Rebeca Méndez, a professor in UCLA’s Department of Design|Media Arts and principal of Rebeca Méndez Design, is a member of a design team selected to design the Tucson January 8 Memorial and the El Presidio Park master plan.
The memorial will mark the tragic Jan. 8, 2011 event in Tucson when a disturbed young man fired 33 bullets into a crowd that had gathered to meet their U.S. Congresswoman, Gabrielle Giffords, at a “Congress On Your Corner “ event. Six people were killed and 13 were wounded — among them Giffords, who survived but was unable to continue in her elected office.
In response, the city of Tucson issued a call for artists and designers to create a memorial to honor the dead and their community.
Selected from 60 proposals, following a public presentation and an extensive review by a selection panel, was the Chee Salette Architecture Office design team of Méndez; architect Marc Salette and architect/landscape designer Tina Chee of Chee Salette Architecture Office; lighting designer Wilfried Kramb of ag LICHT; and media consultant Jackie Kain of Swan/Starts.
