The Times publishes an article by Richard Morrison that commemorates the 72 victims of the fire that struck Grenfell Tower in London in 2017, mentioning the proposals by Stefano Boeri Architetti for its reconstruction.
In the context of the inquiry that, after seven years, attributed the cause to a series of key factors such as cost-cutting measures, incompetence, dishonest sales practices, and overly lax regulations, The Times reflects on the idea of a memorial and the possibilities for rebuilding the structure.
Richard Morrison ponders the concept of a memorial and the ethical considerations that such architecture must entail (citing the Holocaust Memorial as an example), while denouncing not only those responsible for the disaster but also the need to remember and acknowledge this tragedy for what it was.
Among the various proposals, the “vertical garden” of remembrance by Stefano Boeri Architetti is mentioned, along with an image of the design, which aims to restore dignity and life to the tower by covering it with plants and living nature—a way to be reborn from one of the worst building tragedies in recent years. The idea behind the project is to bring Grenfell Tower back to life with climbing plants, flowers, and other tree species along its 24 floors, with a dual objective: to preserve the memory of the victims, associating each one with a plant, and to remove the spectral presence of the building.
“This is not a ‘Vertical Forest,’ meaning residential structures. Instead, we are talking about a memorial that is also a symbol of life,” says Stefano Boeri.