Community Board Approves Latest Design For NYC AIDS Memorial

Thursday night, Manhattan Community Board 2 voted to support the design for the future NYC AIDS Memorial, crafted by Brooklyn architectural firm studio a+i.

It’s an updated and refined version of the company’s initial “Infinite Forest” design, which originally called for a fenced-in grove with mirrors (see below). Now the memorial is a more modest 1,600-square-foot arrowhead shape to be situated, appropriately, across from St. Vincent’s Hospital in the West Village, where many of the first AIDS cases were reported.

The next step is for the memorial must be approved by the Department of City Planning and the Landmarks Preservation Commission.

What do you think? Is the new design an improvement on the original plan? Would you come up with something completely different? Break ground in the comments section.

Jump to 14 Comments

By: Dan Avery
On: Jul 20, 2012
Tagged: AIDS, Architecture, Art, HIV, New York, NYC AIDS Memorial

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14 Comments

No. 1 · Brandon
Great. It looks like the Jolly Green Giant’s toilet.

Jul 20, 2012 at 2:34 pm · @Reply ·
No. 2 · pierre
At first glance I thought it looked like a giant stiletto.

Jul 20, 2012 at 3:17 pm · @Reply ·
No. 3 · TonyC
This is my neighborhood and this one step towards placating many residents who have lost St Vincent’s Hospital,which was across the street.We have no major ER now and has been like this for years

Jul 20, 2012 at 3:49 pm · @Reply ·
No. 4 · Idi Amin Dada
@pierre: Same here.

Jul 20, 2012 at 3:51 pm · @Reply ·
No. 5 · scribe37
@pierre: yeah that is what I thought from the first picture

Jul 20, 2012 at 5:09 pm · @Reply ·
No. 6 · AS
Looks like a Giant stiletto to me as well.

Jul 21, 2012 at 6:20 am · @Reply ·
No. 7 · Tim
The first design was way cooler and unique. I saw stiletto, too.

Jul 21, 2012 at 10:09 am · @Reply ·
No. 8 · Brickman
More symbolism…..Building an Aids Hopsice would show more concern…

Jul 21, 2012 at 11:31 am · @Reply ·
No. 9 · Dave
the first one was really attractive and reflective, this second one is ugly vines on a rack, Really! with all the artists in NYC this is the best idea we can come up with.

Jul 21, 2012 at 11:40 am · @Reply ·
No. 10 · Hyhybt
@Dave: No, it’s the *cheapest* they can come up with. Or, at least, it’s cheaper than the other, much more attractive and interesting design.

Jul 22, 2012 at 3:28 am · @Reply ·
No. 11 · Hyhybt
To be fair, though, the mirrors could be a maintenance problem.

Jul 22, 2012 at 3:30 am · @Reply ·
No. 12 · Alex
Truly hideous. The ‘infinite forest’ concept seemed at least dignified and meditative. This looks like an ugly gazebo on the rooftop of Soho House.

Jul 22, 2012 at 3:40 am · @Reply ·
No. 13 · MikeE
When I first saw the Infinite Forest design, my first reaction was “finally, someone who actually has a heart designing an AIDS memorial.

The Montreal AIDS memorial is a bunch of rusty columns. Yes, it truly demonstrates compassion and remembrance. NOT!

now, like so many others here, my first reaction was “why a giant stiletto shoe?”

Jul 22, 2012 at 11:54 am · @Reply ·
No. 14 · JB
This redesign is terrible. It resembles a bus-stop and in no way commemorates or dignifies the struggle against HIV / AIDS. So uninspired.

I contacted the Memorial committee and urged them to reconsider the redesign. Anyone else who cares to can do so at http://aidsmemorialpark.org/contact

Jul 22, 2012 at 10:32 pm · @Reply ·