2. The observation deck’s height corresponds to original height of Twin Towers
Many New Yorkers know the significance of One World Trade Center’s total height of 1,776 feet, but the tower was also designed with the heights of the original Twin Towers in mind as well. The building’s height without the spire is 1,362 feet, the height of the original South Tower, while its height with the observation deck is 1,368 feet, corresponding to the original North Tower’s height.
Each of the Twin Towers of the original World Trade Center independently qualified as the world’s largest building — with a floor area of 4.5 million square feet. In the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, many predicted the end of skyscrapers, since people would be too afraid to work or live in them. Yet these fears were short-lived — the construction of One World Trade Center began as early as 2006 and it is just the sixth tallest building in the world now. The observation deck, located on floors 100–102, pays homage to the original structure and offers viewers a scenic look at the rest of the downtown.