Name: A memorial at Ground Zero
Uploaded: 2007-06-12T05:11:00Z
Duration: 24 min 22 s
Description: In this emotionally charged conversation with journalist Kurt Andersen, designer David Rockwell discusses the process of building a viewing platform at Ground Zero shortly after 9/11.

In this emotionally charged conversation with journalist Kurt Andersen, designer David Rockwell discusses the process of building a viewing platform at Ground Zero shortly after 9/11.

A memorial at Ground Zero

After 9/11, a humble plywood viewing platform was built at Ground Zero to meet the urgent need for public mourning and reflection. Crowds lined up for hours, drawn not by a monument, but by empty space and the chance to leave personal tributes. Designed and funded in record time, this project relied on collaboration, quick thinking, and flexible materials to turn tragedy into shared experience. The effort showed how simple civic spaces can foster dialogue and resilience in the wake of devastation.

A Temporary Platform Sparked Collective Healing at Ground Zero

architecture

cities

collaboration

culture

death

design

interview

memory

urban planning

natural disaster

United States

TED Stage Talk

David Rockwell: A memorial at Ground Zero