The World Trade Center under construction in 2012.
Photo: Marcus Robinson

For eight years, visual artist and filmmaker Marcus Robinson has been documenting the reconstruction of the World Trade Center. On September 11 at 6 PM, his two-hour magnum opus, Rebuilding the World Trade Center, will premiere on the History Channel. From the laying of the first foundation to the triumphant placement of the spire, Robinson has documented the incredible process of restoring an American icon.

By placing 13 cameras throughout the reconstruction site, Robinson was able to document the erection of the new building in stunning time-lapse imagery. And by following construction workers throughout the process, he has added a human element to the story. Many of the workers involved were second-generation construction workers whose parents helped put up the original towers. For them, this was a special job—it was a chance to give a city and an entire nation hope and closure.

In 2013, a preliminary television version was screened in the UK, but September 11, 2014, will fittingly mark the first time that the full-length feature will be shown. According to the Arts Desk, “Rebuilding the World Trade Center isn’t just the documentation of the tallest building in NYC, but a homage to the world of its construction workers who work so high up that they can almost ‘see the earth’s curve.'”

To see the trailer for Marcus Robinson’s Rebuilding the World Trade Center, click on the video below:

Rebuilding the World Trade Center premieres on September 11 at 6 PM on The History Channel.