Memory & Moving Forward

Given that several of you have been looking at the cultural/historical layers of a site, it might be worthwhile to look at a few recent projects that have dealt with not only historical connections but also deeper social dimensions such as memory and grief. It might also be worthwhile to read a provocative article by Tom Wilkinson in a recent issue of The Architectural Review where he proposes that "perhaps the greatest act of remembrance we could perform this year would be to obliterate the [Haig] memorial and refrain from building any new ones."

Sandy Hook Elementary School 
After the tragedy of the mass shooting a couple of years ago, the residents decided to move forward and build another school atop the site of the former school.

Malaysia Airline Flight 17 Memorial Competition

After the MH17 crash at the Ukraine-Russia border, there was an incredible amount of grief felt by not only the Malaysian and Dutch populations but that of Asia in general. There are several notable project ideas that serve to draw connections to the tragedy through narrative and iconography which some of you may find useful to learn from.

Memory, Peace, and Reconciliation Center by Juan Pablo Ortiz Architects

This exemplifies a contemporary approach to solemn spaces. Though it is very successful, it also runs the risk of becoming a generic approach to this typology. For those of you interested in narrative, memory, and historicism, this might be a project worth learning from.