John McAslan + Partners and MASS Design Group
With Lily Jencks Studio, Local Projects and Arup
In Jewish tradition, the laying of a stone at a grave marks a visit by relatives, remembering the deceased. This simple act binds generations together. The word for ‘stone’ in Hebrew - ןבא or eben – is a construct of א or Aleph, (Heavenly Father) and ב or Bet, (son) and so the word for stone symbolises this continuity between generations.
The legacy of the Holocaust – or Shoah – is not just the elimination of nearly 6 million Jews; but the grievous loss of generations that never came to be – millions of stones yet to be placed. Thus the ritual of placing the stone signifies a way of establishing legacy over generations. The act of taking a stone symbolizes our individual and collective commitment to remembrance.
This is our Memorial proposal. 6 million stones placed at and then taken from the centre of London. Eben.
