September 12, 2007 - The Freedom Tower is intended to serve as a tribute to those who were lost in the September 11 terrorist attacks.  As a functional office tower, it’s also intended to exhibit America’s resilience, and so the Freedom Tower’s designers have taken a number of steps to protect its inhabitants against future threats.  Some of the defenses are extremely formidable.

Glass Steel and Stone, an architecture encyclopedia, notes one of the most obvious security features.  “Though it will be clad in glass prisms, the 186-foot-tall base will be a windowless concrete wall, intended to absorb and deflect the blast from car or truck bombs.  The glass prisms will be coated with plastic like automobile safety glass to help absorb the impact.”

The building will also be set far back from surrounding roads, making it harder to bring destructive devices nearby.

Furthermore, critical areas will be protected by thick barriers, biological and chemical filters will clean the air, and there will be a special stairway for firefighters.  Even normal stairways will be unusually wide, allowing for easier entry and exit.

Aesthetics aside, the designers of the Freedom Tower appear to have done a good and thorough job.

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