In a rapidly changing world, remembrance appears to be one of the values that lead our civilization. We believe that remembering the goodness and grace of God needs a temple that always welcomes newcomers, their life struggles, brokenness, hopelessness, blessings, victories and transformations. In this respect, we need a structure that neither joins the long list of rusted monuments nor the infinite number of dead archives. Instead we need a masterpiece that brings the belief in God through people’s experiences.
| LOCATION | Birmingham, United Kingdom |
| YEAR | 2017 |
| CLIENT | Confidential |
| STATUS | Competition |
| PROGRAM | Landmark |
This monument goes beyond the human perception of modern construction and reveals an equivocal character of semi-open space. The research for the design form avoids the outright reliance on Christian symbolism, but through a triangular shape it naturally embraces the Trinity concept. A very unpretentious quadrate is folded on three parts, but its architectural approach and the embodiment of the Trinity symbolism in its finest coverage gives the final design the right to attempting to impress with an appearance of simplicity and greater importance. One million bricks house billions of words but infinite prayers, and the wall has to reflect the past history that the next generations would build their faith upon. Therefore ours design comes as a harmonization of nature with architecture and monumentality: An elementary structure that creates a central piazza opened towards the sky but closed for eyes, opened for the wind and rain but closed by its own shadows. It provides a connection with the nature where it will be located while the perforated bricks create a wind protection while offering also a visual connection on different levels.
The Wall appears as a monument which triggers the attention of passers-by but does not show its essence from a distance. Naturally, it requires a physical visit, which indeed would be perceived as a simultaneous discussion with one million people who share the answered prayers. As a landmark that will last for generations, it provides guidance and inspiration and gives the opportunity to a journey of one million human stories.