Making Place: Framing Stories Wilmer's Park Dreamscapes

Abstract

"Stories are created by people and events in place. Some stories and events are remembered and repeated by individuals and society, some are not. How are events and places intertwined? Which stories are told? Which are not? And why? How do we retell these stories? How do we keep them in conversation with other more visible histories? In many instances, the stories that complicate our understanding of place, his/her/stories of women, African Americans, indigenous peoples are not elevated, and often erased. This creative placemaking architecture studio explored these questions at Wilmer’s Park, in Brandywine, Maryland, a former music and entertainment venue that catered to the African American population during Jim Crow when segregation laws separated white and black communities. The goal is to leverage the power of arts, culture, and creativity to support vibrant and sustainable communities. In this project, students created “Dreamscapes,” imagining what could be, by tapping into this cultural landscape to spark conversation about the park’s future. The students’ research and the Dreamscapes will be used by Prince George’s County planners at the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) for scenario planning and community outreach to determine how best to move forward with redevelopment of the historic site as a public park, tourist attraction, and cultural center. The questions for students, the planners, and the community are How does one tell the story of a place? How can one build upon this cultural landscape and renew it for the next generation? In planning the future, how does one acknowledge the needs and desires of the community that is now there? This project may be extended to future student groups who will support the development of on-site materials. The studio work is part of a continuum, shifting the memory of a place, and an understanding of its history, and in the case of Wilmer’s Park, helping plant seeds from the past for the future."