[Re]animate: A Puppet Theater Workshop for Silver Spring

Abstract

The spirit of place resides not only in physical parameters, but also in the symbolic meanings that grow up around them as a result of the history, participation and the belonging of the people who use them. In a place where the built environment is in a state of constant change, how may social traditions such as arts festivals and holiday parades be the source of continuity for the community? This thesis studies the relationship of the built environment to the actions and interactions of people in the public realm. It will explore how architecture may help to re-create a community identity by fostering everyday interaction and special community traditions. The Puppet Theater Workshop explores the connection of community building to the built environment through anticipation, ritual and memory. This thesis uses the metaphor of puppetry to express the reanimation of a place with magic, make-believe, storytelling, and fantasy.