Evoking Memory through Material Dialogues
Sandy Hook Permanent Memorial, Sandy Hook, Connecticut, USA

This memorial honors and commemorates the 26 lives lost in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting that occurred on December 14, 2012. In highlighting natural features found on the 5.3-acre site and unifying them into a cohesive and accessible visitor experience, the memorial establishes a space for remembrance for the families, loved ones, and members of the community touched by the tragedy. Constructed of natural materials, the memorial guides visitors through a range of atmospheric states that encourage contemplative reflection, both on an individual and collective level.

Immediately upon entering the memorial, a reflecting pool directs views outwards towards the surrounding wooded landscape and nearby ponds, connecting visitors visually to the site just as the memorial itself remains out of view below. A series of descending stairs leads visitors beneath the reflecting pool and through a stone chamber containing educational information, ultimately leading to a wooden contemplation platform extending over an open meadow. Here, the sound of water draws attention back to the stone monolith behind, where visitors will see a large shimmering wall washed with water from the reflecting pool and inscribed with the names of the 26 individuals who died in the tragedy.

Locally-quarried granite in the Memory Monolith and Connecticut-grown wood used for the Contemplation Platform respond to the dynamic qualities of the surrounding environment. Throughout the memorial, the materials of stone, water, and wood help shape an experience that sensitively modulates between the permanent and the ephemeral.