National Holocaust Monument – Ottawa

“I particularly remember visiting the National Holocaust Monument in Ottawa. For me, this is a place that reflects quality, as it is not only accessible to all, but also allows for reflection on the world around us. In this place, the values, the narrative and the constructed enter in relation with the user with the aim of making him reflect and/or to sensitize him to an important moment of the History. In other words, architecture acts here as a vector of education.

The architecture also acts as an element of identity, where people who have a close connection to the Holocaust can come and worship. Their presence is recognized by the direct marking of the territory, while they previously suffered the wrath of a genocide trying to eradicate them.

The designer must therefore educate himself and listen to the community he is building for in order to translate the message into design language in the most authentic way possible. It is his work that will mark future generations and allow the diffusion of the past to the future.

As I entered this space, I was struck by the coldness of the place. The use of concrete is probably the cause, but the atmosphere immediately guided the rhythm of my steps, which slowed down as soon as I crossed the threshold of the monument. The other people present showed signs of respect, such as removing their hats and whispering, even though this is an outdoor venue. The heaviness of the subject was irremediably perceived. There were several recesses that allowed us to take time to sit, reflect, appreciate the architecture and commemorate the too many victims of the Holocaust.

It is a place that touched me deeply and that will remain engraved in my memory, as it now engraves the Canadian territory.” (Booklet Positive Lived Experiences of Quality in the Built Environment 2023, p.82).

Google map link: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Monument+National+de+Holocauste/@45.4170109,-75.7144509,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x4cce045afce9349d:0xce736eea4c5c4bdf!8m2!3d45.4170109!4d-75.7144509!16s%2Fg%2F11fx_4sf7v?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MDkxOC4xIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D