Memorial Architecture

Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe

Also known as the Holocaust Memorial, this architectural monument was designed by Peter Eisenman. Composed of a landscape of 2711 concrete blocks arranged in a grid - these 3' x 7' slabs vary in height from 1' to 10' high, resembling tombstones in a cemetery. The closely packed nature and endless repetition of the concrete shafts on a large scale evoke an uneasy and confusing yet visceral emotion, yet the lack of inscription on the concrete slabs and open nature of the space allows for varying levels of interpretation and experience by any individual.

Steilneset Memorial

The Steilneset memorial is a monument designed by artist Louise Bourgeois and architect Peter Zumthor in Vardo, Norway. It commemorates the 91 victims persecuted in the 17th century as part of the Finnmark Witchcraft Trials. Zumthor's structure is constructed of wooden framed scaffolding that supports a suspended fiberglass cocoon that houses a 400 foot long corridor and exhibition of the trials. 91 light bulbs hang along the 91 windows and 91 stories, representing each individual who was burnt at the stake. Bourgeois's installation is housed in a separate building made of weathering steel, containing a continuous burning flame on a steel chair that is reflected off hanging mirrors, symbolizing its own destructive image.

M9 (Memorial 9)

The M9 Memorial was designed by Gonzalo Mardones Viviani architects to commemorate 9 Chilean girls who were killed in a bus crash during a Catholic School trip. The memorial for these young and innocent victims was built in Santiago where they used to live. According to the architects, "The place opens like a dialogue from the love of Mary at the foot of the Cross."

The structure itself is built underground, opening up to the sky through a 9 metre wide concrete cone. 9 lanterns and 9 modules of primary forms commemorate the 9 girls. From the center of the structure springs a Magnolia tree - the only tree that has 9 flower leaves.

Four Freedoms Park

Four Freedoms Park is a 4-acre memorial dedicated to former President Franklin D. Roosevelt in his home state of New York. The memorial was conceived 4 decades ago by famous architect Louis Kahn, who unfortunately did not get to see his vision fulfilled when he passed away in 1974. The landfill site was abandoned and later revived, opening up to the public in 2012. It exudes austerity and formality in its abstract yet sculptural form. A lawn flanked with an allee of trees on either side converge from the 100-foot-wide staircase. This is Kahn's only work in New York City.

National September 11 Memorial and Museum

The National September 11 Memorial & Museum are located at the World Trade Center site - built as a national tribute to the 3000 lives lost in the 2001 attack. Two majestic waterfall chasms designed by Peter Walker Partners mark the footprint of the former two towers as well as its destruction. The austere museum with its cavernous space by Michael Arad is located underground, intended as an educational supplement to the memorial.

Ulma Family Museum of Poles Saving Jewish People

The Ulma Family Museum of Poles Saving Jewish People is designed by Nizio Design - dedicated to the role of the Polish in helping the Jews during World War II, in particular that of the Ulma Family who was massacred by Nazis for hiding Jews in their house. It is located in Markowa, a village in southeast Poland. It commemorates the lives of both Poles and Jews who lost their lives during the war. The building is part gables above ground (with exhibits), clad in weathering steel, and an underground rectilinear structure (with offices). It intentionally resembles a house - which is often associated with safety, warmth, and love.