Monument in honour of the 743 Tank Battalion

This monument, built to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Ardennes Offensive in the Second World War, weighs 1.3 tonnes and stands 3 metres high and 1 metre wide. It takes the form of a memorial plate made of 50 mm Corten steel, pierced by a star-shaped perforation symbolizing the impact of a shell; this is a nod to America’s role in events. The monument is held in place by sixteen anchors cast into the concrete base. To create this memorial plaque, the 50 mm thick steel plate was treated using a burner and the hot-formed star then punched out with a 50 tonne hydraulic jack. Since the steel is a reference to the inhuman coldness of war and the use of armoured tanks, this was an operation bursting with symbolism: the impact of the shell stands for the omnipresence of violence during the struggle. The patinated surface in turn represents the ravages of time, which, to some extent, heals all wounds. Corten steel was also chosen for its durability, low maintenance and specific texture.