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CNN Live Today
Look at World Trade Center Site Plans
Aired December 18, 2002 - 10:19 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Envisioning the future of the World Trade Center site. An unveiling is underway this hour in New York City, adjacent to the 16-acre real estate that was decimated in the terror attacks.
Our Jason Carroll is covering the competing presentations and joins us live with a preview and a sneak peek.
Jason, good morning.
JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And good morning to you, Daryn.
You are about to see some dramatic concepts of what could end up being built at the site of the World Trade Center. Right now, let's take a live look at what's happening behind me. As you can see, the presentation is just starting to get underway. There are hundreds of journalists here from all over the world, trying to get a look at what the seven versions of what could end up being built are going to be.
We already have an advanced look at what those versions are going to -- take a look at. So let's take look at version number one. That comes from Studio Libeskind, they are a firm from Germany. These are the people responsible for building the Jewish museum in Berlin, as the well as the Denver Art Museum.
You can see their version of what they want to have built there. You can see there's a soaring tower, that stands just to the left there. That stands about 1776 feet tall -- much taller than the World Trade Center, which was 1368 feet tall. It also calls for several smaller steel and glass towers, as well.
Version number two, comes from a team called Foster and Partners. They are from England. They are the people who built the new German Parliament building, the Reightstag in Berlin. You can see there, they called for a single tower, again, taller than the World Trade Center. You can you see there, architecturally, it's very contemporary, in terms of its design.
Team number three is from the United States. That team is called Meier, Eisenman, Gwathmey and Holl. They are the people who are responsible for building the Getty Museum in Los Angeles. Somewhat of an unusual design there. You can see that there are three buildings connected by walkways. And then there are two buildings there on the side, also connected by walkways. Each of the five buildings stands about 1100 feet tall. Let's move on to team number four. This firm calls themselves "The Think Team." They're a combined team of U.S. and international architects. They are the people who built the Tokyo International Forum in Tokyo. A very dramatic design there that you can see there. Those are two decorative towers, very much like the Eiffel Tower, again, soaring in downtown New York. So, if you can imagine, two sort of Eiffel Towers standing side by side.
Let's move on to firm number five now. They call themselves United Architects. They also refer to themselves as being the new generation of architects. Most of the architects of this particular firm, under the age of 40. You can see there that they've got five towers, we are told, all connected on the 57th floor. The highest tower is standing about 112 stories. The World Trade center, just do give you some perspective, is 110 stories. You're actually looking down about 75 feet down, so there will be a walkway going down, so you can actually then look up at the five buildings. Very modern in design.
Let's move on to version number six, comes from a husband and wife team. Petersen Littenberg. They are from New York. And you can see there, they are calling for two new Twin Towers, each one standing about 1400 square feet. There's also going to be a large promenade there that you can see lots of greenery. I can also tell you, Daryn, that each of the new versions calls for some sort of a large promenade, as well as an area for a memorial to stand.
And the final version, number seven, that firm is Skidmore, Wings and Merrill. They are also from the United States. They're the people who are responsible for building and constructing the new Penn Station here in New York. You can see they've got a cluster of nine buildings, about 80 floors tall. The tallest one there about 1100 feet tall. You can see very modern, in terms of design.
Just a bit of history here, Daryn, you may remember back in July the city actually hired an architectural team that came up with six designs. They put it out there for public scrutiny. The public heavily criticized those six original designs, saying they were dull and uninspiring. So what the city did is they hired this team of six new architects to come up with new designs. That's what they've done now. They're in the process of presenting them now. And they should have a final decision in February -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Excellent. Jason Carroll in New York City, thank you so much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired December 18, 2002 - 10:19 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Envisioning the future of the World Trade Center site. An unveiling is underway this hour in New York City, adjacent to the 16-acre real estate that was decimated in the terror attacks.
Our Jason Carroll is covering the competing presentations and joins us live with a preview and a sneak peek.
Jason, good morning.
JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And good morning to you, Daryn.
You are about to see some dramatic concepts of what could end up being built at the site of the World Trade Center. Right now, let's take a live look at what's happening behind me. As you can see, the presentation is just starting to get underway. There are hundreds of journalists here from all over the world, trying to get a look at what the seven versions of what could end up being built are going to be.
We already have an advanced look at what those versions are going to -- take a look at. So let's take look at version number one. That comes from Studio Libeskind, they are a firm from Germany. These are the people responsible for building the Jewish museum in Berlin, as the well as the Denver Art Museum.
You can see their version of what they want to have built there. You can see there's a soaring tower, that stands just to the left there. That stands about 1776 feet tall -- much taller than the World Trade Center, which was 1368 feet tall. It also calls for several smaller steel and glass towers, as well.
Version number two, comes from a team called Foster and Partners. They are from England. They are the people who built the new German Parliament building, the Reightstag in Berlin. You can see there, they called for a single tower, again, taller than the World Trade Center. You can you see there, architecturally, it's very contemporary, in terms of its design.
Team number three is from the United States. That team is called Meier, Eisenman, Gwathmey and Holl. They are the people who are responsible for building the Getty Museum in Los Angeles. Somewhat of an unusual design there. You can see that there are three buildings connected by walkways. And then there are two buildings there on the side, also connected by walkways. Each of the five buildings stands about 1100 feet tall. Let's move on to team number four. This firm calls themselves "The Think Team." They're a combined team of U.S. and international architects. They are the people who built the Tokyo International Forum in Tokyo. A very dramatic design there that you can see there. Those are two decorative towers, very much like the Eiffel Tower, again, soaring in downtown New York. So, if you can imagine, two sort of Eiffel Towers standing side by side.
Let's move on to firm number five now. They call themselves United Architects. They also refer to themselves as being the new generation of architects. Most of the architects of this particular firm, under the age of 40. You can see there that they've got five towers, we are told, all connected on the 57th floor. The highest tower is standing about 112 stories. The World Trade center, just do give you some perspective, is 110 stories. You're actually looking down about 75 feet down, so there will be a walkway going down, so you can actually then look up at the five buildings. Very modern in design.
Let's move on to version number six, comes from a husband and wife team. Petersen Littenberg. They are from New York. And you can see there, they are calling for two new Twin Towers, each one standing about 1400 square feet. There's also going to be a large promenade there that you can see lots of greenery. I can also tell you, Daryn, that each of the new versions calls for some sort of a large promenade, as well as an area for a memorial to stand.
And the final version, number seven, that firm is Skidmore, Wings and Merrill. They are also from the United States. They're the people who are responsible for building and constructing the new Penn Station here in New York. You can see they've got a cluster of nine buildings, about 80 floors tall. The tallest one there about 1100 feet tall. You can see very modern, in terms of design.
Just a bit of history here, Daryn, you may remember back in July the city actually hired an architectural team that came up with six designs. They put it out there for public scrutiny. The public heavily criticized those six original designs, saying they were dull and uninspiring. So what the city did is they hired this team of six new architects to come up with new designs. That's what they've done now. They're in the process of presenting them now. And they should have a final decision in February -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Excellent. Jason Carroll in New York City, thank you so much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
