| PHOENIX: A mythological create whose genesis is a miraculous rebirth from the ashes of tragedy. Rising from the early morning sun to drink from a fountain of crystalline water, the phoenix gathers its strength, bowed in solemnity as it prepares for its journey to Helios to return the remains of its predecessor to the sun from whence it came... Such is the life represented in the World Trade Center Memorial. If Liebskind's design for the surrounding buildings describe the vibrancy and energy of Wall Street and the unique spirit of New York, the Memorial represents both human frailty and the vast potential of human spirit in its hours of need. |
| From the ashes of the site and at the south-western corner, burnished copper columns rise from the earth, passing through the areas of quiet contemplation for the families and friends of those lost in the attacks. Blackened from their passage through the physical earth, they rise through the second level (general public access) glowing with an ever increasing brillance as they reach towards the sun. (The separation of the private and public visitation areas is achieved by gently sloping the uppermost surface by 1:30 from south-west to north-east, forming a below grade area lit by two strips of glass embedded in the paving of the public zone. An enclosed area is also formed, large enough to house the remains of the unidentified victims. The remains are out of sight but knowingly beneath the earth and the public sphere. The tail, paved with Pennsylvania bluestone, serves as the entry ramp for the private visitation area for family and friends. The footprints of the Twin Towers have been recreated as the crystalline ponds of the phoenix's morning ritual. The the south, one footprint pond is a vessel for Liebskind's waterfall. To the north, the other footprint becomes a foil for the giant facetted cantilever whose image it reflects from various angles throughout the day. Each pool offers sounds of gentle lapping water while reflecting the faces of observers peering into its depths. It could have been me... At nightthe slots through the earth which have provided sunlight into the quiet cntemplation area for families, become beacons of light, reminiscent of the beams of light for the first memorial on the site. The copper columns, visible through the day over the treetops of the extensive landscaping surrounding the site, become endlessly tall columns of light, visible from as far as lower Manhattan. The names of the individual victims are set into small light boxes in the paving around the memorial site, forming lines connecting to the tail of the Phoenix. In death they are united and carried away to safety. |