Svigals + Partners to design a memorial garden for victims of gun violence

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.

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.

Rendering of The StackCharge Universal charging hub in Baker, Calif. Image: Courtesy of StackCharge

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.

Sustainable Development | Jul 14, 2022

Designing for climate change and inclusion, with CBT Architects' Kishore Varanasi and Devanshi Purohit

Climate change is having a dramatic impact on urban design, in terms of planning, materials, occupant use, location, and the long-term effect of buildings on the environment. Joining BD+C's John Caulfield to discuss this topic are two experts from the Boston-based CBT Architects: Kishore Varanasi, a Principal and director of urban design; and Devanshi Purohit, an Associate Principal.

Planning for hospital campus access that works for people

This course defines the elements of hospital campus access that are essential to promoting the efficient, stress-free movement of patients, staff, family, and visitors. Campus access elements include signage and wayfinding, parking facilities, transportation demand management, shuttle buses, curb access, valet parking management, roadways, and pedestrian walkways.

Urban Planning | Apr 5, 2022

The art of master planning, with Mike Aziz of Cooper Robertson

Mike Aziz, AIA, LEED AP, Partner and Director of Urban Design with Cooper Robertson, discusses his firm's design for the redevelopment of a Connecticut town's riverfront.