Thursday, October 05, 2006

just a thought about the "freedom tower" (s?)

The old building "the world trade center" was precisely that, a space occupied by people from all around the world doing trade. (about 10% of the victims were not US citizens.) It's identity was tied to it's content, and it's exterior was iconic, and free from the taint of a heavy-handed identity. It was long, hard, throbbing commerce.

So what of the new building? It reeks of america. The damned thing is 1776 feet tall (as though anyone cares about feet). It's called the "freedom tower". Who is going to occupy this jingoistic space? How can you locate an embassy in there? Looking at the outside, how can you locate anything but a web design firm circa 1999 in there?
The only way I can see the tower put to good use is if the government fills it up with all of it's domestic and international spying infrastructure. And that presumes that you think ironic tension between a building's name and it's purpose is "good use".

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