The Esplanade Memory Pavilion: Reconstructing Collective Memory Through Architecture

Author

• Isabelle Johannah Binder

Files

Date of Award

5-2026

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Architecture

College

Arts and Sciences

Department

Architecture

Faculty Advisor

Stephen Wischer

Studio Coordinator

Stephen Wischer

Faculty Chair

Susan Kliman

Publisher

North Dakota State University

Rights

NDSU policy 190.6.2

URI

https://www.ndsu.edu/fileadmin/policy/190.pdf

Abstract

This thesis investigates architecture as a medium for reconstructing memory through the assembly of spatial, social, and temporal fragments. Sited on Fiedler Field along the Boston Esplanade, the project proposes a memorial and community music space that resists singular narratives, embracing incompleteness as intrinsic to collective memory. The site operates as both a literal and conceptual field where dispersed histories and experiences are brought into relation.

The architecture emerges through aggregation rather than imposition, organizing fragments into moments of compression and release, light and shadow, sound and silence. Circulation forms a narrative sequence, guiding visitors through spaces of reflection, gathering, and performance. A central music space anchors the project as a resonant environment for communal exchange.

Informed by theories of layered memory, the design emphasizes material warmth, daylight, and human scale, positioning architecture as an active, evolving framework for shared experience and continuity.

Recommended Citation

Binder, Isabelle Johannah, "The Esplanade Memory Pavilion: Reconstructing Collective Memory Through Architecture" (2026). Architecture Theses. 99.
https://digitalcommons.ndsu.edu/architecture-theses/99