Shockoe Bottom

[Child2021]

[Brent114]

This one gets so little attention yet is really significant…

Here’s the progress (last floor is going up, it will get a bit taller I guess with those peaks that are coming) and some evidence about how it fits into the fabric.

 

[I miss RVA]

46 minutes ago, Brent114 said:

This one gets so little attention yet is really significant…

%!!!  Could not agree more.

Man - depending on the angle, this beauty SO channels its older sibling in Scott's - so much so that it could easily be given the informal nickname of "Icon East".  When this one is complete, we'll have to do a few side-by-side photographic comparisons to see just how much they look alike and where the differences are. Reminds me of NYC or Chicago, where -- especially back in the day -- the same developer builds very similarly-designed high-rise residential buildings in different parts of town.

And btw @Brent114-- outstanding photos. You know the drill. Mazal Tov!!!

[Gexckos]

Shockoe Project_Masterplan for The 10 Acres_v2.0_8.5x11.pdf

 

The Updated Master Plan for the Lumpkins Jail Slight/National Slavery Museum. 

A couple Renderings from the File.

Edited February 28 by Gexckos

[123fakestreet]

which one of you was this:

Richmond needs a Museum showcasing artist renderings of projects that never come to fruition.

[I miss RVA]

16 minutes ago, 123fakestreet said:

Richmond needs a Museum showcasing artist renderings of projects that never come to fruition.

   % !!!   --- AMEN to that!! 

Believe me, it would rival the Smithsonian in terms of how large it would have to be. 

Edited February 28 by I miss RVA

[I miss RVA]

14 hours ago, Gexckos said:

Shockoe Project_Masterplan for The 10 Acres_v2.0_8.5x11.pdf 95.58 MB · 5 downloads

 

The Updated Master Plan for the Lumpkins Jail Slight/National Slavery Museum. 

A couple Renderings from the File.

UPDATE:

Jonathan Spiers has reporting in today's RBS about the city's unveiling of the master plan for the National Slavery Museum. Pretty darn impressive! Man - this really does have the potential to be a true national-level, world-class museum, if it's done right.

Curious though about how far north the campus will extend. Wasn't that stretch north of Broad upzoned to TOD-1 with plans for multiple high-rise residential buildings? Or was that on the other side of Leigh Street?

Either way - this looks impressive.

From today's Richmond BizSense:

https://richmondbizsense.com/2024/02/28/city-unveils-master-plan-for-shockoe-slavery-commemorative-site/

Edited February 28 by I miss RVA

[Flood Zone]

Jokes aside, it's a worthy project and I like that RVA version of a High Line walkway.

[ancientcarpenter]

Love the progress. The design is cool and fun and unique...but I am bummed that they didn't go with this design:

https://www.smithgroup.com/projects/richmond-national-slavery-museum-at-the-lumpkins-slave-jail-site

 

[I miss RVA]

9 minutes ago, ancientcarpenter said:

Love the progress. The design is cool and fun and unique...but I am bummed that they didn't go with this design:

https://www.smithgroup.com/projects/richmond-national-slavery-museum-at-the-lumpkins-slave-jail-site

 

Hard to say why the city chose the one they did. Did the campus proposed by the folks who had this design cover as much ground as the one the city chose?

Edited February 28 by I miss RVA

[eandslee]

….but dang, that museum design is hideous!  What the…!?  Looks like a Conehead landed in Richmond!

Edited February 28 by eandslee

[I miss RVA]

8 hours ago, eandslee said:

….but dang, that museum design is hideous!  What the…!?  Looks like a Conehead landed in Richmond!

Yeah... kinda does, now that you mention it. Hmmm... wonder if it'll be a "ready for prime time player"? 

Edited February 29 by I miss RVA

[ancientcarpenter]

[I miss RVA]

25 minutes ago, ancientcarpenter said:

YESSSSSSSSSSSS!!! EXACTLY!!! 

[ancientcarpenter]

1 hour ago, I miss RVA said:

YESSSSSSSSSSSS!!! EXACTLY!!! 

Coneheads jokes aside, this video did a great job making me appreciate the project design even more:

 

and more in-depth detailed PDF reading:

https://rva.gov/sites/default/files/2024-02/Shockoe Project_Masterplan for The 10 Acres_v2.0_8.5x11.pdf

[Brent114]

I actually like the design of the museum.  Perhaps it may be condescending but it certainly looks “African” in design.   Lots of ancient  cities there have dwellings that look like this.  
 

The condescending part is that all things “African American museum”  in this country  have the same aesthetic.  It isn’t inappropriate per se, but it is kinda weird IMO.  

[ancientcarpenter]

22 hours ago, Brent114 said:

I actually like the design of the museum.  Perhaps it may be condescending but it certainly looks “African” in design.   Lots of ancient  cities there have dwellings that look like this.  
 

The condescending part is that all things “African American museum”  in this country  have the same aesthetic.  It isn’t inappropriate per se, but it is kinda weird IMO.  

