Memorial Brumadinho, Brazil
Brumadinho Memorial is a space based on the ethical commitment of symbolic reparation for the 272 fatal victims of a dam collapse at Córrego do Feijão Mine occurred in 2019. 26 municipalities were affected, and 12 million cubic metres of mining waste mud were released to the environment.
It was born from the historic mobilisation of the victims’ families with the goal of embracing their grief and transforming the site of the tragedy into a space for reflection, learning and transformation. It was chosen by the families through a vote, selecting the winning proposal from among four others submitted.
It gives names and faces to the victims and tells their stories. It presents facts and figures about the day of the dam collapse and about the history of mining in the territory. It is located at the site of the dam collapse and houses the entrance pavilion, which includes a lobby with crystal geodes (symbol of the lost jewels), a meditation space, a café, administrative and support areas; a grove, pathways, outdoor social areas; a rift leading to a sculpture-monument; a reflecting pool/lake; two exhibition halls (Memory and Testimony), as well as a space dedicated to the dignified safekeeping of the victims’ remains.
Our task regarding the reality of the families’ pain placed us in a position of profound humility. The narrative belongs to those who can no longer speak and those left immersed in grief. There is no consolation that can materialise in these circumstances. This was, therefore, our modest effort to honour the memory of invaluable people whose lives and dreams were abruptly cut short.
Each solution was designed to connect the visitor to the impacts of what happened, through a symbolic and sensitive interpretation. It helps to guide the journey and the experience of the Memorial, highlighting planes, emphasising elements and symbols; determining zones of light and darkness, defining brightness levels and perceptible contrasts per space, according to what they represent and present; opting for a warmer light colour appearance for some impression of comfort and welcoming; striving not to distort the characteristics and colours of the architectural materials, without hiding imperfections.
Light and darkness were crafted to create an immersive, sensitive and respectful atmosphere. At the Memorial, architecture meets memory and is a territory of collective reflection. The electric lighting, in turn, conveys information, brilliance and presence, as it illuminates messages, symbols and architecture, honouring the victims’ memory. Darkness symbolises absence and invites for pause and introspection.
The lighting design is a tool to illuminate those who visit and are transformed by this experience. The project, while paying tribute, exposes what cannot be repaired, serving as a call and spark for reflection and necessary changes.
Brumadinho Memorial is a place to feel – an act of resistance against oblivion, so that brutal events like this, against humanity and the environment, never happen again.