After a seven month design competition that comprised 68 entries and six shortlisted designs, the onePULSE Foundation (a nonprofit established by the owner of the Pulse nightclub after the mass shooting that took place) has selected Coldefy & Associés’ design for a permanent memorial and museum.
The multi-level, open-air structure features a shallow reflecting pool that surrounds the original Pulse nightclub building. A palette of 49 colors, for the 49 victims of the shooting, lines the reflecting pool basin and radiates towards the public spaces and the reflecting pool leads to an outdoor garden planted with 49 trees. An adjacent space is dedicated to gathering and celebration.
The renewed West Kaley street provides a shaded connection to the new museum, which rises “like a budding flower” and signals the entrance to the Pulse district. Vertical gardens and public plazas create new community spaces and a rooftop promenade offers views of the memorial and the entire surrounding district.
See Also: A watchtower in Harlem, once a firefighter’s lookout, is restored as a landmark
A Survivors Walk on Orange Avenue leads from the memorial towards downtown and features interactive sculptures commemorating all those affected by the tragedy. In the future, promenades, bike paths, and a Pulse shuttle will connect to the train station and create walkable loops that will help spark the future growth of the neighborhood.
The entire project team consists of Coldefy & Associés with RDAI, HHCP Architects, Xavier Veilhan, dUCKS scéno, Agence TER, and Prof. Laila Farah.
Related Stories
Museums | Mar 3, 2016
How museums engage visitors in a digital age
Digital technologies are opening up new dimensions of the museum experience and turning passive audiences into active content generators, as Gensler's Marina Bianchi examines.
Cultural Facilities | Mar 1, 2016
China bans ‘weird’ public architecture, gated communities
Directs designers of public buildings to focus on functionality.
Contractors | Feb 25, 2016
Huntsville’s Botanical Garden starts work on new Guest Welcome Center
The 30,000-sf facility will feature three rental spaces of varying sizes.
The High Line | Feb 24, 2016
The last unused portion of the High Line is set to become a piazza
The piazza replaces an earlier design for the space that called for a bowl-shaped garden.
Museums | Feb 12, 2016
Construction begins on Foster + Partners’ Norton Museum of Art expansion project
The Florida museum is adding gallery space, an auditorium, great hall, and a 20,000-sf garden.
Game Changers | Feb 4, 2016
GAME CHANGERS: 6 projects that rewrite the rules of commercial design and construction
BD+C’s inaugural Game Changers report highlights today’s pacesetting projects, from a prefab high-rise in China to a breakthrough research lab in the Midwest.
Cultural Facilities | Jan 28, 2016
FIRST LOOK: Pikes Peak visitor complex will appear carved into the mountainside, at 14,115 feet
The minimalist structure will provide majestic views of the Rocky Mountains for the 600,000-plus people who visit the summit each year.
Architects | Jan 28, 2016
25-year-old architect wins competition for World War I memorial in Pershing Park
Joe Weishaar and sculptor Sabin Howard were selected from among five finalists and over 350 entries overall.
Architects | Jan 15, 2016
Best in Architecture: 18 projects named AIA Institute Honor Award winners
Morphosis' Perot Museum and Studio Gang's WMS Boathouse are among the projects to win AIA's highest honor for architecture.
| Jan 14, 2016
How to succeed with EIFS: exterior insulation and finish systems
This AIA CES Discovery course discusses the six elements of an EIFS wall assembly; common EIFS failures and how to prevent them; and EIFS and sustainability.