Will New WTC Design Improve On The 'Barren Windswept Plaza'?

Strong pedestrian-level winds created at the plaza of the former World Trade Center made it one of the most unwelcoming places in New York. How does the WTC redevelopment design fare?

March 26, 2004, 8am PST | Abhijeet Chavan | @legalaidtech

The Austin J. Tobin Plaza at the former World Trade Center was one of the windiest, unwelcoming places in New York--known by many as 'The Barren Windswept Plaza'. Hoping to avoid a return of those conditions in its redevelopment of the WTC site, the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation is studying options to reduce the discomfort and damage of pedestrian-level winds. "Tall buildings can act as sails that catch the wind and direct it downward, an effect more dependent on relative height than absolute height. In other words, the street-level wind produced by a 70-story tower among 20-story neighbors will typically be greater than that produced by a 70-story tower among 50-story neighbors."

Thanks to Eric Arzola

Full Story:

Girding Against Return of the Windy City in Manhattan

Published on Thursday, March 25, 2004 in The New York Times