The design engages the central Sacred Sycamore, which symbolizes hope and rebirth, to create a quiet and peaceful moment. To support the reflective and emotional experience of the memorial, the lighting design strikes a poetic balance between the landscape and architecture – life and death, light and dark, soft and hard.
The lighting design illuminates the three primary elements of the space: the circle, the path, and the tree, guiding visitors toward moments of grieving and remembrance. At the entrance of the memorial, gentle illumination allows for an unobstructed view of the monument. Carefully placed bollards create puddles of light for visitors along the paths. Low linear lighting and lit landscapes provide wayfinding through the circular pathways toward the central pool of water surrounding the sycamore tree. Soft illumination from benches surrounding the pool reflect the three lines of illumination from the procession. The pool carries floating candles from the outer edge in a circle eventually to rest by the Sacred Sycamore. The only uplighting on the site highlights the Sacred Sycamore and creates a reflection in the pool.
A major challenge was evoking the emotional experience with a limited budget. The most elemental pieces were kept to create a safe and magical space after dark. As the landscape matures, the lighting will further soften.
