One World Trade Center, Supertall skyscraper in Lower Manhattan, United States
One World Trade Center is an office tower in the Financial District of the United States that stands 1,776 feet (541 meters) tall and features a prismatic glass facade reflecting light across the skyline. The architecture by David Childs combines a square base with a form that tapers upward into an octagon, with a reinforced concrete podium reaching to the 20th floor and steel and glass construction above.
Following the September 11, 2001 attacks, planning began for a new structure at Ground Zero under architect David Childs of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, with the cornerstone laid in 2006 after years of debate over design and security. Construction spanned eight years with the steel framework completed in 2012, before the building opened in November 2014 for its first tenants and the observatory began operations in May 2015.
The tower functions both as a memorial site and an active workplace, with visitors from around the world coming to the observation deck to reflect and take in the cityscape. Many people connect their visit to personal memory or recognition, as the structure represents the rebuilding effort after the September 2001 attacks and plays a central role in the daily life of New Yorkers.
Access to the One World Observatory on floors 100 through 102 is via high-speed elevators that travel from ground level to the top in 47 seconds, with tickets best purchased online in advance, especially during summer months and holidays. The clearest views happen in early morning or at sunset, and the entrance is located at West Street with subway access via lines E, 2, 3, 4, and 5, as well as accessible facilities and audio guides in multiple languages.
The elevators to the observatory use LED walls that display a virtual time travel through 500 years of New York history during the ascent, making you feel as if you are gliding through clouds and sky. The foundation extends 70 feet (21 meters) below ground and weighs more than 45,000 tons (41,000 metric tons), ensuring anchoring in bedrock and providing extreme stability.
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