World Trade Center rises in poignant pillars of light as New York makes final preparations for 9/11 anniversary
Shooting high into the night, the Twin Towers rise above New York again as sparkling pillars of light.
The Tribute in Light has graced the Manhattan skyline on a number of occasions. But as tests were carried out ahead of the tenth anniversary of 9/11, their reappearance is particularly poignant.
A team of lighting specialists have been working around the clock to ensure the art installation is ready for Sunday, when it will be switched on from dusk until dawn.
Last night the group of 30 electricians, stage hands and technicians pushed on with calibrating the 88 bulbs that will be projected upwards from Ground Zero in memory of those killed in the attacks.
It is one of a host of events in memory of the 2,753 who died on the site of the Twin Towers in 2001.
Scroll down for videos and a list of the best places to see the lights...
The two blue beams, made up of 7,000 watt bulbs, were switched on for the first time this year on Tuesday night. Visible for more than 60 miles, the powerful beacons were turned on one at a time after 8pm.
Spotters around the city, braving heavy rain, then contacted the team on the rooftop of the Battery Parking Garage to let them know how 'perpendicularly integrated' the beams were. Each beam must be focused and levelled by hand. And if any one of them is off by a fraction of a degree, the effect is ruined.
Michael Ahern, the theatrical producer who has orchestrated the spectacle since its inception, said: 'It's more difficult than you imagine.'
Ahern, of the Municipal Art Society which organises the event, added that the moment the lights were first switched on - to mark the six-month anniversary of the attacks - was a 'beautiful moment'.
He said that New Yorkers had been left 'sick and dazed' by the attacks and that the first tribute was first launched, there was little pomp and ceremony.
'And then the lights came on,' he said. 'I
thought it was absolutely beautiful. And it seemed to mean a lot to
people. People who were there - the construction workers, the recovery
workers - told me they were immediately moved by it.'
Sunday will also see the opening of The National September 11 Memorial and Museum, designed by the winning team of Michael Arad and Peter Walker.
The memorial is set in the footprints of the original twin towers among a small forest of oak trees in an eight-acre plaza.
It features two 50ft-deep pools, each containing fountains, along with a museum with exhibitions and artefacts to teach visitors about the events of September 11. The pools have the victims' names etched around its perimeter.
The not-for-profit MAS is now asking for donations to help continue funding the now-iconic project, which costs hundreds of thousands of dollars each year, in the future.
It also admitted that this year it
would be switching off the lights for 'brief intervals', in response to
the complaint that in 2010, hundreds of birds became trapped after
getting confused by the beams.
Plunging the sky back into semi-darkness would allow the birds to carry on their migratory routes, it added.
Preparations for the tenth anniversary come as work continues to regenerate the site, which will eventually have six key buildings.
One World Trade Center, designed by architect David Childs, now stands at 78 storeys and will eventually soar to 104 floors, or 1,776ft, becoming the tallest building in Manhattan when it’s completed in 2013.
The first cornerstone was laid down on July 4 2004 and as the building rose it was known as Freedom Tower. It will include 2.6million square feet of office space, an observation deck over 1,241ft above ground, fine-dining restaurants and a sprawling public lobby boasting 50ft ceilings.
The second tallest, designed by Britain's Norman Foster, will reach 88 floors, or a staggering 1,349 feet. Known as Tower 2, and by its street address, 200 Greenwich Street, it will feature a lobby with a 67ft-high ceiling and 3.1million square feet of office space.
The
third highest building will be 3 World Trade Center at 175 Greenwich
Street. Designed by Richard Rogers, the 1,170ft-high skyscraper will
house shops across several floors and 2.8million square feet of office
space.
Facing directly onto the Memorial Park will be 4 World Trade Center, standing 977 feet tall. Conceived by Maki and Associates, this is expected to become the new headquarters of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
The fifth tower, 7 World Trade Center, was completed in 2006 and stands at 741feet tall. The original building collapsed when it was hit by debris from the North Tower. The new structure is now home to the likes of Moody's Corporation and the New York Academy of Sciences.
