lower Manhattan Development Corporation was formed in July 2002, after the September 11 attacks to plan the reconstruction of Lower Manhattan and distribute nearly $10 billion in federal funds aimed at rebuilding downtown Manhattan....
(LMDC) jointly announced plans for an interim memorial to the victims September 11, 2001
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
and February 26, 1993 World Trade Center attacks.
2003
On January 2, 2003, LMDC and Port AuthorityPort Authority of New York and New Jersey
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is a bi-state port district, established in 1921 through an interstate compact, that runs most of the regional transportation infrastructure, including the bridges, tunnels, airports, and seaports, within the Port of New York and New Jersey...
announced that a series of public meetings would take place to discuss a future World Trade Center Site Memorial.
The Selection Jury for the World Trade Center Site Memorial Competition were announced on April 10. The Competition began on April 28, when the Guidelines were released, Registration was opened. The LMDC accepted questions from competitors between April 28 and May 18, which were answered on its website on May 23 and removed at the end of the competition. Potential entrants were given until May 29 to register for the stated purpose of gauging the volume of entires. On May 15, the LMDC announced that it had received registrants from all 50 U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
s and 70 other nations; on May 30, the LMDC announced that 13,683 competitors had registered from 94 nations.
Submissions were accepted from registered entrants between June 9 and June 30. On July 17, the LMDC accounced that 5,201 submissions had been received, representing competitors from 49 U.S. states and 63 nations. The LMDC displayed the 8 finalists in the Winter Garden
Winter Garden
Winter Garden may refer to:* A winter garden, winter-hardy plants grown for winter interest and decoration, or to be harvested for food between winter and early spring.-Places:* Winter Garden, California, former community in Kern County...
on November 19.
2004
On January 6, 2004, the Selection Jury named Michael AradMichael Arad
Michael Arad is an Israeli-American architect who best known for being the designer of the World Trade Center Memorial. He won the competition to design the memorial in 2004.-Early life and education:...
and Peter Walker
Peter Walker (architect)
Peter Walker is a landscape architect in the United States.-Biography and Influences:Peter Walker grew up in California and attended the University of California, Berkeley. Walker initially started out in Journalism but quickly changed his field...
's "Reflecting Absence" as the winning design, which was displayed publicly January 14.
On February 19, all 5,201 entries on its website were made available on the LMDC's website. On April 8, the LMDC announced the creation of an Advisory Committee to ensure that the Competition Guidelines are incorporated into the final design, which had undergone revision since January 14. On April 13, the LMDC announced that associate architect Davis Brody Bond would assist Arad and Walker with their final design.
Guidelines
There were five required "program elements":- Recognize each individual who was a victim of the September 11, 2001 and February 26, 1993 attacks
- Provide an area for quiet visitation and contemplation
- Provide an area for the families and loved ones of victims
- Provide a separate accessible space to serve as the final resting-place for the unidentified remains from the World Trade Center Site
- Make visible the footprints of the original World Trade Center Towers
In addition, entrants were expected to conform to the following "guiding principles":
- 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 and enhance the sacred quality of the overall site and the space designed for the memorial
- Encourage reflection and contemplation
- Evoke the historical significance of the 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 February 26, 1993
- Evolve over time
Entries were examined by "LMDC staff" prior to jury review to determine whether they met the competition requirements. Although the Jury was allowed to review the list of ineligible submissions, the LMDC itself was to make the final determination.
Selection jury
The jury was selected by the LMDC in consultation with the mayor and governor. It consisted mostly of architects and artists but also individuals with other affiliations:- Paula Grant-BerryPaula Grant-BerryPaula Grant Berry served on the Selection Jury for the World Trade Center Memorial, and the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation Families Advisory Council. She was a Memorial Program Drafting Committee member.-Life:...
