A Very Special Place
This was one of the coolest architectural sites I've visited in a good while: The Angel Fire's Vietnam Veterans Memorial. This place actually held a special place in my heart, because my aunt and uncle actually purchased a named brick to honor my Grandfather and his service during the Korean War.
A Fascinating Story
A little history of the memorial, it was designed by Victor "Doc" Westphall, and he was aided by Santa Fe architect Ted Luna to finalize the design. Doc and his wife Jeanne intended the memorial to be in remembrance of their son David and his team, who all perished in the Vietnam War. They broke ground in 1968, and the chapel was completed and dedicated in 1971.
This memorial was actually one of the first memorials for Veteran's of the war, since there was so much negative public view towards the war and the soldiers. To this day, there is still a negative viewpoint towards the war, but it has mostly shifted away from the soldiers, who had no say so in the matter, and more towards those who made the decisions of participating in the war.
The Architecture
The design itself is truly fascinating, because it is very sculptural in nature. The way the chapel feels like it was injected into the land instead of being placed on it gives it a more interesting design, in that it almost feels like it is part of the site, not an object that was placed there.
The curvilinear pathways around the sites to me felt like I was on a journey, like I am making my way through life, which eventually comes to my destination. The named bricks are like the people that you meet throughout life, each representing a milestone in your life journey.
The Chapel
The chapel has a long, narrow window that brings in natural light to the chapel to give it a soft, intimate environment. Since every part of the design is curved and smooth, it feels more organic and natural, while it leads you to your destination without any visual interruptions.
Something Personal
To this day, the memorial is a beautiful landmark nestled in the hillside, with long winding paths around the chapel. The amphitheater, which was added later, is hidden from view from viewers and passerby's. This creates a special space that gives mourners and visitors an area for private reflection. On the outer edge of the Memorial is a pathway that walks in front of the chapel and back around to the other side. All along this pathway, there are bricks engraved with veteran's names from all branches of service. What makes this special to me, is that my family donated to the Memorial, and had my Grandfather's name engraved on a brick out there. We stopped over by it, and I finally got to see it myself.
In Summary
I loved getting to visit this place, it is such a beautiful landmark, and I would love to go back and really get into it more and photograph more of it. Maybe someday. Anyway, if you haven't been to the Angel Fire area, I would highly, highly recommend going. Shoot, if you have been to Angel Fire, and have not visited this place, go visit it. Places like that deserve more visitors, and it is such a beautifully designed location, you can truly appreciate it whether you're an artist, an architect, a photographer, or a layperson.
