A seven-person jury representing the Jewish Community of Bologna, Italy, has chosen Rome-based SET Architects as the winner of a competition to design a Holocaust memorial in Bologna.
According to a posting on Facebook, the jury evaluated 284 entries, which were whittled down to five finalists. The jury reconvened at the Bologna Association of Architects offices on June 29 to chose the winning design, which is called Shoah Memorial.
ArchDaily reports that the design—which is dominated by two large metal monolithic structures (10x10-meter, or around 33x33 feet, according to SET’s entry)—is a representation of oppressive wooden bunks in concentration camps in Germany during World War II. The blocks are trapedzoidal, with the small sides 1.3-meters and 1.8 meters respectively.
To create a sense of claustrophobia and imprisonment, the space separating the two structures starts at 1.5 meters (4.9 feet) and narrows to 50 centimeters (1.6 feet).
The stone and metallic paving that surrounds the structures is designed to evoke the railways used to transport Jews to the camps. The structures will also amplify outside sounds that are meant to accentuate a sense of anguish.
The memorial will be placed within a new square, located near a high-speed train station. “It is important to understand the relationship with the urban context,” SET states in its submission. “The result is an area which is not designed for any specific functions, inclined to a new identify yet to be shaped and opened to the passage of people.”
SET Architects’ team members on this entry are Onorato di Manno, Andrea Tanci, Gianluca Sist, Lorenzo Catena, and Chiara Cucina. An exhibition will display the project’s details at an awards presentation on September 6. The memorial will be inaugurated on January 27, 2016.
The Jewish Community of Bologna has set memorial project’s budget at 120,000 Euros (about US $169,000).
Related Stories
Sustainable Development | May 10, 2024
Nature as the city: Why it’s time for a new framework to guide development
NBBJ leaders Jonathan Ward and Margaret Montgomery explore five inspirational ideas they are actively integrating into projects to ensure more healthy, natural cities.
Mass Timber | May 8, 2024
Portland's Timberview VIII mass timber multifamily development will offer more than 100 affordable units
An eight-story, 72,000-sf mass timber apartment building in Portland, Ore., topped out this winter and will soon offer over 100 affordable units. The structure is the tallest affordable housing mass timber building and the first Type IV-C affordable housing building in the city.
Architects | May 8, 2024
Ivan O’Garro, AIA joins LEO A DALY as a vice president
Integrated design firm LEO A DALY welcomes Ivan O’Garro, AIA, as a vice president and managing principal of its Atlanta studio.
K-12 Schools | May 7, 2024
World's first K-12 school to achieve both LEED for Schools Platinum and WELL Platinum
A new K-12 school in Washington, D.C., is the first school in the world to achieve both LEED for Schools Platinum and WELL Platinum, according to its architect, Perkins Eastman. The John Lewis Elementary School is also the first school in the District of Columbia designed to achieve net-zero energy (NZE).
Healthcare Facilities | May 6, 2024
Hospital construction costs for 2024
Data from Gordian breaks down the average cost per square foot for a three-story hospital across 10 U.S. cities.
Biophilic Design | May 6, 2024
The benefits of biophilic design in the built environment
Biophilic design in the built environment supports the health and wellbeing of individuals, as they spend most of their time indoors.
MFPRO+ Special Reports | May 6, 2024
Top 10 trends in affordable housing
Among affordable housing developers today, there’s one commonality tying projects together: uncertainty. AEC firms share their latest insights and philosophies on the future of affordable housing in BD+C's 2023 Multifamily Annual Report.
Retail Centers | May 3, 2024
Outside Las Vegas, two unused office buildings will be turned into an open-air retail development
In Henderson, Nev., a city roughly 15 miles southeast of Las Vegas, 100,000 sf of unused office space will be turned into an open-air retail development called The Cliff. The $30 million adaptive reuse development will convert the site’s two office buildings into a destination for retail stores, chef-driven restaurants, and community entertainment.
Codes and Standards | May 3, 2024
New York City considering bill to prevent building collapses
The New York City Council is considering a proposed law with the goal of preventing building collapses. The Billingsley Structural Integrity Act is a response to the collapse of 1915 Billingsley Terrace in the Bronx last December.
Architects | May 2, 2024
Emerging considerations in inclusive design
Design elements that consider a diverse population of users make lives better. When it comes to wayfinding, some factors will remain consistent—including accessibility and legibility.