World Trade Centre Memorial, New York

Freedom's shield and hope.
"[The Constitution]...is provided with more checks and barriers against the introduction of tyranny, and those of a nature less liable to be surmounted, than any government hitherto instituted among mortals hath possessed."
Lower Manhattan was the cradle of American Democracy. George Washington was sworn in as the first President of the United States in the nearby Federal Hall; the first Congress also met there and devised the Bill of Rights as a safeguard against tyranny. The "Stars and Stripes" was established during Washington’s office as the standard for the new Democracy and her Constitution. Since then the American Flag has come to stand for even more than the unity of a young nation- it is an emblem of the universal ideals of Liberty, Justice and Democracy- "the Flag of the Free". In the aftermath of the September 11th attacks the flag was publicly displayed around the globe in an unparalleled show of solidarity and shared grief. The proposed memorial will be a physical embodiment of the common democratic values that are held sacred by individuals and nations across the world.

Arising from the Memorial Site the monument will be read on approach as a grouping of white monoliths and columns. The implicit plan-form of the monument will be apparent at street level only when seen from the Northeast - the principal route onto the site- as the top surface of the extruded form is inclined towards September 11th Place, but even here its form will remain oblique and contemplative. The monument will be unique in that its emblematic form is deliberately designed to be seen also from above and as such it will become a strong and resonant focus for those contemplating the site from the many thousand windows and balconies that will overlook the site.

The second entry to the Memorial Site, the ramp from the corner of Liberty Street and West Street, will approach the monument from its tallest aspect. The extruded stars in the form of faceted columns will rise nobly to greet visitors and silently allude to the individual acts of sacrifice and courage in the face of peril. The great slurry wall which runs parallel with West Street, was designed to hold back the Hudson River and is the most dramatic element of the World Trade Centre to have survived the attacks. It is to be preserved. As Daniel Libeskind has noted it ‘stands as eloquent as the Constitution itself asserting the durability of Democracy and the value of individual life.’ Seen against these solid foundations the proposed monument, which alludes to strong conceptual foundations, will have a fitting and powerful backdrop.

From within the Memorial Site itself, at approximately thirty feet below street level, the monument will be seen to rise from the ground to meet the sky and will be reflected in shallow, sacred pools created to preserve the tranquillity of the Twin Towers footprints. The landscape strategy is intentionally understated so as not to detract or compete with the visual strength of the monument. Visitors will be able to respectfully circulate through and around the monument amongst its cool walls, columns and shadows.

At the edge of the North Tower footprint, along the waters edge, a row of monumental wreaths will punctuate the termination of each wall and delineate a more intimate area for contemplation. The end-walls of the monument itself will be inscribed with the names of those who died in the attacks. The majority of victims, American citizens, will each be represented by name alone; whilst we propose that each of the dead from the other 91 countries should have small insignia or flags associated with their names to identify their places of origin. This will help to reinforce the idea of the American Flag as an umbrella for many nations in addition to states and individuals.

As originally the Union of stars on a blue field represented a "New Constellation," the memorial also will symbolize the creation of another new constellation- the global alliance that has arisen from the tragic events of September 11th, united in grief, resolved to preserving freedom. In addition to the extruded stars of the main monument it is therefore proposed that others be erected within the pools nearby, to represent the other nations that suffered losses in the attacks.

Beneath the monument it is proposed that a crypt-like space be created for the final resting-place of unidentified remains. It is important that this area be separate from the open areas of the Memorial Site, and in keeping with tradition that the area for burial should be underground. A broad ramp will descend into a "hall of columns." Natural light will filter down between the columns and into the entrance of the crypt. The crypt will be a quiet area suitable for families and loved ones of victims and it is suggested that the walls be incised with deep relief carving, expressing the solidity of the materials and conveying an appropriate sepulchral mood. The continuous mural will be realized in a polychromatic form of granite and bronze, representing by image and text the rich cultural fabric of America and the City of Newyork in particular

The white marble of the monument will recall the national buildings and monuments of Washington D.C.- cornerstones of the United States. The colors of the American Flag are only hinted at so as to preserve the pure, unified surfaces of white marble. However, the ground between the white walls / stripes will be paved with a red granite, whilst the ground surface between the extruded stars will be of blue slate. Lighting, located on the ground around and between the monument, will be used to great effect creating a subtle color wash across the vertical faces of the monument and only visible at dawn, dusk and through the hours of darkness.

The presence of the Stars and Stripes viewed from above may be interpreted as a funereal drape over the memorial but should also be seen as a vital reaffirmation of the universal ideals that the flag represents. It is envisaged that the monument will over time become a cathartic symbol that will help heal personal losses at the same time as serving to strengthen our resolve to preserve freedom and inspire hope.
The emblem of the brave and true
Its folds protect no tyrant crew;
The red and white and starry blue
Is Freedom's shield and hope.

Client: Lower Manhatten Development Company

Budget: tbc

Status: competition 2004