The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Bjark Ingles Group (BIG) could replace Foster + Partners to finally realise the World Trade Centre 2 tower (WTC2) – which is the final of the towers slated for rebuild at New York’s Ground Zero.
The 79-storey tower was designed by Foster + Partners in 2006 but the project has remained unrealised due to financial reasons. According to the Wall Street Journal report, if 21st Century Fox and News Corp reach an agreement with developers to move into nearly half of WTC2, the project will have financial means to recommence and the architectural duties to deliver it could be handed to BIG.
“The media companies and developer Larry Silverstein have brought in avant-garde Danish architect Bjarke Ingels to redesign 2 World Trade Center in the event of a move,” said the report.
Ingels’ designs would keep the WTC2 tower at the same height as originally designed by Foster + Partners, but would modify the spaces so they are suitable for studio work.
Recently listed as number one on the world’s 10 most expensive skyscrapers list by Emporis, One World Trade Center by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) has already reached completion at Ground Zero and will be followed by Richard Rogers’ 3 World Trade Centre which is on track to complete in 2017.
