Tótem de Unidad, CDR Studio’s conceptual design for a memorial to honor the victims of Hurricane Maria, has received a Design Merit Award from the Society of American Registered Architects - NY Council as part of its 2020 Design Awards Program. Designed as an inverse of the traditional obelisk...with carved terra cotta textures that pattern the interior up to an oculus-framed sky view...the structure was envisioned as a place for both quiet reflection and celebration of life.
One of the unforeseen results of Hurricane Maria has been a sense of unity created among disparate groups of Puerto Ricans—survivors, families of victims, individuals living in New York and across the world. Tótem de Unidad’s design is a tribute to that “oneness.” Inspired by an existing public art piece located in San Juan (created in 1992 by team member Jaime Suárez), Tótem de Unidad in New York forged both a physical and spiritual connection between the two cities. Designed to be crafted with Puerto Rican clay tiles, Tótem de Unidad is essentially born from the native soil. The Tótem de Unidad team further embraced the spirit of the competition (created by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo) by bringing together individuals with ties to both New York City and Puerto Rico. Design was led by NYC-based CDR Studio Architects in conjunction with Mr. Suárez, a Puerto Rican native who studied art and architecture in Washington, DC, and New York City. The team was rounded out with the assistance of Scott Hughes, PE—a principal with Silman, one of the country’s preeminent structural engineering firms—and Sandra Garcia-Betancourt—a Puerto Rican born writer who has been actively involved in New York City cultural arts programs for more than 20 years.
