shifting ground

URBAN

URBAN

NATURE

NAT URE

S H I F T I N G G R O U N D

re-establishing the cemetery in the realm of urban public space.

Kait l in Shealy

Professor Brian Katen | Program Chairperson Professor Wendy Jacobson | Project Advisor Professor Terry Clements | Senior Project Coordinator

This senior project is submitted in partial fulfillment of the

requirements for the Bachelor of Landscape Architecture

Degree in the College of Architecture and Urban Studies at

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

01.

introduction 03

research 05

holy rood cemetery 09

context 16

analysis 19

design concepts 27

design development 32

detailed designs 35

conclusion 44

references 46

s h i f t i n ground

table of contents

01

02

03

04

05

06

07

08

09

10

g r o u n d

s h i f t i n

02.

introduction

shifting r o u n d

Original grid of Holy Rood Cemetery (1931)

is simply not enough to explain the gratitude I have for the endless support from my family, friends, and studio family. Your kind

words, prayers, and encouragement have been crucial these past five years. Travis, Avery, Matt, and Trent-----thank you for your encouragement through

this entire process. Wendy, thank you for your patience, understanding, and insight this year. I literally, could not have done this without your guidance.

Mom and Dad, thank you so much for giving me the greatest gift in the world, my education. I am forever grateful. Betsy, thank you for your enthusias-

tic text messages and funny comments. Alan, you have been my rock this past year. Your constant support has meant the world. Above all else, none

of this could be possible without my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I am truly blessed to have been able to pursue a profession I am so passionate about

for the last five years.

03.


acknowledgements

thank you

g r o u n d

s h i f t i n preface

shifting r o u n d

Cemeteries are some of the most deliberate and fragile cultural landscapes in the world. With the pressure from development and sprawl, green

spaces, such as cemeteries are becoming valuable voids in the urban fabric. Although not always recognized as green spaces, cemeteries are poised

to become the most valued landscapes in the future. Due to the feelings of attachment and value many people associate with cemeteries, these lands

have the opportunity to outlive the parks and greenspaces of today with their history and groundedness.

As values of conservation and reuse take root in our society, landscapes must be recycled. Historic, abandoned cemeteries, rich in culture and

memories, present a pertinent, yet unique challenge in their repurpose. Cemeteries leave important psychological and physical traces on the landscape

within our cities. Therefore, how can one use design to highlight the history of these forgotten cemeteries, but integrate a new program for cemeteries

that blends them into the network of urban public space?

Shifting Ground is an exploration of the afterlife of cemeteries and the role that design can play in re-establishing their relevance in the realm of urban

public space. The study focuses on a historic cemetery in the heart of Georgetown, Holy Rood Cemetery. Although once a thriving burial ground for the

residents of Georgetown, the cemetery is now almost to capacity. The project explores how Holy Rood Cemetery can be re-designed to better suit the

changing public space needs of the surrounding neighborhoods.

04.


research

05. g r o u n d

family cemetery within mountaintop mining site

s h i f t i n research

shifting r o u n d 06.

cemetery

park

square open public space commonly found in the heart of a

traditional town used for community gathering.

area of open space provided for recreational use. It can be in its natural or semi-natural state, or planted, and is set aside for human enjoyment or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats.

a place where the dead are buried.

retreat.

accumulation.

centralized.

social.

safe.

diverse.

informal. versatile.

stage.

green.

grounded.

de�n

ed.

memory.

layered.

maintained.

rooted.

context.

re�ection of comm

unity.

sacred.

communal.

accessible.

personal.

LANDSCAPE low maintenance. activity s paces. representation of life and death.

s

ustain

able

lands

cape

.

e

xpos

ing

of la

yers.

UN

IVERSITY

CEMETERY

NEIGHBORHOO

D

history

educational resource

pa

thway

s

gate

way

community gathering

Georgetown Universitystudents

gravesfamilies

Holy Trinity Church

GeorgetownGlover Park

families

C O N N E C T I N G T H E L A Y E R S

+ program development

+ landscape as the medium for connecting the layers -------visible or invisible

+ the characteristics of the site and how they lend themselves to the shifted cemetery program

Cemeteries are sacred. As development pressure increases in cities, cemeteries are the only places in the landscape that cannot be touched. Neighborhoods are being built around them. Road expansions are being altered. Even, large- scale mining excavations are responding to these sacred pieces of our landscape.

However, instead of leaving these spaces untouched and isolated, how can we incorpo-rate them as important linkages within our public space network? As a landscape archi-tect, I believe forgotten cemeteries provide an important opportunity to enrich the urban public space structure in our cities and neighborhoods with a richness that cannot be found in many other designed parks today.

As part of my preliminary research, I began to explore how the cemetery functions as a public space and its qualities, in order to better understand its ability to re-establish itself within the realm of public space in cities. This diagram compares the attributes of the town square, park, and the cemetery to find commonalities among the three. I found the ideas of sacredness, layers, and community reflection to be at the intersection of the three. This simple diagram confirmed the goal of my senior project. The principles found in the diagram propelled me forward into finding the relationship between the role of the land-scape and the site users to help develop a preliminary program for Holy Rood Cemetery.

Family Cemetery within mountaintop mining site Untouched cemetery site within Olympic Village Historic Black Cemetery at highway interchange

Case Study Matrix

name. context.location. use(s). aesthetic.

Congressional Cemetery(1807)

status.

along the Anacostia River inWashington, DC; adjacent toresidential townhomes and main highways

Southeastern Washington, DC

(30 ac)

historic, but active walking tours, private dogwalking club, socials, concerts, bene�t races

traditional cemetery with gridded layout; perimeter brick wall/cast

iron fence with gated entrance, open with various mature trees

Cedar Hill Cemetery(1864)

Hartford, CT(270 ac)

residential area with adjacent woodlands and playground area

historic, but activewildlife preservation area, historic tree collection, bird walks, concerts, movie

nights, educational resource

rural, rolling, natural landscape with wind-ing paths and numerous mature trees

Bryant Park(1823)

August Allebéplein Cemetery(competition entry)

Belvedere Gardens(2004)

Lone Fir Cemetery(1855)

The Stockholm Woodland Cemetery(1920)

Evergreen Cemetery(1855)

Manhattan, NY(9.6 ac)

African Burial Ground National Monument

(2007)

New York Public Library facilities adja-cent and underneath the park; Mid-

town Manhattan commercial buildings

former burial ground, now privately- owned public park

public park used as lunch area for workers, summer �lm festival, season

ice skating rink, open-air reading room

three acre open lawn, tree-covered perimeter, movable seating and tables,

food and activity kiosks

Amsterdam, Netherlandsneighborhood with mix of corner stores and small businesses and high density

housing

competition entry(hypothetical)

“Below the surface the graveyard is the common �eld for the acknowledgment of the idea of community, a place of silence and shared memories being the base and

formal motivation for the surface of discus-sion, confrontation and action that is the

square.”

a hard cut in the surface of the public space which reveals a sunken cemetery as the

vault for the memories and activities that happen in the space above

Salem, VAlocated within a greater park cemetery, Sherwood Memorial Park, on the down-

town perimeter

contemporary active within historic active

addition is part of a cemetery that has a recreational use, but project is a contem-plative place that responds to its context

within the Shenandoah Valley

the mausoleum is composed of three gardens with each precinct separated from the other through transitional spaces as a way to keep

the outside world from the sacred space within; these transitional spaces allow for compression of space which, during later

moments when the landscape opens back up to the sky and mountains, encourages a new

awareness of the local and extended site; materials are tactile and visual and relate to

the context of the site

Portland, OR(30.5 ac)

located in neighborhood within south-eastern region of Portland; single family housing and neighborhood commercial

historic, but activehistoric guided tours; walking; pioneer rose garden; Block 14: forgotten burial

ground to be redesigned to celebrate the history of the site and the Chinese culture

Mature, wooded parklike cemetery with a uniform grid of paths and a contemporary

memorial garden at the entrance

Stockholm, Sweden(250+ ac)

adjacent to railroad and residential housing; no access from housing

historic, but active UNESCO world heritage site (guided tours); recreation; sound art exhibi-

tion

Wooded, forested areas with graves and paths that wind among the trees; wide

green expanses with �ve chapels

Dublin Grounds of Remembrance(2009)

Portland, ME(236 ac)

part of a citywide trail network; adja-cent neighborhood residential and large

greenspace

historic, but active

primordial urban forest, hiking, walking, running, biking, picnicking, cross-

country skiing, and snow-shoeing. The warbler migration in May brings millions

of exotic birds and thousands of pas-sionate watchers

national monumentNew York, NY(.35 ac)

Dublin, OH(1 ac)

contemporary memorial to respond to 1840s town cemetery

node along local Indian River Run Park, historic district of Dublin

downtown fabric of Manhattan

large mature trees, winding paths through a park cemetery setting which transitions

into a natural forest environment with hiking trails

preserves a site containing the remains of more than 400 Africans buried during the

late 17th and 18th centuries in a portion of what was the largest colonial-era cemetery

for people of African descent, some free, most enslaved.

granite wall compresses into a symbolic gathering space with a water feature;

ancestral chamber

de�ne the limits of the cemetery and guide movement through the site on days of

signi�cance, including Memorial Day and Veterans Day, as well as for everyday visits

gathering space framed by the Loggia, a sloped grassy Grove of Sycamores, a

bench-high inscribed stone wall where wreaths can be laid, and a ¥agpole. The

Loggia is a ceremonial backdrop and shel-ter for this collective pause – it is a pan-

oramic window into this special site from the Road.

