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Bjarke Ingels mum on whether Two World Trade is a staircase for King Kong

Bjarke Ingels mum on whether Two World Trade is a staircase for King Kong

The biggest architecture news this week was obviously the unveiling of Bjarke Ingels’ design for Two World Trade Center. The dramatic departure from Norman Foster‘s original proposal envisions the tower as a series of stepped volumes that gesture toward One World Trade. But does the step-ladder design—easily climbable by giant monsters like King Kong—pose a safety risk for New Yorkers? One petitioner is pleading with Ingels to change the design.

Shortly after the scheme was unveiled, AN sat down with Ingels to discuss the project, Foster’s previous design, and the World Trade Center redevelopment thus far. We failed to ask the architect if the new building would just be “a staircase for monsters” as concerned citizen Caragh Poh puts it in her Change.org petition that urges Ingels to reconsider his supposedly monster-friendly design.

“Though you have designed this building with wonderful reasons in mind, such as completing the framing of the memorial, bringing an even more enhanced skyline to the beautiful city of New York, creating a physical symbol of healing and togetherness, there is one glaring oversight,” she wrote. “Your building makes it easier for King Kong to climb.”

Poh readily admits that she does not have the solution, but suggests turning the building upside down might do the trick.

But maybe Bjarke Ingels doesn’t want a solution—could this have been all part of his plan? Hear us out: Back in 2011, Bjarke dressed up as King Kong for halloween with BIG’s Daniel Kidd going as the Empire State Building—and there’s photographic evidence. With this eery reality now staring us in the face, we decided to reach out to BIG to see if  Two World Trade Center was, indeed, tailor-made to be a staircase for King Kong.

We’re waiting to hear back.

As of press time, 30 concerned people had signed the petition. You can view the petition and sign for yourself here.

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