When we first studied the project site, we tried to understand the essence of the space to be created. We understood that the most important thing was to characterize the Memorial as a place of tranquility and contemplation, where homage and learning coexist harmoniously with the intimate reflection of each visitor. The central strategy of the project is to create a subtle but effective separation from the surroundings through complementary landscaping. We believe that ensuring this closure creates the conditions for sharpening the senses. The increased concentration on the subtle variations that light, wind and animals bring to the site allows us to access our memories and feelings more clearly. The walk becomes an essential part of the experience, there is a planned route that welcomes and guides the visitor in a calm progression through the contemplative spaces designed, providing the planned scenic concatenation as one moves towards the interior of the Memorial.
At first glance, the new building appears to be a plan made up of a long line of solid pieces of wood. Unusual, this façade is actually the natural expression of the construction and structural system chosen, based on tensioned metal cables associated with vertical wooden pieces in compression, ensuring a remarkable balance of light and simple parallel aluminum beams. The system is completed with wind resistant bars. This abstract and simple façade of the memorial, while revealing fractured views of the space to come through its gaps, initially maintains the prominence of the elongated garden landscape that leads to the interior. The elongated path is intentional and necessary; this moment is important to prevent the visitor from abruptly entering the central space.
The proposed landscaping organizes the visuals and provides an ambience that invites contemplation. Based on contrasting volumes, the landscape design explores the different heights of the plant massifs to propose points of view that also enhance the proposed architecture. The bamboo masses at the edges of the site are a visual element that directs the flow of the project. Their shape was designed to emphasize the focal points of the architecture and create acoustically isolated environments. The rich vegetation of the site is also appreciated by preserving and complementing it in different parts of the project. In addition to the existing species, specimens such as the samambaia-do-campo, barba-de-serpente, bananeirinha-de-jardim, and lírio-de-dia have been incorporated to create a composition of leafy and voluminous plantings that are dominated by shades of green. These plant compositions enhance the leafy and vigorous species of the site.
At the heart of the memorial is a large space that balances the promotion of individual introspection with the civic aspect necessary to represent the community. In addition to being a place of reflection, the memorial is also used for celebrations, tributes and social events of the institution. It is a symbolic and respectful gesture that gives visibility to the professionals who work for the health of the community, highlighting the importance of FIOCRUZ in the Brazilian health system.
The project envisions a plaza in which an art installation will be placed. We recommend a pair of works from Harry Bertoia’s Sonambient series. These sculptures, made primarily of metal rods, are designed to be visually striking and capable of producing unique, resonant sounds when swayed by the wind or deliberately struck by the hands. Bertoia began creating these sculptures in the 1960s, experimenting with different materials and configurations to produce a variety of immersive and complex sounds. Another element that stands out in the landscape is the fire pit, which is isolated in the water mirror and can be lit on special occasions.
Sound, the wind rustling through the trees and the art installation, and the burning of the fire are the central elements of the proposal. Through them we become aware of the presence of air.
The abstraction of the architectural elements creates the conditions for each visitor to establish a unique connection with the memorial, and we believe that the experience of the space itself is capable of making the memory of the fight against COVID-19 tangible. We understand that the landscape and the space convey serenity and contemplation, but a close look at the construction reveals the extraordinary effort that went into each part of the building system and how essential each is to the functioning of the whole. We therefore feel that this work is a tribute to all those people who put themselves at risk and devote all their energies to protecting the health of others.