1

location.

use.

2

3

absence.

foundation.

4

5

topography.

natural.

7

6

context.

8

network.

trace.

9

10

form.


research

07.

Additionally, I examined numerous case studies regarding revitalized cemeteries, contemporary cemeteries, and cemetery memo-rials. By creating a matrix, the key components and concepts of each project became evident, establishing a set of strong criteria to propel the preliminary design forward.

g r o u n d

Matrix

s h i f t i n research


Case Studies

By distilling out key concepts and strategies that were used in the designs, I found five important case studies, which revealed important ideas to help propel me forward in my process.

These ideas included:

1) Seamless connections of a cemetery within a street grid to inform hierarchy of paths in Congressional Cemetery in DC2) Use of the landscape to show layers, growth, and order of a Navy yard burial ground in Brooklyn, NY3) Utilizing strong visual and pedestrian axes to create rooms within a contemporary cemetery found in a Netherlands cemetery park4) Park-like connections that link a cemetery to its natural surroundings in Evergreen Cemetery in Portland, ME5) An intentional edge condition to define and direct the movement around a historic cemetery while respecting the ground and creating a meaningful experience


ca s e s t ud y d i ag rams

Congressional Cemetery Washington, DChistoric cemetery that has embraced new program of dog walking to help revitalize the space and surrounding neighborhood

+ lines up with street grid+ visual connection+ low wall+ entrances only at street intersections

Brooklyn Navy Yard Memorial Brooklyn, NYA plot of land that was once used as the final resting place for 2,000 marines and naval shipmen transformed into a memorial park that commemorates the history of the site

+ Growth, time, nature changes the order of the landscape+ Layers: landscape, cemetery, navy, people+ Layers appear depending on season, time of day, position within park

SEAMLESS CONNECTION EXPOSING LAYERS

Langedijk Cemetery Amsterdam, Netherlandscontemporary cemetery park design that connects to a greater park system through purposeful physical and visual axes that divide the cemetery into “rooms” + grave chambers, unique spaces+ connected park network

Evergreen Cemetery Portland, MElarge cemetery of almost 240 acres which incorporates a network of wilderness trails throughout for wildlife viewing, hiking, and walking

+ trails connect neighborhoods to cemetery+ cemetery is crucial node along public space network

Dublin Grounds of Remembrance Dublin, OHcontemporary installation around a historic town cemetery that preserves the interior and connects the cemetery to the adjacent forested park and town library

+ connection to larger trail network+ edge serves as the place that directs an experience around the interior burial ground+ permeable edge creates intimate and gathering spaces

SPATIAL ORGANIZATION PARK NETWORK

EDGES THAT DEFINE/DIRECT







































































g r o u n d09.


holy rood cemetery

the graves of holy rood cemetery

Cemeteries were one of the first indicators of the early park movement of the early to mid 1800s. Rural cemeteries developed out of the needs of city residents and an issues associated with city churchyard cemeteries. Rural cemeteries were designed as “naturalistic places for contemplation of death and the ever-after and as a place to enjoy all of the desirable qualities of nature itself. While used heavily by the middle-class, the rural cemeteries did not address the problem of open space within the urban landscape” (Clements, LAR 4034).

+ historic Catholic cemetery in Georgetown established in 1832

+ arguably the best documented slave burial ground in DC

+ adjacent to Wisconsin Ave NW, Whitehaven Parkway, and Glover Park Neighborhood

+ at one of the highest elevations in Washington, DC

+ third burial ground of Holy Trinity Church

+ 6.5 acres with approx. 2550 gravestones and over7300 known burials

+ mixture of veterans, paupers, slaves, freedmen, and wealthy Catholics of Georgetown

+ under the ownership of Georgetown University

+now pressured by university development

HOLY ROOD CEMETERY

S H I F T I N G_G R O U N D: re-establishing the cemetery in the urban public space.

park.

gateway.

edge.

cemetery.

neighborhood.

history.

views.

Cemeteries are deliberately created and highly organized cultural landscapes.

How can you design a sacred landscape that embraces each layer of history, and creates a framework for the accumulation of community?

lay·er1a: one thickness, course, or fold laid or lying over or under another; horizon; stratum2a: branch or shoot of a plant that roots while still attached to the parent plant

Concept.

To mold a lively, versatile community space that can nurture the needs of the university and neighbor-hood, and tactfully embrace the site’s cultural condition as a historic cemetery, through a design that utilizes the landscape as a canvas for the illustration of life AND death.

Goals.

PUBLIC SPACE.

+ allow the edges of the cemetery to respond to the context (park, commercial, neighborhood) permeable edge condition (remove existing chainlink fence) create entrances to cemetery that are respond to the circulation of the neighborhood, Wisconsin Ave., and Whitehaven Parkway

+ establish a stronger connection between Wisconsin Avenue and Holy Rood cemetery break up hard edge of retaining wall utilize retaining wall as a canvas for public art/expression of Glover Park embrace the site as the neighborhood gateway

+ foster the progression of public space from the surrounding street and alley network utilize alleyways on North side of site as semi-public connection to surrounding neighborhoods provide visual and physical connections from public neighborhood sidewalks to public cemetery

+ create a space for community gatherings and annual events that fits within the context of the cemetery enhance spaces for existing activities that occur on the site create a visual connection from Wisconsin Avenue and the adjacent neighborhoods

+ blend the cemetery into the network of adjacent parkways connect the circulation paths within the cemetery to the adjacent trails create a natural, porous edge that transitions into the parklands

+ create a series of “rooms” within the cemetery that provide unique experiences for an individual, a community, or both use the landscape and topography to create enclosed and open spaces CEMETERY.

+ re-establish a spatial order and grid of the cemetery that speaks to its original layout use the grid to inform the placement of key gathering spaces and more intimate areas expose the grid as an ordering element for the circulation or spatial hierarchy of the site + highlight the historical connections to the University and Holy Trinity Church artifacts or an interactive timeline highlight former burial grounds of Holy Trinity Church + respect the presence of unmarked graves throughout the site acknowledge the slave burial ground in NW corner of site establish condition (planted, built, etc) to protect fragile sites

+ use exising landform of site topography views

+ bring a new perspective to the idea of death plant palette that illustrates the potential beauty of death and the subsequent new growth that may proceed (year-round interest) use soft textures and warm colors of plants to contrast the hard gravestones and aesthetics of the cemetery


holy rood cemetery s h i f t i nThe Cemetery

Since 1933, the cemetery has been under the ownership of Georgetown University, however, the university maintains minimal upkeep of the cemetery. A local historian, Carlton Fletcher explained:

“The grass grows fast in the summer, and the lawn crew, hard-pressed to keep up, mows in haste: every stone in Holy Rood has the scars to prove it. The enclosures that once surrounded family plots, and no doubt made it harder to mow the grass, have been disposed of. When weed-trees are cut and hauled away, the trucks crush fallen tombstones under their wheels. There is no caretaker, his house was torn down long ago, and the campus police don’t include Holy Rood in their rounds. By day, dog-owners feel entitled to let their dogs off the leash, and by night, vandals have a free hand to go about their business.”

Visitors who conclude from the evidence that the university does not value Holy Rood could be forgiven for doing so, but that is not actually the case. For the University, the question in the last thirty years has been, how long before that value could be realized? In 1933 Archbishop Curley had suggested that a hundred years might be a decent interval before finding a use for Holy Rood; by 1972 this had already seemed to be too long to wait. Steps began to be taken to bring the goal nearer. A letter from Charles Meng, Vice President for Administration and Facilities, notified the remain-ing one hundred and nine holders of burial rights that the cemetery would be closed to further burials. It did not mention that this step was the indispensable preliminary to the removal of graves. The plot owners were furious. The holders of burial rights in Holy Rood took the University to court. The restraining order they obtained in 1984 has obliged Georgetown to keep the cemetery open ever since, and to honor all remaining contracts, until the last lot-holder dies.

However, due to the site’s high real estate value and surrounding development, the cemetery has been under intense development pressure since 1984. Today, Holy Rood Cemetery is valued as an important space within the fabric of the Glover Park neighborhood. For example, every July fourth holiday, the community gathers at the high point of the cemetery to watch the DC fireworks show. The program of the cemetery is beginning to transition from a historic cemetery to a community public space for Glover Park.

cemetery

abandoned cem

etery

cemetery

historic cemetery

reenvisioned public space

DESIG

N H

APPEN

S.

11.


holy rood cemetery Site Photographs

view atop high point

stone retaining wall along Wisconsin Avenue back residential edge condition of cemetery

site panorama

aerial image of site

unmarked slave burial ground in northwest corner

view of cemetery from adjacent parking lot

existing main entrance from Wisconsin Avenue g r o u n d

1 1

3

5 6

4

23

5

64

2

s h i f t i n

Site Photographsaerial image of site

shifting r o u n d

holy rood cemetery

12.

veteran grave within cemetery

existing hillside crypt woodland edge condition of cemetery

assorted graves within cemetery

adjacent northern edge of cemetery

existing main entrance from Wisconsin Avenue existing vegetated edge

7 8

9 10

11 12 13

7

8

9

11

12

13

10

holy rood cemetery istorical LayersH

Maryland Assembly authorized the acquisition of sixty acres to be the site of the future city of Georgetown (of which the eastern half of Glover Park was once part).

The earliest appearance of what can be recognized as Wisconsin Avenue is a dotted line on a map drawn in 1712, showing the route from the future site of Georgetown, via what is now River Road, to Canavest, the Indian village near Point of Rocks, Maryland.

