After a seven month design competition that comprised 68 entries and six shortlisted designs, the onePULSE Foundation (a nonprofit established by the owner of the Pulse nightclub after the mass shooting that took place) has selected Coldefy & Associés’ design for a permanent memorial and museum.
The multi-level, open-air structure features a shallow reflecting pool that surrounds the original Pulse nightclub building. A palette of 49 colors, for the 49 victims of the shooting, lines the reflecting pool basin and radiates towards the public spaces and the reflecting pool leads to an outdoor garden planted with 49 trees. An adjacent space is dedicated to gathering and celebration.
The renewed West Kaley street provides a shaded connection to the new museum, which rises “like a budding flower” and signals the entrance to the Pulse district. Vertical gardens and public plazas create new community spaces and a rooftop promenade offers views of the memorial and the entire surrounding district.
See Also: A watchtower in Harlem, once a firefighter’s lookout, is restored as a landmark
A Survivors Walk on Orange Avenue leads from the memorial towards downtown and features interactive sculptures commemorating all those affected by the tragedy. In the future, promenades, bike paths, and a Pulse shuttle will connect to the train station and create walkable loops that will help spark the future growth of the neighborhood.
The entire project team consists of Coldefy & Associés with RDAI, HHCP Architects, Xavier Veilhan, dUCKS scéno, Agence TER, and Prof. Laila Farah.
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The story of the Fox Oakland Theater is like that of so many movie palaces of the early 20th century. Built in 1928 based on a Middle Eastern-influenced design by architect Charles Peter Weeks and engineer William Peyton Day, the 3,400-seat cinema flourished until the mid-1960s, when the trend toward smaller multiplex theaters took its toll on the Fox Oakland.
