Anfal Memorial

The Anfal Memorial is a silent but solid landmark amidst the mountainous desert of Kurdistan to commemorate the victims of the genocide against the Kurdish people under Saddam Hussein known as Anfal. The memorial is designed around one thousand five hundred photographs portraying local survivors arranged along a circular wall that defines the shape and size of the building. The absence inside the central void symbolises the devastating incident but likewise allows nature to grow a green oasis for visitors to use as a park. A variety of spaces for exhibitions, media archive and events are attached to the circular gallery. A perimeter wall made of local stones embraces all functions resulting in a softly curved silhouette that mimics the mountains of the horizon. Visitors can climb up to the roof to sight the mass grave cemetery in the distance and across the desert landscape • The project is supported by Haukari e.V. and the Federal Foreign Office of Germany