Cincinnati Radiation Tests Memorial By Taft Marsh

TAFT MARSH PROF. BARRY KEW TAFT MARSH CAPSTONE STUDIO PROFESSOR BARRY KEW SPRING 2024 LAND 7010 CINCINNATI RADIATION SPRING 2024 TESTS MEMORIAL

Table of Contents Module I ARTISTRY AND CRAFT • • • • • • • • • •

Health Effects Concept Statement Graphic Approach Material Palette Design Exploration Master Plan Implementaion Diagram Template Sewing Quilting & Landscape Architecture

• • • • • • • • • • •

Signature Design Approach Issue to be Addressed Understanding Project Context (I&A) Unique Design Exploration Design Focus Programing Precedents Continued Evaluation of Design Desired Design Outcomes Placing a Concept in the Larger Context Apendix

• • • • • • • •

Objectives Design Concept Statement Precedents Ecosystem Services Context Methods Circulation Site Plan

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Quilting Empathy Research Statement Nature, Art, & Education Rest in Urban Life Memorializing Victims Illustrative Master Plan Design Development (DD) L101 Grading DD L201 Hardscape DD L202 Hardscape Details DD L203 Hardscape Details DD L301 Furnishing DD L302 Furnishing Details DD L401 Tree Planting DD L402 Understory Planting DD L403 Planting Details

Module II DESIGN INTENT

Module III PRELIMINARY DESIGN

Module IV DESIGN DEVELOPMENT DETAILS

MODULE I ARTISTRY & CRAFT

Health Effects

The experiments administered between 25 and 300 rad of Cobalt-60 total body and partial body irradiation, comparable to 20,000 chest x-rays, within hours.

The irradiated patients experienced a wide variety of side-effects: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, emaciation, hemorrhaging, fatigue, cognitive impairment, and hallucinations.

Concept Statement FIGHTING INNER TURMOIL WHILE KEEPING A CAREFRREE FAÇADE.

GRAPHIC APPROACH TO INNER TURMOIL 1) Juxoposition of angularity and organic movement of lines 2) Color complements representing contrasting emotions 3) Disruption of repetition and routine

Precedents COLOR MOVEMENT SPACIAL EMOTIONS

SERHII VOICHENKO

BROKEN FRAGMENTED SHATTERED HOPELESS

MATERIAL PALETTE

SIMPLISITY

DESIGN EXPLORATION

BALANCE SCALE LAYOUT PATTERN SHAPE SYMMETRY

MASTER PLAN

BOUNDED CHAOS CONTRASTING FEELINGS OUTWARD APPEARANCE INNER APPEARANCE DISRUPTED ROUTINE

IMPLEMENTATION DIAGRAM

PRINT AND CUT TEMPLATE

AND SEW IT BEGINS

QUILTING & LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE: Textile arts, including quilting, share several fundamental principles and concepts with landscape architecture, despite their apparent differences in form and function. Both disciplines involve the manipulation of materials to create visually engaging compositions that evoke a sense of place and enhance the human experience.

AB-SEW-LUTELY INCREDIBLE

FINAL QUILT

MODULE II DESIGN INTENT

Signature Design Approach Designing impactful space starts with identifying the primary issue, learning about the needs of the community, and implementing an artistic solution to make the change.

In this section, a previous ecological, multi-use, community centered design is presented. In this example the threats of flood waters and a need for restoring an ecologically devistated waterway were of upmost importance. An assesment of the community existing amenaties and shortcomings were analized.This neighborhood lacked public spaces that fostered a sense of community which was thouroughly integrated into the final plan by providing a mixed use core, a large entertainment venue from the repurposed dam, a recreational sports field near the underprivilaged school, and a dynamic ecological wetland with an expansive trail network for interaction and education.

It can be seen how the design approach was exicuted from an industrial neighborhood with a history of cultural and ecological degragation to be reformed into a catalyst for a ecological and people focused community.

This strategy of addressing the issues of the project and exploring how other important factors can be seamlessly integrated for to meet the needs of the target audiences.

Below will expand on how a designer could use this strategy to approach designing a memorial for the Cincinnati Radiation Tests.

