As we all know, the new One World Trade Center was developed with the spot’s intense history in mind. It’s just one part of a larger complex whose main purpose is to commemorate what was lost on September 11, 2001. With the new building having been open for almost a year now, the amount of time and effort that was put into making the building perfect definitely shines through.
It’s not hard to believe that there was a lot of debate over what the World Trade Center site would become. Daniel Libeskind was chosen to design the project and he went through many, many concepts before the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey chose “the one.” There are actually quite a few hidden references incorporated into the final design, such as the spire which takes after the Empire State Building and Chrysler Building, and its height in feet - 1,776 - referencing the year the United States Declaration of Independence was signed.
1WTC is the tallest skyscraper in the Western Hemisphere, and the fifth tallest in the entire world. There are 104-storeys throughout the building, most of which act as office space for different companies, the largest being Condé Nast. The building refers to itself as being the most recognized and desirable office address in the world, and we can’t argue with that. Even though the majority of the building isn’t open to the public, you can still visit the One World Observatory on floors 100, 101, and 102. There’s no better place in the city to get a panoramic view of the city and the river, and you know how we love a good view!
Attention was paid to every little detail of its construction since the design process began back in 2002. Just as construction began in 2006, the public was invited to an event in Battery Park inviting people to sign the first steel beam that would be installed in the building’s base - an awesome way to make the building feel more personal to the people in New York.
Some people refer to it as the Freedom Tower, mainly because that was the building’s original name up until 2009. 1WTC officially opened in November of 2014 and has since seen hundreds and thousands of visitors - tourists and New York residents alike. It’s a pinnacle on the skyline, just as it should be.
Cover Photo via apardavilla on Flickr
