9/11 UK Design Project Featured on KET
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 30, 2011) − A recent episode of "Kentucky Life" on Kentucky Educational Television (KET) features a design project from University of Kentucky College of Design. The program highlights the work a small group from the college did creating a base for a 9/11 memorial. The program, hosted by Dave Shuffett, aired Nov. 18 and 19 on KET and KET2, but can still be seen online at www.ket.org/cgi-bin/cheetah/watch_video.pl?nola=KKYLI_001708&altdir=&template.
UK College of Design became involved in the 9/11 memorial project through a partnership with St. Elizabeth Healthcare in Northern Kentucky. St. Elizabeth Healthcare received a steel I-beam recovered from the World Trade Center towers following the tragedy and wanted to create the St. Elizabeth Healthcare World Trade Center Memorial, which would be housed at St. Elizabeth Healthcare Hospice.
The design of the memorial's concrete base was chosen through the "World Trade Center Steel Student Design Competition" presented by alumna Catherine Smith at the college during the spring 2011 semester. The winning design had to include a concrete base, be transportable, and have a place for a plaque and a flag. Senior architecture student Michael Payton May's design was chosen for the I-beam's base of the memorial.
Graduate architecture student Michael Mead, of Binghamton, N.Y., and architecture junior Ben Ward, of Lexington, under the direction of instructor, Rives Rash, took over the monument project over the summer. Upon delivery of the I-beam, the group realized they needed to make alterations to the competition design due to the condition in which the beam arrived.
Over three months, the updated base design was created in digital software, fabricated and finished during a sanding and sealing process before coming together with the beam. The final design of the base itself is twisted to match the way the beam was bent in the terrorist attack on the towers.
The St. Elizabeth World Trade Center Memorial was unveiled at 10th anniversary ceremonies of the 9/11 tragedy at St. Mary’s Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption, in Covington, Ky. The Most Reverend Roger J. Foys formally blessed the memorial as part of the day's events.
"Kentucky Life" is a magazine program featuring profiles of people, places and ideas. The program is KET’s most watched local production.
MEDIA CONTACT: Whitney Hale, (859) 257-1754 ext. 229, Whitney.Hale@uky.edu