3 world trade center to soon join other giant names in NY's downtown

3 world trade center (3WTC) is a building that remembers the past, but looks to the future. it is the design of architect richard rogers and his firm rogers stirk harbour + partners. as of april 2018, it’s nearing completion, rising 80 stories above the site’s memorial park. it has an amazing view of the city, including its famous neighbors such as santiago calatrava’s ‘oculus’. this tower continues the trend of rapid growth in manhattan’s downtown, which has become more and more desirable in recent years and attracted one big name architect after the next.

all images courtesy of silverstein properties

the tower employs a structural system that far exceeds the city’s rigorous standards. the exposed steel exoskeleton, with its unique diamond patterned braces, contributes to this safety component and gives an added mechanical aesthetic. furthermore, the project’s organizers expressed their hopes to see the skyscraper achieve LEED certification by the time it is complete.

the entrance to the tower at ground level

the upper floors comprise 2.5 million square feet of leasable area, while the first five stories provide 150,000 square feet of retail. the tower attempts to negotiate between the two for better cohesion between public and private space. furthermore, it will redevelop cortlandt and dey streets making the area more attractive to businesses. the lobby ceiling is 64 feet high. this lofty space is decorated with rare stone from around the world: black granite from zimbabwe and a lighter italian granite contrast one another.

granite finishes are found throughout

for richard rogers, who leads rogers stirk harbor + partners, this marks the second major project in the city that never sleeps. rogers’ premier projects back in europe helped inform this new tower and, much like with the lloyds building in london, rogers attempts to display the building’s inner workings. the project is set to complete in june 2018.

the tower has the first and tallest private outdoor terrace in lower manhattan