The architect of 1 World Trade Center has finally devised a way to clad the concrete base of the tower in shimmery glass. The breakthrough comes after technical problems forced designers to abandon an earlier glass-sheathing plan last spring, sources said.Architect David Childs had wanted to encase the 185-foot-tall base in prismatic glass panels to disguise the thick, windowless fortified concrete that is one of the tower's signature safety elements. The idea was to have it not look like a bunker. The massive concrete base means that office space in the 1,776-foot tower doesn't start until the 20th floor. The challenge then was to create a facade that suggested movement, life and light where none existed. However, the panels of prismatic glass, which were designed to reflect light, were not only difficult to make: As it turned out, they also shattered easily.
Now, sources said the base will be covered with glass louvers that are set at different angles on the base and lit from behind, creating an inviting atmosphere that would also reflect the nearby memorial honoring the victims of the Sept. 11 attacks. The glass is treated so it would pebble instead of shatter in case of an explosion, much like a car windshield does in a severe accident.
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