An Investigation of Sacred Space - the Grove
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An Investigation of Sacred Space - The Grove Nancy S. Slade Thesis submitted to the faculty of the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Landscape Architecture Approved: Caren Yglesias, Ph.D., Chair Susan Piedmont-Palladino Patrick M. Miller September 10, 2004 Alexandria, Virginia Key words: grove, memorial, sacred space, Anacostia River, Kingman Island An Investigation of Sacred Space- The Grove Nancy Slade Abstract: It is a universal goal of mankind to seek or to create sacred spaces. What is a sacred space, and what are the qualities which describe that space? For thousands of years, the grove has possessed qualities which have made its space sacred. What defines a grove and the space it makes and how does this form relate to us today? In September 2002 Congress passed legislation for the establishment of Living Memorials to honor and commemorate the losses of September 11th, 2001. Through a program developed by the United States Forest Service and American Forests, these Living Memorials are taking the form of memorial groves. Washington, D.C. chose Kingman Island, located in the Anacostia River, as the location for their 9/11 Memorial Grove. Using the Kingman Island site, this thesis investigates the qualities of sacred space, and the qualities of the grove, to discover how a contemporary grove can create a sacred space that reflects the traditions of the Living Memorial, and honors the losses of September 11th. ii This thesis is dedicated to my husband Louis Slade and my daughters Margaret and Anne. In appreciation for their gifts of time, help, and encouragement. iii Acknowledgements: A special thanks to Irene Mills, who assisted with my thesis I would like to thank the members of my thesis committee, defense presentation, and to Jeff Lee, of Lee and Associates, Caren Yglesias, Susan Piedmont Palladino, and Patrick Miller, Washington, D.C. for sharing his firm’s files and documentation for their helpful guidance over the years, and for their of the Kingman Island site. Thank you to Dean Bork and Teresa enthusiastic support of this project. My thanks to Susan, who Phipps, who were always so helpful with the process. always encouraged me to free my ideas by drawing, to Caren, whose scholarship encouraged me to think in new directions, and I would like to thank Jaan Holt and the entire WAAC faculty for to Patrick Miller, who although busy as the President of the creating a place for us to learn, experiment, and grow. Also, I American Society of Landscape Architects,(ASLA) found time to would like to express my appreciation to the other students at the review my work. Alexandria Center, who always were supportive, and who made being a student again fun. I would also like to acknowledge the contributions from two members of my original thesis committee, Ron Kagawa and Brian Kane. Thanks to Ron for encouraging me to come to Virginia Tech., and to begin a new part of my life. As my original thesis Chairman, his guidance and encouragement have made this all possible. Also, a thank you to Brian Kane, another committee member, who made the students aware of our role as landscape architects and as responsible citizens in the larger community. iv Table of Contents: Abstract……………………………………………………………………………………………ii Dedication…………………………………………………………………………………………iii Acknowledgements………………………………………………………………………………iv Table of Contents…………………………………………………………………………………v List of Images…………………………………………………………………………………….vi Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………….1 Chapter 1: Sacred Space………………………………………………………………………. 2 Chapter 2: Memorials………………………………………………………………………….. 4 Chapter 3: The Grove……………………………………………………………………………6 Chapter 4: The Site……………………………………………………………………………...14 Chapter 5: The Design………………………………………………………………………….23 Works Cited……………………………………………………………………………………....47 Bibliography……………………………………………………………………………………...49 Vita………………………………………………………………………………………………...51 v List of Images Page 8: Figure 3.4 View of Lyndon Baines Johnson Memorial Grove, George Washington Memorial Parkway, Virginia All images are by author unless otherwise noted Page 9: Figure 3.5 Study models of tree configurations. Abstract: Page 10: Page ii: Oak grove, Deering Oaks Park, Portland, ME. Figure 3.6 Two views of Graceland Cemetery, Chicago, Illinois. Dedication: Page 11: Page iii: Photograph of a grove, Chincoteague, Virginia. Figure 3.7 Aerial view, detail, of Lyndon Baines Johnson Memorial Grove, George Washington Memorial Chapter 1: Parkway, Virginia. Courtesy National Park Service Page 3: Figure 1..1 Charcoal drawing of grove enclosure. files. Figure 3.8 Charcoal sketch of grove space. Chapter 2: Page 12: Page 5: Figure 3.9 Grey Birch grove, (Betula, populifolia), Spider Island, Figure 2.1 The Lyndon Baines Johnson Memorial Grove, Chicago Botanic Garden, Glencoe, Illinois. George Washington Memorial Parkway, Virginia. Page 13: Figure 3.10 Lyndon Baines Johnson Memorial Grove, George