The Memorial of Silence

ARN STUDIO

Project description

Former Prague-Bubny train station is associated with involuntary leaving of Prague Jews to concentration camps in the 1940s. The proposal refers to silence that took place in Prague at the time of expulsion. Silence of fear, indifference and disinterest is present in "stone" immobilization. The building of memorial is standing silent. Openings, means of communication of the house, are blinded. Raised stele in front of the entrance - mouth of the house, is covering it like a hand to keep mouth from speaking. But volume breaks upwards with hope. New floor extension on original station walls ceases to be silent. Light comes from above, where the sky is visible. Fifty thousand books of lives of deportees permeate entire building from entrance to upper hall and direct towards this light. Symbolic breaking of passive silence is the main motive of the whole volume. In the Memorial of Silence, free creation of exhibiting artists should reflect on the generalized themes related to this place.