3.0 Methodology Archive: An archive needed to be constructed in order to establish the cultural memory of the US Custom House. There is no central database that holds the record for the US Custom House. Its texts, photographs, and maps as well as media accounts were scoured from libraries, the Oregon Historical society, the internet as well as from a local architecture firm. The archive was able to establish the history surrounding the construction of the US Custom House and its original use, the identity of the building in its early years as well as its transition into decline and disuse. The periods of urban growth were illustrated through a series of mapping exercises. Original drawings of the Custom House were located and became the beginning for architectural drawings of the plans and sections of the building from 1901.
Communications:
Performances:
The compilation of the buildings archive proved that the building could not be strictly researched through a library of texts and photographs. A human component became invaluable in achieving both a more comprehensive account of the building as well as being able to fully understand the current situation of the US Custom House. Without the human component this research could not be as comprehensive.
With the help of the conversations from individuals with personal knowledge or access to knowledge of the US Custom House, both elements of the Cultural Memory of the U.S. Custom House were comprehensively compiled and illustrated.
Four sets of individuals became invaluable to this research. a. The Reference Librarian b. The Archivist c. The Government Employee d. The Architect(s)
The third phase of this research process became an exercise to gauge the public opinion of the US Custom House, as well as to provoke an embodied response from the building as to ascertain what the new program of the Custom House might be. A week-long performance schedule was adopted to make the Cultural Memory of the Custom House available to the public and explore the programmatic possibilities of this 100,000 square foot building. 5 performances were planned, one to take place each evening the week of March 7, 2011. 5 Installations Day 1 [Awaken] Day 2 [Inform] Day 3 [Exchange] Day 4 [Distribute] Day 5 [Celebrate] 20