Since the antenna topped-out, work on One World Trade Center has focused on the general facade and base cladding – the tower definitely isn’t a stand-out in terms of design, as it is only distinguished by height, but it’s still a nice addition to the cityscape. As the Lower Manhattan skyline continues to grow, One World Trade will eventually be joined by its siblings Three World Trade and Two World Trade – 175 and 200 Greenwich, respectively – which will help to even out the building’s visual impact.
SOM is racking up the superlatives in New York, as they designed One World Trade Center, and the firm’s past associates – Adrian Smith and Gordon Gill – also designed New York’s next tallest, 225 West 57th Street. Despite the boring nature of One World Trade – the tower’s design has been tempered by value-engineering – it’s still a landmark by virtue of its enormous height, and opening is slated for early 2014.
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That bizarre erector set inspired thing they stuck on the top of the building is so ugly. I hope it does not count towards the final height of the building and instead stands as a memorial of yet another American dream wasted by a nasty stew of cheapness and politics that has come to represent the U.S.A. in this era.