Architect Joshua Prince-Ramus: How to Design a Public Monument after 9/11

Steve Scher
09/11/2008 at 10:00 a.m.

The World Trade Center was one of the most recognizable sights on the New York skyline. How should the designers have reframed the new space? Should the design focus more on memories or on safety? How much should public opinion be taken into account? Joshua Prince–Ramus, one of the main architects of the Seattle Central Library, joins us to explain what ingredients an architect needs to design a public monument. What social responsibility does an architect have?

Related Event

Joshua Prince–Ramus will be speaking at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, September 13, at the Seattle Central Library as part of the library's two–day celebration to commemorate the end of its ten–year "Libraries for All" building program.

Guest(s)

Joshua Prince–Ramus is known as architect of the Seattle Central Library. He was the U.S. Partner of Rem Koolhaas's Office of Metropolitan Architecture before forming his own architectural firm, REX. His current projects include the Museum Plaza in Louisville and the Wyly Theatre in Dallas. His firm was one of five finalists for the Governors Island redevelopment in New York.

Judy Bushnell is a member of the Bellevue school board.