The original Ohio statehouse was built by forced prison labor. A fence encircled the block to keep the enslaved people on the grounds. Long after completion-for almost 50 years, the fence remained, preserving the power of the government behind a wall. When the wall came down, so did the memory of those who built it. 

 

As a reflection on Ohio’s history, we are reinstating that fence as an occupiable wall. Our wall, though, is designed to be an amenity rather than a barrier. In the film we produced earlier in the semester, we framed the statehouse using reflections from the public service buildings surrounding it. Through only showing the statehouse indirectly through reflections and curated framing, we foregrounded the surrounding community services to subvert the imposing government building. Using these ideas as a starting point, we are reimagining the capitol as a place to serve citizens as much as a place of governmental power. 

 

Originally embedded in the fence along High Street were three statehouse buildings – the Ohio Supreme Court, the General Assembly, and state official offices. We replaced the public version of the three programs in their place on the site. The Ohio Supreme Court is now an open plaza for protest, the General Assembly is an amphitheater for public assembly, and the state office building is a community center which welcomes people onto the site.