The One World Trade Center (also called Freedom Tower) is one of the most symbolic buildings in New York: inaugurated in 2014, with its 541 meters (417 meters without the spire), it holds the record as the tallest building in New York and the sixth tallest building in the world.
Project features
The One World Trade Center it is, not without reason, considered a real glass fort. This engineering giant, in fact, rests on a central core in reinforced concrete. The first 56 meters of the building are not used as offices but constitute, on their own, a real anti-explosion base covered by over two thousand sheets of Viracon VRE 15-54 laminated insulating glass. This type of glass guarantees greater acoustic insulation and greater protection from UV rays.
At those heights, a factor to consider in the design phase are i horizontal loads represented by constant wind. The scaled and faceted shape of the building is not just aesthetic: it serves to “break” the air vortices, reducing oscillations that could cause discomfort to the occupants of the upper floors.
Source: King of Hearts
The most iconic element of the entire project is certainly the central spire on the roof of the building. It was not created with the intention of making it a mere ornament but as a real one antenna. The One World Trade Center is to be considered a true example of resilient architecture. The 61 meter square base (the same size as the original Twin Towers) transforms as it rises, with the edges being rounded to form eight isosceles triangles, culminating in a perfect octagon at half height.
History of One World Trade Center
The project of One World Trade Center we could say, not wrongly, that it begins amidst rubble and controversy. In fact, the original project, which bore the signature of Daniel Libeskind, it was characterized by clear and evident symbolism that recalled the Statue of Liberty but, although certainly appreciated by Americans, the brazen use of these references clearly deviated from the needs of the real estate market. Another very important figure then comes into play in the project, that of David Childs of the firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM). The man capable of carrying out what was thought to be too complex a project not so much from a technical point of view, but from the point of view of its meaning and role. Certainly, the construction of a skyscraper of this magnitude, not only in terms of size, but also for the meaning attributed to it, was a titanic undertaking to say the least.
Work officially began on April 27, 2006, and the first intervention to be carried out was the creation of the so-called “Slurry Wall”a containment tank, made of reinforced concrete, capable of preventing the waters of the Hudson River from flooding the site. To build this structure, 45,000 tons of concrete were used. What is then the real “backbone” of the skyscraper was built, a central internal structure in reinforced concrete, capable of increasing the stability of the skyscraper, also hosting elevators, emergency stairs and communication systems.
The first 57 meters of the skyscraper have no windows, but are covered in very high-performance glass, capable of withstanding gunshots and explosions. This, obviously, for security reasons and for the exposure to attacks that the site could potentially suffer, also given its symbolic meaning. But, perhaps, the most iconic moment of the construction of the entire skyscraper occurred in May 2013, when the last section of the spire was installed, which gave the skyscraper its current height, viz 541 meters. This is not just an antenna, but also contains a lighthouse that emits a beam of light visible from kilometers away.
A curiosity: height is not a coincidence. In fact it is 541 meters 1,776 feet and this is a clear reference to the year of the United States Declaration of Independence.
Source: Aude (Wikipedia)
The tallest skyscraper in New York today
Today One World Trade Center is a very modern skyscraper, of which 69 floors are used offices. Inside, however, there are not only offices but also luxury restaurants, such as the “ONE” on the 101st floor but also the panoramic One World Observatory (on floors 100-102). The latter offers a 360° view about New York City and also presents the Sky Portala floor made of highly resistant glass, which offers patrons the experience of walking almost in empty space.
The so-called City Pulse is also planned for visitors: in practice it is an interactive experience made up of ring screens (high definition video technology) where “ambassadors” of the observatory tell stories and show the iconic places of New York, offering a close-up view of monuments and neighborhoods. To reach the observatory you take the Sky Podan elevator capable of reaching the 101 floor in just 47 seconds.