Incorporation of Georgetown; Father John Carroll founded Georgetown University as a Jesuit private university

The new Presbyterian Burial Grounds of Georgetown were moved o�site to a plat of land near present day Georgetown University.

Site of Holy Trinity Church was purchased next to a “small, but neat graveyard, the resting place of the �rst Catholic settlers.

First burial in the second burial ground of Holy Trinity: the College Ground. The College Ground came into use because the Holy Trinity churchyard had reached its limit, and was the only parish cemetery available between 1818 and 1833.

In 1832, land for a third Catholic burial ground was purchased on Back Street––Tunlaw Road––in the sparsely-populated northern extension of Georgetown.

This new burial ground was augmented by purchase of adjacent land, and a house for the sexton or gravedigger was built near the entrance. A more convenient entrance on High Street––Wisconsin Avenue--became possible after the burial ground was enlarged yet again.

1866

Auction sale of land accu-mulated by Henry Kengla, a 91 year-old butcher who had lived alone at what is now 2400 Tunlaw Road. The buyer was banker Charles C. Glover.

Charles C. Glover gave the newly instituted National Capital Parks Commission seventy-seven acres in the valley of Foundry Branch, which––with the addition of twenty-eight acres from Anne Archbold––became Glover-Archbold Park.

The earliest advertisements of Glover Park were placed by Benjamin H. Gruver. The �rm, which had built houses in Petworth, Bright-wood and Cleveland Park, rode out the Great Depres-sion by concentrating on the development of Glover Park.

The developer F.W. Huidekoper had subdivided Burleith; and John W. Thompson had acquired Weston, and what he would call Tunlaw Heights.

The butchers Joseph Weaver, Jacob H. Kengla, and Benjamin F. Hunt incorporated the George-town and Tenallytown Rail Road, with the express purpose of improving the development potential of their real estate.

The �rst church building of Holy Trinity Church, which still serves as the parish's chapel, was built.

Glover Park was a mere six years old when its status as a full-¡edged neighbor-hood was con�rmed; Ben-jamin Stoddert Elemen-tary School was dedicated on November 7th.

Members of the two family �rms merged to form Gruver Cooley Con-struction, which is still in business today.

Charles and William Cooley--whose involvement in the development of Glover Park can be dated to about 1931--built their “English village” group and semi-detached houses in “Glover Park Heights”––at 39th, 40th, Benton and Beecher streets.

Jane Parks, age one, was the �rst person buried in the Upper Grave Yard, on April 20th.

Steps were being made to �nd another use for the cemetery grounds.

A letter from Charles Meng, Vice President for Administration and Facilities, noti�ed the remaining one hundred and nine holders of burial rights that Holy Rood would be closed to further burials, and that they could therefore not be laid to rest with their families.

Georgetown’s president was not nearly so equivo-cal: “The University takes the position that some-day, somehow, the Univer-sity must be allowed to convert this property from cemetery property to some other use.”

2013

The Working Group has validated the plan to �nance restoration and maintenance of the cemetery by constructing a columbarium there.

2016Phase II of restoration project completion.

The Oak Hill Cemetery was founded by Mr. W.W. Corcoran as a garden park cemetery.

Georgetown was designated a National Historic Landmark and is included in the Inventory of Historic Places as well as the National Register of Historic Places.

Georgetown's landmark waterfront district's was further revitalized

TodayThe primary commercial corridors of Georgetown are the intersection of Wisconsin Avenue & M Street, which contain high-end shops, bars, restaurants, and the Georgetown Park enclosed shopping mall, as well as the Washington Harbour waterfront restaurants at K Street, NW, between 30th and 31st Streets.

In the years immediately after the Civil War a new house for the sexton, a vault, a new gate and stone retaining wall along High Street were completed, and what had been called simply the Upper Grave Yard was given the name by which it has been known since then: Holy Rood.

The aggrieved holders of burial rights in Holy Rood went further, and took Georgetown University to court. The consent decree they obtained in 1984 has obliged Georgetown to keep the cemetery open ever since, and to honor all remaining contracts.

In January 2011, a group of Holy Trinity parishioners formed a Steering Committee with the mission of restoring Holy Rood Cemetery to its original dignity and function as a memorial and �nal resting place for Holy Trinity parishioners and for members of the greater Washington D.C. community.

2011

200319841972194219331915The transfer of Holy Trinity to the Archdiocese of Wash-ington took place in 1942. Yet, Holy Rood remained in the care of Georgetown University, which had henceforth to foot the bill for its maintenance.

Georgetown University proposed to Archbishop Curley that the parish cemetery should convey with the parish. Yet, the archdiocese explained the cemetery might be be of use to the University in a hundred years.

Last plot was sold in Holy Rood Cemetery. Holy Rood became a �nancial liability, and began to re¡ect this in its condition, as had happened to the College Ground, many years before.

holy rood cemetery

georgetown glover park

1946

1960

The last streetcar came up Wisconsin Avenue on January 3, 1960.

First burial occurred in the original location of the Jesuit Cemetery at Georgetown University. Forty-six burials hap-pened here, before the site was moved due to the construction of a new dormitory.

The oldest structure in Glover Park is the former Methodist Protestant chapel at 35th Street and Wisconsin Avenue, which was built in 1874.

1967 2003193119321926

1924190718871888

187418481818

18531833

1832

1808

1802

1794

1789

1787

17511712

13.

istorical LayersH

Maryland Assembly authorized the acquisition of sixty acres to be the site of the future city of Georgetown (of which the eastern half of Glover Park was once part).

The earliest appearance of what can be recognized as Wisconsin Avenue is a dotted line on a map drawn in 1712, showing the route from the future site of Georgetown, via what is now River Road, to Canavest, the Indian village near Point of Rocks, Maryland.

Incorporation of Georgetown; Father John Carroll founded Georgetown University as a Jesuit private university

The new Presbyterian Burial Grounds of Georgetown were moved o�site to a plat of land near present day Georgetown University.

Site of Holy Trinity Church was purchased next to a “small, but neat graveyard, the resting place of the �rst Catholic settlers.

First burial in the second burial ground of Holy Trinity: the College Ground. The College Ground came into use because the Holy Trinity churchyard had reached its limit, and was the only parish cemetery available between 1818 and 1833.

In 1832, land for a third Catholic burial ground was purchased on Back Street––Tunlaw Road––in the sparsely-populated northern extension of Georgetown.

This new burial ground was augmented by purchase of adjacent land, and a house for the sexton or gravedigger was built near the entrance. A more convenient entrance on High Street––Wisconsin Avenue--became possible after the burial ground was enlarged yet again.

1866

Auction sale of land accu-mulated by Henry Kengla, a 91 year-old butcher who had lived alone at what is now 2400 Tunlaw Road. The buyer was banker Charles C. Glover.

Charles C. Glover gave the newly instituted National Capital Parks Commission seventy-seven acres in the valley of Foundry Branch, which––with the addition of twenty-eight acres from Anne Archbold––became Glover-Archbold Park.

The earliest advertisements of Glover Park were placed by Benjamin H. Gruver. The �rm, which had built houses in Petworth, Bright-wood and Cleveland Park, rode out the Great Depres-sion by concentrating on the development of Glover Park.

The developer F.W. Huidekoper had subdivided Burleith; and John W. Thompson had acquired Weston, and what he would call Tunlaw Heights.

The butchers Joseph Weaver, Jacob H. Kengla, and Benjamin F. Hunt incorporated the George-town and Tenallytown Rail Road, with the express purpose of improving the development potential of their real estate.

The �rst church building of Holy Trinity Church, which still serves as the parish's chapel, was built.

Glover Park was a mere six years old when its status as a full-¡edged neighbor-hood was con�rmed; Ben-jamin Stoddert Elemen-tary School was dedicated on November 7th.

Members of the two family �rms merged to form Gruver Cooley Con-struction, which is still in business today.

Charles and William Cooley--whose involvement in the development of Glover Park can be dated to about 1931--built their “English village” group and semi-detached houses in “Glover Park Heights”––at 39th, 40th, Benton and Beecher streets.

Jane Parks, age one, was the �rst person buried in the Upper Grave Yard, on April 20th.

Steps were being made to �nd another use for the cemetery grounds.

A letter from Charles Meng, Vice President for Administration and Facilities, noti�ed the remaining one hundred and nine holders of burial rights that Holy Rood would be closed to further burials, and that they could therefore not be laid to rest with their families.

Georgetown’s president was not nearly so equivo-cal: “The University takes the position that some-day, somehow, the Univer-sity must be allowed to convert this property from cemetery property to some other use.”

2013

The Working Group has validated the plan to �nance restoration and maintenance of the cemetery by constructing a columbarium there.

2016Phase II of restoration project completion.

The Oak Hill Cemetery was founded by Mr. W.W. Corcoran as a garden park cemetery.

Georgetown was designated a National Historic Landmark and is included in the Inventory of Historic Places as well as the National Register of Historic Places.

Georgetown's landmark waterfront district's was further revitalized

TodayThe primary commercial corridors of Georgetown are the intersection of Wisconsin Avenue & M Street, which contain high-end shops, bars, restaurants, and the Georgetown Park enclosed shopping mall, as well as the Washington Harbour waterfront restaurants at K Street, NW, between 30th and 31st Streets.

In the years immediately after the Civil War a new house for the sexton, a vault, a new gate and stone retaining wall along High Street were completed, and what had been called simply the Upper Grave Yard was given the name by which it has been known since then: Holy Rood.

