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Imagine NY
Students Complete Year-Long Re-Design of WTC Site

Photo by James Tourtellotte

Photo by James Tourtellotte

by Emily Weinstein

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September 2002 - On the fourth day of school last year, the Twin Towers fell. One school year later, that tragedy had become an integral part of classroom--as well as New York City--life. Two of our Salvadori Middle Schools (SMSPs) participated in Imagine NY, a Municipal Art Society initiative that invited "people in neighborhoods and towns throughout the region to voice their opinions, concerns, ideas and visions for the future of the World Trade Center site, the city and our communities."

With the support of Salvadori Educators Janny Gédéon at The Renaissance Charter School (TRCS) in Jackson Heights, Queens, and Pat Shuford at J.H.S. 56 in the Lower East Side, classes constructed models of their proposed redesigns. The project gave students the opportunity to express their feelings about the tragedy and its aftermath in journals, essays and discussions, as well as work with Sanborn maps, engineering scales and model building tools. At year-end exhibitions, both classes presented their designs.

A redesign at TRCS in its downtown environs.

For Pat, the project served two purposes. It was a way for her sixth-graders to actively participate in an historic moment while also creating a record for themselves. "It was important that the students document their creative process. One day when they have children and grandchildren of their own they be able to share their journals and talk about this experience."

Located in the Lower East Side, J.H.S. 56 is only a few blocks from ground zero. In April, Pat took her students on a field trip to the site. Salvadori board member Mitch Arkin arranged for the class, and their teacher, Charlie D'Angelo, to view ground zero from One Liberty Plaza, and learn about the history of lower Manhattan from Ed Hogan, a real estate agent at Brookfield Properties with extensive knowledge of the area. Click here to read journals from the class trip to One Liberty Plaza.

At the end of the experience, Pat observed, "The students appeared more focused positive than the negative. They threw themselves into the challenge of the project rather than the remembrance of the tragedy."

TRCS seventh-grader Sam Gauthier glues together part of the class model of downtown.

Several groups were planning to build big. "To show [the terrorists] we're not scared," explained Kitty Tsiang.

One group planned to build a sports arena. "People will pay to buy popcorn and tickets," said Daniel Li, "and then we'll give the money to the World Trade Center victims."

The designs ranged from several twin tower models to a more unconventional squat, round building. Click here for a photo gallery from J.H.S. 56.

The process was similar at The Renaissance Charter School, and the results were equally diverse.

Among the thoughtful designs created by seventh-graders in Raysa Vasquez's classes was an International Shopping Mall bringing together different cultures. "After 9/11 there has been hatred of different cultures and we thought we could combine them together," commented builders Danielle Davila, Brittany Dawson and Breeana Wheeler .

Another design included a museum with pictures of all the people who died, painted orange, because "we thought it would make people happier."

Christopher Etheridge, Kevin Richardson and Travis Tharrington included a mall, a school and a food court in their multi-purpose design, to "educate people and create job opportunities."

J.H.S. 56 students Shaquela Shepard, Jolemy Crespo, Avah au Yeung, Melinda O'Connell and Janaris Pena present their design.

"What amazed me the most was the students' rationale," said Janny. Her students were considering not only aesthetic, but also economic and social issues in creating their designs.

Janny's class didn't get to visit the World Trade Center site, but they did "pace off" the length of the site's perimeter in their own neighborhood. Experiencing the size of the site, "changed their ideas for the redesign," said Janny. "They realized there was room to incorporate buildings and churches as well as a memorial."

A custodial worker mistakenly threw the classes' first efforts away. Rather than give up, Janny and the teachers at TRCS gathered parents and students together for a weekend effort. The projects were rebuilt and finished on schedule.

Click here to read TRCS student journals from the days following the attacks.

Click here to see more photos from TRCS.

Questions? Comments? Email emily@salvadori.org