Below is information on the three final Feb. 13 memorial proposals, including a description, site plans and images, all provided by the artists. Also included is a link to a video presentation the artists’ provided to the Feb. 13 Permanent Memorial Planning Committee.
Through March 31, members of the campus community can review the proposals and leave feedback via a survey.
More information on the memorial planning process can be found here.
For a video presentation about this proposal, please click here.
The following narrative was provided by the artist:
This proposal honors the victims of the February 13, 2023 tragedy at Michigan State University campus and provides a place of reflection and memorial for the wider campus community. The project builds off an existing water feature located in the Old Horticultural Garden, repurposing the existing infrastructure and reimagining the space as a new permanent monument while simultaneously creating a communal space that fosters healing, honors, and respects the process of grieving and remembrance.
Walking along a linear path through an allee of crabapple trees, the memorial is hidden behind a mound of planting. As one approaches from the path, a clearing through the mound reveals a circular path framed with benches encircling an inner pond.
The heart of the design is a round, reflective pond clad in black, roughly-cut granite stone. The darkness of the black basin creates a reflective effect, mirroring the surrounding campus in its waters. The carefully chosen stone has flecks of sparkling aggregate that reflect shimmers of light, providing visual interest even when the pond is dry. The water feature is warmed slightly above freezing, allowing it to run year-round in the cold winter climate, distinguishing it as something special and unique on campus. Tranquil reflections and soothing sounds from the water create a serene, delicate, and calm environment for visitors.
Contrasting the black reflective pond is a border of smooth, polished white marble with a rough inner rim edge. The subtle elegance of the white border creates a formal yet calming atmosphere, contrasting and enhancing the darkness of the pool. A simple, circular path surrounds the water feature and is embedded with three polished pediment stones symbolizing the victims lost. The pediments offer a repository for placing flowers and other mementos for those grieving. Framing the path, three polished marble benches offer a place for people to sit, collect their thoughts, and gather for mourning.
Three gently sloping mounds embrace the memorial, giving it a sense of intimacy, tranquility, and isolation from the surrounding campus. A plant palette of uncut grasses, shrubs, and seasonal perennial flowers creates texture and complexity, distinguishing the site from the manicured lawns surrounding it. Spontaneous patches of highly ornamental white flowers bloom throughout spring, summer, and fall, providing a seasonally changing landscape of floral offerings for people to pluck and place on the memorial. As winter comes and plants lose their leaves, the memorial retains visual interest with textured, colorful plantings that retain winter interest until early spring bulbs emerge from the mounds in tandem with the anniversary of the tragedy. Through these early blooms, cutting through dead winter chaff, we are reminded of hope, healing, and the cyclical nature of memory.
Artist biography
Carlos Portillo
Carlos is a Mexican-born, multidisciplinary designer whose interests are rooted in urban design, architecture, and landscape architecture. He holds a Bachelor of Architecture Studies from Carleton University and a Master of Landscape Architecture from the University of Toronto. In 2023, Carlos's large-scale public art installation, "The Gateway," was selected from a nationwide public art competition to create a temporary winter installation for The Bentway Conservancy.
Carlos's artistic practice has been influenced by his background in architecture and landscape architecture. As such, he is interested in creating artworks or installations that are site-specific and that are able to shape, change, and enhance the settings in which they are located.
As a first-generation immigrant, he believes in representation by engaging diverse voices in the design process and crafting environments that reflect and celebrate the rich variety of the communities they serve.
Jessica Guinto
Jessica is a landscape designer based in New York City. She holds a Master of Landscape Architecture degree from the University of Toronto.
As a designer, Jessica is dedicated to creating accessible spaces by incorporating universal design principles that ensure inclusivity for individuals of all abilities and backgrounds. Her landscape architecture work is focused on sustainability and fostering long-term resilience.
For a video presentation about this proposal, click here.
The following narrative was provided by the artist:
On February 13, 2023, Michigan State University (MSU) experienced a tragic event that left it forever changed. While we cannot understand the extent of the suffering, Circles of Memory will be a place where all can reflect, learn, and remember the lives of those students lost while pursuing healing in community and experience a positive outlook into the future.
Unlike a traditional monument, Circles of Memory will be an experiential memorial, integrating static elements that invite reflection with interactive features fostering engagement, every-day activities, dialogue, and connection across the community. Located within the serene landscape of Sleepy Hollow, Circles of Memory incorporates a new path and three distinct remembrance spaces, each centered around a tree. The new path serves as both a valuable connection and a natural interlude for MSU.
The memorial’s three spaces include: the Gathering Circle, the Meditative Circle, and the Social Circle. The Gathering Circle, a swooping amphitheater, invites the community to come together for ceremonies, performances, and shared remembrance. The Meditative Circle offers a quiet sanctuary for personal reflection. And the Social Circle fosters connection and conversation, allowing visitors to engage and share memories.
Each circle features a unique design, yet all share common elements. The circle's path, seating, and signage are finished with bronze metal to symbolize memory and concrete to establish the physical. At the center of each circle, a unique tree celebrates Alexandria, Arielle, and Brian with a plaque etched with their names and a tribute to the lives they lived.
Circles of Memory will serve as a gathering space for continuing their memory, a place of refuge for reflection, and a connector for those seeking comfort in community. The path that weaves them together leads toward a renewed and united MSU.
Artist biography
HWKN is an international architectural innovation firm based in New York City. Founded in 2008, the firm is led by Matthias Hollwich alongside partners Jessica Knobloch, Dorin Baul, Robert May, and Olga Snowden, with collaborating offices in Munich, Miami, Berlin, Riyadh, and London. Our work addresses today’s biggest challenges through future-forward thinking, while working on neighborhoods, buildings, and installations – mapping opportunities, establishing forward-looking typologies, and designing unforgettable buildings. Honored in Fast Company’s ranking of the world’s top 10 most innovative architects, the design team shapes the future for people, communities and investors alike.
For a video presentation about this proposal, please click here.
The following narrative was provided by the artist:
The proposed location for the February 13 Memorial is Sleepy Hollow, a site steeped in history and spirit.
Set within a clearing that will foster feelings of uplift, the memorial will be surrounded by beautiful mature trees that create a sheltered, serene setting evoking calm and serenity. The memorial design will allow people to feel welcomed, safe, and comfortable to reflect and contemplate about life and loss.
Taking advantage of the gentle topography on the northern side of Sleepy Hollow, a new accessible pathway to the memorial will connect to the existing east-west walkway. Existing mature trees will not be impacted by the memorial’s construction. Through the use of metaphors, simple forms, and enduring materials, the design seeks to evoke a combination of strength and vulnerability, spirituality and earthliness, as well as loss and renewal. The design is intended to work on a physical, tactile level as well an emotional and metaphorical one, carrying its message across time to future generations.
The memorial is composed of two elements: 1) Camp Circle — a public gathering space that fosters healing, reflecting, and community building. 2) Memory Windows — commemorative walls that honor the lives of the three MSU students who were killed.
Artist biography
Based in the Los Angeles area, James Dinh founded the design practice Studiofolia in 2014 with the simple mission of connecting people to memory and place through public art. Because the context and requirements of each project are different, Studiofolia’s design process is based on an approach rather than a replicable style. This focus on site-specificity is reflected in the diversity of built projects located in different communities across the country. Each project tells a story that is unique to its place. James has extensive experience with community engagement, design collaboration, and the nuances of commemoration.