My thesis: While the Mountain View cemetery tries to adapt Olmsteds idea to city development, the opportunity for low income families to be buried in this private cemetery get smaller. Requirements: 1. You should research and discuss the origins, concept, and design (broadly defined) of the project and how this work is connected to the historical trends in landscape architecture. Especially, make clear about Olmsted’s designs (pastoral aesthetics, The Beautiful and The Picturesque designs) 2. Questions need to focus on: What existed on the site before its current condition? How did this landscape come about? How and why was this particular piece of property set aside for this particular purpose? What were the aesthetic and nonaesthetic considerations in forming the landscape–the practical, social, economic, political and cultural forces which shaped it? (Sometimes these are more forceful than aesthetic issues.) What was the process of design and implementation? What has been the influence and legacy of this work of landscape architecture? Did it influence other sites in the landscape? Why or why not? How does it fit into a larger scheme or idea for the landscape of city, suburb, countryside, or wilderness? 3. Is it the capitalism of the dead? Like how the site is so divided up by ethnic or religious groups for sale, and also how it creates bidding around the dead. In a way, I think this does kind of represent some of the most central problems of the bay area – so exploitative and divisive. Perhaps continue to trace that in your analysis; be clear about the plots, and the costs 4. At least 9 credible sources other than general texts. These can include interviews. Note that historical photographs and maps are primary sources for interpretation as are contemporary newspaper articles. 5. Provide complete citations for the text in footnotes and for illustrations in captions, plus a bibliography. The use of the Chicago Manual of Style footnote and bibliography citation style is a requirement. 6. Include images (present day and historical ones) a location map, and a site plan view with a scale and north arrow to illustrate your essay. (GoogleEarth now makes this pretty easy, including links to historical maps.)
