The construction of the World Trade Center complex was planned in 1943, but by the 1949 work on designing the buildings were suspended. This was due to the fact that the basic development of Manhattan in the late 40’s moved to the center of the New York City. To draw attention to the promising area of Lower Manhattan, David Rockefeller asked the port management with a proposal to build in it the world’s largest shopping mall – The World Trade Center (Glans and Lipton 30).
The active negotiations, on the issue of locating the shopping center, were conducted by the authorities of the New York City for 5 years, from 1961 to 1966. In the beginning of the negotiations between the authorities and Rockefeller, it was planned to start the construction of the World Trade Center on the east cost of the river, but due to the decision of the huge transport hub, built across the Hudson River, a place for the construction of the complex was located in Lower Manhattan. The chosen place was regard as the most geographically advantageous for the future railway passengers (Crown 23).
Over the architecture of the World Trade Center worked the famous architect Minoru Yamasaki. Furthermore, by the time of the construction of the World Trade Center, the architect has already owned several projects of national importance, it is also important to note his assistance to architects in the company Emery Roth & Sons. According to the initial plan, the complex comprised a project of two towers of 80 floors high, but the Port Authority executives sponsoring the construction, insisted on the area of at least 10 million square meters. Due to this decision the architect Yamasaki has increased the number of stores of buildings, up to 110 stories in each tower of the World Trade Center.
The architect presented the finished design of the construction of the World Trade Center, in January 1966. Nevertheless, the architect decided to help all those people, who are afraid of heights, to feel as comfortable as possible, even on the upper floors of the World Trade Center complex. In order to do this, he developed a narrow window, which creates the effect of full security and protection for everyone who was under the roof of towers of the World Trade Center (Abbott 6).
Minoru Yamasaki indicating the model of the complex. (1960s)