Image 1: Lower Price Hill Strategy and Master Plan

Issue to be Addressed One of the main issues that has pushed for the recognition of a memorial design is that the Cincinnati Radiation Test victims have been underserved for the horrors they experienced and the lasting trauma that still resides in the loved ones of those victims. One of the obstacles to overcome with this memorial is the lack of awareness and education of the Cincinnati Radiation Tests. Information has been hidden and it is well overdue to share the stories to help prevent inhumane events like this from occurring again, as well as give the voices back to those that were lost. For further information regarding the background information of the tragedy reference Martha Stephens’ The Treatment: The Story of Those Who Died in the Cincinnati Radiation Tests.

Understanding Project Context The proposed site for the memorial of the Cincinnati Radiation Test victims is in the green space on the north side of the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine building and south of Albert Sabin Way (see image 2). This site is a part of the campus wide master plan that Hargreaves Jones created. One of my main objectives is to understand the dynamics of the master plan and create a design that works in symbioses with the overall vision of the campus. Hargreaves Associates worked alongside the University for over twenty years to create the original master plan and the two subsequent updates that were needImage 2: University of Cincinnati Medical Campus project site ed by the growing forces of the university’s objectives. Before design began the campus was a commuter focused space overpowered by parking lots and roads. However, the new plan transformed the campus into being pedestrian-oriented that prioritizes the quality of student life through green spaces and new buildings.

One of the master planning frameworks focused on the historic quadrangles created through the axis of connectors or “force fields”.

Using the organizational pattern of the quadrangles they could create a cohesive connection between these open spaces to provide the strategy for the buildings around them that reinforces the campus quad. Through Image 3: Hargreaves Associates U.C. Master Plan [1] focusing on the open spaces as the connections throughout the campus, they successfully sew together the charm of the neighboring Burnet Woods. The drive for this strategy of study and play is backed by the notion that the physical environment is closely tied to the outcome of the educational experience. The university still references and prioritizes the integrity of the master plan today as new projects continues to be built within this framework that Hargreaves Associates developed. Additional information about the site conditions can be found in the Appendix.

[1] Hargreaves, Jones. “University of Cincinnati – Master Plan.” Hargreaves Jones. Accessed February 19, 2024. https://www.hargreaves.com/work/university-of-cincinnati/.

In the area of focus for the placement of this Memeorial, we can zoom into East Campus to see how the character of the Hargreaves master plan is being exhibited (see image 3 and 4). Throughout the campus the clean lines in the topography are prominent (see image 5 and 7). In some areas the ridge and valley lines follow a linear arrangement while in other spaces more sweeping curves take the spotlight. The vegetation is often in large simple massings that reinforce the topographic lines.

Image 4: Aerial perspective of possible areas for memorial implementation.

Image 5: Street view that showcases topography as prominent landscape feature.

Bringing a Unique Design Exploration to the Project In Sculpture in the Expanded Field Krauss writes about the interconnection between sculpture, architecture, and landscape. She draws attention to the history of modern art through hyper abstraction which pushed art further and further into the conceptual art realm. During this time around the 1960’s blending of architecture, landscape, and sculpture became difficult to distinguish so she developed a diagram to explain how these three interconnected fields overlap (see image 6).

There is a great opportunity for a landscape architect to explore how one could develop a compelling narrative for a memorial using the techniques of the expanded field of architecture. It can be seen in the Hargreaves master plan the prominent use of sculptural landforms or marked sites to create a campus theme.

Image 6: Krauss’s digram illustrating the expanded field of sculpture in relation to landscape and architecture. One may explore the expanded field of sculpture by finding the crossroads of sculpture with landscape, architecture, not landscape, and not architecture where hybridity lies with marked sites, site-construction, and axiomatic structures. [2]

[2] Krauss, Rosalind. Sculpture in the Expanded Field, 1979.

Design Focus The main principle to follow for this project is for the memorial to blend into the aesthetic continuity of the campus master plan. Without question, it is essential for the design to be accessible to as many users as possible. Some demographics that should be considered but not limited to exploring are those with movement impairment, sensory impairment, neurological differences, people who are pregnant, age, race, cultural and linguistic differences, socioeconomical status, and more.