The aggrieved holders of burial rights in Holy Rood went further, and took Georgetown University to court. The consent decree they obtained in 1984 has obliged Georgetown to keep the cemetery open ever since, and to honor all remaining contracts.

In January 2011, a group of Holy Trinity parishioners formed a Steering Committee with the mission of restoring Holy Rood Cemetery to its original dignity and function as a memorial and �nal resting place for Holy Trinity parishioners and for members of the greater Washington D.C. community.

2011

200319841972194219331915The transfer of Holy Trinity to the Archdiocese of Wash-ington took place in 1942. Yet, Holy Rood remained in the care of Georgetown University, which had henceforth to foot the bill for its maintenance.

Georgetown University proposed to Archbishop Curley that the parish cemetery should convey with the parish. Yet, the archdiocese explained the cemetery might be be of use to the University in a hundred years.

Last plot was sold in Holy Rood Cemetery. Holy Rood became a �nancial liability, and began to re¡ect this in its condition, as had happened to the College Ground, many years before.

holy rood cemetery

georgetown glover park

1946

1960

The last streetcar came up Wisconsin Avenue on January 3, 1960.

First burial occurred in the original location of the Jesuit Cemetery at Georgetown University. Forty-six burials hap-pened here, before the site was moved due to the construction of a new dormitory.

The oldest structure in Glover Park is the former Methodist Protestant chapel at 35th Street and Wisconsin Avenue, which was built in 1874.

1967 2003193119321926

1924190718871888

187418481818

18531833

1832

1808

1802

1794

1789

1787

17511712

14.

historic timeline

15.


program

To mold a lively, versatile community space that can nurture the needs of the university and neighborhood, and tactfully embrace the site’s cultural condition as a historic cemetery, through a design that utilizes the landscape as a canvas for the illustration of life AND death.

PUBLIC SPACE.

+ allow the edges of the cemetery to respond to the context (park, commercial, neighborhood) permeable edge condition (remove existing chainlink fence) create entrances to cemetery that are respond to the circulation of the neighborhood, Wisconsin Ave., and Whitehaven Parkway + establish a stronger connection between Wisconsin Avenue and Holy Rood cemetery break up hard edge of retaining wall utilize retaining wall as a canvas for public art/expression of Glover Park embrace the site as the neighborhood gateway

+ foster the progression of public space from the surrounding street and alley network utilize alleyways on North side of site as semi-public connection to surrounding neighborhoods provide visual and physical connections from public neighborhood sidewalks to public cemetery

+ create a space for community gatherings and annual events that fits within the context of the cemetery enhance spaces for existing activities that occur on the site create a visual connection from Wisconsin Avenue and the adjacent neighborhoods

CEMETERY.

+ re-establish a spatial order and grid of the cemetery that speaks to its original layout use the grid to inform the placement of key gathering spaces and more intimate areas expose the grid as an ordering element for the circulation or spatial hierarchy of the site + highlight the historical connections to the University and Holy Trinity Church artifacts or an interactive timeline highlight former burial grounds of Holy Trinity Church + respect the presence of unmarked graves throughout the site acknowledge the slave burial ground in NW corner of site establish condition (planted, built, etc) to protect fragile sites

LANDSCAPE.

+ create a series of “rooms” within the cemetery that provide unique experiences for an individual, a community, or both use the landscape and topography to create enclosed and open spaces + blend the cemetery into the network of adjacent parkways connect the circulation paths within the cemetery to the adjacent trails create a natural, porous edge that transitions into the parklands

+ bring a new perspective to the idea of death plant palette that illustrates the potential beauty of death and the subsequent new growth that may proceed (year-round interest) use soft textures and warm colors of plants to contrast the hard gravestones and aesthetics of the cemetery + use existing landform of site topography views

+ design a sustainable landscape low maintenance plantings utilize successional processes of nature to provide a landscape that evolves with the site over time

g r o u n d

Objectives

Goal

s h i f t i n context


aerial image of Holy Rood Cemetery

g r o u n d

In addition to the Capitol, the White House and the Mall, history-minded visitors to the city can track the na-tion’s political, military and cultural course through the quiet final resting grounds of the famous and near-famous who lived and died here, from former presidents and generals to authors, Indian chiefs and famous lawmen. Across town and along the shores of the Anacostia River lies Historic Congressional Cemetery, the oldest national cemetery, with origins dating back to 1807. No tour of Washington’s cemeteries would be complete without a trip through Arling-ton National Cemetery, perhaps the country’s best-known burial ground.

Along the Potomac River, Georgetown is known as the neighborhood, commercial, and entertainment district of DC. The pri-mary commercial corridors of Georgetown are the intersection of Wisconsin Avenue & M Street, which contain high-end shops, bars, restaurants, and the Georgetown Park enclosed shopping mall, as well as the Washington Harbour waterfront.George-town is also home to the main campus of Georgetown University as well as several international embassies.

Just north of the intersection of M Street, Glover Park is a quiet, but family friendly neighborhood of students, families, gradu-ates, and retirees. Wisconsin Avenue in Glover Park is home to a variety of restau-rants and other businesses. Guy Mason Park is between Wisconsin Avenue and the Naval Observatory and is the location of a softball diamond, a playground for small children, and an unofficial enclosed dog park. Hous-ing in Glover Park is a mix of apartment buildings and porch-front rowhouses built in the 1920s and 1930s. The neighborhood is named for Washingtonian Charles Car-roll Glover, an influential late 19th and early 20th century banker and philanthropist. He is credited with the creation of the city’s Rock Creek Park system, which marks the western edge of the neighborhood.

The site for my design exercise is a historic Catholic cemetery within a popular George-town neighborhood just outside the heart of downtown DC. Holy Rood Cemetery was established in 1832 as a burial ground for many of the residents, Catholics, veterans, and slaves of Georgetown. Six and a half acres in size, with over 7300 recorded burials, Holy Rood is rich with history. It cur-rently serves as the third graveyard for Holy Trinity Church and houses arguably one of the most well- documented unmarked slave burial grounds in the greater Washington area. Geographically, the site is positioned along Wisconsin Avenue NW, just north of Georgetown University and the waterfront, at one of the highest elevations in the surround-ing landscape.

CITYWASHINGTON DC

REGIONGEORGETOWN

NEIGHBORHOODGLOVER PARK

SITEHOLY ROOD CEMETERY

17.


context

sitesite

whitehaven parklands

rockcreek pklnds.

glover-archbold pklnds.

wisconsin ave nw


neighborhood identityGlover Park

+ 25% increase in teenagers living there from 2000 to 2010+ largely residential district+ close-knit community atmosphere+ quiet streets lined with quaint row houses+ a commercial zone with a small but growing foodie scene+ with no dedicated Metro station, the area isn’t as well known as some of its neighbors like Cleveland Park or Woodley Park+ home to Stoddert, one of Northwest’s best elementary schools+ very few roads lead in and out of Glover Park, very little through traffic = little crime+ The neighborhood’s commercial activity is largely restricted to Wisconsin Avenue, which is a busy strip of shops and stores, including a Whole Foods, a post office, a recently-opened Chipotle, several gyms, and a much-lauded hardware store.+ parking can be tricky, 8,000 residents and only about 1500 on-street parking spaces.

Cathedral Heights

+ isn’t known as a place with a tight sense of community or identity+ a peaceful sense of removal from the hustle and bustle of downtown Washington+ Unlike Tenleytown or Cleveland Park, where the streets are lined with tightly packed row houses and detached single-family homes, much of Cathedral Heights’ housing stock is in the form of large, older apartment, condo and co-op complexes that sit on swaths of green lawn, with names like the Westchester, the Warwick, and Idaho Terrace

Burleith

+ a small, completely residential square of a neighborhood in northwest DC+ doesn’t have nearly the same name recognition as Georgetown or Glover Park+ the neighborhood of 535 homes offers a distinctive housing stock and a quiet, more afford-able way to live close to the action on Wisconsin Avenue+ In the early 1900’s, a developer bought up the land that is now Burleith with the intention of building homes on it for the influx of residents coming into DC at that time.

s h i f t i n

glover park

cathedralheights

burleith

neighborhoods surrounding Holy Rood Cemetery


analysis

g r o u n d

conceptual sketch of layers of site

19.

s h i f t i n


analysis

Population Density: District of Columbia

Population Density

Site

Roads

Buildings

2010 CensusDensity

0.000 - 0.010

0.011 - 0.030

0.031 - 0.080

0.081 - 0.180

0.181 - 0.300

0.301 - 0.410 ¯ 0 0.25 0.50.125 Miles

Population Density: District of ColumbiaPo

pula

tion

Dens

ity: D

istric

t of C

olum

bia

1:10000 1:5000

0 0.3 0.60.15 Miles

¯

0 0.25 0.50.125 Miles

Land

Use

: Dist

rict o

f Col

umbi

a

1:10000

¯¯0 0.2 0.40.1 Miles

Existing Land UseSite

UseVacant

DescriptionWater

Transport, Communications, Utilities

Public, Quasi-Public, Institutional

Parks and Open Spaces

Parking

Mixed Use

Medium Density Residential

Low-Medium Density Residential

Low Density Residential

Local publicInstitutional

Industrial

High Density Residential

Federal public

Commercial

Land Use: District of Colum

bia

1:5000

Beginning the analysis process for Holy Rood Cemetery, I

zoomed out to find where the site is located within its context

and the possible opportunities for connection at that scale.

The site is also positioned along the unofficial main street

through Georgetown, Wisconsin Ave NW, which runs from

the waterfront of the Potomac, North towards Tenleytown.

