September 11th, 2001 was an attack not only on the World Trade Center or even America, but on the physical fabric of the city itself. To address 9/11 and the resulting tragedy requires that, rather than simply trying to rebuild memories of the past or attempting to reconcile the demands of local interest groups and parties with financial stakes in the site, we interrogate the very idea of the future city.

Should a new architecture for Ground Zero be specific to its circumstance and site—in other words, to be deeply rooted in the events of 9/11? Or, in contrast, should it have a global reach and be a model for the evolving city of tomorrow?