Minoru Yamasaki and his firm were the main creative forces behind the design of the World Trade Center. Before they get involved with this project, Yamasaki had spent decades honing his craft and developing an unmistakable style. In this featurelength documentary, we'll delve into the life and career of Minoru Yamasaki: The Man Behind The Towers.

WTC PART ONE VIDEO:    • The History Of The World Trade Center...  

I'll admit that the part one video is a bit rough around the edges. You might be better off reading its accompanying article here: https://www.barchetta.co/articles/wor...

TIMESTAMPS
0:00 INTRO
4:55 1.) PROFANITY HILL (Upbringing)
11:59 2.) THE JUNGLE (New York Years)
22:05 3.) HELL'S HIGHWAY (Hellmuth, Yamasaki, & Leinweber)
35:56 4.) SERENITY (Minoru Yamasaki & Associates)
56:01 5.) SENTINELS (World Trade Center/IBM Office Building)
1:23:05 6.) CURTAIN CALL (Later Buildings)

SOURCES
www.barchetta.co/yamasakisources

NOTES AND CORRECTIONS

1.) The Trade Center cost well over $280 million to build. The estimated build cost rose to $350 million in January 1964, $525 million in September 1965, and $575 million in January 1967. (TWIN TOWERS by Gillespie p.136)

2.) Koken Ito did not remain in Chicago. Yamasaki stated in his autobiography "Foreignborn Orientals could not acquire American citizenship at that time, and this precluded his becoming a licensed architect." This was the same uncle that offered him a job in Japan upon his graduation from the University of Washington.

3.) I mistakingly referred to the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago Detroit Branch Building as "Federal Reserve Bank Annex."

4.) 666 Fifth Avenue is now known as 660 Fifth Avenue

5.) The Michigan Consolidated Gas Company Building now goes by Woodward One.

6.) Dhahran Air Terminal is now known as King Abdulaziz Air Base.

7.) The Federal Science Pavilion is now known as the Pacific Science Center.

8.) I show a photograph of Leslie E Robertson when referring to Worthington, Skilling, Helle, & Jackson. He joined the firm in the late 50s and served as the lead structural engineer of the Trade Center. He was named partner in 1967, which prompted a name change to Skilling, Helle, Christiansen, and Robertson.

9.) When reeling off the names of the firms being considered for the Trade Center, I use photographs of buildings instead of key figures for Carson, Lundin, & Shaw (Esso Building) as well as Kelly & Gruzen (Chatham Towers). Images of the architects themselves were either nonexistent or of such low quality that they weren’t worth using.

10.) In the same section I refer to Walter Gropius’ firm as “The Architect’s Collective” When it is actually “The Architect’s Collaborative.” I sincerely apologize for the mixup.

Music provided by Epidemic Sound