remembrance and recognition:

a community space on quioccasin road

Especially in light of such rapid development, what if people had the chance to learn about and honor the history of place, while coming together in spaces of joy and community? How can a space be designed to honor the lands history?

My thesis project, Remembrance and Reconnection, A Community and Memorial Space on Quioccasin Road, addresses the disconnection between past and present in the built environment, specifically in light of rapid commercial development that does not care to respond to the intricate specificities of the places they sit upon. Down the road from my home in Henrico County, VA, an abandoned lot that for a moment (of 20 or so years) in its life time housed a “Toys R Us” has sat empty for over a decade, and now an out of state company is taking its place. It sits on Quioccasin road, a Powhatan word that can be translated to “meeting place.” This word has persisted into today’s environment. The abandoned building sits right in front of an African American cemetery that is still in use by community members, including a church down the street. Recently, a group of people connected to the church raised funds to place a historical marker at the site, so that people know that a cemetery is behind the building. This project questions why the cemetery is hidden; its sacred land, yet not in the eye of the developers. This site, and the people who have lived here and built so much of it, deserve to be honored and remembered more deeply. This project aims to use memory to connect people to the land and to its past. The site will be transformed into a community event space and gardens; people will come for musical events, story-telling, cooking, rest, and education/recreation spaces for kids. It can host after-school programs for them, as well as camps.

I want to note that this is a very preliminary, 3-month exploration of this site and concept. More time, resources, and most importantly, community engagement, would mark the true beginning of this project.

2022