Dune of Humanity
Atlantic City, PAType/ Memorial, Landscape Design
Time/ 2010
Client/ Competition
Status/ Design
The site is located along the boardwalk of the Atlantic City. The unique coastal setting provides an opportunity to redefine the monumentality of death with natural elements in a secular context surrounded by resorts and casinos. There are two basic elements in the traditional tomb-type memorial: the tangible element, which is the physical tombstone, and the intangible elements such as names, stories, and memories. The scheme attempts to reconstruct the tangible and the intangible on one horizontal and one vertical field.
Intangible elements are set in a horizontal field. The undulated dune-like surfaces become an interacting platform for people to sit, lie, and linger. Here, visitors can engage with the inscribed surface texts about the history of holocaust to commemorate death.
Tangible elements are set in a vertical field. Poles are arranged in a homogeneous grid, representing the graveyard. These poles penetrate the horizontal field. Each is designed to be an interactive device for visitors to celebrate life through being conscious of natural elements - wind, light, and water. Some with holes make sounds as breezes blow through, some embedded with lights becomes lighting at night, and some with nozzles refresh with water.
