How to lie with architecture...

Okay, the big flap about the Flight 93 memorial is about to hit talk radio, fox news, msnbc, and consblogs across the US. If you haven't seen it yet, this is what the architect has proposed, and jury panel has accepted.


Of course the Park Service has to sign off on it. When I first saw the picture above, I did not see the loving embrace of an Islamic crescent. Instead, I thought I was supposed to see something more subtle, and I saw a shadow. The first thing that I thought of was the cover of Mark Monmonier's book, How to Lie with Maps. On that cover, we see the shadow of a Pinocchio moving across the landscape.


I saw the shadow of Pinnochio in the bottom of the architectural image. In fact, he has taken off his hat in approval of the design. Then, I realized that not everyone is a geographer and would immediately recognize the cover of that book.

You don't hear much from me regarding political issues on this blog. 90% of the blogs out there are authored by people who are trying to make you think just like them, or are trying to make you like the things they like. I prefer to provide amusement (in the real sense of the word, a+muse means to not think). But I am pretty confident in suggesting that the design is not appropriate. It is also not a coincidence, unless the architect is feckless and incompetent. Architecture is about symbolism (luckily we have engineers that figure out how to actually build structures safely). This guy knew what he was doing.

It is also inappropriate from a Muslim's perspective as well. Basically, it looks like it says "uh, we did this to you" on the Pennsylvania landscape. I propose re-shaping the downtown of Fallujah and making the central part of the street networks look like a big cross from aerial photography. Now do you get it? It's what marketing folk call branding.

--gh