Additional guidelines that will contribute to the design's success would be to create a desti nation place, explore refuge and exposure, provide interest year-round, implement artistic expression, and add ecological value.

The organizational method for this site could be expressed in a series of linear and triangular forms as seen throughout the campus or as broad curved brushed strokes that can relate to the braided network that runs throughout the main campus.

Programing The programing for the space could incorporate a place for reflection and recovery that sympathizes with those affected by the tragedy. Another programmatic element could explore the educational side of the story that raises awareness and shares the tragic story. This could be a critical part that helps guide the current and future generations to make better decisions.

CAGIS

A more utilitarian aspect that will be deeply exImage 7: CAGIS 2’ contours surrounding U.C. College of Medicine [3] plored is how the users circulate through the space. Many questions will be asked and answered during the design process, such as the following ones. Where do people move to and from? Are there places to rest? Do the pathways tell a story or take the user on a journey? Is it inconvenient to follow the provided path? Is there a destination? The movement of people in and through space is a forefront aspect of how the space and circulation should be laid out (see image 8).

Additional components that could aid in the emotional response to the memorial are water, art, and thoughtful vegetation.

Water has often been used in memorial designs to evoke a sense of tranquility, reflection, and peace. Moving water can be used to create an audible experience that directly benefits people the rely more on their sense of hearing and also be used to hide undesirable sounds such as traffic noise.

CAGIS

Image 8: CAGIS sidewalks and drives surrounding U.C. College of Medicine [3]

[3] CAGIS Online. Cagis Online. (n.d.). https://cagis.hamilton-co.org/cagisonline/

Art can provide a vast list of benefits depending on how the art is used and what it represents to the viewers. Some benefits to having art in a memorial space can include: enhancing the aesthetics of the place, provoking an emotional response, providing education, bringing a community together, or fostering a reflective atmosphere.

Thoughtful vegetation should also be included in designing a memorial for not only the ecosystem service of ecological enhancement but also for emotional healing. Using plants as symbolism can be a great way to connect to the users and help people recover. This can be achieved through utilizing long lived trees in the memorial for they showcase perseverance, growth, and renewal every year. Many people in the grieving stage find opportunities to connect their loss with the world around them and assign a symbol to their love. For instance, someone who has lost a loved one may sit in a garden and a butterfly lands on a flower nearby. The viewer may see their love within the nature around them and use the butterfly as a symbol of their emotions to get through their difficulty. By providing ecological opportunities like these users can experience emotional connections to nature that can help them recover.

Precedents In each of these precedents explored the artist/ designer uses land as art to evoke an emotional and contemplative response from the viewers. Robert Morris uses time as his theme in his concentric earthen artwork the Observatorium (see image 9) by creating precise view-ports that allows the sun to be experienced on the spring and autumn equinoxes and the summer and winter solstices. The sun will shoot through these view-ports through the earth and into the center of the middle ring during sunrise and or sunset of these specific cyclical days. This relates to a memorial project by encompassing the sense of the passage of time which can provoke a reflective state of mind.

The African Burial Grounds National Monument (see image 10) in New York City capitalize on a very small space by digging into the earth to create a peaceful retreat away from the hustle and bustle of the large city. This sense of refuge could be an impactful way to use landform that relates to the Hargreaves master plan while curating to the needs of a memorial. Both this and Observatorium are examples of Site Construction as outlined by Krauss.

Another earthen example is Heizer’s Double Negative (see image 11). This outlandish piece of large-scale sculptural art was created by excavating 240,000 tons of soil in a straight line on either side of a deep valley. This marked site can tell a story of hurt and burden through experiencing the monumental gash cut through the landscape.

Image 9: Robert Morris’s Observatorium (1977) [4]

At Fatherland Service Square in Mexico City the architectural sculpture that spills a waterfall into a reflection pond below is a great example of an Axiomatic Structure in the expanded field of sculpture that does not lie specifically in architecture nor sculpture, but rather both. This precedent also incorporates water into the memorial as outlined above as a general design guide for creating the Cincinnati Radiation Experiments memorial (see image12).

