American Airlines Flight 587 Memorial: Queens, New York
2006

The design and construction for American Airlines Flight 587 was a collaborative effort including the artist, Freddie Rodriguez, ShoP Architects, P.C., The NYC Department of Parks and Recreation, The Department of Design and Construction, STV, Inc., and Kaitsen Woo Architects. We were charged with designing a respectful and peaceful "home" for the Memorial Wall that could also serve as a new public plaza for visitors and residents of the neighborhood.

Many of the design elements are derived from the site's oceanfront context. Various shades and textures of sand are used for the pavement, the concrete walls, and the bench seats. Stainless Steel is used for light fixtures, bollards, and bench supports as a beautiful material that can withstand the salty, windy and cold seaside conditions. The plant material comprising mostly Junipers, Cedars, Pines, Yuccas, and roses offer year-round interest and have the best chances of surviving.

Collaboration: Work performed while at Mathews Nielsen Landscape Architects