Twin Towers Go Global is pleased and honored to have Ken Gardner as the third confirmed jury member for our ongoing open call, a competition where people imagine the Twin Towers rebuilt around the world. A graduate of the Rutgers College of Engineering, Mr. Gardner is president of The Gardner Group, a leading architectural modeling firm. Over the past 25 years, he has built the models for many of the foremost construction projects in New York and New Jersey. Prior to 2003, he was the structural engineer on a number of design projects with the late Herbert Belton, A.I.A. In 2003, he teamed with Mr. Belton, an architect on the original World Trade Center, to design their well-known Twin Towers II plan.
The re-engineered Twin Towers incorporated the latest in skyscraper technology with an updated facade of the former towers, memorializing the World Trade Center in the way that many New Yorkers – as well as people around the world – thought most appropriate: restoring the familiar skyline above Ground Zero. Ken Gardner worked tirelessly to see his vision realized, devoting his time and personal resources to the project. The Twin Towers II plan was endorsed by numerous prominent figures, including Donald Trump, received 92% of the votes in a 2009 MSNBC poll, has enjoyed strong support from 9/11 Families, and continues to be what many see as the best option for rebuilding the World Trade Center.