The river way pedestrian bridge project reconnects the city of Albany with its waterfront, an engagement separated by the construction of a major highway between downtown and the Hudson River.

With the bridge as a new link between downtown and the river, a monument will serve as a physical testimony and statement for the newly developed shoreline. “Linking past to the present.” is a motto adopted by the city to describe the function of the bridge; as the past manifests itself in the bridge’s aesthetic, the present is represented through the form and materials of the new monument.

The monument elevates two representational ‘masts’ sited at the landing. Space between the masts allow a moment of pause, enhanced by the location of a commemoratory base – an inscribed granite marker bearing relevant dates and names.

The structure, extending towards the river, establishes a marker with illuminated ‘running lights’ atop and across the backs of the masts. These visual cues develop unique day and night views, while creating distinct visual relationships between pedestrians, riverfront and vehicular traffic. The interpretive form becomes legible at different scales, indentifying a truly special location.