brand: Town of Centralia, Pennsylvania

work performed: concept, architectural design, 3D modeling, rendering, presentation boards, printing

Design for the Stewardson Design Charette, a Pennsylvania state-wide architectural design competition that was established in honor of John Stewardson, a famous Pennsylvania architect from the late 19th century.  This particular Stewardson competition focused on  the design of a memorial for the town of Centralia, Pennsylvania.

The town was finally abondoned after an underground coal mine fire slowly decimated the community over 30 years.  Centralia, once a vibrant community, remains a ghost town to this day. This entry, which received third place, treats the site as sacred ground.  A large canopy erects itself over an open pit dug down to expose a few veins where the fire once burned.  In the open pit are platforms and plaques describing the sites and exhibits.  The rest of the building floats delecately over the ground only touching it sparsely for support.  An outdoor walk takes visitors to an observation platform overlooking the old refuse pit where the fire began.

The project was well received by town commissioners who were part of the judging panel and was awarded third place.