David Childs, architect of One World Trade Center that rose on Twin Towers site after 9/11, dies

David Childs, who was responsible for designing the One World Trade Center that was built at the location where the Twin Towers fell during the 9/11 attacks in New York City, has passed away at the age of 83.

Childs died on Wednesday in Pelham, New York, from Lewy body dementia, which had been diagnosed in September, his son, Nicholas Childs said.

Although he was most famous for his involvement in creating the One World Trade Center, which is recognized as the tallest skyscraper in the Western Hemisphere, Childs also played a key role in various other significant projects. These include developing a new blueprint for the National Mall in Washington, D.C., expanding Dulles International Airport in Virginia, and constructing the 7 World Trade Center building in Manhattan, as stated by his company, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.

“David’s impact on the firm was substantial and far-reaching, and we will forever appreciate his guidance, influence, and companionship,” Skidmore, Owings & Merrill expressed in a statement. “We will deeply miss him and offer our sympathies and heartfelt condolences to his loved ones.”

A fond memory that Nicholas Childs has was when his father drew a rendering of what the One World Trade Center property would look like while they were out having lunch in New York, some years after 9/11 but well before the plans were finalized.

“He picked up a paper napkin, took out a pen, and drew what became the ultimate design of the building on the napkin for me,” Nicholas Childs said in a phone interview Friday, adding that he still has the drawing.

He said his father was a civic-minded architect who would often use a quote by 20th century American-German architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe – “God is in the details.”

“He cared deeply about those details and making something beautiful,” Nicholas Childs said. “But he also wanted to make sure, I think as any great architect, that it was a balance of form and function, that it worked for people.”

The 1,776-foot-tall (540-meter-tall) One World Trade Center, once known as the Freedom Tower, is the centerpiece of the redevelopment of ground zero, along with the memorial pools placed where the Twin Towers stood. Opened in 2014, it sports a steel and glass structure that rises into the sky with a tapered, eight-triangle body, topped by a 408-foot-tall (124-meter-tall) needle.

The final design was produced after contentious negotiations between Childs and Daniel Libeskind, who designed the overall plan for the site, and arguments between government officials over what should be built at ground zero and objections by some relatives of 9/11 victims to the design of the Trade Center memorial.

Libeskind had drawn the first plans for building, a twisting glass skyscraper with an off-center spire meant to invoke the Statue of Liberty.

Childs produced a sleeker version of Libeskind’s design, then reworked it after police expressed concerns that the building was not sturdy enough to withstand a truck bomb.

In announcing the new design plans, Childs said the One World Trade Center tower is “iconic, simple and pure in its form, a memorable form that will reclaim the resilience and the spirit of our democracy.”

He also called it “the safest building in the world,” with features including wider staircases, a separate stairway and elevator for firefighters, “blast-resistant glazing” and more public stairways with direct access to the street.

Childs was born in Princeton, New Jersey, in 1941 and grew up in his early childhood years in Washington, D.C., before moving to Mount Kisco, New York. He attended the private Deerfield Academy in Deerfield, Massachusetts, before going to Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, where he earned a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in architecture.

He was hired by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill in 1971 for its Washington, D.C., office, where he worked on projects including a new master plan for the National Mall, the Constitution Gardens park along the mall and the Four Seasons Hotel.

He transferred to the firm’s New York City office in 1984 and had a hand in significant projects in the city, including 1 Worldwide Plaza in the Hell’s Kitchen section of Manhattan and the Deutsche Bank Center, formerly called the Time Warner Center, with its twin skyscraper towers at Columbus Circle.

Childs also worked on the U.S. embassy in Ottawa, Canada, the Canary Wharf development in London and King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

In 2004, he was honored with a Rome Prize for architecture, awarded by the American Academy in Rome for innovative work in the arts and humanities.

Childs is survived by his wife, Annie; three children, Nicholas, Joshua and Jocelyn; and several grandchildren.

The family is planning a small, private memorial in the coming weeks, followed by a larger service around May, Nicholas Childs said.

Copyright © 2025 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

You May Also Like
Notorious Iranian prison boss flees minutes before Israeli airstrikes after secret warning

Iranian Prison Chief Escapes Just Before Israeli Airstrikes Following Covert Alert

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! EXCLUSIVE – The notorious…
Kim Kardashian's daughter North West, 12, has fans all saying the same thing about her viral video

Fans are all commenting on the same thing after watching a viral video of Kim Kardashian’s 12-year-old daughter, North West.

Kim Kardashian’s tween daughter North West has gone viral for appearing in…
ABC7 Chicago to celebrate 2025 Pride Parade with live broadcast Sunday; Tanja Babich, Hosea Sanders, Jason Knowles to host

ABC7 Chicago to host live broadcast of 2025 Pride Parade with Tanja Babich, Hosea Sanders, and Jason Knowles

CHICAGO (WLS) — ABC7 Chicago is set to commemorate the 54th annual…
DOJ forced top lawyer to register as foreign agent for Burisma...but not Hunter Biden, bombshell files reveal

Department of Justice required principal attorney to disclose as foreign representative for Burisma, but not Hunter Biden, new documents expose

Recently released government records indicate that a well-known attorney, who advocated for…
Senate votes down resolution to block Trump's ability to use more military force against Iran without authorization from Congress

Senate rejects resolution to limit Trump’s authority to deploy military force in Iran without Congress approval

Democratic efforts in the Senate to prevent President Donald Trump from further…
Chicago man Ashraf Al Safoo convicted in ISIS terror case, using social media to encourage attacks

Chicago resident Ashraf Al Safoo found guilty in ISIS terrorism case for inciting violence through social media

An individual from Chicago, originally from Iraq, has been found guilty of…
Oscar-winning actress Marion Cotillard is tight lipped as she and partner Guillaume Canet SPLIT after 18 years

Marion Cotillard and partner Guillaume Canet end relationship after 18 years: Oscar-winning actress remains reserved.

The Oscar-winning actress Marion Cotillard and her partner Guillaume Canet revealed on…
Gurnee Woodland Elementary School teacher Todd Fowler charged with disseminating child pornography, Lake County Sheriff says

“Authorities Arrest 27 Individuals in Lake County Sheriff’s Office Effort to Combat Human Trafficking in Gurnee, Illinois”

In Lake County, Illinois, twenty-seven men have been taken into custody as…
World's biggest celebrities turn out in force in outrageous outfits for Lauren Sanchez and Jeff Bezos' final wedding party... with a bizarre theme

“Top Celebrities Dress up in Extravagant Outfits at Lauren Sanchez and Jeff Bezos’ Last Wedding Bash with Unusual Theme”

Some of the early attendees at the final evening of Lauren Sanchez…
Chicago braces for deadly July 4 weekend as Fox News analyst takes action in brother's unsolved murder

Fox News analyst intervenes in sibling’s unsolved murder as Chicago anticipates dangerous July 4th weekend.

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! The city of Chicago…
Kim and Khloe Kardashian are the first celebrities to leave Venice after they bailed early from Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's $20M wedding - despite the party being far from over

Kim and Khloe Kardashian Depart Venice Early from Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez’s $20M Wedding

Kim and Khloe Kardashian were among the first celebrity guests to leave Venice on…
Norwegian royal charged with rape; police say victim count in double digits

Member of Norwegian royalty accused of rape; authorities report multiple victims involved

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! The oldest son of…