First World War Memorial

The Project

Visitors passing through the newly-restored atrium of Winnipeg’s Via Rail Union Station are invited to pause and reflect as they take in a thoughtfully executed interactive memorial to Canada’s fallen projected above the east entry.

A Journey like no other

Winnipeg’s Via Rail Union station is home to the First World War Memorial. Walking through these very same doors the soldiers would have begun their journey east, then onto Europe where many would make the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

62,000+ names on a single screen

The First World War Memorial pays respect to each and every Canadian soldier who lost their lives in the Great War. Their name, rank and age are animated on screen and accompanied by images of war to provide a glimpse into the experience.

Installation

To preserve the aesthetics of Winnipeg’s Via Rail Union Station, the First World War Memorial was designed to accommodate its surroundings, with custom projection panels fitted seamlessly into existing window frames and custom fabricated projector mounts manufactured specifically for the space.

Website

The First World War Memorial website brings to light some of the devastating repercussions of war. By design, visitors scroll through one long list of all 62,000+ names on a single page to impart the scope of the war dead.

Interactivity

Visitors can interact with the First World War Memorial to honour a specific fallen soldier. They simply access the website on their own mobile device and the memorial will respond by displaying all of the soldiers chosen in the past minute, animated to mimic the opening credits of a movie.