UB architect's design chosen for 5/14 memorial
"Seeing Us" features 10 interconnected pillars with victims' and survivors' names on them. Designed by Jin Young Song and Douglass Alligood
Published May 21, 2024
Design holds significant power to inspire hope, healing, and remembrance. UB architect Jin Young Song, alongside partner Douglass Alligood, hopes their memorial concept "Seeing Us" will provide this for Buffalo. The design was chosen by the 5/14 Memorial Commission to honor the victims of the racially motivated mass shooting on May 14, 2022, at a Tops grocery store, which resulted in the deaths of 10 Black individuals and injuries to three others.
"Seeing Us" features 10 interconnected pillars with victims' and survivors' names, varying in arc and height, faced with stone. A support building serves as an education and community hub with an elevated memorial walk on its roof. This design aims to create a ritualistic space for collective memory and societal protection against hate.
The 5/14 Memorial Commission, after narrowing down 20 entries to three finalists, chose "Seeing Us" with input from the victims' families. The memorial, designed to be a timeless and accessible space, focuses on simplicity and clarity to amplify its message within the urban landscape.
Read more about the memorial here.