Clark, Kroener design memorial
By SCOTT BRODFUEHRER
Assistant News Editor
Four hours before the deadline for the deadline for the School of Architecture's Sept. 11 Memorial Design Competition, the winners had not yet decided to enter the contest.
Over Easter break, winners Kevin Clark and Meg Kroener, both fifth-year architecture students, conceived ideas to create a circular space on South Quad below ground level, accentuating the flagpole and providing space for quiet reflection. They decided to formalize this idea into a design only after hearing various professors' concerns that there would not be enough entries to the competition.
"I am really glad that Kevin said something about entering the competition. The night before, professors had been concerned about getting enough entries. Once we decided to enter, we had two ideas in seconds. It was nice we could work together to synchronize our ideas and enter the competition," said Kroener.
A design jury consisting of six members, including Indiana Lt. Gov. Joe Kernan, chose on April 5 Clark and Kroener's submission as the best of 20 entries. Michael Harris, a fourth-year architecture student, won second place, and Aaron Cook and Eric Saul, fifth-year architecture students, won third place. Honorable mentions were awarded to Alan Ahles, Colette Arrendonto and the team of John Griffin, Neil Hoyt, Ariane Risto and Brian Zant.
The competition asked entrants to create a design that could be constructed by Sept. 11, 2002, and use the area surrounding the flagpole on South Quad, the location of the campus-wide Sept. 11 Mass that more than 6,000 people attended.
According to Clark, his design would be set into the ground several feet and could be entered by walking down stairs. The design itself is a circle, with the flagpole in the middle of a reflecting pool approximately 10 feet in diameter. A circular bench would be located on the outer circumference of the memorial.
"The design is circular so that it doesn't give importance to anything except the flagpole," said Clark.
In the middle of the reflection pool will be a walkway that will serve as a sundial. Clark and Kroener strategically placed the walkway so that at 9:08 a.m., the time when the first plane hit the World Trade Center, the shadow of the flagpole will be on the walkway.
"It will be a daily reminder of the tragedy," Clark said. "In the daily procession of putting up and taking down the flag, the person will have to stand on that walkway."
Clark said he believes that his design won because, along with the other winners, it established a unique space for reflection.
"Instead of just having a pure base for the flagpole, our design creates sort of a room on the quad, where you will be sitting two feet below the ground level and can quietly reflect," said Clark.
Although Clark and Kroener are satisfied with their design, they said they are going to create a version of the design in watercolor that could be used in print media and for other official purposes.
According to Kara Kelly, director of communications for the School of Architecture, all of the winners' designs have been given to the Office of the University Architect to determine if the design will actually be constructed.
"The University Architect's office took the designs and will present them to Executive Vice President Father Timothy Scully and explore the feasibility of constructing the design," said Kelly.
Kelly said the University architect does not have a timetable for determining if the memorial will actually be constructed.
All News Stories for Friday, April 12, 2002
