Created to memorialize the events and repercussions of the September 11 attacks, the Arizona 9-11 Memorial is a major element of the Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza in Phoenix, Arizona. Inscribed with statements, quotes and timeline details that personalize what happened on that day and after, the memorial preserves the memories and tells the stories of Arizonians that allow it to serve as an important means of connection for the community and nation.
Reflecting the Feelings of Arizonans
A series of coordinated attacks took place against the United States on the morning of Tuesday, September 11, 2001. These attacks would result in the deaths of nearly 3,000 deaths, with countless injuries and substantial long-term health consequences also inflicted. It marked a defining moment in American history.
Dedicated on the five-year anniversary of the event in 2006, the Arizona 9-11 Memorial is comprised of cement and steel. A 42-foot steel ring that was salvaged from the World Trade Center has 54 laser-cut inscriptions on it. It utilizes the sun to reflect words and thoughts articulated by Arizonans who were directly affected by the events of 9-11. The circular form of this ring dynamically illuminates these inscriptions and projects them onto the concrete base. At noon on September 11th every year, sunlight shines onto the center of the steel fragment that sits on top of the memorial’s dedication.
There are two timelines moving from left to right. The top retraces critical events as they unfolded on September 11th. The bottom reminds audiences of the events that followed and have impacted the country and world. Between the timelines are quotations and inscriptions that reflect the emotional, political, and psychological feelings of many Arizonans related to the event. This relationship between the history of the event and people’s reaction to it is tied to the core experience of the memorial, which is related to moving memories. While some of these inscriptions and messages proved to be controversial, they have all come to define the experience that audiences can have at the memorial.
Primarily sponsored by the city of Phoenix, the Phoenix firefighters’ union and the Bank of America, the memorial is an example of what it can mean to create a private memorial on public land. All funding was through private donations and the efforts of the Arizona 9-11 Memorial Commission.
Featuring the space for special events and gatherings, the Arizona 9-11 Memorial uniquely commemorates an event that has come to define the history of the community and nation. It connects with the hearts and minds of visitors by telling a story that has many different layers of meaning, ensuring this connection it represents will further evolve in a positive way.
Lighting the Material of History
The physical characteristics of the sun revealing the stories and impact of 9/11 was a conscious part of the design for the Arizona 9-11 Memorial. This has enabled visitors to experience different elements and aspects of the history it contains while also giving them the emotional space for their own reflections and interpretations of the moving memories that it preserves and celebrates.
In doing so, the Arizona 9-11 Memorial highlights how history and memory can be defined and interpreted by audiences of multiple eras to positively define a space and impact an entire nation.
