Architecture as Memory

Directions: Due to the reflective and personal aspect of this assignment, you are encouraged to
dedicate at least one uninterrupted hour to this work (more is better). Respond to each of the
items below, either in this downloaded word doc or in a notebook. You will not turn it in , but it
will be the foundation for future work in the class, which will be difficult to complete without this
exercise.

1. After reviewing your early discussion board posts “My Story” and “What Matters,” spend
10-15 minutes (minimum) writing down every building you can remember from your whole life.
Use the space below, your notebook, or the Journaling space on Blackboard (“Journal Entry for
Week 07: Memory”).

My current house, my old house, elderly neighbor’s house, grandparent’s house(s) (3 sets),
cousin’s houses (10), Unionville Elementary School, Tri-North Middle School, Bloomington North
High School, Gaylord Opryland, Great Wolf Lodge, King’s Island Hotel, Pediatrics of Southern
Indiana, Kroger, Marsh, College Mall, Indiana Premium Outlets, Circle K, Edgewood High
School, Bloomington South High School, Zionsville High School, Columbus North High School,
The Commons, Hartzell’s, Buskirk Chumley Theatre, Chocolate Moose, Brewster’s, Jiffy Treet,
Evil by the Needle, BJ’s, Panera, Ashland University, Dad’s houses/apartments (2), Four Winds
Marina, J.W. Marriott, Nashville Residence Inn, Disney World Castle, Circle Center Mall, Dick’s,
Dick’s Last Resort, Kennedy Hall, JAAC, McWhorter Hall, Potter Hall, Lowe’s, Menard’s, Hobby
Lobby, The Lastest Glaze, AMC Showplace 12, AMC Showplace 11, Indianapolis IMAX, Dollar
Tree, CVS, Bealls, Piggly Wiggly, Cracker Barrel, McDonald’s, Starbucks, Red Lobster,
Lakeside Market, friend’s houses, Toys R Us, GameStop, Subway, Verizon Wireless, Best Buy,
Barnes and Noble, BloomingFoods, Party City, PetCo, PetSmart, Regions Bank, The Diner, One
Step Above

2. Take a break.

3. Return to the list and think about the order in which these memories came to you Can you
categorize groups in the list?

● Are they ordinary buildings or special ones? A combination, there are special ones
(i.e. family’s houses), and ordinary ones (Lakeside Market)
● Have you spent a lot of time in them, just traveled there once, or seen them only in your
dreams or in video games on a movie screen? I’ve spent lots of time in some, been to
others repeatedly, and been to a few once (I didn’t think of any from dreams or
movies)
● Are they places you know first-hand, or do you know them through media, or other
people/ Do you feel like these relationships are individual or part of a collective
experience? I have firsthand experience with all of the places I listed. I feel I have
 individual relationships/experiences with each and every one of them. The ones I
have been to many times have a stronger relationship built up over and through
each time I was there.

Use the space below, your notebook, or an online app to categorize them in some way that
makes sense to you.

Substantial part of my life: My current house, my old house, elderly neighbor’s house,
grandparent’s house(s) (3 sets), cousin’s houses (10), Unionville Elementary School,
Bloomington North High School, Buskirk Chumley Theatre, Kennedy Hall, friend’s houses, One
Step Above

A couple/handful of memorable moments here: Great Wolf Lodge, Chocolate Moose, Jiffy Treet,
BJ’s, Ashland University, Dad’s houses/apartments, Four Winds Marina, Nashville Residence
Inn, Disney World Castle, McWhorter Hall, Red Lobster, The Diner, Tri-North Middle School

One good (or bad but memorable) memory here: Gaylord Opryland, King’s Island Hotel, Kroger,
Evil by the Needle, Edgewood Highschool, The Commons, Circle K, Bloomington South High
School, Zionsville High School, J.W. Marriott Indianapolis, Circle Center Mall, Dick’s Last
Resort, JAAC, Potter Hall, The Lastest Glaze, AMC Showplace 11, Indianapolis IMAX, Dollar
Tree, Bealls, BloomingFoods, Regions Bank

Been to multiple times, nothing too substantial: Pediatrics of Southern Indiana, Marsh, College
Mall, Indiana Premium Outlets, Hartzell’s, Columbus North High School, Brewster’s, Panera,
Dick’s, Lowe’s, Menard’s, Hobby Lobby, AMC Showplace 12, CVS, Piggly Wiggly, Cracker
Barrel, McDonald’s, Starbucks, Lakeside Market, Toys R Us, GameStop, Subway, Verizon
Wireless, Best Buy, Barnes and Noble, Party City, PetCo, PetSmart

4. How does this list reflect your “cultural upbringings”? Are these all places that reflect your
place in the world or are they aspirant to something else? Do they reflect comfort in the past or
eagerness for change?

This list reflects my cultural upbringing in the way it includes where some of my first and most
important/shaping memories of my life come from. It includes places where big milestones
occurred (Kennedy Hall). They reflect my place in the world in the way that you can tell I’m
about middle class, and go to the standard stores. These buildings reflect both comfort in the
past and eagerness for change because comfort places of mine (my house, grandparent’s
house, One Step Above Dance Studio), I regarded as being substantial parts of my life. I also
regarded Kennedy as being a substantial place which is the entry to big change. (Clarification: I
have some type of love for everything in the “substantial” category.)
5. What were the places where things happened when you were young? What is the emotion
you feel when you remember these places?

The places where things happened when I was the youngest were my old house, grandparent’s
house, and neighbor’s house. All three are nothing but a happy, loving, no-worries atmosphere,
but with the actual specific events blurred.

6. Do any of these buildings inspire you to think about the potentials of architecture’s civic
presence?

I think a substantial building for me that had the best civic presence is the Buskirk Chumley
Theatre in my hometown (Bloomington, Indiana). Realizing this, I’m inspired to believe
architecture needs some character and uniqueness to enhance its civil presence. When I think
of my memories there, the building’s clear picture in my mind enhances them. I can only
imagine it as clearly as I can, because it is not some boring, basic place you see everywhere.

7. Do any of these buildings, and memories of them, inspire feelings of community, devotion, or
something else personal?

The categories I organized my buildings into rely on what extent of personal connection they
inspire. They mainly inspire feelings of love, family community, and growth for me. The houses
which I mentioned are linked to the feelings of love as well as family community. The theatre
and dance studio helped to ease the worst of my introversion (the start of my growth). The
memories from schools and friend’s houses, if all laid out, would demonstrate my path of
growth.

8. Read Chapter 5 of Why Architecture Matters.