, victim family member, LMDC Families Advisory Council - Susan K. Freedman, President of the Public Art FundPublic Art FundThe Public Art Fund is a non-profit organization founded in 1977 by Doris Freedman , a Director of New York City's Department of Cultural Affairs, and the President of the Municipal Art Society. They have organized highly visible artists' projects, new commissions, installations and exhibitions in...
- Vartan GregorianVartan GregorianVartan Gregorian is an Armenian-American academic, serving as the president of Carnegie Corporation of New York. He is an ethnic Armenian, born in Iran....
, Ph. D., President of the Carnegie Corporation of New York - Patricia HarrisPatricia HarrisPatricia Harris is the first Deputy Mayor for the City of New York, with an annual salary of $227,219. Prior to her appointment, Harris managed Bloomberg LP's Corporate Communications Department, overseeing its Philanthropy, Public Relations, and Governmental Affairs divisions. Prior to her...
, Deputy Mayor for Administration for the City of New York - Maya LinMaya LinMaya Ying Lin is an American artist who is known for her work in sculpture and landscape art. She is the designer of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.-Personal life:...
, artist/architect, winner of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Design CompetitionVietnam Veterans MemorialThe Vietnam Veterans Memorial is a national memorial in Washington, D.C. It honors U.S. service members of the U.S. armed forces who fought in the Vietnam War, service members who died in service in Vietnam/South East Asia, and those service members who were unaccounted for during the War.Its... - Michael McKeonMichael McKeonMichael McKeon is a Partner of Mercury Public Affairs. In 2007, McKeon served as Senior Communications Advisor to former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani's presidential campaign....
, Governor Pataki'sGeorge PatakiGeorge Elmer Pataki is an American politician who was the 53rd Governor of New York. A member of the Republican Party, Pataki served three consecutive four-year terms from January 1, 1995 until December 31, 2006.- Early life :...
Director of Communications, the Governor's chief liaison on September 11 issues to City Hall and family groups - Julie MeninJulie MeninJulie Menin is the Chairperson of Community Board 1 in Lower Manhattan, New York City and a frequent writer, blogger and television news commentator. A former regulatory attorney with special interests in environmental, FTC and FDA law, Menin was elected to CB1 in a 2005 special election and...
, President and Founder of Wall Street Rising - Enrique NortenEnrique NortenEnrique Norten, Hon. FAIA, is a Mexican architect and principal of the design firm TEN Arquitectos . Norten was born in Mexico City in 1954 where he graduated from the Universidad Iberoamericana with a degree in architecture in 1978. He obtained a Master of Architecture from Cornell University in...
, architect - Martin PuryearMartin PuryearMartin Puryear is an African American sculptor. He works in media including wood, stone, tar, and wire, and his work is a union of minimalism and traditional crafts.-Life:...
, artist - Nancy RosenNancy RosenNancy Rosen has created a variety of public art, especially temporary exhibitions of outdoor sculpture. In 1980, she founded Nancy Rosen Incorporated, an organization which plans and implements public art programs and collections. Her work includes the Art-for-Public-Spaces program for the U.S....
, public artist - Lowery Stokes SimsLowery Stokes SimsLowery Stokes Sims is Curator at the Museum of Arts and Design. From 2000-2007 Sims was executive director then president of The Studio Museum in Harlem and served as Adjunct Curator for the Permanent Collection. Sims was on the education and curatorial staff of The Metropolitan Museum of Art from...
, Ph. D., Executive Director of the Studio Museum in HarlemHarlemHarlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands... - Michael Van ValkenburghMichael Van ValkenburghMichael R. Van Valkenburgh is an American landscape architect and educator. He has worked on a wide variety of projects in the United States, Canada, Korea, and France including public parks, college campuses, sculpture gardens, city courtyards, corporate landscapes, and private gardens-Early...
