SWA Group has recently announced the approval of The Clearing, the firm’s design for the Sandy Hook Permanent Memorial. The design was selected unanimously by the Sandy Hook Permanent Memorial Commission among 189 international design submissions.
The design’s three hallmarks include "the circle," "the path," and "the tree." A circling network of paths takes visitors through a woodland and meadows. “Our path moves in gentle circles through a flowering woodland which celebrates the lives of the victims, and eventually arrives at a central memorial ‘clearing’ where the community can gather in love for those lost,” said Co-Designer Ben Waldo. “The path has no true beginning or end, which allows visitors to experience the space at their own pace and in their own way, while always bringing them closer together.”
The connecting paths allow the visitor to experience the space in their own way and at their own pace before arriving at the center. The Memorial Clearing is framed by two low stone walls with wood tops and two low stone seatwalls.
A water feature sits in a grand basin at the center of the Memorial. The edge of the feature is engraved with the names of the victims. Water flows inwards toward a planter at the center, where a the “Sacred Sycamore” is planted at the center of the pool, symbolizing the growth of the community.
In addition to SWA Group, the build team also includes JMC (civil engineer), GNBC (structural engineer), Atelier Ten (lighting), Fluidity (water feature design), Artemis (landscape architect), and Centek Engineering (electrical engineer).
The Memorial will sit on a donated five-acre site in Newtown, Conn., with groundbreaking set to take place in August. The project is slated to be complete and open on Dec. 14, 2022, the 10th anniversary of the tragedy.
Related Stories
Life of an Architect Podcast | May 2, 2023
Life of an Architect Podcast Ep. 124: Show Me the Money
I get asked a lot about how much money an architect makes. Without understanding a few parameters, that’s like trying to buy a car by the pound. I spend a fair amount of my time discussing the architectural marketplace, where we can find value, what’s the going salary rate based on skill set and experience, and how badly we need this spot or that spot filled.
Hotel Facilities | May 2, 2023
U.S. hotel construction up 9% in the first quarter of 2023, led by Marriott and Hilton
In the latest United States Construction Pipeline Trend Report from Lodging Econometrics (LE), analysts report that construction pipeline projects in the U.S. continue to increase, standing at 5,545 projects/658,207 rooms at the close of Q1 2023. Up 9% by both projects and rooms year-over-year (YOY); project totals at Q1 ‘23 are just 338 projects, or 5.7%, behind the all-time high of 5,883 projects recorded in Q2 2008.
Architects | May 1, 2023
HOK names Eli Hoisington and Susan Klumpp Williams as Co-CEOs
HOK has appointed Eli Hoisington, AIA, LEED AP, and Susan Klumpp Williams, AIA, LEED AP, as its new co-chief executive officers, succeeding Bill Hellmuth, FAIA, LEED AP, who passed away on April 6, shortly after his scheduled retirement.
Multifamily Housing | May 1, 2023
A prefab multifamily housing project will deliver 200 new apartments near downtown Denver
In Denver, Mortenson, a Colorado-based builder, developer, and engineering services provider, along with joint venture partner Pinnacle Partners, has broken ground on Revival on Platte, a multifamily housing project. The 234,156-sf development will feature 200 studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom apartments on eight floors, with two levels of parking.
Mass Timber | May 1, 2023
SOM designs mass timber climate solutions center on Governors Island, anchored by Stony Brook University
Governors Island in New York Harbor will be home to a new climate-solutions center called The New York Climate Exchange. Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), The Exchange will develop and deploy solutions to the global climate crisis while also acting as a regional hub for the green economy. New York’s Stony Brook University will serve as the center’s anchor institution.
Market Data | May 1, 2023
AEC firm proposal activity rebounds in the first quarter of 2023: PSMJ report
Proposal activity for architecture, engineering and construction (A/E/C) firms increased significantly in the 1st Quarter of 2023, according to PSMJ’s Quarterly Market Forecast (QMF) survey. The predictive measure of the industry’s health rebounded to a net plus/minus index (NPMI) of 32.8 in the first three months of the year.
Sustainability | May 1, 2023
Increased focus on sustainability is good for business and attracting employees
A recent study, 2023 State of Design & Make by software developer Autodesk, contains some interesting takeaways for the design and construction industry. Respondents to a survey of industry leaders from the architecture, engineering, construction, product design, manufacturing, and entertainment spheres strongly support the idea that improving their organization’s sustainability practices is good for business.
Codes and Standards | May 1, 2023
Hurricane Ian aftermath expected to prompt building code reform in Florida
Hurricane Ian struck the Southwest Florida coastline last fall with winds exceeding 150 mph, flooding cities, and devastating structures across the state. A construction risk management expert believes the projected economic damage, as high as $75 billion, will prompt the state to beef up building codes and reform land use rules.
| Apr 28, 2023
$1 billion mixed-use multifamily development will add 1,200 units to South Florida market
A giant $1 billion residential project, The District in Davie, will bring 1.6 million sf of new Class A residential apartments to the hot South Florida market. Located near Ft. Lauderdale and greater Miami, the development will include 36,000 sf of restaurants and retail space. The development will also provide 1.1 million sf of access controlled onsite parking with 2,650 parking spaces.
Architects | Apr 27, 2023
Blind Ambition: Insights from a blind architect on universal design
Blind architect Chris Downey shares his message to designers that universal design goes much further than simply meeting a code to make everything accessible.