General

“It’s just not the way a firm should end”

WTC architect’s shop closes amidst financial problems, litigation

His greatest legacy was destroyed by terrorism, and now his brand has become a victim of recession. It’s been a difficult afterlife for architect Minoru Yamasaki (1912-1986), designer of the twin towers of the World Trade Center. On December 31, the firm he founded, Yamasaki Associates, laid off its remaining staff and closed the doors of its office in Troy, Michigan, allegedly leaving behind debts to ex-employees and subcontractors. Architectural Record magazine suggests that the non-architect CEO, Ted Ayoub, may re-establish the company in the Middle East, where the restrained, serene, Islamic-influenced Yamasaki vision remains popular.

Architectural Record

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