And the final tower, 5 World Trade Center, will be constructed by the Port Authority and occupy the site of the Deutsche Bank Building, which was irreparably damaged during 9/11. Up until 2007 workers were still scouring the site for human remains.
To serve the huge number of visitors and workers at the site, a magnificent new transportation hub that is adorned with 150-foot-high, glass-and-steel ‘wings’ is being built.
When it’s finished, it will rival the size of the city’s world famous Grand Central Station and is designed to cope with 250,000 visitors a day.
* To donate $10 for the Tribute in Light, U.S. residents can text the word 'tribute' to 20222.
The Tribute in Light has graced the Manhattan skyline on a number of occasions. But as tests were carried out ahead of the tenth anniversary of 9/11, their reappearance is particularly poignant.
A team of lighting specialists have been working around the clock to ensure the art installation is ready for Sunday, when it will be switched on from dusk until dawn.
Last night the group of 30 electricians, stage hands and technicians pushed on with calibrating the 88 bulbs that will be projected upwards from Ground Zero in memory of those killed in the attacks.
It is one of a host of events in memory of the 2,753 who died on the site of the Twin Towers in 2001.
Scroll down for videos and a list of the best places to see the lights...
Pushing on: A team has been working around the
clock, and under heavy rain, to make sure the Tribute in Light is ready
for Sunday
Ablaze: The Tribute in Light's 88 powerful
searchlights will project upwards from Ground Zero from dusk on
September 11 until dawn on September 12
Spotters around the city, braving heavy rain, then contacted the team on the rooftop of the Battery Parking Garage to let them know how 'perpendicularly integrated' the beams were. Each beam must be focused and levelled by hand. And if any one of them is off by a fraction of a degree, the effect is ruined.
Michael Ahern, the theatrical producer who has orchestrated the spectacle since its inception, said: 'It's more difficult than you imagine.'
Ahern, of the Municipal Art Society which organises the event, added that the moment the lights were first switched on - to mark the six-month anniversary of the attacks - was a 'beautiful moment'.
He said that New Yorkers had been left 'sick and dazed' by the attacks and that the first tribute was first launched, there was little pomp and ceremony.
Testing: Lighting designer Frank Hollenkamp uses
his iPad to shoot video of the Tribute in Light ahead of the tenth
anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on Sunday
Commemoration: The intense lights will pierce
the night sky for the ninth year in a row, but organisers say the event
is under threat because of a lack of funds
Beaming: The art installation was switched on
for the first time this year on Tuesday evening, as preparations for the
tenth anniversary of 9/11 on Sunday started
Sunday will also see the opening of The National September 11 Memorial and Museum, designed by the winning team of Michael Arad and Peter Walker.
The memorial is set in the footprints of the original twin towers among a small forest of oak trees in an eight-acre plaza.
It features two 50ft-deep pools, each containing fountains, along with a museum with exhibitions and artefacts to teach visitors about the events of September 11. The pools have the victims' names etched around its perimeter.
The not-for-profit MAS is now asking for donations to help continue funding the now-iconic project, which costs hundreds of thousands of dollars each year, in the future.
Preparations: A team of 30 electricians, stage
hands and lighting technicians started on Tuesday evening shifting the
7,000 watt lights into position
Striking: Jay Fine took this outstanding high
definition photo (left) of the Tribute in Light which will be a main
part of the 9/11 tenth anniversary on Sunday
Iconic: The Municipal Art Society developed the
project in the aftermath of 9/11 and first switched on the brilliant
beacons to mark the six-month anniversary of the attacks
Preparations for the tenth anniversary come as work continues to regenerate the site, which will eventually have six key buildings.
One World Trade Center, designed by architect David Childs, now stands at 78 storeys and will eventually soar to 104 floors, or 1,776ft, becoming the tallest building in Manhattan when it’s completed in 2013.
