Liberating the Voices of Disabled Veterans
Cloud Gehshan Associates
From the Revolutionary War to the present day, disabled American veterans have told powerful stories about their experiences. Now, the most appropriate quotations and illustrations form the emotionally moving interpretive framework for The American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial.
"We were brought on to the project team to develop the interpretive approach and help shape the content for the Memorial," said Jerome Cloud, principal in charge of design for Cloud Gehshan Associates in Philadelphia. "Our goal was to determine how best to tell the veterans' stories in a meaningful way."
Cloud said he and his team were inspired by The Price of Their Blood: Profiles in Spirit, by authors Jesse Bown and Daniel Paisner. "Our job was to bring the original idea to life and give form and meaning to the Memorial," he said.
The first step in the process involved researching disabled veterans' stories, a process conducted by History Associates of Rockville, MD. "Our goal was to identify the range and diversity of experiences of men and women of different ranks, across all service branches and military conflicts," he said. "While there were relatively few quotations from the Revolutionary War, the volume grew steadily from the Civil War to the present day."
Next, the team created a quotation matrix, similar to a spreadsheet, to categorize about 700 of the most moving stories and ensure a wide diversity of voices. "While every disabled veteran has a unique experience, we felt the best approach was to focus on four common stages of their journeys," Cloud said. To quote Rick Fenstermacher, Foundation Chief Operating Officer: "We wanted all disabled veterans to be able to see themselves reflected in the Memorial."
Therefore, the team looked for quotes about what inspired these soldiers to serve their country, about the trauma of injury, the challenge of healing, and the discovery of new purpose in veterans' lives. The final quotations were selected for their universal resonance and timelessness and could represent any war.
Through a multi-stage review process, the original selection of quotations was trimmed to the final group of 18. They will be etched onto the 48 glass panels alongside photographic images, and four bronze sculptured silhouettes created by Larry Kirkland. "We selected the Palatino typeface for the quotations because it strikes the right balance of classic proportion, readability and strength," Cloud said. "We used the classic and timeless Trajan capital letters for the large quotations etched into the front, forward surface."
The images and quotations embedded in the glass will be illuminated by the light passing through the bronze cutouts and lit up at night, animating and bringing the glass panels to life, said Cloud. "We wanted to create an interaction and a dialogue between all the elements. For example, one of the cutout silhouettes is an image of a soldier with a crutch, who appears to be standing in front of an image of Arlington Cemetery that is actually a projection from behind. The juxtaposition of images is a powerful and moving reminder of loss and sacrifice."
Cloud added that lead landscape architect Michael Vergason's decision to choose glass for the three interpretive walls of the Memorial was an inspired one. "Glass is a material of disclosure and transparency," he said. "It liberates and illuminates the imagery and veterans' voices in a way that carving them into stone would not have done."
Cloud's firm also designed the type treatment for the Memorial name, including the V-cut quotations from George Washington and Dwight Eisenhower to be carved into the granite walls that flank one edge of the site. "We have worked on a number of history, memorial and donor recognition projects," Cloud said. "Yet there is nothing in our experience that has been as deeply moving and as rewarding as working on this Memorial over these last several years."
Preparing the Etched Glass Panels
Savoy Studios
One of the most challenging aspects of The American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial is preparing the 48 laminated glass panels that will display the soldiers' stories. The quotations and photographs are being etched into oversize panels, which will form three walls at the site.
"It is a privilege for us to work with this extraordinary design concept," says Dan Legree, owner, Savoy Studios in Portland, Oregon. A world leader in glass design and fabrication, Savoy Studios is managing the complex panel fabrication process. "Producing the panels involves a number of different steps. Some need to be done by hand, while others require the precision of a computer-controlled robot. That's why it takes a week or two to fabricate each panel."
Drawing on more than 40 years of experience, Savoy Studios began work on the panels this summer. Legree's son Keir is project manager and son Dana is cutting the panels, which have five layers of glass, are four inches thick and weigh approximately 1,700 pounds each.
"Having five sheets of glass is important to give each panel the proper scale," says Keir Legree. "It's also well-engineered for wind resistance. Each panel has to be able to withstand hurricane-force winds without bending, breaking or leaning. Most importantly, the large panels provide a suitable monumental artistic effect for the memorial."
Pittsburgh-based PPG Industries provided the sheets of 3/4 inch-thick Starphire® glass, which is also used in the Apache helicopter, B-2 bomber and a new mine-resistant personnel vehicle. Now, the Savoy Studios' team is laminating those sheets after etching the quotations and illustrations on the inside and outside faces of the glass panels.
First, the team completes the etchings that will be inside the panel and apply a chemical to be sure the words and artwork will be visible after lamination. Several of the panels have exterior etchings that require protection from fingerprints, scratches or other damage. "Ensuring the readability of the etchings was one of the biggest challenges for this unique project," says Keir Legree.
The next step is laminating the five separate sheets of glass to create an entire panel. With this process – which is done by hand – a liquid polymer called GlassLam is poured between the separate sheets of glass to fill in the empty spaces left by the etching. Then, the chemical hardens into a solid, unbreakable bond.
Once the lamination has been completed, Dana Legree uses a computer-controlled waterjet to trim each panel to its finished 48- x 106-inch size. That requires a careful placement of each panel into a holding device to ensure that the edges are precisely aligned vertically and horizontally. After the trimming is completed, the edges of the glass panels are rounded and polished to ensure a smooth finish that visitors can easily touch.
"Contributing to The American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial is quite an honor," says Legree, noting that his father, Thomas Henry Legree, served with the Navy in the Pacific during World War II. "Our soldiers are still serving, still fighting and still getting wounded. Having a place to go that recognizes their commitment and sacrifice is a very meaningful thing. This memorial has been needed for a long time and we feel privileged to be part of it."
