BALTIC WAY MEMORIAL
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A fundamental tenet of nonviolent resistance is remaining silent in the face of rage, authority, or hate and is a powerful symbol of inner peace and strength. To promote the power of non-violent protests such as the Baltic Way in bringing about the change that the people want to see, we have created a design concept for a new memorial space called “Silence Speaks”.
The main design concept is a monolithic vertical slab, its minimal and pure form allows it to be attention grabbing with its stark contrast with the surrounding. The proposed design responses to the scale of the city and relates to the height of the buildings in Riga.
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TYPOLOGY: Cultural
PROGRAM: Memorial, Gallery
LOCATION: Baltic, Latvia
YEAR: 2016
STATUS: Concept
Facade & Material
The Human Chain
The STORY-LINE
Echoes of past events accompanies the public as they walk along the underground aisle, the quiet interior space provokes thoughts and heightens emotions.
As the public steps into the monolith and underground, silence provokes thoughts and heightens emotions. Echoes of past events can be heard and seen as one traverse through the different gallery spaces. Light breaking into the monumental structure at various key locations symbolizes a sense of freedom, just like how the Baltic Way demonstration was able to break apart the USSR occupation and gaining independence for the Baltic countries in 1991.
Outside the monument, a park offers paths where the public may walk, sit and play. Along the paths, human chain railings symbolizing the 2 million protestors brings the public closer to the event spiritually and directs them towards the monolith physically. The modern glass and granite exterior juxtapose with the rustic copper interior, transporting the public through time. While the interior celebrates the power of non-violent acts in the past, we begin this memorial with the idea that non-violent protest is still an effective tool in the modern society today.
