Ask the Architect

The collapsing towers, Part 2

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Last week’s question asked if it was possible that the World Trade Center collapsed by design, as some reports have stated.

This is a very serious and sensitive topic. No matter how much time has passed, it seems like yesterday. For those who lost loved ones, I cannot imagine the anguish.

Recently, a “truly scientific and impartial investigation by responsible authorities” studied mountains of data, trying to understand why not one, but three, buildings collapsed in a single day, and reached a stunning conclusion. Last week I listed the names and credentials of the participants, who stated, “Fire played a significant role.” Researchers found “the only phenomenon capable of collapsing such buildings completely has been by way of a procedure known as controlled demolition,” whereby explosives or other devices are used to bring down a structure intentionally.” Read the article at www.anonews.co/science-911/.

Many people don’t know the nature of the design thought process that went into planning the complex and what contingencies were intended. Instead of stacked rigid-frame construction, Minoru Yamasaki, the architect, worked with structural engineers to develop a revolutionary design: hollow tubes supported by closely spaced, aluminum-covered steel columns. Floor trusses connected exterior steel lattice to the central steel core. In this way, the “skin” of the building was strong enough that internal columns weren’t necessary to hold it together. The four sides of the two towers were constructed of Vierendeel trusses, the lightest-weight floor and core possible.

This was done for economy, as it was thought that the 10 million square feet of space might never be completely rented, and it wasn’t, which was why so many government offices occupied the location, at taxpayer expense, not by private lease. It may not be commonly known that the design was done so that if the buildings could not be rented and became an economic problem, they could be removed on their footprints in that congested area. I first heard this in structural engineering classes 600 miles away, in 1976, while learning to structure skyscrapers. A film showed how controlled demolition was done and where vulnerable parts of a structure were, explaining how to remove a building without damaging surrounding structures and where weaknesses were, so we could pay closer attention to purposefully strengthen a building.

We never thought someone could coldheartedly attack a skyscraper full of people, but I thought about that class as I watched the towers fall. Videos taken on 911 clearly show simultaneous bursts of smoke at specific vertical points along the corners of the structure, similar to a controlled demolition, at the moment preceding each tower’s collapse. Further, there is no other explanation for tower 7 collapsing several hours after the twin towers, at 5:20 p.m., again in a controlled manner, on its own footprint. You can see the collapse of tower 7, taken from multiple angles, posted on the internet and compare with demolition projects for yourself. Heat from fire may have been the accidental trigger.

© 2015 Monte Leeper. Readers are encouraged to send questions to yourhousedr@aol.com, with “Herald question” in the subject line, or to Herald Homes, 2 Endo Blvd., Garden City, NY 11530, Attn: Monte Leeper, architect.