| Title |
A Study on the Healing Elements of Memorial Design for Urban Disasters |
| DOI |
http://doi.org/10.14774/JKIID.2021.30.5.057 |
| Keywords |
Urban Disaster; Memorial Design; Healing Elements; Healing Space |
| Abstract |
This study aims to analyze the healing elements of memorial designs, with which survivors and local residents cure their shocks and pains as well as overcome their traumas from disasters. The study analyzes four earthquake memorials; Canterbury Earthquake National Memorial, Memorial 27F, Concepcion, Earthquake Memorial in Sichuan, and Cretto di Burri. Moreover, in order to understand the healing processes after traumas from the disasters, this study uses the three steps of healing, 1. Establishing safety, 2. Remembrance and Mourning, 3. Reconnection, of Dr. Judith Herman. As the study analyzes the memorial designs of the cases in the views of locations, space configurations, activities and experiences within them in the steps of healing process, the study figures out the healing elements of memorial designs which facilitate healing process after the traumas, as follow. First, the memorial designs which establish safety are recovering life grounds after destruction, introducing natural elements and connecting them to their lives, as well as supporting openness and views with surrounding configurations which increase safety, stability and accessibility. Second, the memorial designs which face remembrance and mourning are memorial places, walls, and markers as well as narrow and long corridors, such corridors and rooms, and spaces of artistic events which immerse personal experiences of the disasters. Third, the memorial designs which support reconnection with others, thus provide senses of empowerment, are the healing elements of the memorials which connect to daily spaces, and cultural and leisure spaces, thus facilitate social activities and encourage participations in local community which recover commonness and cultural traditions. The study concludes that the memorial designs ought to be not only the places of recording, remembrance, and mourning of the disasters, but also the healing places for the survivors of the trauma to secure safety, recover daily lives, and connect to others. Thus, the memorial designs prolong their senses and values to future generations. |