From temporary to permanent: Public mourning and the architecture of memorial spaces

How do we commemorate recent atrocities? In most cases, in the aftermath of tragic events, public mourning takes place - usually displayed through numerous objects left at the spot. If the event is considered to be of national interest, it is most likely that official plans for building a permanent memorial will take place. Since temporary memorials or so-called grassroots memorials are perceived as a form of democracy in action, they raise a range of critical questions for those commissioning and building permanent official markers for places of tragedy. One premise is that contemporary memorials, among other tasks, offer a space where individuals can make sense of loss and deal with conflicting emotions. In reality, however, most memorials fail to perform this function since the needs of the public collide with their architectural solutions. Through a brief investigation of several contemporary memorials, this paper aims to highlight approaches commissioners and designers adopt in regard to public sentiments and the process of transformation from spontaneous mourning to the built structure.