New York City's famous skyline was forever altered in 2001 when terrorists destroyed the Twin Towers - the two tallest buildings in the wider World Trade Center complex. After the attacks, debate began about the future of the site. Talk quickly turned to reconstruction, alongside a permanent memorial, and the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation invited members of the public to submit ideas. A winning concept was chosen in February 2003. Plans were finalised, a symbolic cornerstone was laid on Independence Day 2004 and by June 2005 a final design for One World Trade Center (One WTC) was revealed - an ambitious skyscraper with a twisting shape and glass that would reflect light like a kaleidoscope.
Construction began in 2006, with members of the public signing the first steel beam, and by 2008 the tower's concrete core reached street level. By 2010, the base was complete, and the tower started to rise. By April 2012, One WTC had become the most expensive building in the world and New York City's tallest building. In May 2013, the spire was completed, and a steel beam at the top was signed by then-President Obama with the inscription: "We remember, we rebuild, we come back stronger!"
This story is from the Issue 194 edition of How It Works UK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the Issue 194 edition of How It Works UK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
RESCUE IN SPACE
Fortunately, space emergencies are a rare occurrence, but astronauts and space agencies need to be prepared for any eventuality that might arise
NEANDERTHAL LIVING
Why our prehistoric cousins were pioneers, not clueless apes
BUILDING ONE WORLD TRADE CENTER
One World Trade Center rose from the ashes of the Twin Towers. Now, as the tallest building in New York City, it looks to the skies and the future. Here's how this sustainable and secure record-breaker was built
BECOME A SMARTPHONE SCIENTIST
Amazing tips and tricks to transform your smartphone into a bug-finding, star-spotting, data-gathering device
LIFTING THE LID ON ANTARCTICA
What was the coldest continent like without ice?
URBAN WILDLIFE
How wild animals have evolved to thrive alongside humans in towns and cities
WHAT IS SUNBURN?
How solar rays can leave us red, sore and irritated
ALL ABOUT FAT
Fat is a complex, active organ. Here's how genetics, evolution, lifestyle and diet dictate how much we have beneath our skin
The Space Force is launching lasers into orbit
The Space Force aims to better pinpoint the location of Earth's true centre using lasers on GPS satellites, slated to launch in 2025. A set of Laser Retroreflector Arrays, or LRAS, will be installed onto two GPS III satellites, SV9 and SV10, as part of NASA's Space Geodesy Program. The lasers are designed to make precise sub-centimetre measurements using a technique called Satellite Laser Ranging, which will allow researchers to more accurately determine Earth's centre.
Eating too much sugar may accelerate cellular ageing
A nutrient-rich diet with few added sugars may slow the rate of biological ageing in women. Scientists found that middle-aged women who ate more foods packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants had 'younger looking' cells than those who consumed less nutrient-rich diets.
