Upcoming projects - Public art and monuments

The site

The Memorial will be built just west of the terraces of the Garden of the Provinces and Territories in Ottawa. This intimate site borders Confederation Boulevard and the Parliamentary and Judicial Precincts and is situated near key federal institutions, including Library and Archives Canada.

The design

The winning design chosen for the Memorial to the Victims of Communism is "Arc of Memory." This concept was submitted by Team Raff, a group of architects and landscape artists based in Toronto that includes Paul Raff (artist and architect), Michael A. Ormston-Holloway (designer and certified arborist), Brett Hoornaert (landscape architect) and Luke Kairys (landscape architect). "Arc of Memory" is a sculptural array of over 4,000 bronze rods intended to express the vastness of communist oppression and invite visitors to reflect on Canada as a free and welcoming country.

Design competition

In fall 2016, teams of professional artists, landscape architects, architects, and other urban design professionals were invited to provide their credentials and examples of prior work.

A distinguished jury of design professionals and content specialists was assembled to evaluate the concepts for this competition. The jury was composed of five members: Alexandra Badzak (Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Ottawa Art Gallery); Larry Beasley, C.M. (retired Director of Planning for the City of Vancouver); Ruth Derksen, Ph.D. (Professor Emeritus at the University of British Columbia); Ludwik Klimkowski, (Board Chair of Tribute to Liberty); Ted Merrick (Director of the design studio at Ferris + Associates).

A public viewing of the finalists' design concepts was held on March 2, 2017, where attendees could view the presentations, meet the design teams, and share their thoughts. Canadians from across the country were also invited to comment on the designs through an online survey that ran from March 2–10, 2017. The survey results are available here.

The jury considered this feedback along with the comments from the National Capital Commission's Advisory Committee on Planning, Design and Realty and experts in conservation, landscape, engineering and costing. Based on the jury's recommendation, the Government of Canada announced that the design presented by Team Raff has been selected for the future Memorial.

Monument Site

The National Holocaust Monument – to be located at the corner of Wellington and Booth streets in Ottawa – will be one of several commemorative sites leading to Confederation Boulevard, the ceremonial route linking major tourist attractions and historical landmarks in the national capital. The Monument will face the Canadian War Museum and command outstanding views of the Parliament buildings.

Design Competition

A Call to Design Teams, launched in May 2013, invited Canadian-led teams of professional artists, architects and landscape architects to submit their credentials and examples of prior work as part of a national design competition. International candidates were deemed eligible as team members.

An internationally renowned jury was assembled for this competition. The jury was composed of seven members: Irving Abella (historian), Ydessa Hendeles (artist-curator), Herzl Kashetsky (artist), Raymond Moriyama (architect), Margi Oksner (Executive Director of the National Holocaust Monument Development Council), Vera Schiff-Katz (Holocaust survivor) and Greg Smallenberg (landscape architect).

The jury met in September 2013 to evaluate more than 70 proposals. It recommended six finalist teams to advance to Phase 2 of the competition.

A public viewing of the six finalist concepts was held at the Canadian War Museum on the evening of February 20, 2014. The public was invited to view the concepts, meet the design teams, and share their comments. The jury deliberated the following day and made its recommendations for a winning team.

The Government of Canada announced that the design "Landscape of Loss, Memory and Survival" presented by Team Lord of Toronto has been selected for the future National Holocaust Monument.

The winning team is led by Gail Dexter-Lord, co-president of Lord Cultural Resources and is composed of Daniel Libeskind (architect), Edward Burtynsky (artist-photographer), Claude Cormier (landscape architect) and Doris Bergen (subject matter expert).

The winning design is a fully integrated proposal in which architecture, landscape, art, and interpretation communicate the hardship and suffering of victims while conveying a powerful message of humanity's enduring strength and survival.

The Monument is expected to be completed in 2017.