Designed by Mexico-based architecture studio Zeller & Moye, the Anfal Memorial is a silent but solid landmark amidst the mountainous desert of Kurdistan to commemorate the victims of the Kurdish genocide under Saddam Hussein known as Anfal.
The memorial is designed around an art piece of one thousand five hundred photographs portraying local survivors arranged along a one hundred and eighty meter diameter circular wall that defines the shape and size of the building. The absence inside the central void symbolises the devastating incident but likewise allows nature to grow a green oasis for visitors to use as a park. A variety of spaces for exhibitions, media archives and events are attached to the circular gallery. A perimeter wall made of local stones embraces all functions resulting in a softly curved silhouette that mimics the mountains of the horizon. Visitors can climb up to the roof to sight the mass grave cemetery in the distance and across the desert landscape.
image © Zeller & Moye
image © Zeller & Moye
image © Zeller & Moye
image © Zeller & Moye
Floor Plan
Roof Plan
Section A
Section B
South Elevation
East Elevation
