Friday Funny: Is the Design for 2 WTC Too King Kong-Friendly?

Henry Melcher reports on a humorous response to the new renderings revealed for the future 2 WTC tower (also the future home of 21st Century Fox and News Corp), designed by Bjarke Ingels Group.

1 minute read

June 12, 2015, 2:00 PM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


As the obviously biggest news story of the week from the world of architecture and design, the renderings of the new design for 2 WTC attracted a lot of attention, including that of a Change.org petitioner by the name of Caragh Poh, who sees the design as a potential "staircase for monsters." The petition, which as of this writing had been signed by 33 supporters, asks Bjarke Ingels the following: "Please do not make buildings that only make it easier for King Kong to climb."

Henry Melcher, who interviewed Ingels earlier in the week, says The Architect's Newspaper "failed" to ask the architect about the King Kong-friendly format of the skyscraper.

Melcher also notes that Bjarke Ingels dressed as King Kong for Halloween back in 2011, so maybe, just maybe (OK, probably not) providing a comfortable place for King Kong to frolic was Ingels's plan all along.

Friday, June 12, 2015 in The Architect's Newspaper

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