ALINE Stories: Honoring the Past Through Design with the 9/11 Remembrance Exhibit

September 10th, 2024 12:00am

Welcome to the second installment of ALINE Stories, where we go beyond the day-to-day aspects of architecture to share stories that highlight the profound impact design can have on community, culture, and the human experience. At ALINE, we believe that design isn’t just about creating spaces—it’s about crafting moments that resonate deeply with people and make a lasting difference in ways you might never imagine. 

Our goal with ALINE Stories is to showcase projects that transcend blueprints and floor plans, revealing how our work becomes part of something much bigger. Through this series, we’ll share how design can shape and reflect the world around us, and how it can be a force for community connection and cultural expression.

In this story, we reflect on a special moment in ALINE’s history—the time we were honored to contribute to the Scottsdale 9/11 Remembrance Exhibit. In July 2011, co-founders Brian Laubenthal and Brian Krob had just moved their 1-year-old architecture company into a shared office space in Old Town Scottsdale. One morning, Brian Laubenthal took a walk to the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts and noticed a woman trying to measure the space. He offered to help, and through their conversation, learned she was with the Scottsdale Fire Department. She was preparing for the upcoming 10-year 9/11 Remembrance Exhibit, a tribute to the 2,977 lives lost in the terrorist attacks. 

Brian and Brian soon connected with the Scottsdale Fire Department and volunteered to help elevate the exhibit's design. What was originally a display of 4'x8' plywood sheets showcasing cards with the names of each victim, donated by Scottsdale resident Lisa Vella, soon transformed into something much more profound. The ALINE team wanted to create a sense of transparency—to allow visitors not only to view the cards up close but also to feel the overwhelming impact of seeing all of the names at once, symbolizing the magnitude of loss. 

With approval from the fire department, ALINE's design used aircraft cables to suspend the cards, which represented victims from the hijacked planes, the Twin Towers, the Pentagon, and the First Responders. At the heart of the exhibit were two towers with pathways running between them, symbolizing the Twin Towers and offering a space for reflection. Magnets attached to the cards allowed them to be easily affixed to the cables, creating a display that was as poignant as it was powerful. 

For Brian Laubenthal, standing in the finished space was an emotional experience. The transparency they aimed for was achieved as the rows of cards floated through the air, with the faces and names of the victims visible from all angles. It was a visual and emotional reminder of the day that changed the world and a tribute to those who were lost.

The 9/11 exhibit stood for five years before the fire department adapted it, replacing the cables with translucent panels and other materials, but the core of the display—its message and impact—remained unchanged. ALINE is deeply grateful for the opportunity to be involved in such a meaningful project, donating their time and skills to honor the past while contributing to the healing of the community.

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