Booklet
- Description
- "The World Trade Center in the Port of New York" pre-construction conceptual booklet, ca. 1967. The front of the booklet features a rendering of the Twin Towers and the World Trade Center complex. The contents of the booklet outline the site, cost, occupancy, plan, and access rules for the complex.
- Historical Notes
- When the Twin Towers opened in 1973, they were the tallest buildings on earth, reaching over a quarter mile into the sky. With one acre per floor and a total of nearly 10 million square feet of rentable space, the towers were also the world’s largest office buildings. It took 13 years to plan and complete the World Trade Center, including 7 years of construction. Its developers faced challenges specific to local geology and high-rise construction. The novel engineering and architectural solutions they devised revolutionized skyscraper construction.
Curator's Comment
Herman Bruns was a model builder for Gibbs and Cox, an American naval architecture and marine engineering firm. Bruns was an engaged member in the “model building community” until the end of his career in 1981, which allowed him to view an architectural model of the Empire State Building and, later, Minoru Yamasaki’s model of the World Trade Center in 1967. At this viewing, Bruns received a booklet titled “The World Trade Center in the Port of New York” which featured a conceptual rendering of the envisioned World Trade Center at completion. Bruns kept possession of this booklet for the remainder of his life until passing away. After his death, its custody was assumed by his nephew, Robert Reitsema. Reitsema framed and displayed the booklet in his home following the events of 9/11 and later donated the booklet to the 9/11 Museum.
- Accession Number: C.2023.6.1
- Dimensions: 8.5 in X 5.5 in X 2/16 in
- Dimensions (Metric): 21.59 cm X 13.97 cm X 5.08 cm
- Source: Robert Reitsema
- Credit Line: Gift of the Reitsema family
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ)World Trade Center Building ComplexWorld Trade Center: Original Construction
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