THESIS STATEMENT
The objective of this project is to explore ageing in place within the context of Washington Park. It takes a multi-scalar approach to achieve this objective.
The concept of multigenerational housing is prevalent within the Washington Park community. Rather than seeking individual residences, multiple generations of families are choosing to cohabitate. To facilitate cohabitation and aid in improving livability, it is necessary to consider spatial multi-scalarity and social multi-scalarity. By spatial multi-scalarity, I am referring to the personal scale, the architectural scale and the neighborhood scale. By Social multi-scalarity, I am referring to the individual scale, the family scale and the community scale. This approach is important because it creates a holistic community ecosystem.
The Washington Park Community faces several challenges related to safety, accessibility and affordability. It is necessary to develop each scale throughout the design process with the objective of establishing stronger, more resilient communities that are economically sustainable. By community resilience, I am referring to a community’s elasticity or its ability to diagnose, treat and recover from challenging or adverse situations.
The objective of this project will be achieved by collaborating with community leaders and establishing multi-scalar adaptations, identifying areas suitable for adaptive re-use and identifying areas appropriate for new construction.
ARCHITECTURAL STATEMENT
Beginning in the 1980s, the Washington Park Neighborhood has faced significant challenges related to safety, crime, lack of economic development and increasing housing and commercial vacancies. Vacancies within the neighborhood have been detrimental to the area’s value, deter neighborhood identity and pride, and create conflict related to crime and visual aesthetic. However, many of the vacancies within the neighborhood are in adequate condition and considered good candidates for adaptive reuse projects. The 37th Street School, located on N 37th Street, and the Willowglen Academy (formerly referred to as The Lady Pitts Center), located on the corner of W Lisbon Avenue and N 39th Street, are two sites within the neighborhood available for large-scale adaptive re-use projects.
Within the next three decades, the elderly population (those 65 years and over) is expected to increase drastically and rapidly due to the aging “Baby Boomer” generation. Currently, the Washington Park Neighborhood lacks housing specific to senior citizens. In response to these changes as well as the availability of land and housing stock, I am proposing a multi-scalar design approach to accommodate the growing senior demographic. The design approach will include the following components:
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The 37th Street School or the WIllowglen Academy will be developed and rehabilitated to accommodate high-density elderly housing and service as an activity center for the residents and adjacent neighbors.
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Vacant housing stock (or land parcels) in good condition and close proximity to the chosen site will be rehabilitated (or provide new construction) to accommodate multi-generational housing.
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Changes or new additions will be made to existing neighborhood infrastructure (streets, pedestrian paths, public spaces, corner stores) to achieve the six characteristics of a “lifelong” or “walkable” neighborhood. These six characteristics are described in the section titled, Introduction.
