Grace Nemeckay | Memorial Outpost

MEMORIAL OUTPOST The goal of this studio group was to design architectural interventions that served the Ohio Refuge Islands Kayak Challenge route. My addition to this foundation was a goal of the Tennessee Riverline: to create or amplify river oriented community spaces. My project specifically worked to create a space for the Black community. I want to commemorate my site as a path to liberation, while at the same time promoting recreation.

Grace Nemeckay

↑ Indigenous Routes and Underground Railroad Routes across the Ohio ↓ Marietta, OH was a significant crossing point on the Underground Railroad.

MEMORIAL OUTPOST | GRACE NEMECKAY

↑ Indigenous Routes and UG Routes superimposed over the Refuge Islands. ↓ Buckley and Muskingum are half a day of kayaking away from eachother.

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↑ Site Images. One of the points made in the Tennessee Riverline presentation was a goal: to create or amplify river oriented community spaces. The goal of this project is to create community spaces for people of color, specifically Black people. This site will be commemorated as a path to liberation, and promote recreation as well.

ARCH4002 BUILDING DESIGN STUDIO

TOPIC: SUSTAINABLE TOURISM

← There are four parts to the program, a dock, an object-oriented Beacon to draw kayakers in, a train station for accessibility, and an outpost for a nonprofit that promotes recreation for marginalized youth and celebrates Black leadership in nature.

MEMORIAL OUTPOST | GRACE NEMECKAY

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↑ Site strategy is to align all program on an axis perpendicular to the rail tracks. Along this axis, on the peninsula of the site, the introspective spaces and site access will be placed. The beacon sits on the peninsula near the marina, as a wayfinding integration, framing a view of Big Run Creek.

ARCH4002 BUILDING DESIGN STUDIO

TOPIC: SUSTAINABLE TOURISM

↑ There is a 10 foot difference from the water to the land of the peninsula. After kayakers stop at the dock, a large switchback ramp takes them up to the land. The dock and ramp jut out into the river, intercepting the path of the kayakers. The ramp color and geometry bears a stark contrast to the earth tones of the peninsula. Along the ramp are planters with seating, a spot of respit for kayakers who don’t wish to continue along the pathway toward the rest of the program, but still need a place to cool out.

MEMORIAL OUTPOST | GRACE NEMECKAY

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↑ Once at peninsula level, the ramp continues into an undulating, curvilinear ramp with a slatted facade, the Beacon, that snakes up proportionally to the ramp from the water.

ARCH4002 BUILDING DESIGN STUDIO

TOPIC: SUSTAINABLE TOURISM

↑ Visitors are brought to a point of overlook, looking over the hills of southeastern Ohio. From this point, you can also look back to where you arrived, the dock and the ramp.

MEMORIAL OUTPOST | GRACE NEMECKAY

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↑ Breezeways are located along the stretch of the beacon, adding entry points through the slat facade, as well as framing views into this space, and out into the landscape. One of these breezeways houses gender neutral restrooms, providing facilities to visitors coming from the kayak route.

ARCH4002 BUILDING DESIGN STUDIO

TOPIC: SUSTAINABLE TOURISM

↑ The beacon can be used as an overlook, and also as an introspective, quiet space. The center of the beacon is landscaped in a way that creates outdoor rooms, blocking gaze from bench to bench, making the experience more intimate. Instead of continuing up the ramp, if a visitor is coming to be more introspective, or if a visitor is utilizing another mode of transit other than kayak, they can make their way through the breezeways into the center of the beacon.

MEMORIAL OUTPOST | GRACE NEMECKAY

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↑ The structural columns that hold the beacon ramp up are placed at random, complimenting the fluid shape of the ramp above, creating a sea of columns that can be seen through the slat facade. The landscaping of the introspective space permeates through the beacon’s facade out onto the other side into open land of the peninsula.

ARCH4002 BUILDING DESIGN STUDIO

TOPIC: SUSTAINABLE TOURISM

↑ This is a site axon that puts all of the pieces I have discussed together. The site sequence starts at the dock leading to the beacon, and ends across the Big Run Creek with the train station and outpost. The next phase of the project would be to tackle the connection to the other side of the site, the train station, and the outpost.

MEMORIAL OUTPOST | GRACE NEMECKAY

YOU ARE HERE: FORECASTS FOR THE OHIO RIVER

↑ Lastly a rendered axon view with the dock, ramp, and beacon in use.

ARCH4002 BUILDING DESIGN STUDIO

TOPIC: SUSTAINABLE TOURISM

MEMORIAL OUTPOST Topic: Sustainable Tourism Grace Nemeckay Spring 2021