Flight 93 Memorial : Studio 0.10

The path to the memorial site stretches approximately 2,000 linear feet from the visitor center. In an effort to preserve the sanctity of the Sacred Ground, this path levels off at the point where it crosses over the Sacred Ground boundary and ends above the epicenter of the crash site. In order to provide a defined space, a landscaped berm is proposed, which serves as an interpretation of the ‘pit’ created by the impact of the crash. Its form is to symbolically capture the force and directionality of the crash while simultaneously forming the backdrop to hope, life and strength arisen from the devastation and the heroism of the victim’s actions. Within the ‘pit’ rise the ‘trees of life’ - 40 trees, each symbolizing one victim. From a distance, these trees will be seen as an agrarian arrangement in an otherwise ‘natural’ environment rising from inside the indigenous ground foliage covered berm. These trees form a nearly completed ring – a ‘ring of unity’, interrupted only by that of the viewing platform at the end of the footpath whereby the visitors’ viewing position onto the memorial is one where they become part of and complete this ‘ring of unity’. This serves as a symbolic marking of our personal unity to that hope and life as recognized by the victim’s heroic actions. These trees are proposed to be deciduous so as to offer the symbolic understanding of the spirit of ‘regeneration.’ A possible tree specie could be the Pyrus Calleryana - with its dramatic late fall color and early spring flowering, it can offer a diverse range of emotions and lend a multitude of physical experiences. Encircled by the ‘trees of life’ is a vessel - a spiritual resting place for the deceased. Recovered remains, can at the family/relative’s discretion be entombed in this vessel thus becoming their physical resting place. At the center of this vessel is an eternal flame ablaze representing the heroic spirit and acts of all these victims. Ringing this vessel are the names of the 40 victims arranged in random order to denote the randomness of fate that brought them together on the morning of September 11, 2001, and in front of each victim’s name is an opening where flowers can be placed in constant tribute to the deceased. Atop this vessel lies a pool of water reflecting the height and limitless of the sky above – these ‘tears of reflection’ flow towards the eternal flame but does not drown it out.