9/11 Memorial Pools

These two massive reflecting pools sit directly within the footprints of the original North and South Towers. Architect Michael Arad designed them to represent what he called absence made visible. Each pool covers nearly an acre and drops thirty feet into a central, smaller void. The water cascades endlessly down these granite walls, creating a constant, somber soundscape that masks the surrounding city noise. Though the water flows into the center, the central void can never be filled, symbolizing the permanent loss of those who perished here.