An Overview:
Architecture firm Gomez Platero has an incredible contribution towards a memorial to honour the people affected by COVID-19. Located in Uruguay, the monument is erected to depict an expression of hope as a result of this unforeseen time. “World Memorial to the Pandemic” is world’s first large scale monument to commemorate the worldwide victims of the COVID-19 pandemic. For instance, it also aims to be a space for mourning and reflection that’s environmentally conscious and emotionally impactful.
Thought of Design:
As the site is concerned, the memorial will be located on the edge of an urban waterfront, accessible only by a long pedestrian walkway. The centre of the platform is an open void to the ocean beneath allowing people to observe nature. Thus designed to allow a high percentage of the structure to be pre-assembled for on-site, minimizing the impact on the natural environment.
The project will be accessible only by a long walkway that draws the visitor gradually away from the sounds and sights of urban life and are fully immersed in nature. Towards the centre of the platform, there is an open void that looks downwards into the water, encouraging the viewer to observe nature in the purest state and then reflect on humanity’s own fragility.
The main platform and coating of the lower external face will be made from corten steel while concrete will finish the concave internal surface. It will be 40 meters in diameter, with a 10 meters diameter open centre. The memorial is set to welcomes up to 300 visitors at a time -while obeying current social distancing guidelines.
According to Firm, the site must do minimum harm to the environment with benefiting to the community. They have estimated that once started to construct, ‘world memorial to the pandemic’ will take six months to complete.
“Architecture is a powerful tool to transform the world. It is, above all, a collective and historical reality, made of small fragments which survive over time and become a culture. It is a way to show who we are on this planet. Monuments, too, mark our shared cultural and emotional milestones. By creating a memorial capable of activating senses and memories in this way, we can remind our visitors — as the pandemic has — that we as human beings are subordinate to nature and not the other way around.” – Martin Gomez Platero, Director & Lead Architect