The site marks the important transition of Wisconsin Ave from

a destination shopping/dining corridor to the local neighbor-

hood commercial street of the Glover Park neighborhood.

The regional context map also shows the important land use

characteristics surrounding the site---the commercial business

district centered along Wisconsin Ave NW and the unique

neighborhoods intersected by the parklands.

density distribution map regional analysis map

regional landuse map

21.


analysis The extensive network of trails and parkways that run throughout the Washington DC region provide an important framework of public spaces for the city. The green swaths connect neighborhoods, parks, and destinations through bike and walking trails.

The greenspace context map confirms the important location of the cemetery (pink) as a linkage to the greater public space network of DC. The map also shows the programmed spaces along the parklands.

The main parkways (shown on map) influencing the site are:

Rock Creek and Potomac ParkwayThe Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway is part of the National Park Service’s Rock Creek Park, which extends through Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia. The parkway offers a trail for runners, walkers and bikers, and forms a natural boundary along the outer edges of Georgetown; it also connects to several other parks in Georgetown.

Glover-Archbold ParkwayThe 183-acre Glover Archbold Park was donated to the city in 1924 by Charles C. Glover and Anne Archbold (a former Riggs Bank executive and Standard Oil of New Jersey heiress, respectively) to be used as a bird sanctuary. It contains trees that are 150 to 200 years old. Near the Potomac River, the trail passes below Canal Road and the C&O Canal in a stone-lined tunnel that is part of the original C&O Canal construction. The tunnel provided access to the Potomac River for the Foxall Foundry, which was one of Georgetown’s largest industries, producing cannons and munitions from 1803 to 1854.

Whitehaven ParkwayThis 1-mile trail connects the Dumbarton Oaks armof Rock Creek Park with the Foundry Branch valley

g r o u n d

Green Space Context Study

Rock Creek and Potomac ParkwayThe Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway is part of the National Park Service's Rock Creek Park, which extends through Virginia, Maryland and the Dis-trict of Columbia. The parkway oers a trail for runners, walkers and bikers, and forms a natural boundary along the outer edges of Georgetown; it also connects to several other parks in George-town.

Glover-Archbold ParkwayThe 183-acre Glover Archbold Park was donated to the city in 1924 by Charles C. Glover and Anne Archbold (a former Riggs Bank executive and Stan-dard Oil of New Jersey heiress, respectively) to be used as a bird sanctuary. It contains trees that are 150 to 200 years old. Near the Potomac River, the trail passes below Canal Road and the C&O Canal in a stone-lined tunnel that is part of the original C&O Canal construction. The tunnel provided access to the Potomac River for the Foxall Foundry, which was one of Georgetown's largest industries, producing cannons and munitions from 1803 to 1854.

Whitehaven ParkwayThis 1-mile trail connects the Dumbarton Oaks arm of Rock Creek Park with the Foundry Branch valley in Glover Archbold Park.

Rock Creek Park+ historic woodland park (1890)+ public park facilities

Smithsonian NationalZoological Park+163 AC+ regional/ national attraction

Melvin C. Hazen Park+ 1.1 mile trail+ natural jogging trail

Soapstone Valley Park+ .9 mile trail+ valley landscape+ wooded trail with a creek

Woodland-NormanstoneTerrace Park+ adjacent to Observatory

Dumbarton Oaks Park+ 27 AC of wilderness

Dumbarton Oaks Gardens+ 10 AC of formal gardens

Montrose Park+ historic recreational park

Sheridan-Locksmith Park

Rose Park Recreation Center+ neighborhood public space+ natural area for recreation

Francis Playground+ connected to school+ modern playground+ semi-public space

McLean Playground+ regional/ town destination+ state-of-the-art playground

Glover Park Community Garden+ 2.7 AC+ “Victory Garden”+ 150 plots

Glover-Archbold Park+ stream valley park+ 183 AC+ donated by Charles Glover and Anne Archbold in 1924

Whitehaven Community Garden+ 1 AC+ 50 plots+ “Victory Garden”

Foundry Branch Valley Park+ part of the Capital Crescent Trail+ tunnel

s h i f t i n ana l y s i s s h i f t i n ground

Regionally, one of the strengths of the site’s

location is its context within the extensive trail net-

work of DC. The regional analysis map shows the

site is positioned at a key point along the White-

haven Parklands trail system. The trails provide a

connective tissue throughout the Washington area

with entry points along its edge and programmed

spaces such as gardens and dog parks nestled

within its forests. Holy Rood Cemetery is located

at a unique place along the parklands, because

of its visibility and accessibility. It isn’t tucked away

within the trees and there lies its strength as a link

to the greater public space system. The map also

shows the important entrances along the nearby

parklands and the major trail connections.


analysis

WHITEHAVEN PARKLANDS

23.


analysis At the neighborhood scale, the site is an important placeholder

within Glover Park. The cemetery lies at the southern gateway into

the neighborhood adjacent to Wisconsin Ave NW, which is the

circulative spine through Georgetown. The main entrance of the

cemetery lies along Wisconsin Avenue NW. There are also sev-

eral entrances to the adjacent Whitehaven Parklands nearby as

well, marked by the gold asterisks. The site also finds adjacency

with rowhouses that face into the space. The land use surrounding

the site creates several edge conditions----residential to the north-

west, parklands to the south, and business commercial to the east.

The diverse edge conditions provide multiple opportunities for bet-

ter connecting the site with other parts of Glover Park.

g r o u n d

SECTION.

cemeterycemetery cemetery

35th St nw

Wisconsin ave nw

light commercial

pathway

pathway

tree buffer

residential

tree buffer

residential

alley

37th st nw

neighborhood commercial

ABSTRACT STUDY.

HOLY ROOD CEMETERY.

alley

private yard

private yard

Tunlaw rd nw sidew

alk

10’ stone retaining wall

s h i f t i n

Cemetery CollageAnother part of the analysis of the site, involved

an unconventional approach of collaging images

representing the present layers of the site such as

the neighborhood uses, historic nodes, and the

parklike space. The

collage represented the layering of many

influences on the site such as the historical implica-

tions, natural vegetation, and landscape. How-

ever, the layers possessed no real hierarchy. The

history layer surfaces in certain places within the

cemetery, while the natural layer winds its way

into the site from the parklands. The preliminary

collage acted as an inventory of the site and its

layers, both visible and invisible.


analysis

25.


analysis s h i f t i n g

round

e s t ab l i s h i ng h i e r a r c h y

proc

ess.


c oncep t ua l i d ea s s h i f t i n ground

de s i gn de ve l opmen t

The concept blends ideas of all three preliminary concepts to create a place that allows Holy Rood Cemetery to extend into its surroundings. The edge becomes a place of activation on all sides, allowing views outward from the site as well as intimate spaces within. The cemetery begins to serve as the grounds for an urban (people focused) condition to coincide with the natural landscape that transitions into the site from the adjacent parklands. The grid of graves provides an order for the urban edge and respectfully disapates into the natural landscape on the opposing side. The design allows the cemetery to perform a new function within its context, while continuing to embrace its historical past.

HOLY ROOD:THE CONNECTIVE SEAM

natureurban +

Activating the EdgeEach edge of the site was completely unique, from urban street to natural wood-lands. In order to connect the cemetery with its surrounding context, the edge is vital. This concept looks at the edge and how it can create a sequence that draws people in or orients them out as they travel around the perimeter of the site.

Nature + UrbanThe location of the site along Wisconsin Avenue and the Whitehaven Parklandsallows the cemetery to serve as the cultivated nature between these two conditions. The idea looks at using the geometric order of the cemetery to bridge the urban edge of the neighborhood and the natural edge of the parklands. The idea acknowledges the need to extend the reach of the cemetery to best connect it with the surrounding community.

The Town GridWithin a street grid, there is a hierarchy that can be found, even within a cemetery. This concept seeks to order the existing site into a small town, with sacred places, a main street, and important intersections. By ordering the cemetery in this way, neigh-borhoods begin to emerge. These neigh-borhoods can be represented through dif-ferent plantings providing unique uses and aesthetics through the different seasons.

a series of exercises to discover the hierarchy of layers at the cemetery. How can past and present layers of use, function, history, and landscape condition inform the future program and design of the site?

Neighborhood Recreation Area

Bosque

MemorialFlower Garden

ParkingGarage/

Lower Level Retail

Community PlazaSplash Pad

Views

StreetEntrance

TrailEntrance

NeighborhoodEntrance

Meadow Labyrinth

Decked Overlook

Canopy Pockets

Local Eatery

Residential

Market

Stage/Pavilion

Office

Office

Mural

Chalkwall

Library

Visitorʼs Center

Residential

WISCO

NSIN

AVE NW

One way street

URBAN

URBAN

NATURENATURE

NATURE

original cemetery plot grid historical importance in cemetery grid + landscape

landscape + neighborhood + circulation

neighborhood + cemetery grid + neighborhood use circulation + neighborhood

landscape + topography circulation + neighborhood use circulation + neighborhood use + landscape

cemetery + circulation grid + neighborhood

cemetery visitor. child. community member. historian. runner. nearby neighbor.Georgetown tourist.wildlife enthusiast.

p r og ramma t i c d i ag ram concep t d i ag ram SIte DiagrammingThe collage initiated the challenge of then finding order among the preliminary layers through a series of

simple overlays addressing the site’s cemetery, landscape, and neighborhood characteristics. This set of

diagrams showcased how the past and present layers of use, history, and landscape condition could

influence the future program and use on the site. This allowed me to establish the site’s relationship within

the landscape, expressing the landscape’s role as the common ground bringing the programmatic needs of

the university, cemetery, and neighborhood together. The diagrams began to expose the

relationships between certain aspects of the site that I had analyzed. For example, by studying the

relationship between the circulation patterns of the residents and the important community nodes of activity,

I was able to begin establishing a hierarchy to the paths of the cemetery based on the connections.

