WORLD TRADE CENTER SITE - GROUND ZERO

A strange atmosphere surrounded Ground Zero for a long time after the dramatic attacks of September 11, 2001 and the collapse of the towers, which claimed the lives of almost 3,000 people. For many years, the area remained a huge security zone, with barricades and police posted on every corner. The inauguration of the memorial and its ponds in 2011 was the first step in the rebirth of the World Trade Center.

On February 27, 2003, the think tank charged with deciding on the reconstruction of the World Trade Center made its choice. Among six projects proposed by some of the world's leading architects, Memory Foundations, the project by Daniel Libeskind and his THINK team was chosen. Its aesthetics, performance, symbolism and, above all, its link between memory and the future were to convince New York's decision-makers. However, in July 2003, the situation changed once again under the impetus of Larry Silverstein, who had been the site's landlord since July 2001 (just under two months before 9/11). Libeskind's project was partly abandoned, although he continued to supervise the overall construction of One World Trade Center. Architect David Childs of the SOM agency is in charge of the design of the new skyscraper. In September 2005, other projects entrusted to other renowned architects were unveiled to the public: the World Trade Center site was to comprise seven buildings. In May 2009, however, with the economic crisis in full swing, the plans changed again, and six towers were finally erected.

Ground Zero is now an emotionally-charged memorial site and a political symbol. But the World Trade Center site is also a strategic real estate location in the heart of the world's most important financial center. Hence the great dilemma between the place given to remembrance and that reserved for office and commercial space. Reconstruction proved to be extremely complicated and controversial, torn between the frictions of the designers, the weight of the economic crisis, financial interests and the emotions of the townspeople and victims. In addition to the crisis, reaching an agreement with the insurance companies also took time.

Today, the whole world flocks to admire the new towers and memorials, symbols of the city's resilience.