The Strange Fate of Steel From 9/11



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__Special Thanks__
Evan Montgomery — co-producer, filming, and editing

__Description__
This steel, once part of the Twin Towers, is now a memorial honoring the tragic events of 9/11. Standing over 22 feet tall and weighing 12.5 tons, it’s just one of over 2,200 fragments distributed across the U.S. and the world. In this video, we explore the fascinating journey of the steel—its forensic value in investigating the collapse, its financial role in scrap markets, and its transformation into relics revered in memorials.

Learn how the steel from Ground Zero was meticulously tracked and distributed, from the wreckage of 200,000 tons to memorials worldwide. We’ll trace the creation of the USS New York from this very steel and examine how pieces of the towers have been enshrined in local communities far from Manhattan. Yet, these fragments, less than 1% of the total steel recovered, carry immense symbolic weight, evoking memories of resilience, loss, and the complex narratives tied to 9/11.

If you’re interested in how objects can become powerful symbols of history, this video will take you deep into the story of the World Trade Center’s steel—its history, its role in reconstruction, and its lasting significance in the global collective memory.

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__About the Channel__
Architecture with Stewart is a YouTube journey exploring architecture’s deep and enduring stories in all their bewildering glory. Weekly videos and occasional live events breakdown a wide range of topics related to the built environment in order to increase their general understanding and advocate their importance in shaping the world we inhabit.

__About Me__
Stewart Hicks is an architectural design educator that leads studios and lecture courses as an Associate Professor in the School of Architecture at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He also serves as an Associate Dean in the College of Architecture, Design, and the Arts and is the co-founder of the practice Design With Company. His work has earned awards such as the Architecture Record Design Vanguard Award or the Young Architect’s Forum Award and has been featured in exhibitions such as the Chicago Architecture Biennial and Design Miami, as well as at the V&A Museum and Tate Modern in London. His writings can be found in the co-authored book Misguided Tactics for Propriety Calibration, published with the Graham Foundation, as well as essays in MONU magazine, the AIA Journal Manifest, Log, bracket, and the guest-edited issue of MAS Context on the topic of character architecture.

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FOLLOW me on instagram: @stewart_hicks & @designwithco
Design With Company: https://designwith.co
University of Illinois at Chicago School of Architecture: https://arch.uic.edu/

__Special Thanks__
Stock video and imagery provided by Getty Images, Storyblocks, and Shutterstock.
Music provided by Epidemic Sound

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