Student WTC designs on display at 75 Broad St. until Feb. 28

Real Estate Weekly, Jan 22, 2003

With scale model presentations of thoughtful and engaging designs that have eye-catching similarities to the current LMDC New Outreach Campaign, New York City Sixth Graders have imagined the future of the former World Trade Center site. The student exhibition, "Children Imaging the Future, Student Visions of the Former World Trade Center Site" will be held in the lobby of 75 Broad St., owned by JEMB Realty, from Feb. 6 through Feb. 28. "Children Imagining the Future" commences four days after the LMDC New Outreach Campaign concludes.

Student design teams from two public schools--Junior High School 56 on Henry Street in lower Manhattan, which was temporarily closed after Sept. 11, and The Renaissance Charter School in Jackson Heights, Queens developed scaled plans and models from the realistic guidelines of an in-depth architectural "program" developed by their architect/educators from the Salvadori Center. The students worked on their design and building projects during class, and after school hours.

On display will be scale models of student design concepts including their massing and site models, photographs of the multi-cultural student teams working on their projects, and each team's written rationale for the design, engineering and personal criteria reflected in their work. One of the student teams had this to say on explaining their model:

"The ideas for the buildings and monuments on our site came from the things we know about. The Pyramid of Intelligence was based on the architecture of ancient Egypt and also on the pyramid on the back of a dollar bill. The Tower of Peace symbolizes our hope that there will not be any more fights or wars or destroying people. The Balance of Life was designed to explain to people that everyone is equal...and lastly, the Tower of Remembrance is to show what America has made us and to remember all of the people lost in the tragedy."

Thomas S. Johnson of The Lower Manhattan Development Corporation and The Lower Manhattan Family Advisory Council said, "The opportunity for young New Yorkers to express their ideas on how to rebuild and remember is a contribution to the whole community."

Frank Lombardi of The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said, "If there is any one segment of the population that may have had less representation about the effects of Sept. 11, it is the children. This exhibition is a collaborative way for students to learn about their built and physical environment while allowing them to express their selves creatively and emotionally."

Raymond Chalme of 75 Broad LLC said, "We are delighted to house this exhibit, to give a venue for the powerful vision and important dreams New York City's children have for the future of our City and Downtown. Our tenants and our neighbors will join us in welcoming the students' inspiration and aspirations for the community of Lower Manhattan. Together we will work to create a brilliant future for our city."

75 Broadway is a 33-story office tower owned by JEMB Realty, who offered the use of its building lobby to the Salvadori Center so that the student works could be put on view to the general public. The building is across the street from The New York Stock Exchange.

The Salvadori Center has been using project-based learning to teach lessons on the built environment to New York City public school students for over 25 years. It has been recognized for teaching excellence with numerous awards including a New York City Board of Education Partner in Education citation and an American Institute of Architects Honor Award.