Tragedy, Loss, and Memory: The Use of Rhetoric in Making and Marking a Site

How can architecture relate to sites of tragedy and loss by serving as an artifact disinterred, reminding a society of an important and forgotten event in its cultural history? I use rhetoric to understand the meaning of sites as they respond to a specific tragic moment. The site's physical objects and narratives influence the formation of the architecture in this thesis. I am interested in the rhetorical implications of the scene setting in post-modern plays, which open an interaction between actors and audience. This interaction functions through an abstract method of visualization, one we can use as architects to understand a site. Architects can use this methodology in the design process to provide opportunities for people to participate with the continuation and evolution of the site's narratives of tragedy and memory.