ABSTRACT
In the final chapter, the author examines the unusual amount of mock-ups constructed in the design process of 7 World Trade Center in New York City. While many of the other mock-ups seen in the book have dealt with materials such as wood, brick masonry, and stone, the mock-ups presented here explore the unique capacities for glass and metal to interact with light through reflections and refractions. The author presents the unique circumstances of this project, which allow for such an unusual amount of mock-ups to be constructed for a large-scale office building. Of particular importance are how the mock-ups facilitated the design collaboration between architect Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) and James Carpenter Design Associates, who through the detailed modeling of the curtain wall and podium wall details, fine-tuned the building’s interactions with light, creating an architecture of surprising depth.
