Tsunami Memorial

Tsunami Memorial – The Design Entry  

Is in this proposal intention to create a spiritual walk and spaces for reflection and contemplation in memory of the devasting effect of the Tsunami that hit the shores of Thailand the 26th of December 2004. We wish to give the visitors different feelings as they move through the memorial. Taking the nature park and the natural features of the site in consideration, we suggest to make a memorial walk consisting of 4 long curved bended walls. They will lead the visitors from the entrance area through the forest to the contemplation space and the memorial and from there to the sea. The first wall will through courtyards give access to the learning/visitor center, the cafe/restaurant, the museum/exhibition and the outdoor theater at the end of the passage.  The next 2 walls will create a spiritual passage/corridor and form the space of the memorial walk, and will lead to an opening in the forest.    On one side, the landscape slopes down in terraces that give room for visitors to have a quiet space for reflection and contemplation into the forest.     On the other side, the landscape rises in steps with a staircase towards the memorial.  The memorial wall faces south/southwest, the direction of the tsunami, and is in form and material a continuation of the steps and terraces. Along the top of the wall all the name of the victims is impressed as an eternal diary, water runs almost invisible down the surface so this will forever.   The memorial walks continuous between the curving walls and opens up towards the sea at the end of the walk, confronting the sea you understand how powerful and beautiful nature is.