A new memorial is getting inaugurated here in Arlington today in commemoration of the seventh anniversary of September 11th.
It's been seven years since 9/11, and while we over here at New York are still squabbling over what should cover that empty patch of land in lower Manhattan, the folks in D.C. are ready to inaugurate their memorial tomorrow. Adjacent to the Pentagon crash site, the memorial contains 184 units placed parallel with the trajectory of American Airlines Flight 77. Each cantilevered, stainless steel memorial unit hovers over a pool of water that lights up during the night. From the pictures, the end effect looks pretty stunning.The architecture firm responsible, KBAS Studio, said that the units were fully designed in a 3D computer modeling environment. Every memorial unit is engraved with the name of a victim and placed in a direction that specifies whether the person was aboard Flight 77 or in the Pentagon at the time of impact. They are dispersed through a tactile environment, which includes a porous stabilized gravel system that encourages trees to grow throughout the entirety of the park without needing protective grates.
An emphasis on life and new growth springing from the memories of a tragedy? That's an architectural concept I can get behind.
More photos after the link.
The memorial opens to the public today at 7:00 pm.
Below is a picture of another memorial dedicated to the victims of September 11th that stands in India. I had some involvement with it and it's part of what helped lead me towards pursuing a PhD.
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