Ron Arad Studio and David Adjaye Associates team up for Holocaust Monument in Ottawa for the Canadian National Holocaust Monument competition, to envision an evocative proposal commemorating the events, victims, and survivors of a grave moment in human history. Avoiding the use of direct symbols, the design places 23 sinuous and slender walls parallel to one another, creating a field of canyon-like passageways. spaced 120 centimeters apart, visitors are only able to pass through each crevice in single file, the isolated journey across the site is meant to replicate the psychological effect of the holocaust. The partitions rise to a height of 14 meters, drawing the eye upward toward the framed sky. this isolated journey is complemented by the shared experience of reflecting back on the monument’s significance.
The highly textured concrete walls create 22 pathways, one for each of the countries where Jewish communities were decimated during the holocaust. The dynamic and striking composition encourages movement and contemplation among visitors. Rendering illustrates the monumental scale of the memorial whereas color rendering captures the essence of the memorial’s organic layered form.
Project Info
Location: Ottawa, Canada
Client: The National Capital Commission (ncc)
Executive Architect: Barry J. Hobin & Associates Architects
Structural Engineer: Adjeleian Allen Rubeli Limited
