Monolith

The Monolith is an observation tower that presents a collective portrait of individuals at a monumental scale. The photos are drawn from its ever-growing archive of people who contribute their image and stories in its interactive photo-both. Over time, the public collection of images and stories will become a living monument to mankind’s past achievements and future possibilities. The Monolith was proposed for the Urban Confluence Silicon Vally design competition that asked designers to come up with a new icon for the City of San Jose California, California. Created during the era of Covid-19 and racial injustice uprisings across the globe, many people are crying out to be seen and heard. Participants of The Monolith will be able to use the monument as a platform for free speech and see their portrait displayed at a monumental scale. It aims to offer a vision of a more generous, harmonious, and inclusive world where all people can be seen and heard. ​The selfie, a fleeting moment in time, semi-transparent rendered in light, is also the primary symbol of our current moment in time. The Monolith’s iconic yet timeless form puts the human figure at the epicenter of the project in every way.