Colbert, Z. (2020) “Architecture and the Public Realm: Merchandising a Mass Shooting.” Pidgin 27, 118-131. Princeton: Princeton University School of Architecture.

https://www.pidgin.press/issues/p/27

Excerpt:

“If there is a truly appropriate architectural response to immense human suffering, it has yet to be discovered. And if architecture can serve to mediate conflicts between public and private interests, it is unlikely to be through building alone; rather, it might help stakeholders visualize and deeply consider the consequences of how they balance purpose and profit. The interim Pulse memorial—currently located on the Pulse site and owned and managed by the onePULSE Foundation—illustrates how the permanent memorial and museum might eventually strike its own balance between these aims. Since shortly after the shooting, the Pulse nightclub grounds have hosted a memorial that is, at times, visited by hundreds of people per day. Visitors come to grieve, to show support, to satisfy their curiosity, and some, it seems, to buy t-shirts. Behind the former nightclub, away from the street, a kiosk has been set up to sell merchandise also available on the onePULSE Foundation’s website. Apparel, tote bags, pins, and yard signs, all adorned with electric rainbow text proclaiming “We will not let hate win” beside the Pulse logo, are sold to commemorate visits and support the foundation. Much like Walt Disney World, a blend of nostalgia and amnesia shapes a simple, easily consumable narrative. If hate is bad, then love is good; if you agree, buy something. Near the memorial’s entrance, an enumerated list of rules of conduct clarifies the onePULSE Foundation staff’s authority to remove individuals from the premises for any reason. After all, it is private property in the United States of America. If this is any indication, the conflicts between public and private interests in the project are likely to be significant.”