Concept Owner |
Architect |
Hou Liang |
CASA Co., Ltd. |
People’s Republic of China |
Thailand |
|
 |
| © Tsunami Memorial Design Competition |
Near a beach in a Tsunami-hit area, a group of local villagers found a badly damaged fishing boat, which had been swept ashore from high sea. Instead of leaving the traces of damage as they were, they painted it in orange color, thereby turning a reminiscent of disaster into something new and joyful.
The Tsunami Memorial is composed of irregular white cubes that cling to each other in a circle. It shares the spirit of the villagers: the abstract forms adapt the distortion from the Tsunami and turn it into a positive message to the visitor: Together we are strong. This also acknowledges the unprecedented humanity shown towards the victims during and after the disaster.
Moving through the angled volumes, visitors can have various experiences: some spaces allow for intimate contemplation, some encourage communication; others overlook the sea. The victim’s names are engraved in the walls of the memorial court. There, the visitor feels embraced by the circular figure.
A year after the Tsunami, the traces of sorrow still remain. Inevitably the active memory of the disaster will start to fade over generations. However, the reflection will last. The Tsunami Memorial will stay a place where people will come together hand in hand to celebrate the compassion and dedication of mankind.
Note: Original text as submitted by Finalist D |