The first cornerstone was laid down on July 4 2004 and as the building rose it was known as Freedom Tower. It will include 2.6million square feet of office space, an observation deck over 1,241ft above ground, fine-dining restaurants and a sprawling public lobby boasting 50ft ceilings.
The second tallest, designed by Britain's Norman Foster, will reach 88 floors, or a staggering 1,349 feet. Known as Tower 2, and by its street address, 200 Greenwich Street, it will feature a lobby with a 67ft-high ceiling and 3.1million square feet of office space.
Testing: The Tribute in Light was tested for the
first time on Tuesday night, in preparation for Sunday's tenth
anniversary of 9/11
Memorial: The Tribute in Light beaming
beautifully into the Manhattan night sky (left) and the sheer power of
the beams (right) during its first test on Tuesday evening
Dazzling: This picture was taken from directly beneath the lights, looking upwards into the Manhattan night sky
Facing directly onto the Memorial Park will be 4 World Trade Center, standing 977 feet tall. Conceived by Maki and Associates, this is expected to become the new headquarters of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
The fifth tower, 7 World Trade Center, was completed in 2006 and stands at 741feet tall. The original building collapsed when it was hit by debris from the North Tower. The new structure is now home to the likes of Moody's Corporation and the New York Academy of Sciences.
And the final tower, 5 World Trade Center, will be constructed by the Port Authority and occupy the site of the Deutsche Bank Building, which was irreparably damaged during 9/11. Up until 2007 workers were still scouring the site for human remains.
To serve the huge number of visitors and workers at the site, a magnificent new transportation hub that is adorned with 150-foot-high, glass-and-steel ‘wings’ is being built.
When it’s finished, it will rival the size of the city’s world famous Grand Central Station and is designed to cope with 250,000 visitors a day.
* To donate $10 for the Tribute in Light, U.S. residents can text the word 'tribute' to 20222.
Tribute: Two memorial pools now sit where the World Trade Center towers used to stand
Remembrance: The World Trade Center North Tower
memorial pool is just one of a series of tributes to those killed in the
9/11 terror attacks
WHAT ARE THE BEST PLACES TO WATCH THE TRIBUTE IN LIGHT?
Manhattan:
Washington Square Park // Union Square Park // Empire State Building (Observation Deck) // Washington Market Park in Tribeca (bounded by Greenwich, Chambers and West streets)
Roosevelt Island:
Waterfront Promenade
Queens:
Gantry Plaza State Park // Rockaway Station, Roxbury
Staten Island:
Ferry Terminal, and on the ferry // St. George Waterfront // Fort Wadsworth
New Jersey:
Liberty State Park (Jersey City) // Owen Grundy Pier (Jersey City) // Newport (Jersey City) // Port Imperial (Weehawken) // Castle Point Promenade (Hoboken) // Pier A Park (Hoboken) // Boulevard East (Weehawken) // Exchange Place (Jersey City) // Eagle Rock Reservation (Montclair)
Washington Square Park // Union Square Park // Empire State Building (Observation Deck) // Washington Market Park in Tribeca (bounded by Greenwich, Chambers and West streets)
Roosevelt Island:
Waterfront Promenade
Queens:
Gantry Plaza State Park // Rockaway Station, Roxbury
Brooklyn:
Brooklyn Bridge Park // Brooklyn Bridge Pedestrian Walkway // Brooklyn Heights Promenade // Fulton Ferry State Park // 69th Street Pier // Pulaski Bridge Pedestrian Walkway // Fort Greene ParkStaten Island:
Ferry Terminal, and on the ferry // St. George Waterfront // Fort Wadsworth
New Jersey:
Liberty State Park (Jersey City) // Owen Grundy Pier (Jersey City) // Newport (Jersey City) // Port Imperial (Weehawken) // Castle Point Promenade (Hoboken) // Pier A Park (Hoboken) // Boulevard East (Weehawken) // Exchange Place (Jersey City) // Eagle Rock Reservation (Montclair)
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