projects > public > police memorial competition
The conception of this proposal for the design of a Police Memorial in Canberra, ACT does not start from an aesthetic formula but is derived from the act of remembrance and reflection. It is intended that the space of the memorial will inform and focus these acts and events.
The memorial is oriented west-north-west to take advantage of a view corridor to the left of the Carillon as seen from the site. The memorial can be interpreted as a carpet cut into the hill, providing a flat surface on which are placed a grid of 24 blocks of different Australian stone. The blocks are 600 x 600 x 600mm placed 900mm apart from each other, the names of those officers who have died in the line of duty are engraved into the blocks.
The quiet order of the grid and repetitive forms allows and enhances the act of reflection and remembrance. The use of different Australian stones signifies the diversity of the members of the police force and the skills, tasks and qualities that are asked of them. To the east, the stone blocks are paired with a stand of native trees of the same number. This combination of stone and trees sets up a simple relationship of presence and absence, living and dead. The trees act as sentinels for the stones, representing an ongoing commitment to serve and protect. By concentrating on the physical qualities of the memorials surfaces the design aims to lend dignity to the act of remembrance by increasing one’s awareness of its physical characteristics.