The nature of memorials has evolved concurrently with the cultures and ideologies of the societies that have erected them, reflecting their goals and aspirations both through physical entities and as an embodiment of formless remembrance. Traditional monument types often employ iconic forms to communicate an official meaning, neglecting the conveyance of any vernacular one. Their use of symbols, such as statues and obelisks, allows viewers to readily absorb meaning imparted by these representational signifiers. To be legible, these non-interpretive, representational memorials rely on culturally agreed upon constructs. The official meaning they wish to convey, therefore, is not absolute. It is inherently related to time and thus can change with its passing. The intention of a memorial thus comes into question. What, if anything, do monuments sacralize? Whose interpretation should the memorial reflect, an official or vernacular one? To these ends, memorials should address not only the commemoration of the fallen, but also larger cultural issues of memory and meaning.
The Northeastern University Veterans Memorial challenges traditional roles of memorials, supplanting iconic forms with abstraction and space-making strategies. The design embraces the multiplicity of readings found in spatial memorials over the single iconic reading of traditional object memorials that rely on conventional and formulaic imagery to signify their purpose. The Memorial suggests that meaning and intention, to accurately be communicated through commemoration, must be derived from careful introspection and that the memorial must simultaneously convey official and vernacular meanings. It avers that the role of the memorial is to represent the collective conclusions about the past as well as commemoration of the fallen.

Multiplicity of spatial legibility and interpretations of distance, both literal and conceptual, are at the core of this design. Views are carefully orchestrated using various framing devices. Existing building facades, cornices, and plantings, in conjunction with new design elements such as walls and trees, structure these views. Three parallel elements slipping past one another organize the site. A black granite wall, contemplative garden, and public plaza are situated in a manner that allows for multiple readings of space. Views from three access points establish the location of the memorial wall, the orientation of the wall on site, and the dispersal of the programmatic elements of the memorial. Interwoven within the contemplative garden is a paved ground plane abstracting the American flag with 13 granite strips and 50 lights. A grove of birch trees to the North and East participate as framing devices while also helping contain the space.

The dichotomic nature of the memorial addresses issues of vernacular and official meaning through macro and micro scales. A 40’ long, polished black granite wall spatially organizes the site. The southern elevation of this wall, facing the campus, serves as a backdrop to the campus community, while the northern side, the contemplative side, reflects the intimate nature of war and loss. The wall provides an edge to the public plaza while simultaneously acting as center, the focal point, in the contemplative garden where the names of the soldiers are presented. On the public side the official meaning of the memorial is conveyed. Iconic images of the conflicts are laser etched on the wall. These vignettes represent the various branches of the military, the contributions of men and women and the multicultural and racial diversity present within the armed services. Equally important, the vignettes exemplify significant iconic images from the various conflicts. Just as time and distance from a subject gives one a clearer perspective, when viewed from afar the pixelated images are clear and lucid. When viewed up close these images blur into the granite with an ephemeral effect.

The vernacular meaning of the memorial is conveyed through the appropriation of a powerful icon of war – the soldier’s dog tag. Like the tags, each plate is etched with information about the soldier including name, rank, hometown, birth date, date of death, major and graduation year. When familial relationships have expired, one can still make connections to the soldiers on a personal level. The dead become more than a soldier; they become classmates, colleagues, neighbors, and heroes. The 279 stainless steel plates operate at both the macro and micro scales. From a distance, the dog tags collectively represent the mutual bond soldiers develop in times of war. The voids created by the organization of the plates symbolize the voids that have been left in the lives of the loved ones and the community, as well as the loss of life experienced in war. In addition, the voids allow for the unfortunate addition of new tags in the future. By contrast, up close, the stainless steel plates are designed to be touched and lifted; singly reflecting the individuality of each soldier. The stainless steel plates, which reflect the faces of the visitors, unite the dead with the living. The physical search for names on the wall necessitated by their random organization encourages the visitor to engage more intimately with the memorial and discover the common threads that often tie the fallen soldiers together.

To convey significant cultural meaning, both official and vernacular memories, opposed to emotional ones, formulate the intentions of this memorial. The architectural and spatial execution of the project, through the careful consideration of materials and scale, create a physical embodiment of memory. The passage of time ensures that future generations will have the ability to grieve and, of equal importance, learn from the actions of those before them. It is only when one can objectively consider an event that meaning can be assigned without bias.

Marc Roehrle and Mo Zell each received their Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Virginia and their Master of Architecture from Yale University. Marc Roehrle has taught design studio and drawing at Northeastern University, Wentworth and the Boston Architectural College. Mo Zell is a full-time professor teaching design and drawing. She has taught at Clemson University, North Carolina State University and Northeastern University. They are principals in the firm BauenStudio in Brighton, Massachusetts.