Our entry for the memorial had for objective to create an evocative, culturally non-specific design in scale with its surroundings. It had seven components: 1. The Hug, a 500-foot long embrace; 2. the Tower’s Footprints; the Samarium, to commemorate the remains of unidentified victims; the Virtual Hall of Heroes and Victims; the Wall of Ninty-Two Nations; and the Wall of Light.
Conceptual Competition for the Design of a 5,000 Dwelling-Unit Neighborhood – First Prize for High Density
We conceived a 200-acre area with one-third of it devoted to parks. The neighborhood is seen as a totally pedestrian area, with distances not exceeding 15-minute walking from the center. The eccentricity of the linear center allows a better relationship between the new quarter, existing urban structures and future development. The through-traffic encircles the are without ever penetrating it. Parking structures are located along the freeway ring, which also serve as stations for a monorail and conveyors entering the neighborhood.
High-density residences are located within the central space and medium-density residences extend out from this center. The towers fulfill urban functions such as offices, commerce, entertainment and hotels. The central space with public facilities and spaces is “shadowed” by penthouse-like condominiums with total flexibility of assemblage . Additional condominiums are located in higher floors.
The project is though to built with prefabricated components that are interchangeable.
A conceptual design competition was launched in 1986 to envision “Spaces for People in the Year 2010.” The subject was free, to be presented on three tables. In foreseeing 24 years ahead we decided to deal with three top issues: the city, the oceans and outer-space.
We conceived three “horizontal skyscrapers.” Cityscraper was conceived to be a spine suspended above Wilshire Boulevard containing housing, offices and moving systems. Its roof would have solar collectors and food-growing facilities. Oceanscraper would penetrate the Pacific at Santa Monica, would include a complex of functions under and above water level as well as turbines for the generation of wave energy. Spacescraper was conceived as a space station. Some of the inputs were humorous, such as turning Wilshire Boulevard into a park with flowing water and ways for elephant-riding and using air balloons as a mean of public transportation.
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