In the city of Centralia, Illinois, several issues govern the city’s future, all stemming from the same major problem: the economy. To intervene, this community center proposal aims to encourage economic development and growth in the city, assisting small businesses with starting and expanding in the region

Baumgartner, Matthew A

OpenSIUC

Site & Function Centralia, Ilinois is a historic railroad town whose economy is beginning to drasticaly slow down. Old and new trends have yet to solve the major issues and the city has lost much of its industry after the railroad outlasted its major importance. To intervene, a community center that serves as a smal business incubator could help shift the current economic chalenges by reaching out to help those wanting to create their own business in the city of Centralia and the surrounding region. This building site was chosen due to its connection with the community park and its location in the business district of Centralia. Being located in the current hub of the city alows this center to truly connect with the community and provides a strong message of the direction of the city of Centralia. The community center is where activi-ties and ideas al come together, and the site represents this colaboration.AtriumThe atrium was a concept inspired by the route that the I.C. Railroad takes through the city of Centralia, spliting it right through the middle. These train tracks force an interaction to cross to the other side, and I wanted to represent this relationship by placing the atrium in the center of the building, making the visitor first interact with this space before going to any other part of the center. This space also serves as the main colaboration space, providing communal space that provides views into many labs, meeting rooms, and ofices, showing the progress being made by the center and the city. The south ramp extendingfrom the south entrance divides into 3 diferent paths as it reaches the Fairview Park boundary. These paths travel to 3 diferent important areas of the park and increases the potential of atracting people to the center. Being acommunity center, having strong roots in the community is vital, and these paths symbolize this relationship, as the firmly connect the building site with one of the most communal areas in the city. Architectural Intervention: The Resilient Community CenterLandscapingThe landscape to the south of the community center was designed to create an atraction and to serve as an addition/expansion to Fair-view Park, bringing park visitors to the south entrance of the center. The land-scape features several diferent atractions and serves as a community gathering space for several events that are held in Fairview Park. The organic and curvey design contrasts the rectangular building and symbolizes the growth of not only the park, but the city, expanding into new areas. The circular landscape design was inspired by the former Ilinois Central R.R. turntable that exists in the railyard just south of Centralia. It is a staple of this railroad and the landscape is a unique way to bring this historic piece to a community center that is leading the city into the future. East Elevation looking West Perspective of South EntranceAtrium Section ViewProject Site Location Project Site Plan Floor Plans & Circulation Project Site Plan - Connection with Park

Architectural Intervention: The Resilient Community Center

http://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1060&context=asars

Architectural Intervention: The Resilient Community Center

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

OpenSIUC