Abstract:
This dissertation describes the creation of three locations in Arlington County, Virginia
as notable places in the urban landscape: Dark Star Park, the United States Air Force
Memorial, and the Pentagon Memorial. All three cultural objects were created through
government programs and are public sites for civic, commemorative, and sacred
activities. For each location, I outline the planning steps for the concept, design, and
construction of the space. Dark Star Park, the first work of the Arlington County Public
Art Program, is an important civic space but nothing more. The Pentagon Memorial
successfully transforms the site of recent tragedy into a sacred space for reflection. The
Air Force Memorial is both a sacred and commemorative site, with a troubled history that
adds to the story of the memorial’s creation. By placing these three cultural spaces in
context, I create a narrative of Arlington County’s urban sites and outline their success
and failures as consecrated spaces framed by memory and cultural studies.
