05-23-2017
The Making of the AIDS Memorial
FXF-one, our LGBTQ and Allies group, hosted "The Making of the AIDS Memorial", a presentation detailing the origin of the new, iconic structure that is located at the epicenter of New York City's AIDS epidemic at St. Vincent's Triangle Park (West 12th and Greenwich Avenue). The memorial honors those who died in the initial AIDS crisis, those who live with HIV/AIDS today, and the dedicated activists and caregivers who fight to eradicate the disease.
Christopher Tepper, co-founder of the NYC AIDS Memorial Organization began the presentation by sharing the history of the project, which dates back to November 2011 with the inception of the NYC AIDS Memorial Organization. Once established, the organization launched an international design competition in conjunction with Architectural Record and Architizer to generate ideas for a 17,000 square foot memorial. Studio ai won the competition with their proposal "Infinite Forest", but soon after the announcement, the City's need for a public recreational garden reduced the available square footage to only 1,600 square feet. Through various design iterations, which included translucent walls, raising walls above ground and a canopy of dense trees, Studio ai arrived at the memorial's final design.
Mateo Paiva, partner at Studio ai, talked about how the memorial's 18-foot steel canopy was crafted by a series of triangular tubes connected by patterned trusses to create a dramatic entrance to the park. Despite its size, the white, geometric structure preserves sight lines and provides an airy and open space for public gatherings. The granite paving stones are engraved with text selected and designed by world-renowned visual artist Jenny Holzer, featuring selections from Walt Whitman's seminal poem Song of Myself.
The construction of the memorial was no easy feat. Studio ai partner Esteban Erlich explained that the components were pre-fabricated by Dante Tisi in Argentina, but this presented a challenge: shipping the entire memorial in smaller pieces to New York while simultaneously avoiding the welding of the complex joints. Transporting the memorial was ultimately achieved by shipping each prefabricated element with a complex joint already in place so that only the simpler joints were welded on site. The full installation took months, but construction was completed in time for the dedication ceremony on World AIDS Day, December 1, 2016.
In speaking about designing the first memorial of this kind in New York City, Mateo and Esteban said, "the act of memorializing the AIDS epidemic with a physical gesture goes beyond remembering and honoring the dead. AIDS is not a war, nor a disease conquered. In our design process, we emphasize the changing and varied ways through which AIDS affects us personally and as a society. It is important to create a space that conveys our sense of solemn respect, remembrance and loss, without resorting to symbolism around a date, image, or names."
FXFOWLE celebrates and supports the rights of women, minorities and the LGBTQ community. We believe in the power of diversity to design a better world. Our LGBTQ and Allies group, FXF-one, was created as a forum to recognize and raise awareness of LGBTQ issues within the architecture and design industry. The group also provides outreach opportunities for the firm to volunteer with LGBTQ organizations in the city, such as The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center and SAGE (Services and Advocacy for LGBT Elders).
Christopher Tepper, co-founder of the NYC AIDS Memorial Organization began the presentation by sharing the history of the project, which dates back to November 2011 with the inception of the NYC AIDS Memorial Organization. Once established, the organization launched an international design competition in conjunction with Architectural Record and Architizer to generate ideas for a 17,000 square foot memorial. Studio ai won the competition with their proposal "Infinite Forest", but soon after the announcement, the City's need for a public recreational garden reduced the available square footage to only 1,600 square feet. Through various design iterations, which included translucent walls, raising walls above ground and a canopy of dense trees, Studio ai arrived at the memorial's final design.
Mateo Paiva, partner at Studio ai, talked about how the memorial's 18-foot steel canopy was crafted by a series of triangular tubes connected by patterned trusses to create a dramatic entrance to the park. Despite its size, the white, geometric structure preserves sight lines and provides an airy and open space for public gatherings. The granite paving stones are engraved with text selected and designed by world-renowned visual artist Jenny Holzer, featuring selections from Walt Whitman's seminal poem Song of Myself.
The construction of the memorial was no easy feat. Studio ai partner Esteban Erlich explained that the components were pre-fabricated by Dante Tisi in Argentina, but this presented a challenge: shipping the entire memorial in smaller pieces to New York while simultaneously avoiding the welding of the complex joints. Transporting the memorial was ultimately achieved by shipping each prefabricated element with a complex joint already in place so that only the simpler joints were welded on site. The full installation took months, but construction was completed in time for the dedication ceremony on World AIDS Day, December 1, 2016.
In speaking about designing the first memorial of this kind in New York City, Mateo and Esteban said, "the act of memorializing the AIDS epidemic with a physical gesture goes beyond remembering and honoring the dead. AIDS is not a war, nor a disease conquered. In our design process, we emphasize the changing and varied ways through which AIDS affects us personally and as a society. It is important to create a space that conveys our sense of solemn respect, remembrance and loss, without resorting to symbolism around a date, image, or names."
FXFOWLE celebrates and supports the rights of women, minorities and the LGBTQ community. We believe in the power of diversity to design a better world. Our LGBTQ and Allies group, FXF-one, was created as a forum to recognize and raise awareness of LGBTQ issues within the architecture and design industry. The group also provides outreach opportunities for the firm to volunteer with LGBTQ organizations in the city, such as The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center and SAGE (Services and Advocacy for LGBT Elders).
