Re-Imagining the RMS Titanic Through the Use of Architectural Fragmentation
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Abstract
Architecture often presents itself as a gateway to how we understand
the past, whether through monuments, museums, or installations.
There are many instances where architecture impacts how we
perceive major historic events with the idea to immortalize the
past. However, some instances are not as successful as others. My
question is: How does architecture influence how we understand
history? More specifically, how can architecture aid in thoughtfully
articulating a historic tragedy such as the sinking of the RMS Titanic?
Designing a museum to house the physical and linguistic fragments
of the sinking of the RMS Titanic means transforming many personal
stories into a collective cultural milieu as well as understanding
the connection between the structure and its site. Located at the
Titanic’s original destination known as Pier 59 in New York, the
site of the museum displays the thousands of artifacts that have
surfaced over the past century. This project aims to create an
environment that not only transforms how the sinking is perceived,
but to bring back a sense of empathetic storytelling that is
currently lacking at the other Titanic museums around the world.