Firefighters, Families Demand Changes to 9-11 Memorial

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By AMY WESTFELDT Associated Press Writer

Families of people killed in the World Trade Center attack demanded Monday that officials redesign the memorial, saying the current plan is unsafe and disrespects victims by placing their names below street level.

Police and fire union leaders joined victims' families at ground zero to seek a new design, although construction on the "Reflecting Absence" memorial is set to begin in March.
"We're asking that the memorial see the light of day," Pat Lynch, president of the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association, told about 150 people.

The design, chosen two years ago by a panel of artists, civic and cultural leaders, and one Sept. 11 family member, marks the outlines of the twin towers with reflecting pools surrounded by the names of the nearly 3,000 people who were killed.

A tree-lined memorial plaza is planned for above ground, but the museum to commemorate the 2001 terrorist attacks and part of the memorial where the names are listed will be as much as 70 feet below street level.

"It is all wrong in its symbolism," said Rosaleen Tallon, whose firefighter brother was killed at the trade center. "I look up to the sky to remember him. I will never go down."
Tallon also said the underground design was a "death trap" for tourists in case of a fire or a terrorist attack. Families have said there should be four main ramps in and out of the memorial instead of two.

The Lower Manhattan Development Corp., which is overseeing the design and appointed the 13-member panel that chose it, said the memorial and museum would have 15 exits, including emergency stairwells.

The company's spokesman, John Gallagher, said police, fire and security teams would make certain the memorial was built to safely accommodate the millions of visitors who are expected. "The memorial will be a magnificent tribute to those we lost," he added.
Gallagher also said the decision to list the names of the dead randomly around the two reflecting pools "remains our plan."

Emergency workers and family members have asked that the dead be listed according to the battalion or precinct they worked for or the tower they worked in.

"They must be recognized together," said Steve Cassidy, president of the Uniformed Firefighters Association, who wants firefighters listed by their units, ranks and badge numbers.
Fundraising experts have said controversy over the memorial could hurt the effort to raise the $500 million needed to build and operate it. A private foundation has raised more than $100 million so far. The memorial is scheduled to open in 2009.

LMDC Selects Associate Architect for WTC Memorial

LOWER MANHATTAN DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION SELECTS ASSOCIATE ARCHITECT FOR WORLD TRADE CENTER SITE MEMORIAL

Davis Brody Bond LLP to work with Michael Arad and Peter Walker in the Realization of the Design for the MemorialThe Lower Manhattan Development Corporation today announced the selection of Davis Brody Bond LLP as the Associate Architect for the World Trade Center Memorial, Reflecting Absence. Davis Brody Bond LLP will work with the Design Team of Michael Arad and Peter Walker in the realization of the design for the memorial. Davis Brody Bond LLP, which has practiced in New York City for more than forty years, has an outstanding reputation earned on such notable New York City projects as Lincoln Center, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, the Apollo Theater Foundation, the New York Public Library, and the Whitney Museum.

Davis Brody Bond's work has also included important public memorial complexes such as the Martin Luther King Jr. Center in Atlanta and the Civil Rights Institute in Birmingham, Alabama. The firm also has a long history and familiarity with the World Trade Center site. The firm, located in Lower Manhattan, employs approximately 90 people and is led by five partners. John C. Whitehead, Chairman of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation (LMDC) said, "The successful completion of the memorial requires a multi-task team of highly specialized professionals. Davis Brody Bond LLP will play an important role on this creative team by bringing their extensive experience and expertise to work closely with Michael and Peter on their Memorial design." LMDC President Kevin M. Rampe said, "The selection of a firm of such high caliber to work with Michael Arad and Peter Walker is an important step forward in the achievement of the memorial.

