Not too long ago, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, along with architect Santiago Calatrava, released revised designs and timetables for the World Trade Center’s transportation hub. Though you wouldn’t be able to tell by looking at the renderings, this futuristic memorial of glass and steel is actually a scaled back version of the original! It replaces an even more striking structure that was envisioned with almost no support beams and reams of skylights.
The reason for the design change? $$. The earlier structure called for massive amounts of steel, and cost projects went through the roof. As sad as that may make some Calatrava fans, the current design is still impressive by any measure. Scheduled for completion in 2012, the structure will be a stunning monument.
