Prismatic to Pleated to Perforated for 1 WTC Base

[Click to enlarge. Renderings: left and center, SOM via NYO; right, Miller Hare via NYP.]

While everyone's attention is focused on the rising top of 1 WTC—record setting or not—there's some action going down at street level as well that's worthy of attention. New renderings of the evolving base of the tower have been released, and the NY Post notes they reveal a "shimmering, richly textured facade on four sides of glass, stainless steel and aluminum." This is the latest iteration of a plan for the tower's street level podium. An earlier "prismatic" design was scrapped after tests showed its glass could shatter too dangerously. It was replaced with a "pleated" plan that squared the edges of the base and would be more reflective than refractive. The latest design features vertical glass fins protruding from panels of stainless steel slates. Perforated aluminum panels behind the steel slates will be illuminated to make the base glow at night.
· World Trade Center Offers Warm Welcome [NYP]
· Here Now, A Look At the New Glassy Base of 1 WTC [Curbed]
· 1 World Trade Center's Base Losing Its Glass Cladding [Curbed]
· One World Trade Center coverage [Curbed]