The overlays included in the diagrams are:

1. original cemetery grid

2. landscape condition

3. cemetery nodes

4. neighborhood activity nodes

5. cemetery pathways

6. neighborhood circulation

The conclusions represented simply in the set of diagrams supported many of the design and programmatic

decisions in the later stages of the project. Additionally, the series of drawings provided a strong

foundation for the site-scale synthesis drawing which identified key opportunities and constraints for the

preliminary design.

g r o u n d

s h i f t i n

s y n t h e s i s s h i f t i n ground

diagramming the key opportunities and constraints from the analysis phase that will influence design development

Site SynthesisIn the site-scale synthesis, the opportunities and constraints of the site became apparent. The site’s

use as a cemetery produces the main constraint of over 2500 headstones and a grid of burial

plots throughout. However, the unique edge conditions of residential, Wisconsin Ave, and the

parklands provide opportunities to connect the cemetery to its surroundings. The site’s adjacency

with the historic rowhouses of Glover Park creates an opportunity for more surveillance of the site

as well as a more responsive housing development to the North. The cemetery sits upon a large

hill with steep slopes on two sides and a large stone retaining wall along Wisconsin Avenue,

creating both opportunities for astounding views, but also a visible barrier from the popular

Wisconsin Avenue NW corridor. Additionally, the site shares a side with a small neighborhood

business/commercial lot that is fairly unused, which allows an opportunity for a possible

pedestrian connection that transitions to the neighborhood commercial of Wisconsin Ave NW.

The yellow asterisks denote the main and unofficial resident entrances into the cemetery,

illustrating the need to provide access to the site on other sides. The landform and landscape

character of the site also creates opportunities for highlighting areas such as the high point, the

open space of the slave burial ground, or loose canopy of existing mature trees. Overall, one of

the most obvious opportunities is found within the adjacent parkland trail systems that run parallel

to the south side of the site. An empty cul-de-sac along the western edge of the cemetery provides

an ideal entrance to the Whitehaven Parklands as well.

The synthesis provided collective documentation of the findings of the analysis drawings and

diagrams influencing the site. The opportunities and constraints began to frame the design

parameters and program.


analysis

27.


design concepts

g r o u n d

conceptual sketch / topographic axes

s h i f t i nConceptual DevelopmentThe site has numerous constraints, only one being the expanse of graves covering the cemetery.

In order to develop strong design gestures and ideas, I began sketching and brainstorming ideas

that could transform the site into a vital community space while still respecting the site’s condition

as a cemetery. Some ideas challenged known taboos associated with burial grounds. Others

respected the order of the cemetery. The sketches helped translate the opportunities of the synthe-

sis and analysis into real design gestures that could connect the cemetery with the neighborhood,

street, and woodlands at several scales.


design concepts

29.


design concepts s h i f t i n g

round


proc

ess.




concept sketches.


nature [edge] + urban [edge] = cemetery.

Wildflower Labyrintha circular space within the strict grid of paths anchored by a historic hillside crypt can be transformed into a peaceful meditative space that serves as an entry into the natural forested edge. the surrounding hillside forms a nice grassy lookout.

Light Columnsan intimate space nestled among the hillside forests that uses sunlight to create pockets of light that pierce the surrouding dense canopy. the cantilevered walks become extensions of the grid of paths within the cemetery.

Historic Burial Grounda historic slave burial ground that is virtually invisible becomes highlighted through a neighborhood en-trance which responds to the boundary of the sacred ground. A strict grid of trees open up to reveal the square of forgotten graves.

Street Entrancea curved wall lowers to highlight the hidden gem of Glover Park, allowing street visibility from Wisconsin Ave and an entrance that draws visitors and residents into the space through a gradual reveal of the cemetery landscape.


Walking the CemeteryThe experience of traditional cemeteries are dictated primarily by the paths and axes that they create. This concept looks at a walking the cemetery through a topo-graphic and elevated lens. A series of paths that allowed secondary movement above the ground and gravesites. The paths follow the topography



Whitehaven Parklands

labyrinth

overlook

boardwalkextension

neighborhoodentrance

slave burial ground

gatheringarea

street entrance

wiscons

in ave

nw

pedest

rian walk

nature

urban+



proc

ess.




concept sketches.












labyrinth

overlook

boardwalkextension


slave burial ground

gatheringarea

street entrance

wiscons

in ave

nw

pedest

rian walk

nature

urban+s h i f t i n g

round


proc

ess.




concept sketches.












labyrinth

overlook

boardwalkextension


slave burial ground

gatheringarea

street entrance

wiscons

in ave

nw

pedest

rian walk

nature

urban+Walking the CemeteryThe experiences of traditional cemeteries are dictated primarily by the paths and axes that they create. This

concept looks at walking the cemetery through a topographic and elevated lens. A series of paths that allow

secondary movement above the ground and gravesites. The paths follow the topography creating an elevated

walk for the pedestrian through the cemetery. The form of the boardwalk could delineate sacred spaces within

the cemetery, such as the edge of the slave burial ground or the hillside crypt. The walk could connect into the

existing trails of the parklands and emerge out of the forest canopy into the cemetery. Although very

conceptual, the idea directly responds to the main constraint of the cemetery---the existing paths. The idea

opens up the entire site by providing a new way to experience the site, but also respect the graves.

g r o u n d



proc

ess.

s h i f t i n g

round



concept sketches.












labyrinth

overlook

boardwalkextension


slave burial ground

gatheringarea

street entrance

wiscons

in ave

nw

pedest

rian walk

nature

urban+



proc

ess.




concept sketches.












labyrinth

overlook

boardwalkextension


slave burial ground

gatheringarea

street entrance

wiscons

in ave

nw

pedest

rian walk

nature

urban+

Activating the EdgeAcknowledging the unique edge conditions of the site and the vast grid of graves within the cemetery, the

first idea focused on the edge as the space that could activate the interior and provide connections with the

site’s surroundings. The concept looked at each edge and how together, they could create a sequence that

draws people in or orients them out as they travel the perimeter of the site. Each edge of the site was com-

pletely unique, from urban street to natural woodlands. In order to connect the cemetery with its surrounding

context, the edge is vital.

s h i f t i n


The Town GridThe second concept highlighted the potential opportunities of the order found in the cemetery grid. By

thinking of the cemetery as a town grid, the paths begin to express a hierarchy, similar to a grid of streets.

The concept allowed me to ask myself “what is the ‘main street’ of Holy Rood? What are the sacred

places? What paths serve as the alleyways?” Through finding this hidden order in the cemetery, the paths

become much more important and begin to create rooms within the cemetery as well. Additionally, within

a street grid, there is a hierarchy that can be found, even within a cemetery. This concept seeks to order

the existing site similar to a small town, with sacred places, a main street, and important intersections. By

ordering the cemetery in this way, districts begin to emerge. These districts can be represented through

different plantings providing unique uses and aesthetics through the different seasons.

Nature + UrbanThe final conceptual idea acknowledged the site’s adjacency to the parklands and the urban fabric of Wiscon-

sin Avenue. Its position between two important, yet different connections allows the natural and urban order to

transition into the cemetery site and interact in a symbolic way. By inviting the outside context into the cemetery,

the site becomes more rooted and connected in the community at the scale of the park system as well as the

neighborhood street. The location of the site along Wisconsin Avenue and the Whitehaven Parklands allows

the cemetery to serve as thecultivated nature between these twoconditions. The idea looks at using the

geometric order of the cemetery to bridge the urban edge of the neighborhood and the natural edge of the

parklands. The idea acknowledges the need to extend the reach of the cemetery to best connect it with the sur-

rounding community.



proc

ess.




concept sketches.












labyrinth

overlook

boardwalkextension


slave burial ground

gatheringarea

street entrance

wiscons

in ave

nw

pedest

rian walk

nature

urban+


e s t ab l i s h i ng h i e r a r c h y pr

oces

s.






natureurban +






Bosque


ParkingGarage/

Lower Level Retail


Views

StreetEntrance

TrailEntrance


Meadow Labyrinth

Decked Overlook

Canopy Pockets

Local Eatery

Residential

Market

Stage/Pavilion

Office

Office

Mural

Chalkwall

Library

Visitorʼs Center

Residential

WISCO

NSIN

AVE NW

One way street

URBAN

URBAN

NATURENATURE

NATURE







p r og ramma t i c d i ag ram concep t d i ag ram



proc

ess.






natureurban +






Bosque


ParkingGarage/

Lower Level Retail


Views

StreetEntrance

TrailEntrance


Meadow Labyrinth

Decked Overlook

Canopy Pockets

Local Eatery

Residential

Market

Stage/Pavilion

Office

Office

Mural

Chalkwall

Library

Visitorʼs Center

Residential

WISCO

NSIN

AVE NW

One way street

URBAN

URBAN

NATURENATURE

NATURE








design concepts



proc

ess.






natureurban +






Bosque


ParkingGarage/

Lower Level Retail


Views

StreetEntrance

TrailEntrance


Meadow Labyrinth

Decked Overlook

Canopy Pockets

Local Eatery

Residential

Market

Stage/Pavilion

Office

Office

Mural

Chalkwall

Library

Visitorʼs Center

Residential

WISCO

NSIN

AVE NW

One way street

URBAN

URBAN

NATURENATURE

NATURE








31.


design concepts Final Design ConceptBlending the strengths of each of these preliminary concepts, the final design concept

creates a strong gesture that allows Holy Rood Cemetery to extend out into the sur-

rounding neighborhood and landscape. The edge of the cemetery becomes important

as the connective seam of the space and highlights the natural and urban qualities of

each side. Additionally, the edge of the cemetery becomes more than a line. It be-

comes a corridor that connects and creates opportunities for adjacent spaces. On the

urban edge, the order of the original cemetery grid becomes visible on the ground and

a pedestrian axis is established that terminates at the cemetery landscape. A strong

connection is made from the existing main entrance on Wisconsin Ave to a secondary

neighborhood street. The lines from the existing built fabric and street grid extend into

the geometry of the cemetery creating a sequence of important spaces within the site.