, architect - James E. Young, Ph. D., Professor & Chair of the Department of Judaic & Near Eastern StudiesJewish studiesJewish studies is an academic discipline centered on the study of Jews and Judaism. Jewish studies is interdisciplinary and combines aspects of history , religious studies, archeology, sociology, languages , political science, area studies, women's studies, and ethnic studies...
at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
Honorary Member:
- David RockefellerDavid RockefellerDavid Rockefeller, Sr. is the current patriarch of the Rockefeller family. He is the youngest and only surviving child of John D. Rockefeller, Jr. and Abby Aldrich Rockefeller, and the only surviving grandchild of oil tycoon John D. Rockefeller, founder of Standard Oil. His five siblings were...
philanthropist
Finalists
The jury selected 8 finalists:- Norman LeeNorman Lee-Selected filmography:Director* The Streets of London * Strip, Strip, Hooray * The Pride of the Force * The Outcast * Doctor's Orders * Spring in the Air * A Political Party...
and Michael Lewis'sMichael LewisMichael Lewis may refer to:*Michael Lewis , American non-fiction author and financial journalist*Michael Lewis , Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf*Michael Lewis , Belizean racing cyclist...
Votives in Suspension - Joseph Karadin and Hsin-Yi Wu's Suspending Memory
- Bradley Campbell and Matthias Neumann's Lower Waters
- Pierre DavidPierre DavidPierre David is a Canadian film producer and film financier.David is best known for executive-producing iconic films directed by David Cronenberg, such as Scanners, Videodrome, and The Brood. He is also credited as "production executive" on the Academy Award-winning film Platoon, directed by...
, Sean Corriel, and Jessica Kmetovic's Garden of Lights - Gisela Baurmann, Sawad BrooksSawad BrooksSawad Brooks is a designer and an artist. He is part of bbc art + architecture, a Finalist in the World Trade Center Memorial Design Competition....
and Jonas Coersmeier'sJonas CoersmeierJonas Coersmeier is an award-winning architect and designer, born in Germany and working in the United States. He is finalist and first runner-up in the World Trade Center Memorial Competition. He was born in Cologne, Germany and studied architecture at Columbia University, M.I.T. and Technical...
Passages of Light : Memorial Cloud - Toshio Sasaki's Inversion of Light
- Brian Strawn and Karla Sierralta's Dual Memory
- Michael AradMichael AradMichael Arad is an Israeli-American architect who best known for being the designer of the World Trade Center Memorial. He won the competition to design the memorial in 2004.-Early life and education:...
and Peter WalkerPeter Walker (architect)Peter Walker is a landscape architect in the United States.-Biography and Influences:Peter Walker grew up in California and attended the University of California, Berkeley. Walker initially started out in Journalism but quickly changed his field...
's Reflecting Absence
Reflecting absence
Michael AradMichael Arad
Michael Arad is an Israeli-American architect who best known for being the designer of the World Trade Center Memorial. He won the competition to design the memorial in 2004.-Early life and education:...
and Peter Walker
Peter Walker (architect)
Peter Walker is a landscape architect in the United States.-Biography and Influences:Peter Walker grew up in California and attended the University of California, Berkeley. Walker initially started out in Journalism but quickly changed his field...
's Reflecting Absence consists of a field of trees interrupted by two large voids containing recessed pools, marking the footprints of the Twin Towers
World Trade Center
The original World Trade Center was a complex with seven buildings featuring landmark twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 during the September 11 attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with five new...
. The deciduous
Deciduous
Deciduous means "falling off at maturity" or "tending to fall off", and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally, and to the shedding of other plant structures such as petals after flowering or fruit when ripe...
trees are arranged in rows, forming informal clusters, clearings and groves. The park is at street level, sitting above the Memorial Museum. The World Trade Center site is a bathtub as the area was excavated to construct the original World Trade Center and the earth used to build Battery Park City, a neighboring residential community.
The names of the victims of the attacks (including those from the Pentagon
The Pentagon
The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, Virginia. As a symbol of the U.S. military, "the Pentagon" is often used metonymically to refer to the Department of Defense rather than the building itself.Designed by the American architect...
