Freedom Tower to rise more securely
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| Posted
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Thu, 30 Jun 2005 14:02:00 GMT |
| Author
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Jack Myers |
| Category
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World |
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Ground Zero would soon be the 'Freedom Tower', with 240,000 square metres of office space and 70 floors, rises 541 metres high shaped out of an artist’s imagination as a shimmering, squarish base with an illuminated spire towering over the river Hudson. Close to a hundred feet taller than Taiwan’s Taipei 101 Tower, which is currently the world’s tallest building, the Freedom Tower’s designs have been modified to incorporate aspects that would add to it security. However, it will only be in 2010 that people would get to see how the real tower looks and feels against the backdrop of New York cities bustling life.
With construction likely to begin next year and the steel to rise above the ground by 2007, Michael Bloomberg, Mayor of New York city feels that the Freedom Tower will be "the climax of the greatest comeback" and serve in “filling the physical as well as the emotional void” left by the World Trade Centre towers. Officials believe that while redesign means that some of Tower’s distinctive looks would be lost, it will still gain in terms of being amongst the safest skyscrapers world over.
The modifications suggested include making the tower slimmer, straighter and setting it farther away from the street on a 61 metre metal-concrete pedestal that is capable of repelling explosions. It will also require that the granite cornerstone laid by George Pataki last July be relocated. To a degree more conventional, the new design would reduce the building’s vulnerability to a truck bomb, and security standards would be in par as followed by US embassies.
Clad in plastic-laminated glass, the building would afford better resistance to explosions, while its concrete and steel core would ensconce stairwells, the communications system, the elevators, and water mains. Learning from the WTC disaster, the Freedom Tower will also provide for fireproofing, an extra-wide emergency stairs apart from this the fire-fighters will be able to use a dedicated staircase specially made for them. Each floor would also have a refuge area.
According to lead architect Childs "In a subtle but important way, this building recalls those buildings that we lost". The earlier design, which had a twisting and slightly asymmetrical shape, looked evokingly towards Statue of Liberty’s outstretched arm. However, the more rectangular new design resembles the twin towers in a faceted way. With the illuminated spire stretching the building to 1776 feet as envisioned in the original design, the changing colours of the spire would cast light on the horizon. With the inevitability of further modifications, it will take until 2010 and an estimated $1.5 billion for people to really forget the twin towers that rose over the New York skyline.
Copyright,
respective author or news agency
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Gary 'second grade education' Rice
By:
joe ,
Wed, 06 Jul 2005 21:21:55 GMT
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Gary,
How do you deduce that I described the "freedom tower" as the "freedom fortress"? I believe you are referring to the comment placed below mine, submitted by a person calling themselves Ray Davies. Also, I do not mention anywhere that “America” should not poke its "collective nose in where it's not invited". Are you high brother? Additionally, the holocaust I mentioned was that of the tutsi masacre of hutu tribes (neither muslim), which when thought of in small minded terms "is Africa's” problem - Gary Rice 06-30-05. The point being made is that over a million people died (ONLY AN EXAMPLE) in Africa, and approximately 2752 died in 9-11-01; and that U.S. Citizens are self absorbed at times. Do you get it now brother? One life is too many, but some fat-assed-walmart shopping-tv watching-second grade educated-U.S. citizens can't think beyond their tribal flag. I'm glad there is a formidable U.S. economical and governmental force that strives to construct such awesome structures as the "freedom tower" and the World Trade Center...but it should be looked at as a technical, political and economic achievement which is not ultimately owned by the average person. It would be nice if the “freedom tower” were stupendously artistic as well (its not bad by the way), but I think I will wait to see the building that you conjure and actually create instead. I hope these comments don’t hurt your feelings as well. Maybe you should take a vacation abroad and see that there is a world outside of your cul-de-sac neighborhood. I think I respected the "nuts and berrys" comment more which is placed above yours submitted by the guy named Ray. That was funny. Finally, South Africa and Egypt are COUNTRIES in the CONTINENT of Africa.....and...try not to end you sentences with prepositions.
