The Architecture of the U.S. Holocaust Museum

Hermine Freed collaborates with James Ingo Freed to create a video essay/documentary that reflects upon memories of the holocaust during the design of a US memorial building. Hermine Freed provides video accompaniment that brings to life a lecture entitled The Architecture of the United States Holocaust Museum conducted by James Ingo Freed for the Architectural League at Rockefeller University, New York on November 11th 1993. A recording of the lecture is woven together with archive footage, interviews and imagery the building itself to offer a rich insight into the creative design of a challenging and significant memorial. Interviewees include Joseph Giovanini, Brendan Gill and Herbert Muschamp who reflect upon this work toward the museum. The video reveals some of the horrific architectural designs that were implemented during construction of Nazi concentration camps and demonstrates how this particular memorial building commemorates such atrocities. Challenges in design of the museum such as the restricted space, surrounding buildings, construction materials, experiential considerations and issues of style are discussed in depth. This work presents a comprehensive study of an accomplished architectural design delivered in a personal and detailed manner which is illustrated here in video form.