Yeah, it's quite a big continent. In fact, so big that you can fit China, Europe, America, India, and Japan into it. 

 

 

 

I think the correct term is "african mousgoum" 

 

 

 

[I miss RVA]

1 hour ago, ancientcarpenter said:

Yeah, it's quite a big continent. In fact, so big that you can fit China, Europe, America, India, and Japan into it. 

 

 

 

I think the correct term is "african mousgoum" 

 

 

 

GREAT photo of the African mousgoum. Wow... Tremendous research. 

Welp, my friend, you know what THAT means. Going over and above the call of duty to really bring some uber-pertinent information (and this photo totally bears out the "why" behind the design of the museum) -- methinks you've earned yourself your first piece of shiny, new RVA/UP Silver Hardware for 2024! Mazal Tov!!! Very much deserved. Even though I've heard the term "mousgoums" - I wouldn't have readily made a visual mental connection to figure this out. Well done, my friend.

Edited March 1 by I miss RVA

[Brent114]

I added this one to the Reddit thread yesterday…

 

I’m surprise my google search worked lol.  I was looking for “ancient African cities” not whatever word that is in the search bar lol  

[ancientcarpenter]

On 3/1/2024 at 12:24 PM, Brent114 said:

I added this one to the Reddit thread yesterday…

 

I’m surprise my google search worked lol.  I was looking for “ancient African cities” not whatever word that is in the search bar lol  

 

It is so sad how much African civilization history we are not taught. Even today, I can barely pull up much info to read on. There were major cities that surpassed their time in tech, social orders, designs, religion, wealth, population, etc. 

 

Shame that it all got looted by other civilizations, at least Central/South American cultures got to keep some of it to this day - so sad how much is gone though due to Christianity wiping them away on purpose but at least we got some to study and look at today. We're essentially taught nothing about the African kingdoms in schools and it really plays into the ignorance of racism to this day - "oh it's just heat, sand, and some cool animals there..." Ugh. 

[I miss RVA]

1 hour ago, ancientcarpenter said:

 

It is so sad how much African civilization history we are not taught. Even today, I can barely pull up much info to read on. There were major cities that surpassed their time in tech, social orders, designs, religion, wealth, population, etc. 

 

Shame that it all got looted by other civilizations, at least Central/South American cultures got to keep some of it to this day - so sad how much is gone though due to Christianity wiping them away on purpose but at least we got some to study and look at today. We're essentially taught nothing about the African kingdoms in schools and it really plays into the ignorance of racism to this day - "oh it's just heat, sand, and some cool animals there..." Ugh. 

% !!! 

Well said, all the way around, @ancientcarpenter.

[Rooster]

sorry I know this isnt the right place for this, but bigotry has to be called out - what ancient African civilizations do you think were "wiped away on purpose" by "Christianity"? 

[whw53]

Some of the oldest Christian communities can be  traced to Africa -  Christianity in Eritrea, Ethiopia, and historical Nubia date to the 4th century. Coptics in Egypt even earlier. They have their own traditions and rich culture. I agree not a great statement - Africa has seen waves of Christianity, Islam, and even eastern influences and these grew and waned for a variety of reasons. And much like Europe many  civilizations like Kongo were cases where the leaders adopted and promoted aspects of Christianity , built temples etc . 

So I agree that world history could be better taught but part of that objective history is surely to recognize that-  like all history- it was nuanced and brutal with internal strife and savage atrocities occurring on that continent both before and after European contact.

Edited March 5 by whw53

[Brent114]

4 hours ago, Rooster said:

sorry I know this isnt the right place for this, but bigotry has to be called out - what ancient African civilizations do you think were "wiped away on purpose" by "Christianity"? 

Entire family histories were wiped out through the slave trade, the missions and colonization that followed in the 17th and 18th century nearly finished off the indigenous cultures.  

[ancientcarpenter]

19 hours ago, Rooster said:

sorry I know this isnt the right place for this, but bigotry has to be called out - what ancient African civilizations do you think were "wiped away on purpose" by "Christianity"? 

African continent  and its people have been deeply affected Christianity - religion was used to not only justify conquering and enslaving the people but also to wipe away their history, traditions, religions, and backgrounds. 

However, in my post that I assume you are responding to (copy/pasted below), I'm referring to the wiping of the Central American civilizations like Maya, Aztec, etc. Christian priests played a leading role and very heavy hand in making sure to destroy as much of these civilizations' history as much as possible as it challenged their religion. It's very well documented. 

"Shame that it all got looted by other civilizations, at least Central/South American cultures got to keep some of it to this day - so sad how much is gone though due to Christianity wiping them away on purpose but at least we got some to study and look at today."

 

Edit: I want to just say how wonderful it is that we are talking about this. We are not only challenging each other but also educating each other by spreading new knowledge that many of us (including myself) didn't know before. The national African museum is already doing its job and it hasn't even been built yet and this is a prime example - love it!

Edited March 5 by ancientcarpenter