University of Virginia memorial honours ‘lives, labour and perseverance’ of enslaved African Americans

A new spatial memorial in the USA honours the ‘lives, labour and perseverance' of the enslaved African Americans who built and maintained the University of Virginia (UVA) in Charlottesville. The Memorial to Enslaved Laborers has been unveiled to a design by Boston based architects Höweler + Yoon in collaboration with historian and designer Dr. Mabel O. Wilson (Studio&), Gregg Bleam Landscape Architect, community facilitator Dr. Frank Dukes, and artist Eto Otitigbe.
The piece, which sits on the green grounds of the campus, is dedicated to the some 4,000 enslaved persons, who worked on the Grounds of UVA between 1817 and 1865, either owned or rented by the University for this task. Acknowledging both the dehumanizing violence involved in this, as well as the enslaved people's hope, sense of community, resistance and resilience, the memorial ‘creates a vital public place to understand, learn, and remember their contribution to the University,' explains the institution.
The design includes a low, round structure, 80ft in diameter, which rises from the ground, almost mirroring the circular form of the University’s iconic Rotunda dome nearby. Made of local Virginia Mist granite, it features concentric rings that wrap around a planted circular meeting ground. A water table presents a timeline honoring the enslaved and a concave wall of memory marks the names of individuals in the community. There is also a textured convex sloping stone inscribed with a portrait of Isabella Gibbons, an enslaved domestic worker at UVA, who later became a teacher in Charlottesville – this piece is by Otitigbe.
‘The Memorial is not just about memory,' says Meejin Yoon, co-founder of Höweler + Yoon. ‘It is about the present, and the work that we all need to be engaged in today. The Memorial is about actively bringing people together. It is about opening up dialogue, between visitors and individuals, but also between the University and the community. It is rebuilding a relationship and rebuilding trust. These are the necessary steps in the contemporary conversations about race and repair.'
INFORMATION
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).
-
Patek Philippe brings 15 new timepieces to Watches and Wonders 2025
The Swiss manufacturer showcases its intricate complications and elegant designs at the annual trade show with a suite of new models
By Anna Solomon Published
-
Watches & Wonders 2025: preview Richemont’s latest innovations, on show at the Geneva watch fair
Discover eight enticing timepieces from the luxury group, showcased this week at the Geneva fair
By Simon Mills Published
-
Masters of midcentury modern design and their creations spotlighted in new book
‘Mid-Century Modern Designers’ is a new book from Phaidon celebrating those who shaped the period and their notable creations, from furniture to objects
By Tianna Williams Published
-
A new hilltop California home is rooted in the landscape and celebrates views of nature
WOJR's California home House of Horns is a meticulously planned modern villa that seeps into its surrounding landscape through a series of sculptural courtyards
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
The Frick Collection's expansion by Selldorf Architects is both surgical and delicate
The New York cultural institution gets a $220 million glow-up
By Stephanie Murg Published
-
Remembering architect David M Childs (1941-2025) and his New York skyline legacy
David M Childs, a former chairman of architectural powerhouse SOM, has passed away. We celebrate his professional achievements
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
The upcoming Zaha Hadid Architects projects set to transform the horizon
A peek at Zaha Hadid Architects’ future projects, which will comprise some of the most innovative and intriguing structures in the world
By Anna Solomon Published
-
Frank Lloyd Wright’s last house has finally been built – and you can stay there
Frank Lloyd Wright’s final residential commission, RiverRock, has come to life. But, constructed 66 years after his death, can it be considered a true ‘Wright’?
By Anna Solomon Published
-
Heritage and conservation after the fires: what’s next for Los Angeles?
In the second instalment of our 'Rebuilding LA' series, we explore a way forward for historical treasures under threat
By Mimi Zeiger Published
-
Why this rare Frank Lloyd Wright house is considered one of Chicago’s ‘most endangered’ buildings
The JJ Walser House has sat derelict for six years. But preservationists hope the building will have a vibrant second act
By Anna Fixsen Published
-
Buy a slice of California’s midcentury modern history with this 1955 Pasadena house
Conrad Buff II Residence has been fully restored and updated for the 21st century
By Jonathan Bell Published