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Cloud Fortress (World Trade Center Plaza Sculpture)

Cloud Fortress, also known as World Trade Center Plaza Sculpture, was created in 1972 by Japanese artist Masayuki Nagare. It stood near the World Trade Center, in a small plaza between 4 and 5 World Trade Center that connected Church Street to Austin Tobin Plaza. The sculpture measured 4.3 meters high, 10 meters wide, and 5.2 meters deep, and depicted two abstract pyramids joined at their bases and tilted upward. Although it appeared solid, it was made of black Swedish granite veneer over a steel and concrete frame. Nagare used his ware hada technique to contrast smooth and rough surfaces. The sculpture survived the September 11 attacks but was later demolished during emergency rescue and debris removal operations.

Cloud Fortress in the foreground with the Twin Towers rising behind it against a blue sky.
Cloud Fortress is pictured in front of the Twin Towers in New York City.
July 1997 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
Cloud Fortress sculpture in a plaza beneath a tall striped skyscraper and blue sky.
Cloud Fortress stands in the plaza at the World Trade Center, with a tall skyscraper rising behind it.
1976 © Balthazar Korab · Public domain
Cloud Fortress, a dark triangular sculpture on a paved plaza with a skyscraper rising behind it.
Cloud Fortress stands on a plaza with tall skyscrapers in the background.
July 1997 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
Cloud Fortress sculpture stands in a plaza before a tall ridged tower, with a spherical sculpture partly visible at right.
Cloud Fortress in the plaza outside the World Trade Center, with a tower rising behind it and a sphere sculpture at right.
1976 © Balthazar Korab · Public domain
Cloud Fortress stands at the left amid rubble, with recovery workers in hard hats and reflective vests in the foreground.
Cloud Fortress is seen amid debris as recovery workers move through the rubble nearby.
September 2001 © Andrea Booher · Public domain

Identification

TitleWorld Trade Center Plaza Sculpture
Alternative nameCloud Fortress
Alternative nameLa fortaleza de la nube
Typeabstract sculpture

Historical context

Completion year1975

Creator

ArtistMasayuki Nagare
Artist nationalityJapanese

Discovery and provenance

Commissioning contextThe Port Authority of New York and New Jersey allocated up to 1% of the World Trade Center construction budget for artworks and established an advisory group to recommend and commission works for the complex

Location and ownership

Original locationWorld Trade Center complex, in a small plaza between 4 World Trade Center and 5 World Trade Center at the Church Street entrance to Austin J. Tobin Plaza
Site contextThe plaza provided access from Church Street to Austin J. Tobin Plaza, which in turn gave access to the World Trade Center complex

Physical characteristics

Dimensions4.3 m high, 10 m wide, 5.2 m deep

Appearance

AppearanceAppearing solid
FormAn abstraction of two pyramids joined at their bases and tilted upward

Materials

MaterialBlack Swedish granite veneer (gabbro)
StructureSteel and concrete frame

Technique

Surface techniqueWare hada
Surface technique meaningLiterally "cracked skin" or "broken texture"
Surface treatment effectCreates a strong contrast between polished and rough surfaces

History and restoration

Survival after September 11 attacksIt survived the September 11, 2001 attacks and the collapse of the Twin Towers and 7 World Trade Center
FateDemolished during subsequent emergency operations to access and clear the disaster area
Reason for demolitionTo clear and excavate the area and provide a stable surface for heavy machinery so access to Austin J. Tobin Plaza could be reached more quickly
AftermathIts remains were removed from Ground Zero along with the rest of the rubble
Recovery statusNone of its remains have been identified or recovered

Other

Replica made by the artistIn 2004, Nagare created a half-size replica titled Cloud Fortress Jr. (雲の砦Jr.) at the Hokkaido Museum of Modern Art