I also think they should be as close to the originals as they can be... those buildings were beautiful, a work of art.. and funny how me don't appreciate something until its gone.. My family and I live in Florida, therefore we only heard of the planes crashing through tv stations.. that day I went and picked up my daughter early form schol, then drove to pick my husband up from work (he's a union ironworker, local 272).. A few weeks later he went to New york, since so many ironworkers were at the sight of the twin towers, they were not abloe to work on regular jobs.. so ironworkers form out of state, called boomers, came and did those jobs.. My husband saw pieces of the world trade center being taken away, and managed to get a piece from the big needle, looks like a light socket or something.. I have great respect and admiration for those planning and designing the buildings, but even more so for those brave union ironworkers who will go there to build these monuments..

where as much like the original ones as possible.

Hopefully just outsides... There was few flaws that helped building burn down that much faster. Something about the fireproofing foam on frames being blown off by impact, which gave fire access to metal beams.

From what I understand, the new structures are going to be very much upgraded with fire proofing form that of the last buildings and the stair cases are to be enveloped in two tubes with censors that warn people if the stairs are impassable. GCJ

g'day GCJ!!!!!

where you been?

Personally, I think one of things that makes America great is our principle of constant innovation. Remember the past, but ALWAYS look forward.

Nostalgia aside, these buildings were not only an architectural eye-sore, but a relic of an older area where building bigger and higher was thought of as the pinnacle of urban development.

We can do much better.

My 02

Poet you are exactly right and I am saying the same thing. Though the buildings may eye sores to you. Others don't see them as such though they did take some getting use to at first, people came to love them. The new buildings proposed are not clones of the old towers. They are different in design and will be constructed with newer modern technology. They will be greatly improved in technology and in looks.
Now I don't know where you've been, but the age of building bigger and better is in no way a relic of the past. Just look around you. GCJ

G'day to you Muggaz. I took a little vacation but I'm back now. Why did you miss me? GCJ

of course mate, your comical antics are always welcomed!

BAM!!!

I think that the new World Trade Center towers should look a lot like the original towers and be taller too to show those terrorist thugs that we are not afraid to build and work in tall buildings. To build shorter buildings would be a sign of weakness.

Well said Tech Cat. GCJ

I am not an expert, and perhaps someone else can chime in, but when it comes to modern urban space planning, aren't skyscrapers now considered inefficient - a misguided approach?

Sure they look cool - hey maybe we could build them out of gold, like Mandalay Bay in Vegas? 120 stories of gold. You think we're weak, think again, we make buildings out of GOLD. In your face sucka!

I understand that some of the interiors of buildings in Moscow are actually lined in gold. They tend to spare no expense in their building as they don't believe in the here after or the mansions to come. GCJ