Entrance:

The entrance is used as a maker for the site and the building.  It provides a beacon for visitors while also marking the beginning of the story of slavery.  When slaves were captured they were stripped of not only their possessions and clothing they were also stripped of their humanity.  Once captured slaves were sorted, branded and prepared for sale and export.  The entrance attempts to do the same for the visitors.  It sorts them from the regular park visitors and forces them into a new understanding of the site.  While walking through the structure it restricts the visitors field of vision forcing them to move down the path. Natural sunlight penetrates the structure bathing the visitors in intense light branding them and preparing them for the downward decent into the building

Capture:

This space is comprised of a ramp that wraps around a room.  The further you go down the tighter and more constricted the room gets.  Windows punctuate the space and shows glimpse of the outside world. This space systematically takes these peeks of freedom away.