On the opposite edge, the natural vegetation and blurred lines of the parklands begin

to layer themselves upon the cemetery grid creating a contrasting experience from the

urban edge. Within the cemetery, clear nodes emerge not only as important landmarks

within the site, but also as points of relativity between the natural and urban conditions.

URBAN

URBAN

NATURE

NATURE

CULTIVATED

NATURE

g r o u n d

s h i f t i n design development


final masterplan

33.


design development Final DesignThe development of the concept is evident within the final site design. The order of the

cemetery and the built fabric intersect to create strong axes and spatial sequences that

create connections within the site as well as beyond.

One of the design objectives addressed the response of the edges of the cemetery to

its context. The final design achieves this several ways. Firstly, through embracing the

urban edge with a strong pedestrian walk, visitors are invited to a promenade that

transitions into the cemetery grid. The neighborhood edge responds by a formal

stepped entry through a memorial flower garden. Also, a recreational area for the

neighborhood is created at the corner of the site allowing for community gardening

and bocce. The edge adjacent to the parklands begins to progress into the cemetery in

the form of naturalistic grasses. The natural edge makes connections to the greater trail

network but also utilizes its restorative characteristics to create private spaces

associated with the cemetery program.

Another goal for the design was developing spaces for community interaction and

annual events to occur on the site. As a whole, the urban edge will serve as a new

community space for the neighborhood. A farmers market creates a connection from

the plaza to a neighborhood recreation area. The pedestrian walk from W St greets

the cemetery with a community plaza and splash pad that opens up to the landscape

of the cemetery as well as a pavilion for live music or movie nights. Connected to the

pavilion through the paths of the cemetery, the natural edge has an overlook in the

forest canopy for large groups as well.

Library/Visitors Center

WhitehavenParklands

NaturalisticGrasses

Market

Cemetery Plots

Memorial FlowerGarden

Grove of Resilience

CanopyPockets

Boardwalk BoardwalkDecked Overlook

Labyrinth

Views

ParkingGarage

Restaurant/Bar

Office

Office

Residential

Residential

Garden

Plots

Bocce Courts

Splash Pad

Mural

Chalkwall

wisconsin avenue nw

whitehaven parkway nw

35th st nw

w pl nw

tunlaw rd nw

37th street nw

g r o u n d

s h i f t i nFinal DesignAlthough the cemetery design allows for gathering and community interaction, personal, more

contemplative spaces were achieved as well. For example, the memorial garden serves as an

anchor for pathways leading to intimate platforms that extend out into the forest canopy. Also, the

geometry of the hillside crypt allows for a wildflower labyrinth that is nestled into the topography.

The program for individuals extends into the built landscape within the urban edge. Above the

visitor’s center, Woodstock Theological Library of Georgetown and an attached green roof

offers quiet places to read and look out upon the cemetery on rainy days.

In the northern corner of the cemetery, the final design highlights the forgotten slave burial ground

through an arrangement of flowers in the same geometric grid as the rest of the cemetery po-

sitioned adjacent to a strict grove of trees. The design allows for the acknowledgement of the

space as special and unique, but ensures that it is still as sacred, if not more so than the rest of

the cemetery.

The final design also breaks the hard edge of the retaining wall between Wisconsin Ave and

the cemetery. By opening the wall up into the cemetery and using the space as an expression of

community, the chalk wall begins to draw people into the site, rather than keep them away. Ad-

ditionally, the mural on the adjacent building activates the cemetery as the gateway for the Glover

Park.

The interior of the cemetery begins to have an order through a planting palette that illustrates the

original grid and geometry of the site through a series of low ornamental grasses such as little

bluestem. The paths have hierarchy with only the main circulation paths being paved in contrast

with the secondary paths marked with compacted small gravel.

pedestrian connection.lunch break.

cafe.

GATHERIN

G

outdoor eatingAXIS.

festivals.

splashpad.

loose space.

street.

seating area.

labyrinth.

wildflowers.

CRYPT. hillside.

paths.walking

.

pocket.solitude.

light.forest.thinking.

canopy.

journey.

live music.entertain

ment

reading

STAGE.movies.

pavilion.

orient views.

gathering.fireworks.

washington monument.

NEIGHBORHOOD

garden

plots.

bocce.

conversation. lawn.

multi-family.

connectio

n. fresh.

farmers MARKET.

MEMORIAL.

unmarked.

opening.

grove.

flowers.

destination. intimate.

history.

contemplative.

education.

pause.

respect.

extension.

lookout. gathering.

vehicle connection

office. courty

ard

trees.

shade. terra

ced.

side stree

t.

street entrance.expression.

mural.COMMUNITY

chalkwall

open.

boardwalk.winding.natural.

natural.everyday.

everyday.

visible.

safe.

visible.

visible.

permeable.

bus stop.

routine.

regular.dense canopy.

wildlife.deer.

escape.

sidewalk.

contours.network.

connection.

streetscape.

flat.

flat.sidewalk.

mature.

streetside.

setbacks.

streetside.

walking.

walking.

walking.

dogwalking.

neighborhood.entrance.

mature forest.

hiking.biking.

entrance.

topography.

wilderness.

forest.

pathways.

running.

exploring.

elevated.

dirt.trails.

TRAILS.

shade.

Whitehaven.

elevated.

boardwalk.

natural.dense canopy.

habitat.

escape.

contours.network.

connection.

parklike.

mature forest.

hiking.

biking.

elevated.

dirt.

TRAILS.

Whitehaven.

RESPECT.

RESPECT.

GRAVES.

GRAVES.

GRAVES. GRAVES.

GRAVES.RESP

ECT.

RESPECT. RESP

ECT.

RESPECT.

RESPECT.

RESPECT.

RESPECT.

RESPECT.

RESPECT.

RESPECT.

REMEMBRANCE.

REMEMBRANCE.REMEMBRANCE.

REMEMBRANCE.

REMEMBRANCE.

REMEMBRANCE.

REMEMBRANCE.

REMEMBRANCE.HISTORY.HISTORY.

HISTORY.

HISTORY.

HISTORY.

HISTORY.HISTORY.

HISTORY.

HISTORY.HISTORY.

HISTORY.

TRACES.

TRACES. TRACES.

TRACES.

TRACES.

TRACES.

TRACES.

TRACES.

TRACES.

TRACES.

TRACES.

TRACES.

TRACES.

TRACES.

TRACES.

GRID.

GRID.

GRID.

GRID.

GRID.

RESPECT.

GRID.

GRID. GRID.

GRID.

PLOTS.

PLOTS.

PLOTS.

RESPECT.

HISTORY.

TRACES.

GRID.

GRID.

PLOTS.

PLOTS.

RESPECT.

GRID.

PLOTS.

RESPECT.

RESPECT.

RESPECT.

HISTORY.

TRACES. GRID.

PLOTS.

HISTORY.

HISTORY.GRID.

PLOTS.

PLOTS.

PLOTS.

PLOTS. PLOTS.

PLOTS.

PLOTS. PLOTS.

REMEMBRANCE.

REMEMBRANCE.

REMEMBRANCE.

REMEMBRANCE.

HISTORY.

PLOTS.


s pa t i a l q ua l i t y The word collage expresses the qualities of each of the new spaces created within the design, but also illustrates the overall classification of the spaces as a whole in terms of their neighborhood, historic, community, and parklike programs.

design development


35.


design development The Urban Edge: Wisconsin Avenue EntranceOpening up into Holy Rood Cemetery, the proposed design for the main entrance

announces the site as the gateway for the Glover Park neighborhood and welcomes

users. The stone retaining wall is transformed into an expressive community chalkwall

that draws people into the cemetery. The wall now better represents the new program

and function of the cemetery as well, providing an entrance that blends the site into

the existing streetscape of Wisconsin Avenue NW. On the ground, prominent lines of

historic Georgetown brick radiate out marked with bronze inlaid lettering that serves as

way-finding and signage for Holy Rood Cemetery. Coming North up Wisconsin Ave-

nue NW, visitors and residents are now greeted with a striking mural on the side of the

existing brick building adjacent to the cemetery, effectively marking Holy Rood Cem-

etery as the gateway for the neigborhood. Transitioning into the cemetery, the urban

edge opens up to the edge of the cemetery. A pedestrian promenade is established

from W Pl to the North that extends into the cemetery grid and terminates at a com-

munity plaza and splashpad. The urban edge serves as the main gathering space for

the cemetery. The pedestrian walk is bound on either side with a cafe, ice cream shop,

and bar/restaurant. A farmer’s market creates an open corridor connecting the recre-

ation and gathering areas. Additionally, a proposed visitors center and Woodstock

