PBS - Super Skyscrapers (2014) Part 1 One World Trade Center

Super Skyscrapers

A new generation of skyscrapers is rising above our cities - Superskyscrapers. With less space in urban areas we are building higher and faster than ever before. But for these skyscrapers it's not just building big that count- it's thinking big. These skyscrapers are pushing the limits of engineering, technology and design to become greener, stronger, smarter and more luxurious than their predecessors. All are destined to become the celebrity giants of the future. Super Skyscrapers (4 x 60') follows the creation of four extraordinary skyscrapers showcasing how they will revolutionize the way we live, work and how we protect ourselves from potential threats, both from the environment and terrorist attacks. Each episode follows the rise of an individual skyscraper and their pursuit to be the very pinnacle in security, design, opulence and height. Their ambitions are great, but the risks are even greater- girder sized nerves of steel are required to turn these dreams into reality and it's the high stakes at play that set these giants apart from any other high-rise. Filmed over the course of a year, each episode follows the rise of a single skyscraper during a crucial timeframe in their construction period. With unprecedented access to the build process, Superskyscrapers goes behind the scenes of construction to show these iconic landmarks in the making. A host of architects, designers and engineers reveal the over-riding ambitions of each building and the colossal challenges that lie on the journey from conception to completion.

Part 1: One World Trade Center

One World Trade Center, the tallest building in the western hemisphere and a famous modern landmark, is engineered to be the safest and strongest skyscraper ever built. This episode follows the final year of exterior construction, culminating with the milestone of reaching the symbolic height of 1,776 feet. For head of construction Steve Plate, as well as scientists, engineers, ironworkers and curtain wall installers, this is a construction job suffused with the history of the site and a sense of duty to rebuild from the ashes of Ground Zero.

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