The Times reports that a slew of top design firms have applied to beomce the "associate architect" of the WTC memorial, Reflecting Absence, alongside Michael Arad and Peter Walker. Reporter David Dunlap says this could be a sign that the project is too huge in scope for Arad Walker (or any small team). And let's face it, NYC design firms have been wanting to get into the redesign of the WTC, given the democratic process of the memorial selection. The Times says that the firms "understood to be in the running" are Davis Brody Bond; Fox & Fowle Architects; Gensler; Gwathmey Siegel & Associates Architects; Hillier Group; Polshek Partnership Architects; and Swanke Hayden Connell Architects. Gothamist knows some about some firms (Polshek did the Rose Center addition for the AMNH, plus is working on the Clinton Library; Gwathmey did the Guggenheim addition), nothing about others, but our favorite would be Fox & Fowle, if only for having the best name.
Additionally, the LMDC has formed a committee to figure out how to incorporate artifacts from both the 1993 and 2001 WTC attacks into the memorial. According to NYC, "The panel will be made up of 25 historians, museum curators, family members, first responders, downtown residents and survivors." You can see the list here.
