The following proposal for a project on the site of the former World Trade Center is intended to be a contribution to the public discourse about the future of the site. The proposal is not merely hypothetical in that it is conceived as a real project that addresses social and economic problems that confront Lower Manhattan and proposes a path for future growth. It is, however, also idealistic in that it attempts to imagine, in an innovative way, the possibilities of re-building and re-energizing New York City while commemorating the of victims of the tragedy. In the wake of destruction of September 11, the city is confronted with the unprecedented task of re-building an entire district within the dense core of Downtown. While there are many approaches that can be taken, our project is based on several fundamental ideas:

• Build a major project with a critical mass of space and population to promote increased diversified economic and social activity Downtown.
• Integrate the project into the surrounding urban fabric and re-link formerly isolated districts.
• Create a memorial that is appropriate to the scale of the tragedy, while allowing for development of the site.
• Create a significant presence on the city skyline and a visual anchor for Downtown.