Parkland 17 Memorial

The Parkland 17 Memorial Foundation invites conceptual design proposals for a permanent outdoor memorial to honor and pay tribute to the 17 individuals murdered at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. The memorial will serve as a place where all are welcome to mourn or peacefully reflect, especially families, friends, and residents of the Parkland and Coral Springs communities. The memorial will be open during daylight hours and some evenings and may serve as a gathering place for events held to remember the victims.

The memorial will be located within the North Springs Improvement District's nature preserve, which borders the cities of Parkland and Coral Springs. Design considerations include responding to the site and natural environment through appearance and selected materials; incorporating seating and landscaping with pedestrian access between the parking area and the memorial; ensuring ADA accessibility and compliance with Florida building code; requiring only moderate maintenance and ability to withstand the Florida environment; and incorporating a tribute to each victim. Water, fountains, and lighting may be included. The memorial will not include literal depictions of the victims, religious or political statements or imagery, play or interactive elements, donor references, post-tragedy references, or visual references to guns, ammunition, or shootings.

The Foundation may pursue agreements with multiple artists to collaboratively integrate design elements into a single design. Applicants must be professional artists or design professionals, eighteen years of age or older, residing in the United States. Design teams consisting of artists and landscape architects are encouraged to apply. Submissions must include a professional résumé, 10 digital images of relevant work with an annotated image list, a letter of interest (maximum one-half page), a conceptual design proposal with estimated budget, and a list of minimum 3 professional references. Conceptual design proposals will be reviewed by an Artist Selection Panel comprised of select Foundation Board members, with family input included in the process. Selection criteria include artistic excellence and professional experience, consideration of the memorial's purpose and site approach, ability to complete the project, and demonstrated ability to work collaboratively. Proposals become property of the Parkland 17 Foundation and will not be returned.