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עמוד:15
interconnected towers typified by free structures . The sophisticated skins of the towers would have the capacity to broadcast different information to people working inside and to visitors on the outside . Paul Solleri , the Italian born architect known for his environmental inventions and for his unique project in Arizona , thought the towers should be rebuilt as a Cathedral . Eric Owen Moss suggested a structure built according to one of John Cage's scores , which would convey a powerful message , "There will be music again . " FOA ( Foreign Office Architects ) suggested a new highrise topology : eight isomorphic tubes consisting of 110 floors each , built in a circle , creating a cluster of interconnected , bending towers . A brilliant and unique suggestion was introduced by Eytan Kaufman , an Israeli-born architect , graduate of the Haifa Technion , who is currently living in New York . His idea was to rebuild the twin towers not vertically but horizontally — across the Hudson river , turning them into a formidable bridge joining Manhattan and New Jersey . In fact , "The World Bridge , " as he calls it , would be a bustling urban thoroughfare , constructed of two huge tubes containing two rows of six to eight floors of office buildings , hotels , convention halls and entertainment places . The top floor of this "Stayed Bridge" serves as a wide pedestrian-only promenade , including a park complete with trees , vegetation , benches , coffee houses , and restaurants , and a sophisticated elevator-escalator system connecting the promenade and the lower floors . Weather allowing , the glass ceiling opens up , offering a breathtaking view of the Hudson River , New York Harbor , Manhattan and New Jersey , The Statue of Liberty , Staten Island and Ellis Island . Kaufman did not wait for Max Protech's invitation . Soon after the Twins collapsed , a tragedy he witnessed with his own eyes as most New Yorkers did , and while still overwhelmed by the enormity ofthe tragedy , he found himself confronting a basic question : not what should be built on the site , but what would be the right response to the tragedy . It was clear to him that the world he knew had been destroyed and a new world was about to rise up out of the ashes , requiring a different approach , concept and language . It was clear to him that the response should be human and spiritual and not real-estate oriented . At the same time , he knew that the response would have to communicate potency , dynamics , and sophisticated technology but without the arrogance and dominance of the twin towers . In his tenth floor office with a view of Fifth Avenue , Kaufman tells me how the idea came to him : "I was sitting here at my drafting table , examining the map of Manhattan spread out in front of me , my elbow on the map , my arm held upward in imitation of the Twin Towers , when , as if of its own accord , my arm collapsed on the map over the Hudson , touching upon the New Jersey shore . At that moment it dawned on me : the Twins must be replaced by a bridge that connects people . " He spent a great deal of time and energy developing this idea that had taken hold of him . Gradually , the bridge emerged on the drafting paper and then shifted onto the computer screen . It became an impressive structure crossing over the water , with an open promenade intended for assorted activities , a historic continuum of Ponte Vecchio in Florence and the Karl Bridge in Prague bridges that serve as busy streets . "The World Bridge , " with its glass skin , would not be made out of just matter , but at nightfall would become a bridge of light , a symbol of the human creative force and of the human spirit . Not a symbol of Wall Street , but a metaphor for the creative spirit of man , not a symbol of arrogance and domination , but a metaphor for reconciliation . "The World Bridge " would be the last word in modern technology and aesthetics . Kaufman consulted various bridge engineers who confirmed the plausibility of his plan , which would require new technological solutions and inventions . "I am continuing the past , " Kaufman explained , " and at the same time I'm facing the future by using advanced engineering to create a place where people will feel not alienated but at home . The Twin Towers were impressive , even overwhelming , but being there was an unpleasant experience . You could easily lose your way in the labyrinth of corridors , elevators and offices , most of which did not have access to the breathtaking views , nor did they let in daylight . I was looking for a different approach to life and to people . The bridge is a poetic symbol of reconciliation and of the triumph of spirit over matter . " On the 16 acre site of the WTC , Kaufman proposes to construct a "World Forum , " whose focal point will be a highly advanced information center : a large globe displaying world news and information . The World Forum will house a memorial for the 9 / 1 1 victims . The site will be surrounded by 12 floor high-rise office buildings and convention centers . Kaufman admits that he has been greatly influenced by the renowned architect , inventor and visionary , Buckminster Fuller , who was his teacher during his studies at the University of Illinois . Fuller dedicated his life to finding efficient and effective solutions to global problems . He perceived the world as one undivided entity which , if we pool our resources and work together , could be a home for one and all . ?
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