Freedom Tower design not so freeing

From MSNBC: "The reworked 1,776-foot centerpiece of the World Trade Center site will be surrounded by groups of steps leading to the entrance, serving as a public plaza and security buffer zone."

Number one stupid architectural idea: Requiring people with mobility impairments to ride an elevator to arrive at the entrance of a building.

My university rebuilt the main library during the years I attended and the new design featured a lowered courtyard leading to the entrance, with the inside foyer's skylight part of a small monument in the main grassy quad, above. The elevator to get to the lowered courtyard was set to the side of the broad, well-lighted stairs and you emerged in a spooky little alcove that always made me wish I had a security escort.

Once in a while someone would pee in the elevator -- a problem which wheelchair users of urban public transportation know is common. Once in a while the sole elevator broke down. If you weren't inside the elevator when it broke down, you could either go home and forget that research paper, or find a library administrator with the rare key for the old ground level doors (which required riding a different elevator inside, to reach). All books in the library required at least this one elevator ride, though about 90 percent of the stacks required an additional elevator inside. And unless you happened to be sitting by the old ground floor exits when a power outage or fire alarm occurred, you had to find a team of volunteers to carry you out -- possibly up and out.

Of course, there are serious security concerns building this new symbol of freedom on the old site of the twin towers. But the architectural experts designing an observation deck on the 102 floor can surely think up an attractive, safe and accessible entrance to the site too.