Quote:
Originally Posted by marshall
To expand on a previous topic, I wonder if the spire for 1wtc will ever be modified, to allow for some kind of outdoor viewing pod like halfway up, similar to the CN Tower"s pod? That would be such an amazing, high viewpoint, and might even be better than the old outdoor deck on that the south tower had..While the spire as currently designed may in fact be very narrow, and the roof full of antennas, these things change, to meet the public's demand for more of a thrilling viewing experience...Look at the Sears Tower for instance...granted, it's not outdoor, but they recently added the "Ledge" which visitors can step out in and feel like they are walking on air...Who's to say such modifications won't happen with wtc in future? If not the spire, it seems like maybe they could change the rings that will be on top of the tower to make them into 360-degree, outdoor viewing platforms. That would be equally amazing! Just some ideas on my part...Just based on some other famous skyscrapers modifications, I would not be at all surprised if we do not someday see 1wtc adding outdoor deck of some kind...
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What if, instead of the normal windows for the second observation deck, folding glass slats could be implemented- they would be long, horizontal rectangles, perhaps 8-10 inches by 5 feet, with metal brackets on the ends, that would be connected to machinery to tilt the slats. The glass could be a bit thicker than the normal windows, for strength and security... maybe up to one inch thick. Anyway, a system of slats could be made that would open and close much like wooden blinds, where metal rods would be spaced every 5 feet (none in the middle of the glass rectangles), which would open and close the slats. Rather than folding upon each other like blinds or shingles, the slats would have slightly angled edges along the top and bottom lengths (not widths.) The tops and bottoms would line up perfectly flat together into one pane of glass.They could be opened during most of the year... and if they were angled properly, they could effectively shield precipitation (but certainly not high winds.) So the structure of the building would not change- the outer steel beams would still be in place etc... but it would bring the fresh air and outdoors "feeling" indoors..... AND... you could still look straight down to the insect-sized cars and people, unlike at the outdoor observation deck at the South WTC. So the dimensions of the windows could be almost the same as other floors as far as how wide and tall they would be. I can only think of a few difficulties here: climate control during the hottest/coldest days could be expensive, and humidity/rain/snow/ etc could still get inside with the help of stronger winds... so, to take care of this, secondary walls, built purely of thinner- width double-pane windows and large glass doors could stand 10-30 feet back away from the slats. The inner area could easily be climate controlled if necessary, and the view would remain unobstructed.
I doubt this idea would be cost-prohibitive, as very little changes structurally, yet the fresh air and outside feeling would be well worth the money invested.
While visitors could only see the ceiling when looking up, two walls of unobstructed glass would provide fantastic views, fresh air, and warm sunlight into the room. This would be far superior to the narrow windows of the original indoor deck. To enhance the effect, the gift shops and other touristy sundries could be built exclusively on the first deck, thus leaving the second floor with only windows and the core. The lack of stores and white core walls would create a beautifully simple, yet modern space that would perfectly complement the style of the tower.
This building belongs just as much to the visitors as it does to the business interests, and this could be a nice (and affordable) gesture to the visitors.
I can remember very clearly the old observation decks: Certainly the 107 floor deck was wonderful, but the outdoor deck was truly breathtaking, and I think that is what really brought in the visitors. That revenue would pay for my idea in no time at all.
Also, the break in the monotony at the top of the building with the open slats would look really neat from ground level.
Give me some feedback on this, guys! If you think this could be feasible, then lets get some kind of effort organized! I think this idea (or something similar) is probably our best chance at getting "outdoors" at the top.
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