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| The design of the 9/11 Memorial Garden in Beverly Hills pays tribute to the jihadist attacks in both Washington with a Pentagon shape in center and New York City with Twin Towers of the World Trade Center on the lower right |
The architect of the gardens, Gidas Peteris, walked us through the powerful symbolism and collaborative effort behind the Beverly Hills 9/11 Memorial Garden. Conceived and built by a volunteer board with widespread community donations, the site transforms a corner of Beverly Hills into a living tribute far removed from the city’s image of luxury shopping.
A Centerpiece from the Twin Towers
At the memorial’s core stands a vertical steel beam salvaged from the World Trade Center. Peteris explained that its height and texture give immediate visual impact— “otherwise nobody would know what it was” — and anchor the space as sacred ground. Surrounding the beam are engraved plaques bearing more than 2,900 names of everyone who perished in the collapse, not only first responders.
A Hidden Time Capsule
Beneath the foundation lies a sealed time capsule containing deeply personal artifacts: a piece of one of the hijacked airplanes and the ID badge of a pilot, donated with help from the pilot’s brother during the memorial’s planning. Peteris noted there is no set plan to open the capsule; instead, it serves as a way to “memorialize those particular elements” and give the site deeper meaning.
Design Collaboration and Community Spirit
Peteris served as the project architect, working alongside landscape designer Jim Ply and a board of directors led by Project Manager Reggie Sully of McCoy Construction. Many materials and services—concrete, construction labor, design time—were contributed at no cost. This spirit of donation and shared purpose allowed the vision to become reality without a traditional commercial budget.
More Than a Monument
Quotes, inscriptions, and interpretive panels encircle the garden, guiding visitors through the story of 9/11 and those who helped create the memorial. Peteris emphasized that the garden is meant for students, families, and residents to remember and reflect—“something that adds to Beverly Hills’ legacy” beyond its famous shopping district.
