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 | May 20, 2016
Why people are the most important factor in urban regeneration
What makes large-scale urban regeneration projects successful? CallisonRTKL's Edgar Kiviet explores how cities, particularly those in Eastern Europe, are undergoing a transformation.
Urban Planning | May 16, 2016
5 steps to creating high-performance communities
Perkins+Will's Noah Friedman and Kristen Hall break down the essential ingredients to create a neighborhood that's accessible, comfortable, and vibrant.
Urban Planning | May 4, 2016
Brookings report details how different industries innovate
In the new report, “How Firms Learn: Industry Specific Strategies for Urban Economies,” Brookings' Scott Andes examines how manufacturing and software services firms develop new products, processes, and ideas.
Urban Planning | Apr 19, 2016
MVRDV wants to turn a former US Army barracks in Germany into a model for the future of suburban living
Blending traditional families with young couples and the newly retired, MVRDV hopes to transform traditional suburbs into diverse communities of shared experiences
High-rise Construction | Mar 10, 2016
Bigger, taller, wider: London’s skyline is about to have a major growth spurt
More than 100 tall buildings have been added to the plans for the capital city since this time last year, and the overall number of tall buildings planned for London is now over 400.
High-rise Construction | Feb 25, 2016
Kohn Pedersen Fox wants to build a mile-high tower in Tokyo
The tower would be the centerpiece of Next Tokyo, a mini city in Tokyo Bay adapted to climate change and rising tides.
Mixed-Use | Feb 18, 2016
New renderings unveiled for Miami Worldcenter master plan
The ‘High Street’ retail promenade and plaza is one of the largest private master-planned projects in the U.S. and is set to break ground in early March.
Green | Feb 18, 2016
Best laid plans: Masdar City’s dreams of being the first net-zero city may have disappeared
The $22 billion experiment, to this point, has produced less than stellar results.
Urban Planning | Feb 9, 2016
Winners named in 'reinventing Paris' competition
Architects submitted projects that redeveloped key parts of the city and incorporated green space features.
Urban Planning | Feb 2, 2016
Report identifies 600 cities that will drive economic growth through 2025
Of them, 440 are in emerging economies in China, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.