Continued Evaluation of Project

Image 10: African Burial Ground National Monument [5]

It will be important to continue obtaining new information that leads to design decision-making. At this stage, an outline of an approach has been made that allows a designer to enter the conversation. After further investigations, light will begin to shine on unknown evidence that will aid in making a personalized memorial that meets the needs of the communities.

As an exercise to showcase empathy towards such a complex subject that is removed from the designer by fifty years, initial research was carried out to set a foundation for the designing and building a quilt. Through this exercise, a deeper understanding of crafting a narrative that expresses an emotional response has proven to be beneficial while also unfolding deeper topics that should be expressed in a permanent memorial for the public.

Image 11: Michael Heizer, Double Negative, 1969.

[6] [4] “Wikimapia.” Observatorium Robert Morris, 2013. https://wikimapia.org/6434801/Observatorium-Robert-Morris.

[5] Smecs. “Design Presentation: African Burial Ground National Monument - Calendar - AIA New York / Center for Architecture.” Calendar, March 8, 2022. https://calendar.aiany.org/2022/02/16/design-presentation-african-burial-ground-national-monument/.

[6] Gorgoni, Gianfranco. Michael Heizer’s Double Negative, Mormon Mesa, Overton, Nevada, 1969. 1970.

Desired Design Outcomes

Image 12: Fatherland Service Square [7]

A successful memorial design should fit into the existing Hargreaves master plan so that the memorial is coherent with the aesthetic values and utilitarian purpose of the rest of the campus landscape. On that same note, this memorial should not blend in too easily with its surroundings to be overlooked. These two ends will provide an opportunity to find a strong middle ground for fitting in while also being unique.

It will also prove to be successful when the human component is activated. This memorial needs to engage users in conversation and tell the stories that circulate this tragedy.

The memorial should be a place that a community can gather as well as be intimate for independent reflection.

Scaling the Concept The concept of giving the voices back to those that had their identities taken from them is a difficult challenge. However, this problem of people being erased from time, being discriminated against, and brutally mistreated is something that ties into a lot of other societal problems we have faced and still face today. There are people that may find a connection to the concept of losing their voice due to systemic racism that may travel from out of town to visit a site they can connect to. By using the narrative of this tragedy, this concept of reclaiming lost stories can be scaled to a larger population while still delivering the impact needed for this specific tragedy.

Conclusion Approaching a design for a memorial can be complex but as expressed in this document, following the guidelines of an existing master plan will prove to be helpful. In response to one of the master plans signature aesthetics, the use of landforms, Krauss’s Sculpture in the Expanded field provides a powerful insight on the possibilities that can be told through the sculptural combination of architecture and or landscape that can relate to the Hargreaves master plan. Further investigation will contribute to the lost stories that will give the voice back to the victims. With this framework, key programing and accessibility minded decisions can be integrated to enhance the success of the memorial design.

[7] “Fatherland Service Square by La Metropolitana.” Architizer, January 7, 2014. https://architizer.com/projects/fatherland-service-square/.

Appendix Hargreaves, Jones. “University of Cincinnati – Master Plan.” Hargreaves Jones. Accessed February 19, 2024. https://www.hargreaves.com/work/university-of-cincinnati/.

Krauss, Rosalind. Sculpture in the Expanded Field, 1979.

“Wikimapia.” Observatorium Robert Morris, 2013. https://wikimapia.org/6434801/Observatorium-Robert-Morris.

Smecs. “Design Presentation: African Burial Ground National Monument - Calendar - AIA New York / Center for Architecture.” Calendar, March 8, 2022. https://calendar.aiany. org/2022/02/16/design-presentation-african-burial-ground-national-monument/.

Gorgoni, Gianfranco. Michael Heizer’s Double Negative, Mormon Mesa, Overton, Nevada, 1969. 1970.

“Fatherland Service Square by La Metropolitana.” Architizer, January 7, 2014. https://architizer.com/projects/fatherland-service-square/.

“The National Memorial for Peace and Justice.” Legacy Sites, February 4, 2024. https://legacysites.eji.org/about/memorial/.

