THE NEW WORLD TRADE CENTER

SEPTEMBER ELEVENTH MEMORIAL AND MUSEUM

THE IMAGE OF THE WORLD TRADE CENTER TOWERS IS TO BE RETURNED TO THE SKYLINE OF LOWER MANHATTAN.  THE VOLUME OF AIR WHERE THE TOWERS STOOD WILL BE DELINEATED BY TWO SOARING GLASS MONUMENTS, SO THAT VISITORS TO THE SITE FOR YEARS TO COME WILL KNOW THE DEVASTATING SCALE OF THE LOSS OF SEPTEMBER 11, 2001.

VISITORS ENTER EITHER OF THE TWO GLASS SHAFTS THAT RECREATE THE FORM OF THE ORIGINAL TOWERS.  INSIDE, A ONE ACRE REFLECTING POOL MARKS THE FOOTPRINT AND DISPLAYS A FLOATING IMAGE OF THE SKY ABOVE.  THE POOL IS SUNKEN TWO STORIES INTO THE GROUND SO THAT VISITORS WILL EACH HAVE THE PERSONAL EXPERIENCE OF COMING TO THE EDGE OF THE VOID, WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO TRAVERSE IT.

THE EVENTS, CONSEQUENCES AND HEROIC ACTS OF SEPTEMBER 11 ARE COMMEMORATED IN A FOUR STORY MUSEUM AT THE TOP OF BOTH TOWERS.  ASSEMBLY SPACE, HISTORICAL AND ART EXHIBITS, AND EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES WILL OCCUPY THE ROOFTOP GALLERIES WITH VIEWS IN EVERY DIRECTION.  AT THE INNER EDGE OF EACH MUSEUM FLOOR, A LINEAR MEMORIAL FACING THE GLASS VOID WILL PROVIDE 5 FEET OF WALL SPACE TO EVERY VICTIM OF THE TRADE CENTER ATTACK FOR A MEMORIAL MARKER, PORTRAIT, OR OTHER PERSONALIZED EXHIBIT PROVIDED BY THEIR LOVED ONES.  THE OTHER PERSONAL SPACES CAN BE SEEN AT THE SAME TIME ACROSS THE VOID, MAKING THE MEMORIAL UNIQUELY INDIVIDUALIZED YET STILL CONVEYING THE SCALE OF THE TRAGEDY.