, American Airlines flight 77
American Airlines Flight 77
American Airlines Flight 77 was American Airlines' daily scheduled morning transcontinental flight, from Washington Dulles International Airport, in Dulles, Virginia to Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles, California...
, and United Airlines flight 93
United Airlines Flight 93
United Airlines Flight 93 was United Airlines' scheduled morning transcontinental flight across the United States from Newark International Airport in Newark, New Jersey, to San Francisco International Airport in California. On Tuesday, September 11, 2001, the Boeing 757–222 aircraft operating the...
) and the 1993 bombing
1993 World Trade Center bombing
The 1993 World Trade Center bombing occurred on February 26, 1993, when a truck bomb was detonated below the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City. The 1,336 lb urea nitrate–hydrogen gas enhanced device was intended to knock the North Tower into the South Tower , bringing...
will be inscribed on parapet
Parapet
A parapet is a wall-like barrier at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony or other structure. Where extending above a roof, it may simply be the portion of an exterior wall that continues above the line of the roof surface, or may be a continuation of a vertical feature beneath the roof such as a...
s surrounding the waterfalls.
A portion of the Slurry Wall
Slurry wall
A slurry wall is a technique used to build reinforced-concrete walls in areas of soft earth close to open water or with a high ground water table. This technique is typically used to build diaphragm walls surrounding tunnels and open cuts, and to lay foundations.A trench is excavated to create a...
(approximately half of what Libeskind originally wanted to preserve), the wall designed to hold back the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
will be maintained in the Museum.
Controversy
Some have argued that competition allowed very little room for creativity and that the 8 finalists chosen exhibited very little deviation from the design elements dictated in the guidelines. Many who disputed the selection of Daniel LibeskindDaniel Libeskind
Daniel Libeskind, is an American architect, artist, and set designer of Polish-Jewish descent. Libeskind founded Studio Daniel Libeskind in 1989 with his wife, Nina, and is its principal design architect...
, Governor Pataki's
George Pataki
George Elmer Pataki is an American politician who was the 53rd Governor of New York. A member of the Republican Party, Pataki served three consecutive four-year terms from January 1, 1995 until December 31, 2006.- Early life :...
chosen architect, felt that the limited competition was designed to grant legitimacy to the overall site memorial plan although only 4.7 of the 16 acres (64,749.8 m²) to be reconstructed were opened to the competition.
Some have also claimed that the stringent guidelines, shortened time period for the competition, and/or the influence of political and economic elites have marginalized local discourses and imposes a specific interpretation of the events of September 11, 2001 onto the memorial site. Those under the age of 18 were excluded from entering the competition on the grounds that they could not enter into agreements with the LMDC.
See also
- World Trade Center MemorialWorld Trade Center Memorial- Fundraising :The Foundation has fundraising responsibilities because of the tasks assigned to it by the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation...
- September 11, 2001 attacksSeptember 11, 2001 attacksThe September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
- Daniel LibeskindDaniel LibeskindDaniel Libeskind, is an American architect, artist, and set designer of Polish-Jewish descent. Libeskind founded Studio Daniel Libeskind in 1989 with his wife, Nina, and is its principal design architect...
- World Trade CenterWorld Trade CenterThe original World Trade Center was a complex with seven buildings featuring landmark twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 during the September 11 attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with five new...
- World Trade Center siteWorld Trade Center siteThe World Trade Center site , also known as "Ground Zero" after the September 11 attacks, sits on in Lower Manhattan in New York City...
External links
- National September 11 Memorial & Museum official website
- World Trade Center Site Memorial Competition's Official Website
- Lower Manhattan Development Corporation's Official Website
- The Competition Guidelines
- Jury Statement
- Jury Members
- Arad and Walker's Reflecting Absence Statement
- Michael Arad's Entry
- Peter Walker's Entry