Concours d'idées international, mars 2006 / 3e tour
Maître de l'ouvrage: Koknese fondation de Riga, Lettonie
The circular memorial: to the memory of the six hundred thousand Latvians who died for their fatherland during the Second World War. The circular memorial symbolizes the cosmic sky and its interrelations with the Latvian earth. Also being a symbol of protection, the circle prevents enemies, wandering souls and demons to penetrate inside the memorial. In its center, a chapel of three hundred square meters allows for contemplation and tells the history of the Latvian people: this is the spiritual heart of Krivkalna Island.
Eight paths leaving in a star like pattern from the chapel, offer framing visions to the surroundings landscape. These eight cardinal directions, being also the major accesses of the memorial, point at the neighboring countries: Finland, Estonia, Russia, Belarus, Lithuania, Poland, Germany and Sweden. Disposed on ten concentric circles, hundred and fifty-two concave steles are engraved with the nouns of the six hundred thousand Latvians who disappeared during the genocide: this is the memory of the dead.
The succession of these ten circles symbolizes also perfection, harmony, and absence of distinction and of division between human beings: these circles illustrate the spiritual world.
By way of votive candles, six hundred luminous mats of eight meters height each enlighten the whole area of the memorial: this is light for hope, reconstruction and federation of the Latvian people.