Allen University Project Profile

Project Goal

The primary goal of this project is to create a lasting monument that commemorates the victims of the Emanuel AME Church shooting in 2015, fostering healing and unity while preserving their memory for future generations.

Product Specs:

Dimensions: 12' 9" x 21' 4"
Construction Material: 4 x 4 Aluminum Tubes
Features: Nine sets of welded halo-illuminated channel letters mounted on metal backers with standoffs.
Lighting: LED's Bitro Optics Pro Plus 6500k with Meanwell Power supplies.
Installation: Wire raceway and offset plate to capture reverse channel lighting.
Finish: Powder-coated Silver RAL9006.

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Paying Tribute

The Allen University Memorial Signage project is a poignant and heartfelt tribute, created to honor the nine individuals whose lives were tragically taken in the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal (AME) church shooting of 2015. This devastating incident, which occurred in Charleston, South Carolina, was a racially motivated attack on a historic black church, sending shockwaves throughout the nation. The impact of this tragic event reached deeply into the Allen University community, as it claimed the lives of three of its alumni. Their loss weighed heavily on the hearts of the university, emphasizing the need to commemorate the lives that were cut short. CityScapes worked closely with the architect to immortalize the names of the victims, paying a heartfelt tribute to their memory.

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Our Approach

CityScapes collaborated with GMK Architects to undertake the solemn responsibility of immortalizing the names of the victims through this memorial. This project was borne out of a shared commitment to healing. We hope it serves as a powerful symbol of remembrance and a testament to the strength of unity in the face of adversity. The project began with only a loose concept. CityScapes worked to design and engineer the product, ensuring it met the architect's vision. The uniqueness of the project lay in the client's concept, which involved utilizing halo letters. Halo letters require a backplate to capture light and create a silhouette of the letters. Due to the project being installed over a glass backdrop, CityScapes designed a cloud backplate to achieve the desired silhouette effect.

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The Memorial

This memorial transcends its physical form. It is a place of reflection, a point of solace, and a space for the community to come together to both mourn and heal. The signage stands as a reminder of the resilience and solidarity that emerge in the aftermath of adversity. The Allen University Memorial Signage project exemplifies the profound impact that design, innovation, and collaboration can have when dedicated to a purpose as important as a remembrance. Our hope is that it will serve as a symbol of healing for the community and a heartfelt tribute to the lives that were taken too soon.