DOI
https://doi.org/10.25772/GDGS-A082
Defense Date
2011
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Fine Arts
Department
Design
First Advisor
Christiana Lafazani
Abstract
Richmond, Virginia has, through recent design proposals and projects, sought reconciliation with the countries in West Africa that were once the source for slave trade in which the city was such an active participant. These admirable works address the nations’ shared history, perhaps at the expense of understanding modern cultures. This thesis seeks to create this understanding through the development of an educational facility that would interact with Richmond’s current landscape. In pursuit of respectful relationship, I address the ways in which design can authentically teach about place. The study begins with the creation of a personal understanding of site through diagrammatic analysis. The research continues with case studies that relate to either the context, program or process of this project. The concepts this research generated led to a proposed design solution for the Southern Railway Freight building in Richmond’s Shockhoe Slip. Both design processes and the proposed solution are documented herein.
Rights
© The Author
Is Part Of
VCU University Archives
Is Part Of
VCU Theses and Dissertations
Date of Submission
May 2011