Pointe du Hoc
Sustainable History
Pointe du Hoc is a site of great significance for both France and the United States. This windswept promontory overlooks the English Channel, is occupied by the remains of the German defense structures and pock-marked by the craters of Allied bombing campaigns. The landscape is a living memory of the Normandy Landing. Due to the historic events that took place on this site, it attracts visitors from around the world and invites contemplation of the most profound aspects of the human experience.
Through an extensive site analysis and concept stage evaluation, CRTKL alongside Arcadis developed a thoughtful master plan that will put Pointe du Hoc in a position to host millions of visitors over the coming decades. Imperative to the client’s vision, all proposed physical elements heighten the meaning and impact each visit while respecting the site and its history. CRTKL’s master plan protects Pointe du Hoc’s cultural and natural heritage, ensures accessibility and safety for all visitors, and artfully expresses the site’s story through an immersive, multi-sensory visitor experience.
Goals
- Enhance visitor experience
- Provide safe visits and working conditions
- Protect cultural resources
- Protect natural resources
Strategy
- Organize vehicular and pedestrian paths in a way that illuminate the human story of the site
- Apply universal design principles that consider all potential user groups
- All proposed new construction aims to exceed best practices in historic, cultural and ecological preservation
- Expand and develop a central memorial space for larger events and identify many areas of various sizes for quiet contemplation throughout the site