ORLANDO, Fla. -- – Architects behind the design of a memorial for the Pulse Nightclub shooting said they want to add a walkway through the nightclub for people to walk through.
Designers from Coldefy and Associes presented an in-depth look at their vision for the nightclub site and for the museum on Wednesday night.
"How can we reclaim a place from terror and darkness and create a new reality?" asked Thomas Coldefy.
They said their designs for the $45 million project include a park-like setting around the existing nightclub on South Orange Ave., including 49 trees to represent the 49 lives lost on June 12, 2016.
Their plans called for using three elements: water, greenery and a palette of 49 colors.
They said plans also suggest cutting a section out of the nightclub and making a walkway.
"We had this idea to open it up because we felt like it was giving air to this building, which was in not a good state," said Julia Capp with Coldefy and Associes.
She said the walls inside the walk-through would be made of granite.
"They do not allow any viewing to the interior," she said. "Musical vibrations are softly present through the touch of your hand on the wall. "
“I was surprised at the cut through the building,” said Michael Slaymaker, who was one of the residents who attended Wednesday night’s presentation. “For the last few years, we’ve just been able to walk around outside. I think us being able to walk through the building is going to mean a lot more to us.”
The designers said they would bring the comments made by audience members back to their team to possibly integrate them into the designs.
Two more similar meetings are scheduled on March 28.
The team said they hope to have the Survivors Walk project completed first by 2021, the Pulse memorial by 2022 and the museum by 2023..