Chapter 3: Washington Memorial Parkway, Virginia, detail, Page 6: Courtesy of the National l Park Service files. Figure 3.1 Cedar tree grove, The National Arboretum, Figure 3.11 The National Aids Memorial, Golden Gate Park, Washington D.C. San Francisco,CA. Page 7: Figure 3.2 Tomb of Augustus, Rome, Italy from textbook by Chapter 4: Ramage, Nancy H.; Ramage, Andrew, Roman Art: Page 14: Romulus To Constantine, 1st Edition, © 1991, p. 84. Figure 4.1 Location Map. Office of Planning, District of Reprinted by permission of Pearson Education, Inc. Columbia. Upper Saddle River, NJ. Figure 4.2 Map of District of Columbia. Office of Planning, Figure 3.3 Pencil study of tree grove. District of Columbia. vi Page 15: Figure 5.2 Study of access to site. Figure 4.3 Thesis site drawing. Figure 5.3 Study of views to site. Page 16: Page 25: Figure 4.4 View of the Anacostia River, Washington D.C, Figure 5.4 Location and connection study. 1834 engraving, National Park Service files. Figure 5.5 Study of connections to Kingman and Heritage Page 17: Islands. Figure 4.5 Aerial photograph of RFK/Kingman Island, Page 26: courtesy of the Anacostia Waterfront Corporation. Figure 5.6 Study of locating the memorial on Kingman Figure 4.6 Photograph of Kingman Island in Kingman Lake. Island. Page 18 Figure 5.7 Study of memorial location and connections. Figure 4.7 Photograph of trash dump on Kingman Island. Page 27: Figure 4.8 Photograph of vegetation on Kingman Island. Figure 5.8 Study of memorial located on Kingman Island. Figure 4.9 Photograph of path on Kingman Island. Page28: Page 19: Figure 5.9 Study of memorial located on Kingman Island Figure 4.10 Two views of Kingman Island Vegetation. Page 29: Page 20: Figure 5.10 Site map. Figure 4.11 The footbridge to Heritage Island. Page 30: Page 21: Figure 5.11 Final Memorial Plan. Figure 4.12 Photograph of Benning Road, Washington D.C. Page 31: Figure 4.13 Photograph of homes in River Terrace Figure 5.12 Double row of sycamore trees. Community, Washington D.C. Page 32: Page 22: Figure 5.13 Section of grove, northwest vector, approach to Figure 4.14 Kingman Lake Marsh at low tide. grove from Kingman Park neighborhood. Figure 4.15 Photograph of Anacostia River marsh, 2003. Page 33: Figure 5.14 Detail of walk to grove. Chapter 5: Figure 5.15 Detail of paths on islands. Page 23: Page 34: Figure 5.1 Charcoal concept drawing of a grove at Kingman Figure 5.16 Plan of paths and paving intersecting the grove. site. Page 35: Page 24: Figure 5.17 Detail of grove and trails in Anacostia Park vii Page 36: Figure 5.18 Plan and section of grove in Anacostia Park Page 37: Figure 5.19 Vector Map. Figure 5. 20 Concept sketch of vector connections. Page 38: Figure 5.21 Concept drawing of vector intersecting the grove. Page 39: Figure 5.22 Process drawing of vectors and gates. Page 40: Figure 5.23 Section of gate towers in Kingman Lake. Page 41: Figure 5.24 Section of grove, northwest vector. Page 42: Figure 5.25 Plan of memorial with fall color. Page 43: Figure 5.26 United States Air Force Memorial, Arlington, Virginia. Courtesy James Balga/Pei Cobb Freed & Partners. Figure 5.27 Map Pin”, Industrial Heritage Trail (Industriekultur im Ruhrgebiet) Ruhr Valley, Germany. Courtesy ©Larry Mishkar. Page 44: Figure 5.28 Photomontage of Anacostia River marsh. Page 45: Figure 5.29 Night lighting plan. Page 46: Figure 5.30 Final Memorial Grove plan. viii Introduction Since the beginning of civilization, man has searched for special In September 2002, The United States Congress passed places where he felt part of some cosmic order. One of the places legislation designating funds to be awarded to communities to has been tree groves. Whether found in nature or constructed as a build Living Memorials to commemorate the losses of September special place, groves have a long history as sacred and memorial 11, 2001. Through a program developed by the United States space. Forest Service and American Forests (the country’s oldest non- profit conservation organization) these Living Memorials are My interest in memorial groves began when I read an article in taking the form of memorial groves. Diadalos by Judith Stein while researching the design of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, in Washington, D.C. In her article This thesis investigates the qualities of sacred space, the types “Maya Lin’s Vietnam Memorial” Stein refers to the Vietnam and purpose of memorials, and the qualities of the grove to Memorial as “A singular architectural and sculptural space, it is understand why this form is fitting today. Using Kingman Island also a place of pilgrimage and healing, functioning as a spiritual located in the Anacostia River in Washington D.C., the future site sanctuary.” ….. “A conceptual grove- … an artfully designed of the Washington’s 9/11 Memorial Grove, this thesis will sanctuary that leads us into ourselves” (119). This thesis demonstrate how a contemporary grove can create a sacred investigates the qualities of a grove to understand how it creates memorial space.