This project aims to memorialize the natural conditions and experience of the Underground Railroad through the lens of Harriet Tubman’s life. At the beginning of my research, I was intrigued by the story of Harriet Tubman and her experience as an escaped slave and conductor of the Underground Railroad. It was through her story of traveling through the woods, streams, and rivers, with little to no food, and with the fear of being captured, that I decided to highlight this natural experience. Creating a timeline collage of her story allowed me to visualize and feel what this project was going to be about, and this timeline would be the driving force of this project. Just as how the timeline takes us through her journey, this project aims to do the same.
The project is organized by a series of tall vertical columns that create a forest condition, reflecting the outdoor journey of the underground railroad. The project is oriented from South to North to symbolize Harriet Tubman’s life as a conductor and how she kept going back, through the Underground Railroad to help other slaves. In addition, there are 13 contemplation spaces on the site, referencing safehouses to highlight the 13 times Harriet Tubman went back.
The Story of Harriet Tubman - A Physical Collage
Initial sketches showcasing the vision for the project.
