INSPIRATION
For my site-specific project, I designed a memorial to commemorate the destruction caused by the Almeda Fire in Rogue Valley, Oregon, the most destructive fire in Oregon’s long history of wildfires.
I was born and raised in the Rogue Valley. In September 2020, the Almeda Fire ripped through neighborhoods, schools, businesses, and the downtown areas of Phoenix and Talent, Oregon. It burned for multiple days, filling the valley with smoke. People were forced to evacuate and leave their homes without packing their belongings, made to camp at the county’s Expo center for weeks. Ultimately, the Almeda Fire was a scarring event for my hometown. Hundreds of people lost their homes, businesses, pets, and four people even lost their lives.
A memorial for this fire was commissioned, however, the county pulled funding and stopped the project given community backlash. This is a photo of what it looked like. It was designed to show the four people who lost their lives to the fire bravely standing against it, where the centerpiece lights up eerily orange at night. But, the figures look like they were burning, a design made in poor taste in the community’s opinion. Furthermore, this memorial was set to be installed miles away from where the fire wreaked havoc.
Proposal
Given my experience with this community-wide tragedy and the failed attempt at memorialization, I decided to design an appropriate monument for the Almeda fire and those affected by it. To begin, I designed this installation to mirror the form of a pear blossom. Pear orchards are very common in the Rogue Valley, there’s even an event including a 5K, 10K, parade, fundraising, and pageant to celebrate when the pear trees start to bloom in the spring. Not only are these flowers central to the identity of the Rogue Valley, but regardless of the tragedies of the world, they regrow and bloom every single year. This shows resilience and recovery in this community, concepts that I think are important for this memorial.
I decided that the sculpture would be made from copper and contain engraved anecdotes on each petal as well as a descriptive plaque for visitors to read. These anecdotes would be from members of the Rogue Valley, collected via voluntary surveys advertised in the newspaper, the local news, schools, local businesses, etc. Here, people can tell stories of things they’ve done in the area, their favorite places to eat, the best secret hiking trail, the coolest place to view the sunset or sunrise, and all manner of things. In this way, this blossom of regrowth will be built from the collective memory and appreciation of the Rogue Valley, where members of the community are a part of its structure.
Being made from copper, a patina will form on this structure, or the green film that now covers the Statue of Liberty. I chose copper because I wanted this monument to communicate an evolving idea and communication of time. At its installation, while the memories of the Almeda Fire are fresh, it would be shiny. But as time passes and the Valley heals, the shine will give way to nature and the due course of time. It’s not meant to be a reminder of tragedy, but an appreciation of what the community has. In this way, as the memories of trauma fade from the minds of locals, so too does the shininess and brightness of this monument. But, the anecdotes and meaning of regrowth will remain through the form and engravings of this design.
Below is an initial sketch documenting these ideas.
Location
To decide on the location for this project, I did research on the mistakes made by the original monument designers. It didn't make sense to place this sculpture in an area that wasn't hit hardest by the fires. I used Google Maps, cross-referenced with a map of the Almeda Fire's path, and found that Chuck Robert's Park was a perfect place for this installation. This park is central to where the affected community lives and is already a popular place to gather. It makes sense to put this monument here so it’s accessible for the community that was most central to the damage from the fire. Ultimately, while this is the site for this monument I also considered its future viewers to be part of its location. This consideration emphasized the importance of community integration into this design via the engraved anecdotes.
Sculpture Design and Proof of Concept
To present my design, I used Illustrator to create a series of mockups and explanations of the various pieces of this project. I used the metallic color library and a series of gradients to render each petal to look like copper. I layered light sources, shadows, and anecdote engravements to bring the form to life. I included imagery of fire in the center of the flower to demonstrate the life of the local community and how they overcame tragedy.
To emphasize the site-specificity of this project, I placed an edited picture of Chuck Roberts Park in the background, rendered some landscaping around the sculpture, and included two people viewing the monument. These details help to demonstrate the size of my design but also put the mockup in context to demonstrate how it connects with its location and viewers. I hoped that onlookers would feel connected to this sculpture, where they can appreciate how the community has come together to support one another in the face of misfortune. Through the anecdotes, local viewers are intended to be able to look past recent trauma to see all of the things their home has to offer, signaling a feeling of togetherness and optimism.
My mockup document also includes example anecdotes. I thought it was important to include a more detailed view of the petals and the stories they could tell to further sell the message of this monument.
Reflection
This project is an excellent example of my design process and attention to detail. This was my first time designing a physical object, which I found a bit challenging. But in finding a topic I was passionate about, I began to make conceptual connections that helped my process. Starting with the use of the pear blossom to demonstrate regrowth and perseverance, in combination with the collection of anecdotes to physically integrate community members and memory into this monument, this design is anchored in metaphors specific to its physical location and intended viewers. Furthermore, the use of copper as the sculpture's material to demonstrate the passing of time ensures that this monument will age well. Rather than focusing on loss, it emphasizes the voices of citizens, the strengths and beauty of the Rogue Valley, and the movement of time forward to a better, healed place.