Revitalizing a neighborhood and building community through architecture : the design of a multi-use community center, Indianapolis, Indiana

Abstract

In the past few years, the world has begun to return to the city. The rural population has been decreasing since the Industrial Revolution. More recently, with the advent of the automobile and good highways and roads, people moved out of the cities to the suburbs. As a result of this influx, development of communities within the city has come into focus. Human beings need community and community is currently hard to find in the ever-growing cities. The building of community can and needs to occur. This developing of community in the urban context can occur through a neighborhood revitalization. Neighborhood revitalizations often aid in giving an area an identity which in turn develops a sense of` community." Multi-use Community Centers are an excellent way to begin the process of revitalization and the building of community. Located in Indianapolis, a neighborhood on the southeast side between New York Street and Ohio Street is in desperate need of this type of revitalization. This area is a rather diverse neighborhood, yet it has no sense of community.The past year I have investigated urban revitalization and the role that architecture plays in it. During this research, I have found that sports related facilities have had a great impact on revitalization. However, these facilities alone do not successfully achieve revitalization. To be successful, one must incorporate a mix of activities. By incorporating athletics, community activities, and basic skills programs, a single facility can have an immensely positive impact on a neighborhood. While the reviving of a neighborhoods' aesthetics is important, it is not the only issue that needs to be addressed when looking at urban revitalization. The building of community must be a focus in any revitalization effort. How can a building achieve the dual task of revitalizing a neighborhood and building community? Through a Multi-use Community Center I will attempt to answer that question. The goal of this building will be to see if the many needed functions of a revitalization can exist together as one facility. The focus of the design will be how can and how does the building contribute to building "community" within the neighborhood. I have attempted to solve this by addressing three main issues.The first is how does the building affect people operationally? Does the building operate in a manner that builds a sense of community? Does it involve members of the surrounding neighborhood?Secondly, I will address the physical aspect of the structure. Does the building symbolize community to its neighbors and how would one accomplish this?The last issue is that of psychology. Does the building have a positive psychological impact on individuals and does it foster interaction between them?The final goal is to produce a Multi-Use Community Center that serves to improve the neighborhood psychologically as well as physically.