History of Eventshttp://www.ussindianapolis.org/

On July 30, 1945 at 12:14am, a Japanese submarine torpedoed the USS Indianapolis in the Philippine Sea. The India-napolis sank in approximately 12 minutes, taking down 300 of the 1,196 servicemen on board with it. The remaining 900 men were cast into the shark-infested waters with little to no food and water and no lifeboats. The remaining men of the Indianapolis weren’t discovered until four days later by accident, by this time their numbers were down to 316. Charles Butler McVay III, the captain of the Indianapolis, survived the ordeal and was shortly after court-martialed. He was found guilty of “hazarding his ship by failing to zigzag.” This is despite the fact that there is evidence that Navy itself had placed the ship in harm’s way. Even the Japanese submarine commander testified that zigzagging would not have helped in the least. Over the course of WWII, McVay was the only captain to be court-martialed even though over 350 navy ships were lost in combat over the course of the war. This further strengthened that fact that McVay was being used as a scapegoat for the mistakes of the navy. In October of 2000, legislation was passed in Washington to express the belief that Captain McVay’s should be exon-erated for the loss of the Indianapolis and all those that lost their lives. In July of 2001, McVay was officially exonerated and his record amended to mark this change. Sadly, Captain McVay took his own life in 1968, some years before his eventual and rightful exoneration.

Site Developmenthttp://thisisindiana.angelfire.com/americanlegionmall.htm

http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NHLS/Text/89001404.pdf

The site itself lies within the boundary of the American Legion Mall, which is in turn apart of the larger Indianapolis Mall National Historic District. Five blocks of downtown Indianapolis make up the district, from University Park to the Indiana State Library. The district was designed to realize the concepts of the “City Beautiful” movement of the early 20th century. Concepts included a classic formality to the buildings and landscapes in addition to an overall grand monumental scale. These concepts are apparent in the neoclassical style that the American Legion employs in its building complex and the for-mal parterres that line the Mall. Available land for the new USS Indianapolis Memorial lies between the American Legion Building and Obelisk Square. The footprint of the site is roughly the same as the nearby four story structure. Nearby Meridian Street to the west will have to be taken into account due to its heavy traffic flow. A memorial added into this context must be in line with the concepts already established and work to enhance the sur-roundings with its own brilliance. Nodes in the district include the American Legion Headquarters, the Sunken Garden, Obelisk Square, and finally the Indiana World War Memorial Building.

U.S.S. Indianapolis Memorial Garden

Key Quantity Scientific Name Common Name Size Spacing Root Seasonal Interest Therapeutic ValueShade TreesACE-R 3 Acer rubrum Red Maple 3" cal Per Plans B&B Red Fall Color Provides shade, sense of enclosureFAG-G 9 Fagus Grandifolia American Beech 3" cal Per Plans B&B Interesting Bark Provides shade, sense of enclosureLIR-T 4 Liriodendron tulipifera Tulip Tree 3" cal Per Plans B&B Blooms in May-June Provides shade, sense of enclosureTIL-C 9 Tilia cordata Littleaf Linden 3" cal Per Plans B&B Yellow Fall Color Provides shade, sense of enclosureOrnamental TreesAME-C 6 Amelanchier canadensis Serviceberry 2" cal Per Plans B&B White Blooms in April Fine texture, movementCER-C 21 Cercis canadensis Eastern Redbud 2" cal Per Plans B&B Purple-Pink Blooms in April Cool-toned bloomsShrubsJUN-S 144 Juniperus squamata 'Blue Star' Blue Star Juniper 4' Per Plans B&B Evergreen shrub Interesting coarse textureKAL-L 134 Kalmia latifolia 'Elf' Elf Mountain Laurel 4' Per Plans B&B Pinkish-White Blooms in May Cool-toned bloomsPerennialsCAM-P 535 Campanula poscharskyana 'Telham Beauty' Telham Beauty Bellflower No. 1 18" o.c. cont. Blue Blooms June-July Cool-toned bloomsIRI-V 679 Iris virginica Blue Flag No. 3 18" o.c. cont. Blue Blooms June Cool-toned bloomsLIA-S 628 Liatris spicata 'Kobold' Kobold Liatris No. 4 6" o.c. cont. Purple Blooms July-August Cool-toned bloomsMER-V 785 Mertensia virginica Virginia Bluebell No. 4 1' o.c. cont. Blue Blooms March-April Cool-toned bloomsTUL-B 1,214 Tulipa 'Blue Parrot' Blue Parrot Tulip Top Size 6" o.c. cont. Blue Blooms in early spring Cool-toned bloomsTUL-N 628 Tulipa 'Negrita' Negrita Tulip Top Size 6" o.c. cont. Purple Blooms in early spring Cool-toned bloomsGrassesPAN-V 667 Panicum virgatum Switchgrass No. 1 48" o.c. cont. Purple/Red Fall Color Fine, soft texture, movement

Vision Statement

This project was designed to alter the current site into an area that offers a therapeutic healing experience in the heart of Indianapolis centered around the tragedy that befell the U.S.S. Indianapolis. Elements include a winding path that frames views towards the memorial, plants that soften the urban hards-cape, and water elements that call to mind the life of the U.S.S Indianapolis. This memorial garden will act as a learning experience for those not directly involved with the tragedy and a healing experience for those that were affected by it.

Goals and Objectives

I.Create an outdoor room a.Buffer from surrounding site b.Use vegetation to create separate spaces c.Allow for seatingII.Allow for educational experience a.Create a structure consisting of a timeline i.Inset into path system b.Form space for memorialIII.Form a therapeutic atmosphere a.Utilize a balance of hardscape and softscape i. Plant species with cool-toned blooms and a variety of textures b.Allow for areas of rest c. Use of white noise i. Reflective poolIV. Allow for views to and from site a. Create entrances that will draw people into site b. Frame views with vegetation

U.S.S. Indianapolis

U.S.S. Indianapolis

Southwest to Northeast Cross Section

Inventory and Analysis

Plant Schedule

Vicinity Map

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Lauyrnn Thieme

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STRONG GEOMETRIES

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Indiana Marion County

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White River

Day rendering

U.S.S. Indianapolis Memorial GardenRebecca McKevitz

Zachary ReesLauyrnn Thieme

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legendA. Memorial B. Memorial Plaza C. Main Pathway D. Overlook E. Reflecting Pool F. Secondary Pathway G. Entrance H. Natural Zones I. Lawn Space

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Serviceberry blue flagEastern Redbud Elf mountain laurel blazing star Virginia BluebellNegrita Tulip SwitchgrassBlue Star Juniper

9) TIL-C

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157) MER-V

157) MER-V

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157) MER-V

LAWN

9) FAG-G

3) ACE-R

4) LIR-T

134) KAL-L

628) LIA-S628) TUL-N

144) JUN-S

679) IRI-V679) TUL-B

535) CAM-P535) TUL-B

6) CER-C

4) CER-C

667) PAN-V

6) AME-C

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U.S.S. Indianapolis Memorial GardenPLANTING Plan

Rebecca McKevitzZachary Rees

Lauyrnn Thieme

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Night rendering

U.S.S. Indianapolis Memorial GardenRebecca McKevitz

Zachary ReesLauyrnn Thieme

0 5 10 20 40

legendA. Memorial B. Memorial Plaza C. Main Pathway D. Overlook E. Reflecting Pool F. Secondary Pathway G. Entrance H. Natural Zones I. Lawn Space

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