08 Sep 2014
Gehry axed from World Trade Centre redevelopment
BY Katie Buckley
Frank Gehry’s designs dating back to 2003 for a $395m (£245m, €305m) performing arts venue at the World Trade Centre have been axed after the project's management made a u-turn on the plans.
As part of Daniel Libeskind's masterplan for the World Trade Centre and Ground Zero site, Gehry’s performing arts centre has been the slowest to materialise.
Now, more than a decade later, the board behind the centre have revealed that it has changed course with Gehry’s stacked boxes design, putting three other architectural firms in the running to complete the project.
The arts centre’s aim is to make the World Trade Centre and Ground Zero site more than just a place for mourning and grief. It is hoped that its construction will create a new destination that would draw tourists and locals alike to the area.
John E. Zuccotti, real estate developer and board member for the site, commented that the centre should relate to American culture: “It should be focused on opportunities for young talent, celebrating being reborn in an area where so many people were killed.”
Gehry’s project featured a series of stacked boxes that were piled on top of one another to house three different stages for cultural performances. One of these should have been the 1,000 seat auditorium for the Joyce Theatre, a designated space for a dance organisation. The design also featured the planting of several trees, allowing for greening of the area and offering a different ambience.
Gehry stated in a recent interview that he had not been informed of the boards decision, and that he had heard “zero at ground zero.” He also added “I don’t want to go where I’m not wanted.”
The project is still waiting for approximately US$99m (£61m, €76m) of federal funding and the completion of the Santiago Calatrava-designed transport hub to proceed with construction.
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