Theological Library overlook the cemetery on the northside as well providing a program

and incentive for Georgetown University. Further into the site, a greenroof extends over

the plaza, creating a covered pavilion space that could be the perfect spot for movie

nights or live music. As a whole, the urban edge serves as a blended seam that con-

nects the northern end of Holy Rood cemetery into the neighborhood and street fabric

of Glover Park.

perspective sketch of proposed main entrance to Holy Rood Cemetery traveling North on Wisconsin Avenue NW

community chalkwall bronze inlaid lettering splash pad neighborhood mural

g r o u n d

1

s h i f t i n

HOLY ROOD CEMETERY

GEORGETOWN

COMMUNITY

detailed designs


visitor’s center/library

farmer’s market

splash pad

restaurant/bar

existing office space

wall mural

community chalkwall

Holy Rood Cemetery

mixed use parking garage

green

roof

Wisconsin Avenue N

W

one way street

g r o u n d37.


detailed designs The Neighborhood Recreation AreaAn existing stairway from a lower residential street emerges near the Northwest corner of the cemetery, providing the opportu-

nity to create a pedestrian access point into the cemetery site. The street corner extends out into the street with radiating lines of

Georgetown brick and bronze lettering, marking the nearby recreation program. The corner becomes the neighborhood transition

into the cemetery, creating a welcoming and safe entrance for the residents. The corner of the Tunlaw Street and W Place NW is

re-envisioned as the residential and recreation addition to the cemetery. Just north of the cemetery, the former block of rowhouses is

transformed into a recreational commons to suit the activity needs of the nearby residents. Slender studio flat apartments are placed

along the edges of the street, leaving an open landscape within. Three sand bocce courts are placed near a stand of large shade

trees, perfect for watching an intense bocce match or enjoying a family picnic. Rows of community garden plots fill the commons

as well, providing a convenient place to grow produce for the farmers market just steps away. The edge of the cemetery is marked

with a planting of fig trees and a low stone retaining wall with a stepped walk. The recreation area allows the residents of Glover

Park to have a piece of the cemetery site that they can claim as their own, but that also responds and connects to the rest of the

cemetery and site design.

community crosswalk bronze inlaid lettering

bocce courts

studio flats

community garden plots

farmers market

2

GLOV

ER P

AR

K N

EIG

HB

OR

HO

OD

CO

MM

UN

I TY

PA

RK

detailed designs

shifting r o u n d

s h i f t i n

38.

bocce

brick plaza

existing stairway

studio flats

studio flats

brick paving

community garden plots

Tunlaw Rd N

W

39.


detailed design

g r o u n d

The Memorial Garden and Grove of ResilienceThe northern corner of the cemetery houses one of the most well-documented unmarked slave

burial grounds in the greater Washington area. It currently sits as a grassy void among the

rest of the graves, yet the proposed design brings life to this silent landscape through a series

of symbolic plantings and private nooks for contemplation. A formal stepped entry from

Tunlaw Rd NW allows visitors and neighbors to process into the space from the street lead-

ing to a brick pathway. The long raised planters of heirloom flowers create an order similar

to that of the rest of the cemetery, yet slightly skewed to illustrate its uniqueness. The rows of

planters are dotted with bronze plaques representing the unmarked slaves that were buried

and forgotten. Two pathways intersect the garden leading South to intimate decked platforms

nestled within the forest canopy. Intimate spaces are provided within the garden along the

northernmost edge with arbored seating as well as benches placed in the breaks of lawn

within the planters. Adjacent to the garden, a strict grove of vibrant ginkgo trees create a

contrasting, canopied experience. The selection of the ginkgos and their meaning of resilien-

cy offers a positive lens in which the story of the site can be told. Additionally, the grove pro-

vides year round interest within the cemetery landscape and creates a shaded oasis during

the warmer months. The proposed design acknowledges the importance of this place within

the cemetery, while also providing a welcoming entrance along the western edge of Holy

Rood Cemetery. The design balances remembrance and function in the garden and grove in

order to achieve a space for the neighborhood residents and tourists of Georgetown alike.

heirloom flowers arbored seating ginkgo trees grave markers3

sketch of new arbored threshold into slave burial ground from rest of cemetery

section through memorial garden and grove of resilience

s h i f t i n detailed designs


sketch of new arbored threshold into slave burial ground from rest of cemetery

section through memorial garden and grove of resilience

Tunlaw Rd N

W

grove of resilience

arbored seating

heirloom flowerbeds

low retaining wall

lawn

41.


detailed design

g r o u n d

The High PointThe topography of Holy Rood Cemetery is one of the most unique characteristics of the

site. The high point provides incredible views of the Washington Monument and Nation-

al Cathedral. Every Fourth of July, the neighborhood gathers together atop the hill of the

cemetery to watch the DC fireworks show. The hilltop is already beginning to transition

to the program of a community space. Therefore, the proposed design strives to enhance

the hilltop to better suit the needs of the current activities and users. The hilltop is marked

with an upward sloping pavilion that opens up to reveal the best views of the surrounding

landscape. At the intersection of three main paths of the cemetery, a metal tree sculp-

ture anchors the space, providing not only a symbol of the community, but also an eye-

catching structure that can be seen from street level. Around the large sculpture, curved

seating, flower beds, and lines of brick paving radiate out. Additionally, just south of the

high point, a more contemplative space is achieved within the topography surrounding

the hillside crypt. A labyrinth designed among the graves includes a meandering walk

through a wildflower meadow which then transitions to the main entrance of the forest

boardwalk. The boardwalk provides an important connection into the extensive trail net-

work of the Whitehaven Parklands. Overall, the design for the high point capitalizes on

the cemetery’s new use and establishes the framework for both public and private spaces

and connections to the greater context.

community tree sculpturewildflower labyrinthcurved benches

4

section of hilltop pavilion and community tree sculpture

perspective sketch of wildflower labyrinth and hillside crypt

s h i f t i n

shifting r o u n dsection of hilltop pavilion and community tree sculpture

perspective sketch of wildflower labyrinth and hillside crypt

detailed designs

42.

hilltop pavilion

tree sculpture

curved seating

wildflower labrinth

terraced seating

boardwalk entrance

native sedges

s h i f t i nuse diagramsjoggerrunning on the trails that connect into the cemetery

neighborenter from Tunlaw Rd to community plaza

historianvisiting the memorial garden and historic crypt

community memberselling produce at farmers market/fireworks at high point

widlife enthusiastexplore natural edge and birdwatch at overlook deck

childrun through cemetery and play at splashpad

relative visiting cemeteryenter along promenade and visit hillside crypt

Georgetown touristdrawn into the cemetery from Wisconsin Ave

ground

g r o u n d43.

s h i f t i n

shifting r o u n d

conclusion

44.

The final design creates a sequence of spaces that provide opportunities for a multitude of users. A community

member will have a much different experience than a jogger. The places in which they pause will most likely

be different. However, the important thing is that they will engage with the cemetery in a much richer way. The

cemetery will still possess the historic richness of a cemetery, but the design will activate it to establish a new

layer of community and public space function that better connects it to the overall neighborhood of Glover Park.

As our society looks at new approaches to urban living and public spaces, the re-envisioning of existing land-

scapes will become a significant issue. Cemeteries, rich with their history and memories, can provide beautiful

canvases for community spaces.

Shifting Ground serves as one example of how historic cemeteries can be redesigned to better suit the public

space needs of our cities and neighborhoods. It is my hope that through the work of landscape architects, these

forgotten spaces will come alive to ground the urban communities for the years to come.

Design can change the world.

SECTION.

cemeterycemetery cemetery

35th St nw

Wisconsin ave nw

light commercial

pathway

pathway

tree buffer

residential

tr ee buffer

residential

a lley

37th st nw

neighborhood commercial

ABSTRACT STUDY.

HOLY ROOD CEMETERY.

alley

private yard

private yard

Tunlaw rd nw sidew

alk

10’ stone retaining wall

s h i f t i nreferences ground

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PRINT

Carmona, Matthew. Public Places, Urban Spaces: The Dimensions of Urban Design. Oxford: Architectural, 2003. Print.

Carr, Stephen. Public Space. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1992. Print.

Francaviglia, Richard V. “The Cemetery an an Evolving Cultural Landscape.” Annals of the Association of American Geographers September (1971): 501-09. Web. 18 Mar. 2013. <http://theiconoclast.typepad.com/documents/sanctums/Richard_Francaviglia_Necrogeography.pdf>.

Franck, Michael. Elmwood Endures: History of a Detroit Cemetery. Detroit: Wayne State UP, 1996. Print.

Gaventa, Sarah. New Public Spaces. London: Mitchell Beazley, 2006. Print.

Krauel, Jacobo, William George, and Jay Noden. Urban Spaces: New City Parks. Barcelona: Links, 2008. Print.

Yalom, Marilyn. “Claiming the Land.” The American Resting Place. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2008. 1-28. Print.

INTERVIEW

Fletcher, Carlton. “The History of Holy Rood Cemetery.” Personal interview. 25 Sept. 2013.

Cohen, Brian. “Living in Glover Park.” Personal interview. 15 Oct. 2013.

Fagan, Joanna. “Development of Holy Rood Cemetery.” Personal interview. 14 Oct. 2013. g r o u n d45.

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http://cityparksblog.org/2010/12/01/turning-cemeteries-for-the-dead-into-parks-for-the-living/

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shifting r o u n d

image credits

46.

s h i f t i nthank you. ground

shifting ground

Documents

g r o u n ds h i f t

r o u n dcemeteries

afterlife of cemeteries

abandoned cemeteries

forgotten cemeteries

historic cemetery

realm of urban public

design development