ron arad and david adjaye team up for holocaust monument in ottawa

ron arad and david adjaye team up for holocaust monument in ottawa
all images courtesy of ron arad studio

for the canadian national holocaust monument competition, ron arad studio teamed up with david adjaye associates to envision an evocative proposal commemorating the events, victims, and survivors of a grave moment in human history. avoiding the use of direct symbols, the design places 23 sinuous and slender walls parallel to one another, creating a field of canyon-like passageways. spaced 120 centimeters (47 in) apart, visitors are only able to pass through each crevice in single file. the partitions rise to a height of 14 meters (46 feet), drawing the eye upward toward the framed sky. this isolated journey is complemented by the shared experience of reflecting back on the monument’s significance.

the highly textured concrete walls create 22 pathways, one for each of the countries where jewish communities were decimated during the holocaust. the dynamic and striking composition encourages movement and contemplation among visitors.

see designboom’s coverage of the winning proposal for the canadian national holocaust museum by daniel libeskind here.

the monument is made up of 23 walls creating narrow crevices through which visitors pass

at 14 meters (46 feet) in height, the monument is viewable from a distance

a large public plaza provides space for shared experiences and reflection on the monument

the tall sinuous walls draw one’s view upward toward a framed sky

rendering illustrates the monumental scale of the memorial

visitors are only able to pass between the walls in single file

the isolated journey across the site is meant to replicate the psychological effect of the holocaust

color rendering captures the essence of the memorial’s organic layered form

project info:

location: ottawa, canada
client: the national capital commission (ncc)
executive architect: barry j. hobin & associates architects
structural engineer: adjeleian allen rubeli limited