TimeOut

PuristSPro.com TimeOut forum INTERVIEW: Mr. James Ply - Beverly Hills 9/11 Memorial Garden

 

On September 11, 2001 the United States suffered the worst attack in history on American soil.  10 years later and in spite of the tragic events our great Nation perseveres and continues to rebuild.  Locally, I discovered that a community was involved with creating a project in remembrance to the nearly 3,000 lives that were lost.  PuristSPro was fortunate in having the opportunity to speak with the designer Mr. James Ply who provided insights on the concepts to the Memorial Garden.  It was fascinating hearing from Mr. Ply about the planning, dedication, challenges, and goals of the project as we toured the site.  From concept to reality, the Beverly Hills 9/11 Memorial Garden honors the events of 9/11 in a profound perspective.




PPro:  PuristSPro
JP:      Mr. James 'Jim' Ply

PPro:  How did the Beverly Hills 9/11 Memorial project begin?

JP:  It’s really quite interesting how this all came about.  Beverly Hills Fire Chief Tim Scranton acquired a 30 foot floor beam from one of the World Trade Towers from the New York Port Authority.  Chief Scranton felt displaying an artifact on the grounds of the Fire Department Headquarters would be a fitting tribute to honor and remember everyone that was affected by 9/11.  The Chief was offered his choice of several pieces from which he selected the artifact and that has now become the centerpiece of this memorial.

I was initially approached by a 9/11 committee member, Beverly Hills Fire Captain Joe Matsch,  who knew I was a owner of my landscaping design and lighting company.  He explained the acquisition of the artifact and the committee's desire to construct a memorial on Fire Department property at the corner of Rexford Drive and Burton Way.  Captain Matsch asked if I would be interested in giving them some ideas on how to display the piece and of course I said Absolutely!

In the early stages of the project there was some thoughts as to creating a simple memorial constructed by 'off-duty' Beverly Hills and Police Department personnel.  By this point the Beverly Hills Rotary Club came forward and generously raised funds to cover the shipment of the beam from New York to Beverly Hills.  Rotarians also started generating funds from their membership to assist with the construction of the project.

PPro:  Can you speak about the design elements?

JP:  Our goal from the start of the design was to find balance, harmony, flow, and most importantly be respectful of the events of 9/11.  Even though the artifact acquired by Chief Scranton came from the Twin Towers, I felt it important to incorporate all three locations that were impacted that day…. the Twin Towers, the Pentagon, and the Shanksville, Pennsylvania aspect.

 

More than most, this design has been an evolution.  Initially starting out with one simple concept, that being ‘from what was once the Twin Towers', and now a twisted Floor Beam’ and everything it represents.  Community interest and the influx of private contribution kept pushing the design allowing the selection of more expensive materials resulting in a memorial befitting the City of Beverly Hills.

The first time that I had the opportunity to view the impressive nature of the beam, I knew this was going to be something special.  The beam has been folded nearly in half and roughly mimics the shape of the ‘Breast Cancer Ribbon’, still leaving it nearly 18 feet tall. By placing the beam in a vertical position you are instantly made aware of its size and strength.  These floor beams are rated to carry loads of approximately 60,000 lbs.  Seeing it torn, twisted, and deformed allows you to experience the forces necessary to cause that type of destruction. 

Several engineering challenges had to be overcome in order to present the beam in the manner it is displayed.  A single support post was the desired point of connection for this piece as other structural supports would take away the power of the piece. The beam is obviously the focal point of the memorial.  There is a pentagonal raised planter surrounding the beam where the names of the 2.977 who lost their lives that day are chemically etched in PVD stainless steel plaques. 

