Memorial park of Paneriai
Six human senses: hearing, vision, smell, taste, touching and intuition are taken as keywords for the project. Using architectural measures we create an environment of positive senses: accumulation, tranquility, respect and comprehension. Our aim for the project - intuitively tell the story about the past of Paneriai ponery.
The new layer - bridges - is designed for this spectacular space. New points of view offer a possibility for a visitor to become an observer from above or a participant of the striking past.
For the exposition pits we create such senses and emotions that subtly tell a story for the visitor about what happened and what has been left here.
competition_opend design concept contest for a complex arrangement of Paneriai Memorial to the victims of the Holocaust and all victims of Nazism.
Austė Kuliešiūtė, Miglė Nainytė, Olga Voišnis
A forest park has a very expressive terrain. Main exposition objects are pits. Existing paths are recessed, depth of all pits is diluted. This is the reason to design new paths - bridges, that varie in height. These bridges create new and unconventional horizontal viewing. Exsiting path system is kept as a history - this way visitor may chose the way to watch the exhibition.
Newly designed paths - bridges react to the exsiting terrain - they rise and decline. Expression of these objects is not ductile, nor mild - this is a broken line that tells a tragical story about one nation.
A counter-monumental concrete sculpture is designed for this pit. It resembles a dropped fabric that is laying on the moss for soft and textural impression. Concrete stands for indelible history.
Architectural relief composition is created at the bottom of the pit. This is an interpretation of the former existing building that was built here and of the tunnel that was excavated by the jewish prisoners that lived there. Relief sculpture catches every sun ray.
Static composition where same pure formed volumes are put into strict grid - for the allusion to the strict military system. Clear and laconic shaped volumes cast sharp shadows. Sunsine and shadow game reminds of the lives that were killed here.
Dynamic, different sized volume composition that emphasize the uniqueness of every human that was killed.
Visitor, walking on the bridge goes down to the bottom of the pit. Path is recessed into the ground and deserts of sand on the both sides of the bridge appear. Image of sand here stands for the ashes of people that were killed here. Everyone can touch the sand honouring the memory of the deceased.
This is the most monumental pit - a tombstone for every single life that ended here. It is covered with black polished marble. Visitor, walking on the bridge that crosses the centre of the pit can see his/her own reflection on the stone. To remember that everyone during that period of time could have been a victim of Nazis.
This is the first exposition pit. Round plan volume is designed as the main geometric element of the memorial park - circle.
Open, flowing spaces that stimulates concentration and tranquility. Visitor am choose to take an active part at the exposition or to be an observer at the cafe. Or to be both.