Miners memorial

• Public Art
• Czech Republic
• 2021
• S

The city of Most, historically a mining capital throughout the 20th century, has recently witnessed a significant decline in its mining industry. Coupled with severe environmental impacts, this has led to the decision to decommission and eventually close the mines. In response to this transformation, a memorial is envisioned to serve as a poignant reminder of the city's origins and the profound changes the entire region has undergone. On the main plaza, a strip of greenery rises, unveiling a deep relief designed to encapsulate the transformative impact the mining industry has had on the regional landscape. The profound scars in the relief mirror the scars in the lives of local residents and the imprints left on the land by mining equipment. The memorial is proposed as an in situ concrete wall emerging from the ground, twisting and rotating towards the main plaza, creating an altar-like structure in memory of the people and landscape affected by industrial activities. To seamlessly blend with the environment, the backside of the wall is adorned with climbing greenery, facilitating a harmonious transition into the surrounding grass lawn. The project incorporates digital fabrication methods, specifically CNC, for the production of formwork used in creating the intricate in situ concrete relief.