Designed to be very tall to maximize the area of the plaza, the towers were initially to rise to only 80-90 stories. Only later was it decided to construct them as the world's tallest buildings, following a suggestion said to have originated with the Port Authority's public relations staff.

The Twin Towers of the World Trade Center were built to such an immense height (110 stories) primarily due to the ambitions of the Port Authority and the vision of architect Minoru Yamasaki to create a global symbol of economic power and modernity. Originally planned for 80 stories, the height was increased to ensure the towers became the world's tallest buildings at the time, surpassing the Empire State Building. Architecturally, the towers utilized an innovative "tube" design, where the exterior walls acted as a load-bearing shell, allowing for column-free interior floor plans that maximized leasable office space—roughly one acre per floor. This monumentality was intended to revive the declining fortunes of Lower Manhattan and centralize international trade activities. By pushing the limits of structural engineering, the towers represented a "faith in technology" and served as a high-density solution to accommodate over 10 million square feet of office space within a single, landmark complex.