The Twin Towers were constructed to stand behind the beam and outside the plaza surrounding the pentagonal planter.  These Towers are 75% of the height of the beam and roughly proportional to the towers themselves.  The Towers are veneered with a flamed waved basalt stone.  A stand of 25 foot Bottle trees planted along the back of the memorial allowed the large 3 story wall to disappear and concentrate focus on the elements within the design.  The palette of materials selected for the project are medium and dark grey granites with a black granite used for accents.  Six basalt column water features are included in the space to ass a sence of motion and life.  As I wanted to bring a sense of calm to the space and also add life to it, we would be missing something if we didn’t add it.  Water is life and the ripples in it represent rebuilding, hope, and the future.

 

Lighting of the memorial was a unique challenge due to the materials involved.  The rusted beam requires the correct type of lighting in order to bring out its natural colors. Halogen lamps were used on all of the large elements, L.E.D lighting for the accents.  The addition of lighting in this manner transforms the space at night and gives the memorial a completely different perspective.

 

PPro:  Did any artist, designer, or engineer provide input or constructive criticism to the project?

JP:  Yes, there are several key people who have been influential in the design and completion of this project, Mr. Gidas Peteris, Ms. Aida Madi, and Reggie Sully.

Rotarian Gidas Peteris is a principal of his own architectural design firm.  Gidas generously donated his time and professional services that have allowed the design to be built.  His insights and attention to fine detail is exceptional. 

Ms. Aida Madi of Aida Designs, is an amazingly talented interior designer who has contributed professionally as well as financially.  It is through her that Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert Chagoury generously donated the lion's share of funds for the project.  Without them, this project would not have been completed with the detail that is present. 

Mr. Reggie Sully of McCoy Construction has been the Project Manager and has worked tirelessly throughout this process.  Working with everyone has been an immense pleasure and honor.  There are so many others that have made this memorial possible, there just isn't enough time to thank everyone here.

PPro:  When did you break ground on the Memorial project?

JP:  We broke ground mid-April with construction starting a few weeks later.  The planning behind the scenes has been in the works for almost two years.

PPro:  Is this Memorial project privately funded?

JP:   Yes, no city funds going towards this project.  We received a tremendous amount of support from the community, Beverly Hills Fire and Police Department Associations, 'in kind' donors, contractors, and manufactures that donate their time, expertise, materials, and products for this Memorial.

PPro:  So the community came together for this project?

JP:  Absolutely!  And not just the local community though,'in kind' donorships extends far beyond the city limits of Beverly Hills. This was a national event. This Memorial Garden, like all 9/11 Memorials, are extremely important as they stand as reminders to local citizens of the events that transpired that day.

A noted committee member is Brad Burlingame.  His brother Charles ‘Chick’ Burlingame was the pilot of Flight 77 that flew into the Pentagon.  With Brad’s input and involvement, it has been phenomenal.   He’s been a great inspiration for us and will be the keynote speaker during the unveiling this Sunday Sept. 11^th.  One of the items that Brad got back from his brother was a card from their Mother’s funeral.  This was a card from their mother’s funeral that Chuck kept in his wallet every day.  Somehow the card was survived from the devastating attack on the Pentagon.  Brad is now in possession of that card, truly an incredible story.

 

PPro:  The benches have a wonderful shape, can you tell me about the materials used and how it was designed?

JP:  The benches are 6 inch thick, curved granite benches designed by Gidas Peteris.  It’s a tremendous amount of material and each bench weighs about 4,000 pounds.  The separate backing piece that creates a back rest is curved to match the contours of the lower bench.  There’s fine details with it and unique design elements to it.  These benches are a big part of the project, It’s a substantial piece when you walk into the plaza.  We felt it was important to get that right and for the it to ground everything.  The heaviness of the benches really help ground the piece.   We knew we wanted something heavy but we didn’t know what the final shape of it was until we went through several designs and decided on what you see.

We have over 100 tons of concrete in the site project.  The engineering that has gone into the Memorial Garden Project is exceptional.  We’ve built it to last over 100 years.  We didn’t want it to have any problem so everything has been over designed.

PPro:  What’s your experience in regards to landscape and lighting design?  And your connection with the City of Beverly Hills?

