Hearth
Location: Williamsburg, VA
Completed: 2022
Awards:
- Award for Contextual Design, AIA Richmond (2022)
- Phil Freelon Professional Design Award, NOMA (2022)
- Charter Award, Congress for New Urbanism (2022)
- Best in Class, Higher Education, Brick in Architecture Awards (2022)
- Commendation in General Design, ASLA Virginia (2023)
The harsh life of enslaved people at William & Mary was often tied to the fireplace. Yet for the enslaved, the fireside also represented a space for community.
Hearth: Memorial to the Enslaved pays tribute to the men, women, and children who built and maintained the College for half of its history, seeking to
rekindle their memory,
illuminate a space to reflect on our shared and troubling past, and
radiate freedom and hope for the future.
Nestled in a brick-walled clearing near the historic Wren Building, Hearth creates its own gravitational pull. The focal point, where bonfires can be lit on special occasions, is aligned with a work path that the enslaved people used daily, connecting us with their lives.
Hearth’s form derives from the curving lines of ancient African pottery, carving an asymmetrical void that receives the community yet also embodies the emptiness of slavery. The resulting geometry reflects onto the ground plane to define a community gathering space embedded in the landscape.
The names of the enslaved, known and unknown, are emblazoned on granite blocks. As research reveals new names, they are added to rows at the top, creating a living memorial that forever honors the enslaved people.
William Sendor was Memorial Designer for this project, having won the initial international design competition. He teamed with Baskervill, an architecture firm from Richmond, VA, to execute the project.
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