'Tower of Voices,' Final Piece of the Flight 93 Memorial, Set to Open in September

The memorial to the heroes of United Flight 93 is nearing completion in Pennsylvania.

1 minute read

August 19, 2018, 5:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


September 11th Memorial

The Flight 93 memorial at an earlier stage of completion. | Ethan Hopf / Shutterstock

Tommy Rowan offers a preview of the under-construction Tower of Voices, a memorial for United Flight 93 that will open to the public on the 17th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

"The new concrete belfry juts 93 feet above a vast palette of summer greens, high enough for breezes aloft to catch the 40 wind chimes inside, each sounding a different tone," writes Rowan.

"The tower looms over the site of one of the triad of 9/11 tragedies — the open field in Somerset County where United Flight 93 crashed as its 40 passengers and crew foiled a band of al-Qaeda hijackers who were attempting to redirect the aircraft, presumably to Washington and the U.S. Capitol.  It is intended both as a marker and a monument to a planeload of heroes, with every chime representing the distinct voice of one lost that day."

The Tower of Voices is the final piece, and keystone, of the Flight 93 memorial, which has been under constriction since 2011. Philadelphia-based architect Paul Murdoch Architects designed the Tower of Voices after winning a design competition in 2005.

Friday, August 17, 2018 in The Philadelphia Inquirer

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Wastewater pouring out from a pipe.

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage

Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

April 13, 2025 - Inside Climate News

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Black and white photos of camp made up of small 'earthquake shacks' in Dolores Park in 1906 after the San Francisco earthquake.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees

More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

April 15, 2025 - Charles F. Bloszies

Close-up of "Apartment for rent" sign in red text on black background in front of blurred building

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program

Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

8 minutes ago - Housing Wire

White BART public transit train at Coliseum station in Oakland, California.

NRDC Releases State Transportation Scorecard

The Getting Transportation Right report highlights which states are making the most progress on reducing transportation emissions and improving access to clean transportation options.

1 hour ago - Natural Resources Defense Council

Canada geese on lawn in city park with high-rise buildings in background in Vancouver, Canada.

Study: How Urban Parks Can Support Biodiversity

Conservation and recreation can go hand in hand in urban green spaces designed to serve both humans and local wildlife.

2 hours ago - Inside Climate News