Arup’s response to the World Trade Center
disaster was swift, establishing an Extreme Events
Mitigation Task Force charged with evaluating the
risks of disasters similar to those that have taken
place in recent years, analysing the technical
challenges they represent and developing design
solutions to address them. With typical zeal, and
chaired by the late Tony Fitzpatrick, then chairman
of Arup’s Americas region, the task force mobilised
the might of the firm’s in-house research and
development capabilities and specialist teams on
tall buildings, fire, materials, structural analysis and
other disciplines to see what lessons could be
learnt from the World Trade Centre disaster.
Under the direction of a single project director,
the task force continues to play a critical role in
the operation of facilities when unplanned or
unanticipated events occur. Arup makes full use
of its multidisciplinary fire, risk, security, information
technology, telecommunications and systems
skills to amass a rapid understanding of the threats
and risks faced by the client. Based on this,
the task force assesses reasonable risks and
develops additional mitigating measures to address
exceptional scenarios, where appropriate. Client
requirements and cost-effectiveness are also taken
into account in the overall design solution.
Despite the catastrophic events and subsequent
uncertainty surrounding the future of tall buildings
in relation to safety, the industry has continued to
grow to be as mighty as the buildings themselves.
In fact, there are more tall buildings on drawing
boards now than ever before, making this one battle
in which technology has triumphed over terrorism.
