Santiago Calatrava unveils illuminated World Trade Center church

[Celerity]

https://www.dezeen.com/2022/12/08/santiago-calatrava-church-st-nicholas-greek-orthodox-world-trade-center/





The St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, which replaces a church destroyed in the 9/11 attack, has officially opened at the World Trade Center site in New York. Designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, the building replaces a 19th-century church that was destroyed on 11 September 2001.





Built as part of the redevelopment of the World Trade Center site that's masterplanned by architect Daniel Libeskind and contains skyscrapers by Pritzker Architecture Prize winners Richard Rogers and Fumihiko Maki, the church is located alongside the 9/11 memorial that stands on the site of the former twin towers. It was designed by Calatrava to be a "sanctuary for worship" but also a reminder of the impact of the terrorist attacks.



"To see the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine finally open is emblematic of Lower Manhattan's storied future and defining past," said Calatrava. "I hope to see this structure serve its purpose as a sanctuary for worship but also as a place for reflection on what the city endured and how it is moving forward," he continued. "Architecture can have an intrinsic symbolic value, which is not written or expressed in a specific way but in an abstract and synthetic manner, sending a message and thus leaving a lasting legacy."



Built on top of the World Trade Center Vehicle Security Center, the church is raised around 25 feet above (seven metres) above street level and was designed to be a beacon. Informed by Byzantine architecture and the Hagia Sofia in Istanbul in particular, the church is arranged around a central drum-shaped form that is topped by a dome. The walls of this central section were made from thin sheets of Pentelic marble so that the building can be illuminated at night.

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[Haggard Celine]

1. Wow, that is stunning!

My compliments to the architect. I think the design of this church will influence many others.

[CottonBear]

2. So beautiful & modern but in a classic Byzantine architectural style!

I really like it.