storefront(s) in-flux
Unlike the major urban centers of the country where a critical mass of design literate constituents can be counted upon to network with a new school of architecture, the birth of a new school in a medium sized city such as Greater Sudbury suddenly creates a focal point for design education in a vacuum of relationships. Thus it is critical for the school to truly make efforts to connect with the community, and for the community to have as easy access to design knowledge as possible. Only then will the community be able to leverage the creation of the school as part of an overall plan to develop a creative class and retain a local legacy of new businesses and opportunities for the City.
The need for integration with the community and inclusiveness is amplified by the fact that architecture has historically has been a very elitist field. Only a small minority of society ever comes into contact with practitioners, as considerable wealth and power have traditionally been pre-requisites for anyone contemplating the engagement of an architect. In contemporary society however, the fragmentation of wealth, power and design literacy has started to democratize access to creative services such as architecture. Calls for architectural education to become more accessible to the public have been made for decades, with the AIA-commissioned Boyer Report of 1996 being one of the loudest in recent memory.
Strategy
This design proposal focuses on the drive to cultivate interaction with the new school in two ways:
1) a physical presence that maximizes exposure and access to the school's offerings
2) a program that is proactive in creating awareness and opportunities for relationships with external parties
The first step seeks to go beyond having a requisite public gallery in the school lobby, and the hosting of traditional events such as guest lectures and exhibitions. It seeks to integrate the school into the community in a more ingrained manner by deconstructing itself into more accessible parts and mixing with traditional everyday elements of the city.
With an infrastructure in place, the ''software'' of the school then takes on the role of initiating relationships across the spectrum of possibilities. From exploratory programs for potential students, to continuing education for mid-career professionals, the school needs to expand from its role as an architectural education provider for students of degree programs. In this way, the community around the school will develop various groups who will be have design awareness, appreciation, and ultimately literacy.
Outcomes
The motivation to build specific relationships is to ensure grassroots connection between the school and the community. While realizing that most students will be from outside the community and will move on after they finish their education, the goals is to ensure that some students have their roots in Northern Ontario, and that the wider community's level of design literacy is raised to the point where much of the benefits of having a school, will arise outside the school. Finally, from a perspective of urban form, the school must also lead as a model for future growth in the city.
(Competitor's text)
18 scanned / 11 viewable
- Presentation Panel
- Presentation Panel
- Presentation Panel
- Presentation Panel
- Diagram
- Diagram
- Diagram
- Plan
- Axonometric Drawing
- Schema
- Perspective
