The Rising

Westchester County September 11th Memorial
Kensico Dam Park, Westchester, New York

109 intertwining stainless steel strands rise 80 feet, reaching upward to the heavens to represent the 109 magnificent lives lost on September 11th, 2001. The strands emerge from a 60 foot diameter circle of 109 granite stones, each engraved with the name, date of birth and an inscription provided by each family.

The 2-inch stainless-steel rods are bound together (like DNA), exemplifying the strength of the Westchester community and the families who lost loved ones. The refl ective quality of the stainless steel will change with the light of day, lending a dynamic quality to the structure.

The Rising invites families and visitors to look back in memory of their loved ones and look forward as a community, and provides a place for prayer and refl ection. There will be moments when the memorial is full of life and activity, and times when it is empty. As the people of Westchester populate the interior and its surroundings, they become part of the memorial.

The design process was an exacting and intense collaborative effort of architects, engineers, metallurgists, computer technicians, welders, fabricators, government and family members all working to the common goal of honoring their neighbors and loved ones.

The Rising was unanimously selected by the Westchester Family Victims and Survivors group as winner of an international design competition. The memorial was dedicated on September 11th, 2006, attended by over 1,000 friends and family members.