Glass base plans shattered at 1 WTC

Two thousand clear prismatic glass panels designed by architecture firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, an elegant way of disguising the 185-foot tall concrete base of 1 World Trade Center, have proved difficult to manufacture at the scale necessary for the building, according to the New York Times.

Trials have resulted in brittle glass prone to shattering, leaving the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey to look for new ideas. With the structure now rising to the 65th floor, it’s back to the drawing board.

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Douglas Durst, chairman of the Durst Organization, a stakeholder in the project, said the detour should not affect the schedule, though $10 million had already been spent on the glass. The building is due to open in January 2012. [NYT]