World Trade Center Memorial Competition
13683 teams from 93 countries registered their intent to compete.
5201 submitted a proposal
8 were selected
WTC proposal # 409132
A golden tree
A tree is a ladder
that i climb
to travel far away.
A tree is an umbrella
that keep me safe
when i want to stay.
Alan Sugar
FEBRUARY 26,l993 - SEPTEMBER 11, 2001 WE LOST THREE THOUSAND AND 22 LIVES.
OUR WORLD WAS TRANSFORMED.
OUR MEMORIAL WILL BE REPRESENTED BY A COLOSSAL TREE -
A SYMBOL OF A PROTECTOR WITH STRENGTH AND POWER, A LADDER TO THE HEAVENS ,
ITS 3022 LEAVES AND 92 FLAGS
WILL CARRY WITH EACH BRISTLE AND SIGH OUR PRAYERS INTO THE WIND.
ELEMENT II
WORLD TRADE CENTER FOOTPRINTS ARE NOW SACRED GROUNDS.
TO PROTECT ITS SANCTITY, POOLS , LIKE A VAST LIQUID MIRROR ,
WILL ALLOW VISITORS TO SIT AND CONTEMPLATE ON LARGE SQUARE MARBLE PLATFORMS.
FAMILY MEMBERS WILL BE GIVEN POLISHED STONES ON WHICH
THEY CAN INSCRIBE A PERSONAL MESSAGE TO THEIR LOST LOVED ONES.
A SPECIAL CEREMONY WILL CELEBRATE THE SENDING OF THOSE MESSAGES
INTO THE WATER, SPIRITUALLY RELEASING THEIR ENERGIES
TO FLOW FROM THE POOLS TO THE RIVER ,TO THE OCEANS OF OUR PLANET SEEKING
AN END TO THE MADNESS AND HOPE FOR THE FUTURE.
THE COLOSSAL 80 ft. HIGH TREE .TRUNK AND BRANCHES WILL
BE CONSTRUCTED OUT OF A METAL SKELETON
DRESSED IN RESIN THAT IS GOLD LEAFED
. HANGING GINKO LIKE LEAVES - GOLD PLATED COPPER.
GOLD THROUGHOUT HISTORY HAS BEEN REVERED BECAUSE OF ITS BRIGHTNESS
AND UNTARNISHABLE QUALITIES -
OUR MEMORIES OF THE VICTIMS WILL KEEP SHINING.
3022 LEAVES, REPRESENTING THE VICTIMS AND 92 FLAGS REPRESENTING THEIR ORIGINS
WILL BRISTLE IN THE WIND HUMMING INTO ETERNITY.
ELEMENT I
ELEMENT III
ELEMENT IV
AN ENCLOSED SKYLIGHT SPACE WILL HARBOR A BOAT LIKE STRUCTURE
REMINISCENT OF THE BOATS FOUND IN PHAROAHS' TOMBS
THAT TRANSPORTED SOULS TO ETERNITY.
THE FRONT 'HULL' WILL BE MADE OF THICK CURVED GLASS SANDBLASTED
LEAVING THE 3022 VICTIM NAMES [ element I ] CLEAR, SHARP,
PRESENT, UNTOUCHED, AND ALLOW LIGHT TO PENETRATE ONTO A WALKWAY
SEPARATING THE BACK HULL ON WHICH THE UNIDENTIFIED REMAINS
[ element IV ] WILL BE PLACED IN A COLUMBARIUM LIKE SETTING.
LIGHT BEAMED BY THE VICTIMS NAMES WILL FLOW THROUGH ONTO THE REMAINS
CREATING MOVING SHADOWS CAST BY THE SUN AND MOON.
SPACE UNDER THE SKYLIGHT / SAILS WILL BE
RESERVED TO SHELTER VICTIMS FAMILY AND FRIENDS [ element III ]
view from West street
SILKSCREEN PHOTO ON GLASS OF THE WTC GROUND FLOOR
"a golden tree" got featured in the "New York Post" on december 7 , 2003
click on image to enlarge
To see the 8 finalists, click HERE
To see the 5201 projects, click HERE
To contact us, click HERE
Jean Luc Comperat architecte DPLG
Minouche Waring artist
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