Two holes in the ground. Not what I had hoped for. From a design standpoint going down into a space is usually quite bad. In an urban space such as this, its terrible. Another poor design, but what an Architectural Statement! Bleh

Underwhelming and cold. Should reflect some of the rage we feel about 9/11 and a tribute to those who died needlessly including the fire and police dept personnel and other rescue workers.

Sorry this reflects some but perhaps interesting angles.

KIA...?

I'm going with "KWL." Killed While Living.

P.S. I agree that this alleged "memorial" is misguided... I'd go for something green and growing.

We've been so concerned with offending someone or some group, that it shouldn't be surprising that the final result is pretty bland. (Although, as you said, Stephen, it may look more special in real life; simplicity can be very moving, e.g., the Vietnam Memorial. I'm not good at visualizing, so I can't tell what this will look like.)

Also, achieving just desserts for the 9/11 victims through a memorial is impossible. That can only be achieved, if at all, through doing everything possible to see that nothing like it happens again.

The best we can hope for from a memorial, is an appropriately dignified place where people can gather and/or reflect (reflect on their lost loved ones, on the nation's ideals, on how life is uncertain so they ought to treat their kids better, on the hate of the people who did this and the courage necessary to fight it -- whatever a particular person needs to reflect on because that day had so many different meanings and lessons). This probably achieves that.

If they can manage to keep the floor of each pond calm, the reflections of the surrounding buildings - especially the new Freedom Tower - could be quite majestic. Usually one must travel out of town for a great pond reflection - usually something like a mountain in a lake. Clear reflections of the sky and the new tall tower, created in the absence of the two towers - could really be impressive from many angles. Also, those footprints are freaking huge - in person the ponds should be more impressive. As for greenery they will probably add security boxes or something filled with plants. We'll see.

Damien

PS - I think the architect is thinking along my lines because the model shows a reflection of the Freedom Tower.

I've been tired of this issue since 12/01. What is done with the WTC site is not very important. I'm for anything that's not completely tasteless.

Like Star Trek Klingons, who consider what is done to dispose of the body of a fallen comrade unimportant ("It is an empty shell. Dispose of it as you will."), I find the issue pointless.

In particular, I would be against building some collossal office building that will lose money year after year. That would be un-American in my book. Some memorial is appropriate (and no design of such will please everyone), but whatever else is built there should be chosen based on clear analysis of real estate economics.

As has already been said, the true monument to those who died will be our efforts to prevent similar attacks.

If the pools are the size of the footprints of the Towers, they will be huge, and it will be very dramatic to look across them.

The scope of the memorial can give some sense and realize the enormity of what took place. I don't think there's any other way to convey that other than with something that is very very big.

I've been harping on this for almost 24 hours now and I'm not done yet. Too long to put here. If you're interested in how pissed off I am you can go read my blog.

Sorry for the self-plug, Stephen.

What happened to old-fashioned memorials? Oh, I remember: Maya Lin. I would prefer waiting for a victory and building a giant victory arch in memoriam of those who died the day we all figured out we were at war. Don't ask me for my definition of victory--I still don't know.

I have no problem with a reflecting pond and some nice grass. But the only real and true piece for a memorial is sitting in a field with all the other WTC debris.

I am talking about the piece of superstructure that was standing after the devestation was done, that picture has become emblematic of the aftermath.

Why would they not use at least a part of the original WTC to have us remember what we have lost?

And why not use Vietnam-style names on a wall. It's simple. It's classic. And it's moving

"I am talking about the piece of superstructure that was standing after the devestation was done, that picture has become emblematic of the aftermath."

If you're referring to the cross-shaped section of support, it won't and shouldn't be used. Christians weren't the only people killed in the attacks. To make the memorial reflect any particular group is a slap to those that don't identify with that group.

Garrett,

What sprang to my mind when Trump posted was that large piece of structure. The one where, with one glance, you could tell it was, or once was, a huge portion of the outside of one of the Towers.

May I say a few words in favor of a bland memorial?
Both the Vietnam War Memorial in DC and the Pearl Harbor Memorial in Hawaii are simple to the point of blandness and have been endlessly criticized for it. But when I visited both places I saw grown men moved to tears.
It is not necessary or desirable to assault visitors with images of death and destruction. People who come to a memorial already know about those things -- that's why they're there. What they want is a quiet space where they can reflect on the meaning of what happened and mourn the dead. Grandiose projects are just flashy showing-off and will turn people away in the long run. To adopt the words of Abraham Lincoln, those who died at the WTC on 9/11 "have given it a name far greater than our poor power to make additions or to take away."

Agreed, it's crap, as is the design of the "freedom tower".

Absolute, complete, 100% crap.

The only consolation is that, considering some of the other designs, it could have been worse.

Stephen,

Now that's different.

And perfect.

Use a little imagination, folks. Visit the website, read Arad's proposal and take a look at all the images and the animation there: http://www.wtcsitememorial.org/fin7.html

The proposal is akin to the sacred work of Pritzker-Prizewinner Tadao Ando, especially his Church of the Light and The Water Temple near Osaka, starkly evocative geometrical compositions that mysteriously draw in the light through narrow openings between the walls.

Ground Zero is hallowed ground, and "Reflecting Absence" has caught the spirit of the place. The objections of some victims' family members who feel their input was neglected are poignant but misdirected. They said similar things about the Vietnam Wall before it was built, but when "Reflecting Absence" is realized, the family members will be soothed."

I hate it also. My alternative is much simpler than others'. In fact, it only took me a minute to find the design and cut and paste it onto my site.

Shameless plug yeah, I know, but I cant insert a photo here...

We're supposed to have Soviet style memorials? Kitsch writ grotesque? Balony. This is a time for quiet reflection, for contemplation. A time to remember those lost, and those to be lost in the struggle against the control freaks of the world. We don't need to be reminded of why we fight. We get enough reminders of that every day. We need to remember those we lost on that day, and an opportunity for reflection and serenity.

So screw cries for rousing inspirations, it's time for some quiet remembrance.

This is a time for quiet reflection, for contemplation.

No, it most certainly is NOT. It is a time to be reminded of the horror of that day, and of the resolve it created, so that we can make damn certain it never happens again.

It's all too soon. Too soon. This proposed memorial leaves me cold. I'm not ready for a cold ground zero. How long did the twin towers stand there, free and stark and bold and unmolested? About 30 years. This wet hole memorial belongs in Indiana limestone pits, honoring lost cutters. Let's leave ground zero alone until we know - until we all know - what to do.

I am, and have been since 9/12/01, of the opinion that the WTC should have been rebuilt just as it was, with the addition of some nice memorial out in the plaza or something. A Viet-Nam style memorial would've been effective, and putting those buildings back up exactly how they were would've really shown those jihadists what America is about. A lot of symbolic depth, that.

Sissy, remember this is in New York City, not Tokyo. We're not calm, serene types given to the meditation of a perfect blade of grass.

I have no opinion of the design as an artistic statement. I have no expertise in art or architecture, but this model doesn't look like us.

I would have preferred to leave the last remnants of the buildings as their own memorial with viewing areas in strategic spots so visitors could get a sense of the immensity of the tragedy. Perhaps a small theater where a documentary could be shown with the pictures of people throwing themselves out of windows 100 stories in the sky. That's what people need to see to know why we're so angry and don't give a damn if the rest of the world likes us or not.

We need a memorial appropriate to the rage we felt about the attack; a pyramid of jihadi skulls.