Department of the Army, Office of the Surgeon General, Research and Development Division. List of Attachments for Briefing Book Volume 2. Washington 25 D.C. http://nsarchive. gwu.edu/radiation/dir/mstreet/commeet/meet2/brief2/tab_l/br2l1a.txt Egilman, David. A Little Too Much of the Buchenwald Touch? Military Radiation Research at the University of Cincinnati, 1960-1972. India: Overseas Publishers Association. 1998.

One Hundred and Third Congress, Second Session. Radiation Experiments Conducted by the University of Cincinnati Medical School with Department of Defense Funding: Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Administrative Law and Governmental Relations of the Committee of the Judiciary. April 11, 1994. https://archive.org/stream/radiationexperim00unit/radiationexperim00unit_djvu.txt Saenger, Eugene L. Metabolic Changes In Humans Following Total Body Irradiation. University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. DASA 1633.

Saenger, Eugene L. Radiation Effects in Man: Manifestations and Therapeutic Efforts. University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. December 1972. DASA-01-69-C-0131.

Saenger, Eugene L. Radiation Effects in Man: Manifestations and Therapeutic Efforts. University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. October 1970. DASA 2428.

Soper, Gordon K. Gordon K. Soper, Principal Deputy Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Atomic Energy Before the Subcommittee on Administrative Law and Government Relations.

Cincinnati, OH. April 11, 1994. http://nsarchive.gwu.edu/radiation/dir/mstreet/commeet/ meet2/brief2/tab_m/br2m1b.txt Stephens, Martha. The Treatment: The Story of Those Who Died in the Cincinnati Radiation Tests. Durham and London: Duke University Press. 2002.

“Weatherspark.Com.” Cincinnati Climate, Weather By Month, Average Temperature (Ohio, United States) - Weather Spark. Accessed February 21, 2024. https://weatherspark. com/y/15856/Average-Weather-in-Cincinnati-Ohio-United-States-Year-Round.

CAGIS Online. Cagis Online. (n.d.). https://cagis.hamilton-co.org/cagisonline/

MODULE III PRELIMINARY DESIGN

OBJECTIVES Empower marginalized voices and inspire collective action towards justice.

Draw awareness to the lasting impacts of historical injustices through educational elements.

Cultivate a dynamic ecosystem service network

DESIGN CONCEPT STATEMENT To empower marginalized communities with a place for connection, reflection, and expression while providing necessary awareness on past and present traumas and narratives that shed light on the injustices of the Cincinnati Radiation Tests of the 1960’s-70’s.

PRECEDENTS

Plaza Paver Design Intent ‘Jardin de Crevasses’

Water Fall and Stream Precedent ‘Muni Kyoto’

Retaining Wall Precedent ‘Teardrop Park’

Ecosystem

Services Regulating

Air quality, climate, water, runoff, erosion, natural hazards, pollination

Supporting

Nutrient cycling, water cycling, soil formation, and photosynthesis

Cultural

Ethical values, existence values, recreation, and ecotourism

Provisioning

Food, fiber, biomass, fuel, freshwater, and natural medicines.

Regulating - planting 300% more trees on the west side of the building will help mitigate pollution and heat island effect.

Cultural- Located in the urban concrete jungle, this design creates a rich eco-cultural retreat through ethno-botanical practices of indigenous tribes.

Additionally, studies have shown that an ability to see or interact with nature through hospital windows or hospital gardens respectively, increases the speed of patient recovery (Franklin,2012).

Supporting - At the core of ecosystem services are the natural cycles of life.

The proposed design contributes to this by filtering water through a bio-diverse root mat, it fixes soil with dynamic guild plantings, creates habitat for various wildlife - such as the endangered native green salamander Aneides aeneus, and builds other local micro-fauna and micro-flora.

Provisioning - By using ethno-botany research key species of plants can be selected that fit into the design intent while also providing native foods or medicines as people from this region have used for hundreds of years. Eg. wild geranium Geranium maculatum has been used as a tea to treat digestion issues or problems in the mouth, like swollen gums, sore throat, and ulcers.

Franklin, Deborah. 2012. “How Hospital Gardens Help Patients Heal.” SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, A DIVISION OF SPRINGER NATURE AMERICA, INC. 2012. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/nature-that-nurtures/.