Davis Brody Bond LLP has left their mark on New York City with exceptional projects and we are pleased to have them involved in working towards building the memorial that will honor all of those who lost their lives on September 11th 2001 and in the 1993 bombings. The contribution of a world-class architectural firm in the process will bring a depth of resources and understanding that will be essential in ensuring the vision selected is ultimately realized." Michael Arad said, "I am looking forward to working with Davis Brody Bond and I am fortunate to have such strong support to assist me in this complex endeavor." Peter Walker said, "Peter Walker and Partners is delighted to welcome Davis Brody Bond to the team. Their experience and fine reputation will be a great addition to the design team." The winning consulting team was chosen after a publicly advertised Request for Proposals that resulted in 17 proposals. Davis Brody Bond LLP (DBB) brings public sector experience, strong management, design advocacy, production skill, and diversity to the World Trade Center Site Memorial design team. DBB role as Associate Architect will be to preserve the intent of the original design, maintaining design quality through all stages of design, and being responsible for schedule, budget, and coordination. DBB has successfully collaborated with other Design Architects in the past. DBB's proposal and interview demonstrated an understanding of the complexities of this project and their commitment to its success. Steven M. Davis, Partner of Davis Brody Bond LLP said, "It is an honor and a privilege for Davis Brody Bond to be selected as Associate Architect for the World Trade Center Memorial.

The project is vital to the reconstruction of lower Manhattan and is an essential part of the healing process in the aftermath of September 11th. We are looking forward to working closely with Michael Arad, Peter Walker and the LMDC." DBB is nationally recognized for its high quality design and innovative architecture, and has been honored by more than 100 major design awards, including the American Institute of Architects Firm Award, the highest honor given to an architectural practice. In 2000, the firm received the Presidential Award for Design Excellence for the U.S. Bureau of the Census building in Bowie, Maryland, and in 2003 the firm received the AIA Honor Award for the new South Court at the New York Public Library.

9-11 Memorial "Reflecting Absence" Architect - Bios

Memorial - Reflecting Absence

Bios and CreditsARCHITECT MICHAEL ARAD AND LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT PETER WALKER UNVEIL WINNING DESIGN FOR WORLD TRADE CENTER SITE MEMORIAL:REFLECTING ABSENCE

Michael Arad

Michael Arad grew up in Israel, the United States and Mexico. He has been living in the U.S. since finishing his military service in the Israeli Defense Force in 1991. He received a BA from Dartmouth College, and a MA from Georgia Tech's College of Architecture. He moved to New York City in 1999 and worked as an architect at Kohn Pedersen Fox for three years. He recently joined the Design Department of the New York City Housing Authority and has been working on the design development of two police stations for the New York City Police Department. He lives in the East Village in New York City with his wife, Melanie Arad Fitzpatrick, and his newborn son, Nathaniel.

Peter Walker

The office of Peter Walker and Partners was formed in 1983 for the practice of landscape architecture. The projects, executed worldwide, vary both in scale and program: urban design and planning, corporate headquarters and university campuses, parks, plazas, and gardens. Exploring the relationships between art, culture, and context, Peter Walker and other members of the firm re-form the landscape - whether urban or natural - and challenge traditional concepts of design. The office's method of design moves from defining the program to forming the space and experimenting with materials; the tools employed are drawing, model-making, computer graphics, and full-size mock-ups. The decision process reflects the constant exchange occurring with clients, architects and consultants. Knowledge of history and tradition and a deep understanding of contemporary needs and patterns of living, combined with a quest for the appropriate and the particular, allow this firm to produce landscapes that are both timeless and unique. The work of Peter Walker and Partners results from an understanding of both conceptual and material processes, mastery of construction, and attention to craft and details. Peter Walker and Partners has joined renowned architects to create projects of significant scale and impact. Among these are the Clark Center for Biomedical Engineering and Sciences and the Center for Clinical Sciences Research at Stanford University (U.S.) with Sir Norman Foster and Partners; Harima Science Garden City and Town Park (Japan) with Arata Isozaki; the I.B.M. Solana Campus (U.S.), Chiron Corporation (U.S.), and U.C.S.F. Mission Bay Campus (U.S.), with Ricardo Legorreta; I.B.M. Makuhari headquarters and Toyota Museum of Art (Japan) with Yoshio Taniguchi; numerous corporate and public spaces in Germany with Helmut Jahn; the Millennium Park for the 2000 Olympics (Australia); and the Nasher Foundation (U.S.) with Renzo Piano. The firm of Peter Walker and Partners has an office in Berkeley, California; it employs approximately 27 landscape architects.

Acknowledgements:

Model Fabrication: Awad Architectural Models, New York, NYGraphics +
Visualization: dbox, New York, NY; sQuared design lab, LLC
Music on original animation: Violin: Anne Akiko Meyers, Piano: Li Jian,
Composition: Somei SatohModel
Photography: Jock Pottle/Esto