128 Contrabands and Freedmen's Cemetery
2008 (competition 競賽) | Alexandria, Virginia. United States 美國弗吉尼亞州亞歷山德里亞市Team Lee Shu-fan, Ching Wai-keung, Hung Chi-tai
設計 李樹勳, 程偉強, 熊子泰
[CROSSING HISTORY]
The cemetery’s unique blend of history requires a particularly delicate operation. One that is simultaneously subtle and sensitive to the site yet overt and dignified in vision for the deceased. These seemingly contrasting values give rise to an intervention attempting to facilitate understanding of the site and its history, while allowing visitors to discover the intricacies of the site in a meditative manner.
The proposed design crosses the site in a diagonal manner linking the different strategic parts of the site, in the form of two ‘tangible’ and ‘intangible’ paths serving different functions. The Tangible Path ramps up from the Church/S. Washington intersection to the existing concrete plinth, then bends in direction to the existing Elm tree, turning into a bridge with close proximity to the tree canopy. This path links the Berm, located roughly at the center of the presumed cemetery, to the natural valley where the Elm is located, stands as a testimony of the contrast between life and death. The two areas are contrasting spatially yet similarly meditative.
The second diagonal, the Intangible Path, happens when the morning sun hits the memorial pillars creating incremental shadows on the landscape. The inclined sepia-tinted glass wall reflects the path downwards to the pre-historic site to its west, combining the onlookers with the ancient history of the site. The two paths crossed at the Plinth where a pit is located. This void extends to the soil below, linking our time to the old. During functions it turns alive when filled with flowers.
The Memorial pillars located close to the urban deck are finished with battered metal surface etched with the names of the Freedmen who led different lives. As incomplete as their lives may have been, symbolized with the different shapes, heights, and orientations of the pillars, they stand unfettered, strong, and complete.
The cemetery’s unique blend of history requires a particularly delicate operation. One that is simultaneously subtle and sensitive to the site yet overt and dignified in vision for the deceased. These seemingly contrasting values give rise to an intervention attempting to facilitate understanding of the site and its history, while allowing visitors to discover the intricacies of the site in a meditative manner.
The proposed design crosses the site in a diagonal manner linking the different strategic parts of the site, in the form of two ‘tangible’ and ‘intangible’ paths serving different functions. The Tangible Path ramps up from the Church/S. Washington intersection to the existing concrete plinth, then bends in direction to the existing Elm tree, turning into a bridge with close proximity to the tree canopy. This path links the Berm, located roughly at the center of the presumed cemetery, to the natural valley where the Elm is located, stands as a testimony of the contrast between life and death. The two areas are contrasting spatially yet similarly meditative.
The second diagonal, the Intangible Path, happens when the morning sun hits the memorial pillars creating incremental shadows on the landscape. The inclined sepia-tinted glass wall reflects the path downwards to the pre-historic site to its west, combining the onlookers with the ancient history of the site. The two paths crossed at the Plinth where a pit is located. This void extends to the soil below, linking our time to the old. During functions it turns alive when filled with flowers.
The Memorial pillars located close to the urban deck are finished with battered metal surface etched with the names of the Freedmen who led different lives. As incomplete as their lives may have been, symbolized with the different shapes, heights, and orientations of the pillars, they stand unfettered, strong, and complete.
[歷史斷面]
言道入土為安，不論是對逝者或在世之人來說，下葬之地都需能顯出尊重，特別是在有著獨特歷史背景的位置，更需要有精細的作業。這個墓園的位置既微妙亦敏感，但同時逝者的視點卻是開放而莊嚴。這些看似相沖的價值正可加深對地點及其歷史的了解，並讓造訪者反思箇中的複雜性。 設計提案以對角線的方式橫跨整個場地，連接地點中各個戰略部分，兩條「有形」及「無形」路徑擔當著不同功能。「有形」路徑從教堂開始，與現存的混凝土基座交接，再向榆樹的方向轉彎，形成一座靠近樹冠的橋樑。這條路徑將大致定於墓地中心的狹道，與榆樹所在的山谷相連，以此作為生死對比的見證。兩個領域在空間上形成強調對比，但同樣會令人冥想沉思。 第二條對角線，即「無形」路徑，只出現在晨光照到紀念柱上之時，以陰影呈現。微斜的棕褐色玻璃牆向下反射到西面的史前遺址，將造訪者與古老的歷史相結合。兩個路徑於基座相接，並會有凹洞位於其中。這個凹洞會一直延伸到下面的土壤，將目前與過去相連。往後，當其發揮起功用並植滿鮮花，該位置便會變得生動活躍。 位於城市平臺附近的紀念柱以鑿打過的金屬作面，上面刻有自由之人的名字，這些自由之人均帶領著不同的生活。儘管他們的生命可能並不完整，但紀念柱的不同形狀、高度及方向，都象徵了他們不受拘束，是強壯而圓滿。
言道入土為安，不論是對逝者或在世之人來說，下葬之地都需能顯出尊重，特別是在有著獨特歷史背景的位置，更需要有精細的作業。這個墓園的位置既微妙亦敏感，但同時逝者的視點卻是開放而莊嚴。這些看似相沖的價值正可加深對地點及其歷史的了解，並讓造訪者反思箇中的複雜性。 設計提案以對角線的方式橫跨整個場地，連接地點中各個戰略部分，兩條「有形」及「無形」路徑擔當著不同功能。「有形」路徑從教堂開始，與現存的混凝土基座交接，再向榆樹的方向轉彎，形成一座靠近樹冠的橋樑。這條路徑將大致定於墓地中心的狹道，與榆樹所在的山谷相連，以此作為生死對比的見證。兩個領域在空間上形成強調對比，但同樣會令人冥想沉思。 第二條對角線，即「無形」路徑，只出現在晨光照到紀念柱上之時，以陰影呈現。微斜的棕褐色玻璃牆向下反射到西面的史前遺址，將造訪者與古老的歷史相結合。兩個路徑於基座相接，並會有凹洞位於其中。這個凹洞會一直延伸到下面的土壤，將目前與過去相連。往後，當其發揮起功用並植滿鮮花，該位置便會變得生動活躍。 位於城市平臺附近的紀念柱以鑿打過的金屬作面，上面刻有自由之人的名字，這些自由之人均帶領著不同的生活。儘管他們的生命可能並不完整，但紀念柱的不同形狀、高度及方向，都象徵了他們不受拘束，是強壯而圓滿。
