The World Trade Center has a new logo, designed by branding agency Landor Associates. The symbol’s five austere black bars have to encompass a lot of meaning, including a few dualities: past and future, presence and absence, sacred memories and profane retail outlets.
That’s a lot for any emblem to convey, especially one so ostensibly simple. Below, we unpack all the embedded symbolism, from the trident (the three-pronged beams at the Twin Towers’ base) to the pools of water at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, where the towers stood.
Scroll over the descriptions on the left to highlight the corresponding elements of the design:
- 1. The trident was the signature architectural element at the Twin Towers' base. It has become a symbol of strength and resilience.
- 2. The 17.76-degree angle reflects the 1,776-foot height (with spire) of 1 World Trade Center. The jaunty tilt also suggests the upward momentum of optimism.
- 3. The spaces between the three bars echo the light beams of the Tribute in Light, an art installation that created two luminous columns in remembrance of the 9/11 attacks.
- 4. The letter W is an abbreviation for both the World Trade Center and the Westfield World Trade Center, a luxury shopping center that will be built on the site.
- 5. The reflecting pools at the National September 11 Memorial where the towers stood.
- 6. The buildings either already standing or slated for the 16-acre site: 7 World Trade Center, the first to be built; 1 and 4 World Trade Center, almost complete; 3 World Trade Center, now under construction; and 2 World Trade Center, in the planning stages.