JP:  I started in the area of landscape in 1984, 27 years ago. I like to be creative and enjoy staying busy.  I started my business, Oak Crest Landscape, from the ground up.  For the first several years I completed all of the design and installations myself.  This, along with going back to college to study landscape design and botanicals, providing a solid foundation for the types of projects I am involved with.  My work has always been design/build encompassing all aspects of exterior improvements.  Other than completing maintenance on our lighting systems, we have never entered the arena of lawn of garden maintenance.  The focus of the business for the past 10 to 12 years has been in the specialty field of 'Landscape Lighting', which today represents about 50% of our work.  Landscape lighting is, in my estimation, the most underestimated design component of a home.  I am a certified Exterior Lighting Designer and have studied with so many of the top professionals in the field of exterior lighting, like Janet Lennnox Moyer of Jan Moyer Design out of Albany, New York.

My career in Law Enforcement spans over 30 years, with the past 23 with the City of Beverly Hills.   I have been fortunate in working patrol, bicycle patrol, K-9, and SWAT.  Serving the community of Beverly Hills is an interesting dynamic.  It’s always been a professional organization and a wonderful group of people.  I’m glad to have the opportunity and honor to serve that community, it’s been an amazing ride.  

 

PPro: How will the Memorial Garden be maintained for future generations?

JP:  The 9/11 Memorial Committee has formed a 501(c)3 foundation for maintaining the Memorial Garden.  Special care will be necessary for the artifact to ensure its longevity for future generations.  The group is called the 'Friends of the Beverly Hills 9/11 Memorial Garden'.  Donations would be greatly appreciated to assist in keeping this memorial in the condition expected, considering its historical importance.  More info about the project can be learned at www.beverlyhills911memorial.org

PPro:  I noticed a lot of people passing by peering through the fence to observe the project, have you spoken with them? 

JP:  People are constantly peering through the fence attempting to catch a glimpse of the final design.  Many have stated their passionate appreciation for the efforts of everyone that has been part of this project.  Many have even been moved to tears as they view the twisted and torn beam and reflect on the events that took place 10 years a go.  They have shared their personal stories of friends and/or relatives and how they were impacted, some are quite emotional.

PPro:  So overall with the completion of the Memorial, how satisfied are you with the project?

JP:  It has been an uplifting and unbelievable experience.  Chief Scranton's wide vision, guidance, and positive attitude was incredible inspiration and driving force behind the success of this project.  Without him, this project would not have achieved the exceptional level of detail and finish you see before you.  Community support and the hard work from everyone on the team has allowed this project to come to fruition.  It is amazing to think about the project evolution involved here.  From the simple acquisition of a World Trade Center artifact, Memorial concept and design, a ground swell of community support, hard work from those responsible for the planning and construction culminating with the completion of a beautiful space with historic significance.  This memorial will serve the City of Beverly Hills and those who visit this space for decades.  This is a fantastic example of what you can accomplish if you maintain a 'Never say No' attitude.

Our goal from the start of the design was to find balance, harmony, flow, and most importantly be respectful of the events of 9/11.  Hopefully when people visit the site and see the Memorial, we’ve achieved our goals.

 

PPro: Anything else we should know about the Memorial?

JP:  Once again, the goal was to Honor, Respect, and Remember the events that occurred on that day.  Everyone is invited to the unveiling this Sunday on September 11^th which begins at 4pm so I look forward in seeing you all there!  ( timeout.watchprosite.com )

PPro:  From what you have done, I'm sure that you've exceed your goals and have done an amazing job with a tribute in the form of the Memorial Garden.  Thank you for your time Jim!

JP:  It’s been my pleasure! 

-MW

This message has been edited by DRMW on 2011-09-10 01:18:20 This message has been edited by DRMW on 2011-09-10 22:05:53 This message has been edited by DRMW on 2011-09-12 12:51:56 This message has been edited by DRMW on 2011-09-18 00:15:54

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