The Twin Towers, version 2.0

Six years ago, New York City, the United States and the world was shaken by the attack on the World Trade Center, formerly located on Manhattan’s southern tip. The Kingdom of Bahrain is now in the process of constructing a new World Trade Center which will feature two 50-story towers, reaching 240 meters at its highest point providing a view of the Arabian Gulf. 34 stories will feature offices fully equipped with the latest in information technology with a balcony on every floor and guests will arrive in a double-height lobby with high speed elevators. The bottom floors will exist for commercial purposes and include a cafe, restaurant and over 150 luxury brand stores. On-site facilities include a refurbished five-star Sheraton hotel, fitness club, and day care center.

Bahrain is an island kingdom which is part of a 33 island archipelago, of which Bahrain is the largest. It is considered the banking hub of the Middle East and though the official language of the island is Arabic, English is widely spoken. In the trendy effort of “going green,” Bahrain’s World Trade Center will use wind turbines as its source of power. This marks the first time in history that a commercial development has incorporated large-scale wind turbines into its initial development in an effort to generate an alternate energy supply. Utilizing the Gulf breeze, these wind turbines will supply about 15% of the buildings’ energy once they have officially opened.

A mere 13 hour and 10 minute plane ride from Bahrain’s international airport will land you in New York City, home to the original World Trade Center. It seems very odd to me that the World Trade Center could be anywhere other than in Manhattan’s White Hall neighborhood. I appreciate Bahrain’s initiative into rebuilding a tangible landmark for the continued efforts of international business, yet a part of me will never think of the WTC as anywhere other than New York City.