Before that fateful September day, the Twin Towers were regarded as an architectural triumph. At one time, they were the tallest buildings in the world and home to some of the most important financial firms around. Building a model of the Twin Towers is a great way to commemorate them and learn a lot about how skyscrapers are put together.
Step 1
Learn about the design of the Twin Towers. The original architects had a lot of challenges and pushed their talents to the limit. The Twin Towers were the first skyscraper without any masonry. The open floor design was innovative and allowed the tenants a great deal of freedom in designing their floor plans. The steel lattice exterior was designed in such a way that it looked like the buildings were big, windowless monoliths from afar. Look on the Internet or at the library for the many pictures and sites that will teach you about the Twin Towers.
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Step 2
Decide what you will use to make your model. This can be anything you like. Choose a medium with which you are comfortable. If you've never welded before, you might not want to make your Twin Towers out of scrap aluminum. Use a material that expresses your feelings about the Twin Towers. Use that aluminum if you want to express strength. Build the model out of photograph collages if you want to remember the lives lost during their collapse.
Step 3
Begin building the sides of your towers. If you're going for realism, use dimensions as close to the original as possible. The sides of the towers were 208 feet by 208 feet. Tower 1 was 1,368 feet high, and Tower 2 was 1,362 feet high. If you're building to scale, figure out what the dimensions of your model should be. For example, the Towers were approximately 6 1/2 times higher than they were wide. So if your models are 1 foot wide, they should be approximately 6 1/2 feet high.
Step 4
Put the towers on a solid base. Plywood is strong and is very flat, so it makes a good base. Cardboard will work, too; use whatever you are comfortable with. Try beveling squares to really anchor your Twin Towers so they don't suffer damage when you move them. You could always use glue or caulk or another such substance to anchor them.
Step 5
Decorate your model. Use gray paint to put vertical lines on your Towers, just like on the original. Add the big TV antenna that was on Tower 1. Decorate the base with trees and stairs and whatever else you like.
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