The Rising: Westchester 9/11 Memorial

"The Rising" invites families and visitors to look back in memory of their loved ones and look forward as a community, and provides a place for prayer and reflection. That day Westchester County lost 109 magnificent people - sons and daughters, mothers and fathers, husbands and wives, sisters and brothers, grandparents and godparents, cousins, uncles and aunts, lovers and fiancés, co-workers, friends and neighbors. Forming an unbroken circle, the 109 individual strands emerge from the existing circular footprint on the plaza, and thus will not disturb the current paths and use of the park. The memorial is located at the intersection of many pathways and viewpoints, and thereby extends its presence into the surrounding landscape. Its visual lightness acts as a counterpoint to the solidity of the adjacent dam. "The Rising" is open, can be approached from all directions and allows persons of all ages and abilities to move through it and experience it close-up. The 109 intertwined strands (like DNA) rise 80 feet from the ground reaching upward to the heavens. The rods are bound together in a literal and symbolic gesture exemplifying the strength of the Westchester community and the families who lost loved ones. One and one-half inch stainless steel rods are anchored to a concrete ring at the base. These thin, lightweight individual parts intertwine to create a stable structure; yet it will also sway gently in the wind. The reflective quality of the stainless steel will change with the light of day, lending a dynamic quality to the structure. There will be moments when the memorial is full of life and activity, and times when it is empty. Either way, its poignancy will resonate. As the people of Westchester participate and populate the interior and its surroundings, they become part of the memorial. "The Rising" provides a gathering place and reaffirms the capacity of individuals as well as the Westchester community to renew and grow.