After a violent impact from the sky, a small peaceful piece of land was left fragmented. But a big “knot” will remain forever, maybe an untied truth of what happened or just a unity of what is left. The concept design behind this proposal, a memorial of a passenger flight that has been shot down from the ground where 298 lost their life.
Knot is an artificial Island full of meanings. It has been modelled to offer an interactive experience to visitors to remember and honour the people who died in this tragedy.
A ferry station offers the only access to the Island. Visitors who would like to experience the Island are taken directly to the memorial. Once arrived, they can either experience the interactive memorial installation or spend some quality time on an upper-level park.
The Island has gradually fragmented, and it's dissolving into smaller islands to recall the strong impact of the tragedy. Bridges link each island that has either green areas with trees or just be fully paved. Slanted columns randomly located are supporting the park structure above. The small islands are meant to be pleasant and relaxing spaces where visitors can spend some quality time on their own or with friends.
The biggest island accommodates the main feature, the “Knot” memorial. The memorial is a tangle and puzzling cube structure comprising 298 steel circular hollow section profiles of different sizes and lengths, each of them representing the victims of the flight. The profiles are all linked together forming a solid structure suspended above the atrium/ foyer where the visitors can experience their first breathtaking view of the intricate installation. The visitors can access the upper level, by a ramp system that is running around the atrium, and they can decide to go either to the upper-level park or the top of the memorial. A series of flights of stairs is taking the visitors to the top of the memorial through the intricate structure where they can experience the dizziness and distress of the passenger of the flight. At the top of the memorial, the visitors con rest on a peaceful landing.
Visitors can decide to continue their experience by spending some time in the upper-level park where they can relax, playing and chatting with friends. At the end of the upper-level park, a vertical connection takes the visitors down to the small islands. Walking through the bridges, the visitors are taken away from the core of the Island where a whole view of it can be better valued.
Knot wants to be an intense and lively space meant to remind to all of us all those passengers on the flight that died in such an undignified way, no matter the reason. But it also wants to be a space where people can enjoy and celebrate life.
