George Floyd Memorial Design Competition

GEORGE FLOYD MEMORIAL

STUDENT DESIGN COMPETITION

There is a pressing need to create a permanent space that embodies the collective grief, mutual aid, and communities of support, resistance, and solidarity that emerged during this pivotal moment in history

THE STORY

“On May 25, 2020, George Perry Floyd was lynched by the Minneapolis Police Department just steps away from the intersection of 38th Street East and Chicago Avenue South. In response to this atrocity, people came from across the world to pay their respects, lay expressions of pain and hope as offerings, and grieve the ongoin violence against black bodies.” – George Floyd Global Memorial

The spontaneous memorial that began with circles of flowers near the site of Mr. Floyd’s death rapidly grew into a vast collection of expressions of pain, hope, and solidarity. This memorial commemorates George Perry Floyd, Jr. and serves as a space of active remembrance of the countless Black lives lost to systemic racism and police violence.

family and friends

"It was difficult because everything happened so fast. One minute Perry was here, and all of a sudden he wasn’t here. And it’s dealing with the reality that he really is gone... I knew that he’d been killed… But then, he was everywhere. I walk out and he’s on somebody’s wall. Somebody’s wearing him on a t-shirt. And it played with my mind, my emotions. It was just so sad."

"Daddy changed the world!

"He looked at me and said, ‘Man, Stiff, I’m going to change the world… I didn’t know he meant that literally."

"He was a pesky little rascal. But we all loved him."

"My little brother was a friend, he was a mentor, he was a father, he was a basketball player, he was a football player, but most of all he was a human being."

"I thank God for giving me my own personal Superman."

Partners

It is important that the process for building this memorial aligns with industry standards for a design competition.

The family of George Floyd and the Estate of George Floyd will be the central part of this process. Supporting institutional roles include Rise and Remember, the University of Minnesota, and the City of Minneapolis. As a family-led organization, Rise and Remember remains committed to fundraising and administrative support for the Minneapolis memorial to George Floyd.

Students of the University of Minnesota, School of Architecture – Heather Willy, Vora Limpaphayom, Ryan Yin provided all the background research for the Competition and Julia Gerloff helped work on the website and poster.

The City of Minneapolis provides guidance on regulations, community insights, and continuity with plans for George Floyd Square.

George Floyd Memorial Design Competition