Babi Yar Triangle

This pocket park in Brighton Beach has served since 1980 as a communal memorial for those massacred at Babyn Yar Ravine, Kyiv, Ukraine. Used by neighbors from ages 1-100, the site recalls history that ring uncomfortably familiar in the present. The significance of connecting community elders with children in shared public space drove the design process. Digital shade studies led me to relocate the formerly central seating area to a corner that receives sun in the cold winter months. Tree analysis showed a failing canopy, allowing me to plant more ecologically appropriate species so future generations of children of all ages can enjoy the shade.