Freedom Tower, Redux

On June 28, a new design for the proposed Freedom Tower was unveiled in New York City. The new tower, unveiled by architect David Childs, will still maintain a height of 1,776-feet, and will now have a base sheathed with rolled, heat-treated glass over concrete. The Freedom Tower is slated to be built on the site of the World Trade Center.

The new design uses a high-tech laminated safety glass technology. Theoretically, if the Freedom Tower were attacked by a truck bomb, the glass would shatter into falling pebbles and not break into flying shards. The previous design for the Freedom Tower was criticized for being too open to a truck bomb attack. The new design was made in conjunction with counterterrorism officials.

The antenna on the top of the tower has also been given a more sculptural feel by Kenneth Snelson, a sculptor best-known for his Needle Tower, installed in New York's Bryant Park in 1968. The antenna will be used by radio and television broadcasters. The antenna raises the building from 1,368 feet - the height of the original Twin Towers - to the full 1,776 feet.

Construction on the Freedom Tower actually began back in April, but has stalled due to concerns over the design. If this latest redesign isn't met with much protest by city leaders and victim's families, construction on the tower is slated to be completed by 2011. (Read the full article) (WTC Memorial Foundation) (Project Rebirth) (September11news.com) (Yahoo! WTC Search)