International Union of Elevator Constructors (IUEC)

Annapolis Landscape Architects (ALA), working with Charles P. Johnson and Associates (CPJ), led the design and construction phases of The International Union of Elevator Constructors (IUEC) Member Memorial Garden. Construction of the memorial was completed in the fall of 2019 at the IUEC headquarters in Columbia, Maryland. The memorial honors over 300 IUEC members who lost their lives in elevator construction related accidents. The IUEC is over 25,000 members strong as of 2020.

Three garden rooms are set within the memorial providing distinct settings for memorial walls which memorialize each person lost. Situated in these garden rooms are five life-sized bronze sculptures by Brodin Studio, which is located in Minnesota. The sculptures are situated in the spaces to interpret both the loss of life of elevator constructors and the impact on their families. Two sculptures of children accentuate the impact on the community when lives are lost. Together the five bronze figures are the focus of the garden creating a sanctuary of reflection for mourners.

ALA considered views from the building into the memorial garden rooms and the sequence of spaces experienced by visitors. The main entry feature is reminiscent of an elevator cab with elevator floor selection buttons engraved on the custom granite piers capped with gas lanterns which flame on a 24/7 basis. These extraordinary piers frame the garden rooms leading visitor through the garden, enhancing the meditative qualities and experience for the visitor.

ALA carefully selected materials to craft the memorial garden. The Mesabi Black Granite walls, piers, and accent paving were supplied by Coldspring, fabricated in Cold Spring, Minnesota. The black granite is complemented by the slate grey modernist precast concrete twist and custom benches by QCP, shipped from California, providing a symbolic gesture alluding to the impact of loss of life. Donor inscribed clay brick pavers supplied by Whitacre Greer are set in an intricately laid out paving pattern. The ornamental iron is designed to reference the scissor elevator cab enclosure doors which were traditionally used around the world and were custom fabricated by G. Krug & Son Ironworks. Krug is an historic iron works located in Baltimore, Maryland founded in 1810 and is recognized as the oldest continuously operating blacksmith shop in the United States.

IUEC Memorial Dedication Video:  youtu.be/EwkvDDjTwh4