The rise of One World Trade Center

Forged from steel, concrete, and glass, New York City's One World Trade Center cannot grieve nor remember.

But for much of the nation, the shimmering skyscraper, which will ultimately stand 1,776 feet tall, has become a vehicle for incredibly strong emotions, even 12 years after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. The tower reaches toward the sky, nearing its completion (slated for 2014), reminding us of what we lost — yes — but also of how far we’ve come.

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Lauren Hansen produces The Weekâ€™s podcasts and videos and edits the photo blog, Captured. She also manages the production of the magazine's iPad app. A graduate of Kenyon College and Northwestern University, she previously worked at the BBC and Frontline. She knows a thing or two about pretty pictures and cute puppies, both of which she tweets about @mylaurenhansen.