Posted by  Jan Orfe on October 14, 2003 at 11:34:59:

In Reply to:  Re: HELLO! Anybody out there? posted by another competitor on October 13, 2003 at 21:39:28:

I LIKE the way you think. It's almost something we see in the movies; for
example, I recall a Steven Seagal flik
(?)"Out for Justice", where he is left for dead by the bad guys, but recovers
at hospital. And in order to TRAP the
bad guys, Seagal's boss lets the NEWS
LEAK out that Seagal indeed died. And
naturally, the bad guys relax, THEY start shooting off their mouths, the cops move
in and make their pinch. Easy as 1-2-3.
(I invite you to read a few of my other
posts at this site, especially the one
about the LMDC "plant", i.e., fake person
among our midst?) I was merely jesting.
But hey, you never know.

You mentioned simple vs. complicated?
I came across an actual design fully
illustrated on another web site -it even
had the entrant's registration number,
every design element clearly visible.
It wasn't so much complex as it was
over-simplified, which made it appear
cluttered in a strange sort of way:

At the center of the pit was a 200'
high, six-sided structure, almost an acre in size. You needed a special ATM-like
card to enter and access elevators. A retinal scanner was also necessary. Lots of hi-tech security devices to insure
privacy. A wide path led to the entrance.
What caused me to do a double take was
the purpose of this huge structure -it
housed the unidentified victim remains.
As a general rule, when you place an object in the center of your design, you are making it your primary focus. Some of the text was difficult to read, so I'm
going to assume recognition of all the
victims occurs on the six-sided outside
walls? Let me just say that the shear size and location of this structure made
the pit seem smaller than it already is.
Frankly, I thought it suffocated the site
and the geometry agitated, more than
soothed the senses. Could have been a circular shape, and I might have liked it
better.

Anyway, his treatment of the footprints
was beyond my imagination. Picture two
vast pools of water surrounded by trees
and connected via a moat of some kind,
and a foot bridge directly outside the
Sept 11 Place exit to the pit. I believe
he had two separate waterfalls feeding
into the footprints. Lots of water here.
And empty spaces of concrete ground.
I didn't see very many places for quiet
reflection and contemplation. Just this huge thing in the middle of nowhere. Of
minor visual interest. Yet, I'm going to also assume this person addressed the other rquired Program Elements, I really
don't know what else to add. His layout
was certainly simple, but it looked very
complicated as a doable design.

I hope I haven't jeopardized this person's chances of becoming a finalist.
On the other hand, my armchair comments
hardly matter at this point in the game.
He might very well end up the winner when all is said and done, and man, won't I feel foolish!
Orfe

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