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Freedom Tower Technical Issues
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Franklin Joseph Kapustka - Civil/Structural Engineer ,
Thu, 30 Jun 2005 21:13:59 GMT
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The Freedom Tower's current manifestation is the product of an architect, not a structural engineer. The tower is a very complex column. The wider the base, the better, which has not been accomplished. Secondly, building with square corners are subject to a ~30% increase in wind loads, increasing sway and fatigue or the mechanisms to counteract sway and fatigue. Third, Sandvik makes a 260 ksi stainless steel, which is comparable to titanium and probably cheaper. 4th, reactive powder concrete ~30% stronger in tension and several times stronger in compression than portland cement concrete. It is comparable to steel. Every structural engineer knows what I have just written. Oh well :(
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Freedom
By:
Ernst ,
Thu, 30 Jun 2005 19:13:34 GMT
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"Freedom Tower to rise more securely". More securely than the twin towers?
The original twin towers were amazingly resistant to explosions and impact, I don't like how this article suggests otherwise. They were specifically designed to take the direct impact of a loaded Boeing 707, at the time the largest passenger aircraft and larger than the 2 that are blamed for taking them out on 9/11.
No wonder it looks like a prison, these people call black, white and up, down. THE FREEDOM PRISON. Haha!
"When we're talkig about war, we're really talking about peace" -W
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Commerce
By:
Rob ,
Thu, 30 Jun 2005 19:07:39 GMT
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Remember, the "monument" is next door. This is just an office building. As such, it must be economically viable. Maybe that's a beautiful building, maybe that's a safe building.
In any case, failure is when nobody wants to move in.
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Thanks Joe
By:
Ray ,
Thu, 30 Jun 2005 18:26:56 GMT
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Joe you are so wise, may I live in your hand made log cabin with you and share the nuts and berries that you grow?
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Freedom Fortress -- Calm Down Everyone
By:
Gary D Rice ,
Thu, 30 Jun 2005 18:18:28 GMT
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Joe,
You go from the Freedom Fortress to Africa. What in the world are you thinking? You say on the one hand America pokes our collective nose in where it's not invited then you harp about how America didn't do anything in Africa while the Arab Muslims slaughtered well over a million families. This is not Americas problem is it Africa's which leads to Egypt and South Africa. You're thinking is singular in just trying to discredit Americans. What a pathetic thing to use this comment area for. This Memorial building is for Americans. You drama queens need not apply.
Regards,
Gary Rice
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new york
By:
Tina Provence ,
Thu, 30 Jun 2005 18:14:30 GMT
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I think it is great! Keep it up America!
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Calm Down Everyone
By:
Joe ,
Thu, 30 Jun 2005 17:45:31 GMT
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It should be no surprise that technocrats and politicians usurped the design for the new "freedom tower". How could anyone be so naive? In fact, one should try not to idolize any building beyond it's creation. Recall that the Twin Towers were once described as the towers that "looked like the boxes that the Chrysler Building and Empire State Building came out of".
But, alas, U.S. Citizens are demonstrably dramatic individuals and will catapult any U.S. involved catastrophe into all important terms. Remember, for example, the recent holocaust in Africa where no European or American Country cast much emphasis on the death of humans until politics forced action, and then, ponder this subject of the "freedom tower". At most the design is not impressive, but overall not as important a monument as people would have it represent.
My compassion goes out to all the victims of September 11th due to another act of stupid human behavior, but remember that the "freedom tower" ultimately belong to those corporations that would have you buy their products with no regard to your true well being. I say calm down everyone...let the corporations have what belongs to them.
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Freedom Fortress
By:
Ray Davies ,
Thu, 30 Jun 2005 17:32:51 GMT
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This looks more like a prision than an office building, just sad.
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Freedom Tower More Secure
By:
Jibril Hambel ,
Thu, 30 Jun 2005 16:19:50 GMT
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The idiotic reductionist thinking so indicative of this administration has spilled over into the public sector it seems. Freedom Tower? Will be more "secure"? What should have been a joke made at a spin doctor convention is going to be the monument to the WTC tragedy which led to a decrease in civil liberties nationwide and abroad, and whose sorry legacy includes Gitmo, and a newly muzzled press. Perhaps the designers of the building were being ironic? Or are they just unaware that - to paraphrase Franklin - a nation that forgoes liberty in favor of security deserves neither?
A sorry state of affairs.
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FORGET?????
By:
John ,
Thu, 30 Jun 2005 16:09:12 GMT
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It will take more than that for the towers to be forgotten. This will be just another building. The towers were a monument for the era.
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