Completed

2023

Lyon, France

Architecture

Competition Memorial

Erika Stahlman, Architectural Designer, Liviu Schwartz, PE, Structural Engineer, Carlos Hano, Lighting Designer, Jerry Sohn, Advisor, Calminia, Stone Fabricator

Overview

This proposal for the Holocaust memorial in Lyon is an interactive structure that engages visitors physically and emotionally. It is not intended simply to be seen - it is intended to be used.

The memorial welcomes the local community and visitors from around the world and of all cultures. It has been conceived as a place where people of all backgrounds can commune, experience human connection and reflect upon the humanity and strength of the people it honors.

(Connect to prev) Creating a structure that compels visitors to return with frequency will make the memorial central to life in the community and serve its’ constituents. A place where the horrors experienced by the Jewish people from the region who were killed during the Holocaust and those who resisted against the occupation are reconstructed daily. A place that is designed to bring people together to connect.

The purpose of this project and the need to address the troubling rise in antisemitism and xenophobia in France has a global significance for this Americas based team, one of whom is a Holocaust survivor himself. The importance of this endeavor is the reason that after 30 years of professional practice, I have been moved to submit the first architectural competition proposal of my career, which I do so with great humility and commitment.

The Memorial

The memorial takes inspiration from the Star of David- a symbol of hope and strength. There are three structures as there are three corners of the triangle of the star, that represent the connection between God, Israel and the Torah.

Each of these rectangular forms frames abstracted three dimensional, triangular shapes of a deconstructed star. The defiant strength of each structure, that protects these fragmented starlike shapes represents the resilience of the Jewish people and the power of the Jewish faith to survive through humankind’s gravest atrocity.

The memorial has been designed at a relatable human scale, inviting visitors of all ages and physical ability to interact with the forms. Whether a visitor wishes to pause, rest and reflect in a cavity of one of the structures or a group of children choose to interact playfully with the space, the memorial is designed to be a safe place to host these various activities.

The scale has also been a consideration in ensuring the memorial is sympathetic to the topography of the park, and that it embeds harmoniously within the surrounding trees and plant life. The limbs of the trees are visible through the cavities of each structure and the height of the structure designed to graze the low laying tree branches, creating a relationship with nature.