Svigals + Partners, an architecture firm that designed the new Sandy Hook Elementary School, has partnered with a group of concerned mothers in New Haven, Conn. to design a Memorial Garden in honor of victims of gun violence.
The garden will provide a path flanked by engraved stone pavers that include the ages and dates of individuals killed in gun violence incidents in New Haven since 1980. The path will lead past a sculpture, titled Lost Generation, before culminating in a circular plaza with stone seating areas and flowering plants.
"The Lost Generation sculpture serves as a reminder of both the fragility and strength that exists within families and communities,” Says Marissa Mead, RA, LEED AP, Director of Art at Svigals + Partners and the design lead for the memorial. “Figurative voids in the piece illustrate the ever-present sense of absence when loved ones are lost to tragedy, and allude to the idea that death has a compounded influence on both current and future generations.”
Near the center plaza, memory tiles will be engraved with images or memories of lost loved ones. Stepped seating will be available throughout the park and a row of lamp post wind chimes near the park’s entrance will help mask traffic noise from Valley Street. The park may also include a footbridge connection to the nearby West Rock trail project.
Marlene Miller Pratt, a New Haven school teacher whose 18-year-old son was killed in a gun violence incident in 1988, led the efforts to build the memorial garden. The park could be completed and open to the public as early as summer 2019.
Related Stories
Urban Planning | Apr 12, 2023
Watch: Trends in urban design for 2023, with James Corner Field Operations
Isabel Castilla, a Principal Designer with the landscape architecture firm James Corner Field Operations, discusses recent changes in clients' priorities about urban design, with a focus on her firm's recent projects.
Sustainability | Apr 10, 2023
4 ways designers can help chief heat officers reduce climate change risks
Eric Corey Freed, Director of Sustainability, CannonDesign, shares how established designers and recently-emerged chief heat officers (CHO) can collaborate on solutions for alleviating climate change risks.
Urban Planning | Mar 16, 2023
Three interconnected solutions for 'saving' urban centers
Gensler Co-CEO Andy Cohen explores how the global pandemic affected city life, and gives three solutions for revitalizing these urban centers.
Affordable Housing | Mar 8, 2023
7 affordable housing developments built near historic districts, community ties
While some new multifamily developments strive for modernity, others choose to retain historic aesthetics.
Multifamily Housing | Feb 21, 2023
Watch: DBA Architects' Bryan Moore talks micro communities and the benefits of walkable neighborhoods
What is a micro-community? Where are they most prevalent? What’s the future for micro communities? These questions (and more) addressed by Bryan Moore, President and CEO of DBA Architects.
Augmented Reality | Jan 27, 2023
Enhancing our M.O.O.D. through augmented reality therapy rooms
Perkins Eastman’s M.O.O.D. Space aims to make mental healthcare more accessible—and mental health more achievable.
Urban Planning | Jan 18, 2023
David Adjaye unveils master plan for Cleveland’s Cuyahoga Riverfront
Real estate developer Bedrock and the city of Cleveland recently unveiled a comprehensive Cuyahoga Riverfront master plan that will transform the riverfront. The 15-to-20-year vision will redevelop Tower City Center, and prioritize accessibility, equity, sustainability, and resilience.
40 Under 40 | Oct 19, 2022
Meet the 40 Under 40 class of 2022
Each year, the editors of Building Design+Construction honor 40 architects engineers, contractors, and real estate developers as BD+C 40 Under 40 awards winners. These AEC professionals are recognized for their career achievements, passion for the AEC profession, involvement with AEC industry organizations, and service to their communities.
Urban Planning | Jul 28, 2022
A former military base becomes a substation with public amenities
On the site of a former military base in the Hunters Point neighborhood of San Francisco, a new three-story substation will house critical electrical infrastructure to replace an existing substation across the street.
Urban Planning | Jul 19, 2022
The EV charger station market is appealing to investors and developers, large and small
The latest entry, The StackCharge, is designed to make recharging time seem shorter.