The gaping hole in the Manhattan skyline vacated by the World Trade Center towers is a haunting and conspicuous one. But is the solution an augmented reality app that superimposes the destroyed buildings over reality? That’s debatable.
There was a majesty to the towers’ place in the cityscape. And for long-time residents, an unfathomable architectural absence. The devs behind the 110 Stories app, currently in the Kickstarter pipeline, think they can help:
These lost views conjure vivid memories in much the same way as hearing a favourite song from the past. “Seeing” the towers come to life through your iPhone will transport you back in time.
It’ll definitely conjure memories — but are these pleasant ones? The favourite song analogy sounds a little off to me. The disappearance of the World Trade centre was a horror, but to recreate them with an iPhone app seems crass at best. 110 Stories has good intentions, but it seems like an attempt to efface the heinousness of September 11th through technology. And that’s something technology simply isn’t capable of, nor ever will be. From a technological standpoint, it’s impressive. But from an emotional and social stance — why would we aim to so superficially undo one of the most scarring moments in history? The attempt alone seems like salt in a deep concrete and steel wound. [110 Stories via NYT]