CONTEXT Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center

UC Helath Holmes Hospital

College of Pharmacy

University of Cincinnati College of Medicine

Proposed Memorial Plaza Existing Buildings Existing Sidewalks Existing Drives Existing Terraced Plazas Existing Lawn

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32

64

128

Key

Methods Community Representation & Expression Through Art Passive Education - Story Stones Active Education - Public Event Space Community Connection - Group Gathering Individual Reflection - Tranquil Semi-Private Place Dynamic ethnobotanical and ecological guilds

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3 2

6 4

2

1 8

Circulation Around And Onto The Site Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center

University of Cincinnati College of Medicine

UC Helath Holmes Hospital

College of Pharmacy 06 0

32

64 4

128

Proposed Circulation Through Site Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center

University of Cincinnati College of Medicine

UC Helath Holmes Hospital

College of Pharmacy 06 0

32

64 4

128

SITE PLAN Proposed Memorial Plaza Proposed Water Feature Proposed Tectonic Retaining Wall Existing Buildings Existing Sidewalks Existing Drives Existing Terraced Plazas Existing Lawn

Vertical flagstone outcroppings create highly desired ecosystem niches for plants and small fauna which act as protected pockets which are the primary nodes for the ecosystem services

Large deciduous trees flanked with outcrop stone seating establishes a strong repetition that anchors the site and also reinforces a threshold along the public sidewalk

Sculptural elements to be currated by the Robert O’Neal Multicultural Arts Center (ROMAC) and other marginalized artists to promote the voices of matters important to these groups today A series of monumental flagstone fins errupt vertically from the field of matching pavers. Narratives ingraved into the stone tell the stories of victims and related awareness content

A powerful waterfall pumbles into a stream below that settles into a series of shallow cascades all of which emit white noise and leads the users through the site

Access bridges and paving material changes create threshholds that indicate transition zones

Group gathering areas provide the opportunity for public events that can connect, empower, and educate the community

Intimate areas provide private moments for individuals to reflect, greive, or find inner peace

A gateway at the primary entrance establishes the tone of the plaza by having the path framed by two large “story stones” which illuminate information about the tragic past

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16

32

64

MODULE IV DESIGN DEVELOPMENT DETAILS

REST IN URBAN LIFE

This illustrative section provides s plantscapes, and people can r

spatial insight of how hardscapes, relate to each other in space.

NATURE, ART, & EDUCATION

Human interactions can be explored artists, educational features that raise Tests, and ethnobotanical p

d through placemaking art from local awareness on the Cicinnati Radiation plants native to the region.

MEMORIALIZING VICTIMS

Monumental slaps of stones that disrupt the groun the Cincinnati Radiation Tests, narratives that exp text geared towards educating aspiring healthca

nd plane are engraved with the names of victims of press the history of the tragedy, and other related are professionals of their duties in the industry.

ILLUSTRATIVE MASTER PLAN

An overarching expression of al explored in this diagr

ll the proposed elements can be rammatic masterplan.

L101 GRADING

In this design developme plan shows how the final

ent sheet, a rough grading l grades will be achieved.

L201 HARDSCAPE

For this memorial plaza, the har plane and the relationship fr

rdscape sheet shows the ground rom one surface to the next.

L202 HARDSCAPE DETAILS

In this details sheet three key hardscape retaining wall, the junction between har

e features are represented, the proposed rdscape surfaces, and the paving pattern.

L203 HARDSCAPE DETAILS

Along the southern retainin integrated into a larger stone

ng wall, a water fall feature is feature of vertical flagstones.

L301 FURNISHING

The placement of benches creates different s space or in group settings oriented the same d spaced throughout the site to be curat

social environments, either reflective personal direction for engagement events. Sculptures are ted by local marginalized communities.

L302 FURNISHING DETAILS

Typical conditions of furnishing

sections share the design intent.

L401 TREE PLANTING

The combination of river birch and s overhead plane and reinforce

swamp white oaks are used to add the e a threshold along the street.

L402 UNDERSTORY PLANTING

A semi-naturalized look of understory nati that provide four seasons of interest wh

ive plantings create a sense of wild masses hile supporting typical urban wildlife.

L403 PLANTING DETAILS

The planting schedule for the understor descriptions of ethno-botanica

ory plants has been combined with brief al and ecosystem service values.