Philip Johnson

I have no fixed idea how to redesign New York’s World Trade Center site. But I am sure of one thing—what we need is a monument, big and tall, which will be the first thing that strikes you when you view Manhattan from New York harbor. Does anyone object to the Washington Monument? It is a clear, elegant symbol. Lower Manhattan now requires a 21st century equivalent.

I see no reason to shy away from a tall structure. Tall structures are what New York is all about. I envision something like a certain tower in Paris, but even larger in scale. In fact, this new monument should make the Eiffel tower look like a pinprick.

The time is right for an architectural statement, not just by the city or the state, but the nation. I don’t care who is the titular owner of the site. The situation demands a national, not a local or personal, response. This is not a job for a single architect or designer. This is a job for the community at large.

This opportunity cannot be missed. It must be seized. We need to re-create New York’s image, America’s image, in the face of these awful attacks. Certainly, we need to develop an appropriate plan for this difficult site. It has to accommodate a memorial to the thousands who died as well as provide other uses and work as urban design. But eventually our response must be physically bold—and to me that means tall. Nothing less will do.