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Virginia Tech

The St. Francis Dam Disaster: An Experiential Memorial Landscape

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

This paper examines the topic of memorial design and experiential landscapes, emphasizing the role of memorials as spatial expressions of culture, history, memory, life, and death. Memorials have traditionally been monumental in form, but there is a growing shift in landscape architecture towards designing experiential memorial landscapes that allow for healing, reflection, and active participation. This progression in design highlights the landscape's role in preserving memories of tragedy and fostering a deeper connection between users and the land. This project focuses on the design of a memorial for the St. Francis Dam Disaster, a catastrophic event in California that reshaped the landscape and the lives of those affected. This project explores how a post-disaster site can be transformed into an experiential memorial landscape that tells the story of the past, present, and future landscape, creates a site pilgrimage through strategic memorial design, and reveals the profound impact of the tragedy on the land. Studies of memorial design principles and case studies focused on trail systems, site programming, and landscape aesthetics guided the design work. Design guidelines and design study processes developed through this research exemplify how to approach an experiential memorial design and challenge designers to approach and adapt their designs to complement existing landscape conditions.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Master of Landscape Architecture
Level thesis:degree_level
masters
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Landscape Architecture
Department dc:contributor.department
Landscape Architecture
Grantor dc:publisher
Virginia Tech
Year dc:date.issued
2024

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Plankeel, Rebecca Elise
Chair dc:contributor.committeechair
  • Clements, Terry Lynn
Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember
  • Rosier, Shaun
  • Thomas, Jennifer L.

Subjects

dc:subject × 6

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • In Copyright
Language dc:language.iso
en

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Dc Identifier Other
vt_gsexam:41350
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/121148

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Virginia Tech
Base URL
vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Plankeel, Rebecca Elise. The St. Francis Dam Disaster: An Experiential Memorial Landscape. masters thesis, Virginia Tech, 2024. https://hdl.handle.net/10919/121148