MH17 Memorial | Massimiliano Azzolini

The urban project involves the construction of a new island, harnessing the entire area to be released in the competition notice, within which are inserted three elements: the Visitors Center, the Park and the Memorial. The main feature of the island is to be tilted the west side having a height greater than that east where the surface gently glides into the water.
The Visitor Center contains all the function of reception and information taking shape with a simple architecture, a single floor, where the various functional volumes are characterized by pitched independent. The internal layout allows a total permeability of the various functions. In the vicinity of this was provided for the mooring of the ferry, so that, visitors, have a point of reference just landed. In addition, the Visitor Center is directly connected to the neighboring districts due to a foot bridge. The park is inserted in order to give continuity to the urban green in this part of the city acting as a natural filter between the Visitor Center and the Memorial through a distribution of green spaces that range from green lawn free to wooded areas.

However the Memorial is the fundamental element of the whole project. Let everything that is simple "functional" here we enter the dimension of the tragedy. People are introduced in a direct sequence of spatial events that offer different sensations with an high symbolic value. Coming from the park to get to the Ellipse, this is the real Memorial. The structure fits into the soil of the island and slowly rises towards the sea becoming a new iconic landmark for the city of Amsterdam. The path starts with a slow descent, in the ground, leading to the entrance of the "Hall of Mirrors". The first part, in Memorial, consists in an environment characterized by the presence of all four mirrors on the surfaces delimiting the space: floor, walls and roof. The orientation of the structure prevents direct sunlight inside thus avoiding glare. The effect of refraction generates infinite space disorienting for the visitor who sees his image reflected endlessly in all directions representing the countless number of people involved directly and indirectly by the tragedy. Also mirrors are initially completely intact but, proceeding along the way, are traversed by splits from a cut to 298 cuts, the number of victims. The path slightly uphill and confusing position of anguish people who see their image reflected endlessly, gradually broken and destroyed, as the lives lost in the tragedy.
The gallery ends, the highest point of the Ellipse, with a terrace overhanging the sea, here on the wall of the structure to the island are engraved the names of the victims, facing the sky and the sea. The route continues and finally ends with an open walkway that leads, with a walk in the sky, back to the island and the park. This choice was made to offer people, after the pain and anguish, a feeling of hope and redemption.