UK Holocaust Memorial Competition, London



In response to the competition launched by the UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation to commemorate the six million Jewish people murdered during the Holocaust, Chavasart worked in collaboration with Atelier MB to develop a UK’s National Holocaust Memorial, to be situated in a park near the Houses of Parliament in London.The proposal consists of the following elements:


The Wildflower Garden - In contrast to the actual memorial which presents standstill, time-stopping, black hole, silence, the flowers represent regrowth, flowerswhich tend to regrow in Spring representing regrowth, pollination by the bees showing giving and continuation,which illustrates the educating and learning- giving,spreading and regrowth.


The Light Beams - Light represents warmth, growth,beams of light reach far which looks at the idea of learning and continuation.The beams of light represent candles andfire, the idea is that the light will be seen from space, being seen through infinity and beyond.The number 6 in someform will be incorporated in the number of light beamsto represent the 6 million lives lost.The use of laser lightbeams will give it the possibility to manipulate the lightin different colours, directions etc. which will be easierto use for a variety of different memorial services which can include other communities, without taking away from the actual memorial being focussed on the Holocaust.The concept of light and candles has been and is still used in other religions as memorial, which again offers inclusivity of other communities.


Silence - The sheer silence of the memorial will stand incontrast to the hustle and bustle of London.The idea of an all sensory experience where one can actually try and experience no one coming to help in dark times, a scream falling on deaf ears.

Confusion - One of the big questions which is asked overand over again when teaching about the Holocaust to youngsters and adults is – why did people agree to go tothe camps? Why did they believe the Government etc.

By creating a confusing interior where you lose sense of space, sound and light, yet again it helps to create that full sensory experience, confusion about where to go and what is going on around you.



