In this video interview, architect Renzo Piano discusses designing his glass skyscraper for The New York Times in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Piano began work on the project just three days after the city’s Twin Towers were destroyed in 2001, and said everyone was unsurprisingly fearful of building another high-rise that could become a target.
“It was September 14, when we met with he client 2001, so it was in New York, in a city that was a disaster,” the Italian architect said. “A city with a sense of fear. Everybody started to say: stop making tall buildings… Make bunkers, make a fortress.”
But he ignored the mood and instead chose a height of 320 metres, including a mast, for the Midtown Manhattan skyscraper.
He wrapped the base in glass to allow views out from the interior and in from the street – a feature he said makes the building much safer.
Read more on Dezeen: https://www.dezeen.com/?p=1165229
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