The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese released a video detailing the acclaimed Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava’s vision for his design of the reconstruction of St. Nicholas, the Greek Orthodox Church that was destroyed when the Twin Towers collapsed on the tiny church during the September 11th terrorist attacks.
The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America is in the midst of a $40 million fundraising campaign to build the shrine, which is in the heart of the “Ground Zero” area that includes the 9/11 Memorial and the September 11th Museum.
The ground blessing is scheduled to take place on October 18th with faithful, city officials and other dignitaries from throughout the nation, including all Metropolitans of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.
See Calatrava’s design for the church:
[youtube id=”hNAk9NGUu2E” width=”600″ height=”350″]
5 comments
Fort Saint Nick?
(my first impression),
and a question: No Greek architects with soulful knowledge of Byzantine architecture?
This structure does not carry the essence of Greek Byzantine Symbolic Meaning, it lacks several principles, as the 9 levels of height, the twin towers are to short, the front looks like a car grill, and the entrance has lost its grand symbolism. As for eastern external wall (Holy of Holies) it lacks the 3 steps. I have never seen an elevator in a church (ridicules) I did not see the virgins balcony, and most of all the concept of modern Iconography for the wall murals, as for the eastern screen iconostasis should be made of hand carved wood, what without olive oil chandeliers, wait until our mothers finds out.
Hasn’t he done enough? Can’t we find somebody else? No more carcase architecture please.
Almost only counts in horse shoes and hand grenades. As nice and as good a fellow as he might be it is obvious he has no grounding in the Orthodox ethos. You cannot simply borrow ideas. The exterior is extraordinarily bland without making much of a statement. But the interior? Wow! Looks like another see through iconostasion, for starters. And the icon in the apse, if that is what is to be used, is NOT a Platitera (she who is wider than the heavens) but that of a Hodighitria (she who directs) or Glykofilousa (sweet kissing).And if the rest of the church remains as sterile, well, let’s just say that the iconoclasts have, at last, won the battle.
Espase yia na yini telio