The events of September 11, 2001 began in Boston, where the terrorists boarded their planes. Now, seven years later, a new memorial at Boston鈥檚 Logan International Airport hopes to provide a place for peaceful reflection and remembrance. Local glass fabricator Viracon supplied the glass for the memorials鈥� unique glass and steel structure.
鈥淲e are honored to be a part of this memorial,鈥� says Brad Austin, senior vice president at Viracon. 鈥淚n working not only on this, but on the Freedom Tower, Seven World Trade Center and the Pentagon, we are proud to be a part of the rebuilding and remembrance efforts.鈥�
Designed as The Place of Remembrance by Moskow Linn Architects, the memorial sits on a 2.5-acre site near the airport. From the entry point of the site, visitors may follow one of two winding walkways that recall the flight paths of the airplanes. The paths pass through groves of ginko trees before arriving at a glass and steel structure.
With four glass walls and a prism-like glass roof, the structure appears open and bright during the day and glows against the Boston skyline at night. Inside are two 11ft glass panels. On the outward-facing side of each panel is the departure time of each airplane. The interior-facing sides are etched with the names of the passengers and crew on each flight.
As visitors look up, above the glass towers, the sky appears fractured by grey glass panels suspended from stainless steel cables. Viracon supplied the 9in by 16in tempered laminated glass for the project.
鈥淭he glass is composed of two-plies of clear glass bonded with a plastic interlayer,鈥� says Austin. 鈥淎 custom silkscreen pattern adds an additional dimension to the glass cube.鈥�
The memorial is visible from many points throughout the airport, as well as from the entrances and exits to some of the terminals, a quiet commemoration to the events and the people鈥檚 whose lives were forever impacted that day.
The Boston Logan International Airport 9/11 Memorial is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.