The Community

Commercial Design

ASID Competition: Health & Wellness

Social Wellness

Environmental Wellness

Physical Wellness

The ProblemDesign a space focusing on the aspect of wellness.

Students were to propose their own solutions for an environment promoting wellness, with little restrictions given.

Study wellness and narrow down search based on individual interests and goals.

ResearchMy research indicated that people felt most safe when they new and had a relationship with their neighbors. Social Wellness. A community center provides a space for people to meet and interact.

Sustainability as far as I’m concerned is no longer an option. Environmental Wellness. It should be a given whenever possible in material selection, design, etc. I really pushed the concept with this project, designing a building to Passive House standards that would be completely self sustaining.

Research also shows that if one is physically fi t, eats a healthy diet, they feel better emotionally as well. Physical Wellness. The community garden promotes this, in addition to social wellness. It becomes a place people can interact with their neighbors, while at the same time promoting healthy eating, and maintaining an active lifestyle as gardening is a great source of cardio activity.

Detroit Michigan is an industry based metropolis that has experienced huge hits due to the economy and the movementof industry overseas. While many of the urban neighborhoods are experiencing a period of revival, many yet are suffering from urban decay consisting of vacant properties.

This project proposes a community center, focused on enhancing the wellness of its community members by promoting social interaction, both within its open, fl exible interior spaces, as well as its exterior community garden and recreation spaces. The building, built to Passive House standards, is designed to fi t on a single city lot, therefore becoming a standard that can be plugged into the many city neighborhoods throughout the city, and the country, in need of revitalization.

Programming

Design Development

1st fl oor: Social- Informal

2cd fl oor: Educational

3rd fl oor: Social- Formal / Educational (fl ex)

Spaces are stacked so as to fi t on the standard city lot. Keeping a smaller foot-print and open spaces also allows daylight to penetrate the entire space.

Passive Design

Rain Barrels

Rain Garden

Site Plan

Exterior Elevation

Simple, functional, sustainable.

Community garden andrecreation spaces encourage andfoster relationships, health, wellness.

South facing windows open up to take full advantage of solar heating in the cold months, with light shelves to re-duce heat gain in the warmer months.

First Floor

KITCHEN

OFFICE

STORAGE

ELEVATOR

UP

Kitchen pendants

Barstools

Living room sofa

N

A residential feeling is given to the main level, encouraging a comfortable interaction amongst neighbors. Where should one feel more comfortable than at home? Materials are kept simple, clean and natural to enhance the sustainable architecture.

Second Floor

STORAGE FLEXIBLE CLASSROOMS

DN UPMOVABLE PARTITIONS

Concrete fl oors

Stackable Caper chairs

Desks

N

Constrained to a single city lot, with an emphasis on outdoor space.Flexibility within the limited fl oor plan is imperative. Movable partitionsand furniture can easily fold, stack, and be stored, allowing for suchfl exibility. The translucent quality of the panels allow for light topenetrate into the space, while still allowing for privacy when desired.

Final Design

FLEX SPACE

STORAGE

ELEVATOR

DN

COUNTER/DISPLAY

Pendant lighting

Stackable caper chairs

Built in woodwork

N

An open plan, vaulted ceiling, and sweeping 3rd fl oor views of thelandscape. The third fl oor is an impressive space with endlesspossibilities, fueling community involvement and ownership of a building they can use for gatherings, meetings, receptions,education, and more.