Posted on 09/14/2005 4:54:48 PM PDT by jimbo123
The architect of the memorial to a plane downed in Pennsylvania on Sept. 11, 2001, said Wednesday he would work to satisfy critics who complained that it honors terrorists with its crescent-shaped design.
Designer Paul Murdoch said he is "somewhat optimistic" that the spirit of the design could be maintained.
"It's a disappointment there is a misinterpretation and a simplistic distortion of this, but if that is a public concern, than that is something we will look to resolve in a way that keeps the essential qualities," Murdoch, 48, of Los Angeles, said in a telephone interview.
Murdoch's design, "Crescent of Embrace," was selected last week during a meeting of the Flight 93 Advisory Commission from five narrowed down from 1,011.
The recommendation of the 15-member jury consisting of design professionals and family and community members still needs to be approved by the Interior Department.
Its shape is a circle broken by the flight pattern of the plane, which supporters have said follows the topography of the crash site.
Chris Martin, spokesman for Flight 93 National Memorial, said Wednesday family members and federal advisory commission members turned to Murdoch for assistance.
Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., sent a letter Tuesday to National Park Service Director Fran Mainella saying many have questioned the shape "because of the crescent's prominent use as a symbol in Islam — and the fact that the hijackers were radical Islamists."
Will Adams, spokesman for Tancredo, said Wednesday Tancredo would be happy with the changes only if the crescent shape is removed.
Murdoch said he's not sure exactly what changes he would make.
The memorial also consists of a chapel with 40 metallic wind chimes — one for each victim. It would include pedestrian trails and a roadway to a visitor center and the actual crash site. At the site would be a crescent-shaped cluster of maple trees and a white marble wall inscribed with the victims' names.
"We called it a crescent because it was a curving land form. We called it 'Crescent of Embrace' because of the symbolic gesturing of embracing this place," Murdoch said. "There's no desire to make this a divisive memorial."
Gordon Felt, of Remsen, N.Y., whose brother Edward Felt was killed on Flight 93, said he called Tancredo's office and said Tancredo should have held off on his criticism.
"I wish he would come out to Somerset and see topography of the land," Felt said.
Felt said it is natural for the design to evolve.
"I think the topography of the land would really dictate there would be some kind of arc," Felt said.
Flight 93 was flying to San Francisco from Newark, N.J., when it was hijacked and crashed 65 miles outside Pittsburgh. The official 9/11 Commission report said the hijackers crashed it as passengers tried to take control of the cockpit.
I disagree. Yes, the families' opinions should be weighted, because without a doubt they suffered and continue to suffer the horrendous consequences. That said, we (Americans) ALL took a hit on 9/11. Nowhere close to the hit they took, but I also don't think they should have full control over the design of a monument that belongs to and will be paid for by a couple hundred million folks.
MM
Well, all the criticism has been justified. Architects, even the most famous ones, are uniformly "unconscious"; that is to say that they get wrapped up in an idea, a detail a "new" approach at something and are oblivious to the world.
What seems obvious to us is in a different galaxy to them. Symbolism, let alone the appearance of unconsciousness is totally foreign to them.
Islam and its symbol never occured to him.
The image on the left is the USS Arizona memorial at Pearl Harbor, altered to have an Imperial Japanese emblem on it. The center photo was adapted from the graves at Normandy. The image on the right is an unretouched image of the abomination that the Leftists wanted to turn the Flight 93 memorial into.
I also question the sincerity of his offer to 'look into' making a change. That smacks to me of 'I'll just wait 'til the dust clears and do it the way I wanted to in the first place'. Pompous SOB.
Then why, pray tell, does this "never occured to him" Islamic crescent point oh-so-perfectly toward Mecca? That ain't no accident.
I like it!!!!
Then we agree. I don't think the families should have full control, but their votes definitely have more impact on me than the average Joe.
It looks like the terrain will be similar to rice paddies in China. Is this architect a Chicom-lover or what?
Have ridge see it from overhead and let's get his reaction of the "power" of the piece.
I am doubtful the design will change much. This guy sounds like a touchy feely liberal who thinks we were at fault to me..
I think only a large crucifix is in order. The heroes of Flight 93 said the Lord's Prayer before they took on the satanic Islamists. That salient fact needs to be reinforced, not ignored.
Why should he get a second chance to pull more of this crap?
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.
The architect states the "shape is a circle broken by the flight pattern of the plane" well I thought the plane was headed so. east when it went down.. if the orientation does not follow the planes path in any way but just happen to be really be Mecca orientation then the architect is two for two
I would say the guy was in fact no coincidence an he was being deliberately deceitful and needs to be call on it ...confirm it and if true don't let this guy slink out on this
Just fyi in case some don't know but the "facing Mecca" orientation is a VERY big requirment in Islam, all Muslims are required to know what direction Mecca is wherever they are on the globe because they must face Mecca whenever they pray
I smell a MSM scam on this subject. Most of the passengers on this flight were from NYC/NJ and I am positive even though we are considered Blue Stater's, the majority of the families involved would not approve of a message of peace towards Islam!
Still my favorite design for the WTC. BIG SMILE! :-]
With all due respect, can he really be that blind?
I normally don't agree with the tinfoil crowd, but after having spent time in the design field, I am 99% certain this artist knew exactly what he was doing. Perhaps he was simply trying to integrate references to 2 presently conflicting cultures, but it is also quite likely, maybe even probable, that he was going for a political message that many of us wouldn't agree with. There is no shortage of ego, utopianism, and angry vanity in the world of architects and landscape architects.
So Murdoch is pro intelligent design? NOT.
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