architect: BIG

location: New York

 “More than any other city New York is fueled by the energy and creativity that sparks from people of multiple cultures, religions, races, languages and professions living and working together. The sculptural form of the 2 World Trade Center – composed of many individual buildings forming a single silhouette – appears like an architectural manifestation of the founding motto of this country: “E pluribus unum” – “Out of many, one.”  Bjarke Ingels, Founding Partner, BIG.

Seven separate building volumes, varying sizes and depths and stacked on top of each other from the largest at the base to the smallest towards the top, for the new 2 WTC project by BIG. The skyscraper will be located in the requalification area of the World Trade Center, respectfully framing the 9/11 Memorial Park alongside One WTC, 3 WTC and 4 WTC. The 80+ story building, 1,340 feet high, is developed by Silverstein Properties and will host will serve as the new headquarters for 21st Century Fox and News Corp, who will occupy the lower half of the tower. The design of 2 WTC is derived from its urban context at the meeting point between two very different neighborhoods: the Financial District with its modernist skyscrapers and TriBeCa with its lofts and roof gardens. The new building will provide the physical environment for collaboration and idea sharing through the internal mix of open workplaces, amenities and informal meeting spaces. Large stairwells between the floors form cascading double-height communal spaces throughout the headquarters. These continuous spaces enhance connectivity between different departments and amenities, which may include basketball courts, a running track, a cafeteria and screening rooms. The modernist skyscraper and the contemporary interpretation of the pre-modern setback merge in a new hybrid and an exciting addition to the NYC skyline.