The 185-foot-tall base of 1 World Trade Center lost its prismatic glass cladding earlier this year when the glass turned out to be too brittle and shatter-prone to work. But the lack of glass would leave the building's first stories looking like the fortified concrete they actually are, so architects have kept working on the problem. And it seems they've found a solution! Crain's explains, via unnamed sources:
"The base will be covered with glass louvers that are set at different angles on the base and lit from behind, creating an inviting atmosphere that would also reflect the nearby memorial honoring the victims of the Sept. 11 attacks. The glass is treated so it would pebble instead of shatter in case of an explosion, much like a car windshield does in a severe accident." The price tag for all this glass: around $45 million.
· 1 World Trade gets its glass pedestal [Crain's]
· 1 World Trade Center's Base Losing Its Glass Cladding [Curbed]