168 Empty Chairs
For the architects of the Oklahoma City National Memorial there is a sense of pride knowing their dream is now helping to heal a nation.
But they also cannot ignore the sadness they've symbolized in the memorial with 168 empty chairs, one for each victim who died in the bombing. CBS News Anchor Dan Rather reports.
For two relatively unknown architects, Hans and Torrey Butzer, it is a day of somber celebration.
"There is a tremendous amount of pride," says Hans, "It is pretty overwhelming."
"It is both scary and it is a wonderful thing, mixed in with this whole thing is this bittersweet reality of why we had to build it," says Torrey.
The dedication of the Murrah Building memorial marks the debut of the husband and wife team's first large-scale architectural design.
"There is 168 empty chairs, one for each victim who died in the bombing," explains Torrey.
She adds, "The chair is a familiar element to most of us. We felt like it was a way to easily sense someone's absence."
Five years ago, the couple was working for a firm in Germany when the blast occurred. Torrey, an Oklahoma native, wanted to somehow help heal the pain.
"We see people in need of something. They suffered something very terrible and needed something to help them through it and we thought maybe we could help them find it," says Torrey.
Not only did the Butzers architectural plan win over the judges, their compassion for the community did too.
"All told there were 624 entries from all 50 states and 22 or 23 foreign countries," says Hans.
"It is a big task because you are trying to help a lot of people or provide a source of comfort for a lot of people and the hope is that it works for as many as possible," says Torrey.
Now, two years after the ground was broke, their vision is on display for the world to see.
Every inch of the 3.3-acre site where the Murrah Building once stood is now a tribute to those fallen and to those who survived.
"This is the survivor tree," explains Hans. "This, together with the Journal building, is really the resilience of the community, surviving the blast when the cars around it did not."
The glass, bronze and granite structure will have different meaning to different people.
Hans says he and many hope that the memorial "somehow becomes this active player in our country, in our nation, as a way of kind reminding us that we can't let this happen again."
For the Butzers there is a sense of pride knowing their dream is now helping to heal a nation.
Part of the American dream for me is to make a difference, says Torrey. "This project feels like it has given us the opportunity to do that for some people so that was a great thing."
And the Butzer's are about to realize another dream. In just a few weeks, they will become parents for the first time.
For more information on he Oklahoma City National Memorial:
Email:
okcmem@ionet.net
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 323 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73101
Street Address:
Oklahoma City National Memorial
Foundation Leadership Square
211 N. Robinson Ave., Suite #150
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73101
Telephone:
1-888-542-HOPE
Copyright 2009 CBS. All rights reserved. But they also cannot ignore the sadness they've symbolized in the memorial with 168 empty chairs, one for each victim who died in the bombing. CBS News Anchor Dan Rather reports.
For two relatively unknown architects, Hans and Torrey Butzer, it is a day of somber celebration.
"There is a tremendous amount of pride," says Hans, "It is pretty overwhelming."
"It is both scary and it is a wonderful thing, mixed in with this whole thing is this bittersweet reality of why we had to build it," says Torrey.
The dedication of the Murrah Building memorial marks the debut of the husband and wife team's first large-scale architectural design.
"There is 168 empty chairs, one for each victim who died in the bombing," explains Torrey.
She adds, "The chair is a familiar element to most of us. We felt like it was a way to easily sense someone's absence."
Five years ago, the couple was working for a firm in Germany when the blast occurred. Torrey, an Oklahoma native, wanted to somehow help heal the pain.
"We see people in need of something. They suffered something very terrible and needed something to help them through it and we thought maybe we could help them find it," says Torrey.
Not only did the Butzers architectural plan win over the judges, their compassion for the community did too.
"All told there were 624 entries from all 50 states and 22 or 23 foreign countries," says Hans.
"It is a big task because you are trying to help a lot of people or provide a source of comfort for a lot of people and the hope is that it works for as many as possible," says Torrey.
Now, two years after the ground was broke, their vision is on display for the world to see.
Every inch of the 3.3-acre site where the Murrah Building once stood is now a tribute to those fallen and to those who survived.
"This is the survivor tree," explains Hans. "This, together with the Journal building, is really the resilience of the community, surviving the blast when the cars around it did not."
The glass, bronze and granite structure will have different meaning to different people.
Hans says he and many hope that the memorial "somehow becomes this active player in our country, in our nation, as a way of kind reminding us that we can't let this happen again."
For the Butzers there is a sense of pride knowing their dream is now helping to heal a nation.
Part of the American dream for me is to make a difference, says Torrey. "This project feels like it has given us the opportunity to do that for some people so that was a great thing."
And the Butzer's are about to realize another dream. In just a few weeks, they will become parents for the first time.
For more information on he Oklahoma City National Memorial:
Email:
okcmem@ionet.net
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 323 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73101
Street Address:
Oklahoma City National Memorial
Foundation Leadership Square
211 N. Robinson Ave., Suite #150
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73101
Telephone:
1-888-542-HOPE
