It was only last summer that Adjaye Associates unveiled its concept for the Cherry Groce memorial design in London’s Brixton. Now, less than a year on, the important monument by David Adjaye and his team has been built and installed on site at Windrush Square, the neighbourhood in which Groce lived.
The structure commemorates Groce, who in 1985, was shot by police in her London home at the age of 37. She was left paralyzed, and passed away less than 30 years later, as a direct result of her injuries. The memorial was commissioned by the Cherry Groce Foundation, a charity founded to support marginalised Black, Caribbean and African communities.
Acting as an installation to honour Groce and a visual reminder of the event to all, the pavilion was also created as a place for the local community. Integrated benches provide space for passers-by to sit and children to play, while its single, strong column represents Groce’s strength; and its gravity-defying, triangular canopy mirrors the community’s ability to shelter and protect. Structural engineers AKT II ensured the installation is balanced to perfection.
‘I am honoured to celebrate the unveiling of this project and the representation it brings to the black community for Brixton, London, and the UK at large,’ says Adjaye. ‘It is my sincere hope that the restorative justice that is borne from the making of this pavilion can help us all learn from and be better neighbors to each other in the city that we live in.’
The memorial was unveiled on 25 April 2021 at a ribbon cutting ceremony in Windrush Square. §
