Community and the City
Investigating the Re-birth of the Community while it has been broken through the Industrial Era _ Andreas Marx
Building Gathering Spaces
Building Gathering Spaces _ Tom Van Malderen
− Victory Street Community Center _ Scenic Architecture
− El Lasso Community Center _ Romera y Ruiz Arquitectos
− Dapto Anglican Church Auditorium _ Silvester Fuller
− Nesher Memorial _ SO Architecture
The Source of Community: Individual Bodies
The Source of Community: Individual Bodies _ Jaap Dawson
− Elena Garro Cultural Center _ Fernanda Canales + Arquitectura 911sc
− Lons-le-Saunier Mediatheque _ du Besset-Lyon Architectes
− Daoíz y Velarde Cultural Center _ Rafael De La-Hoz Arquitectos
− Fjelstervang Outdoor Community Hub _ Spektrum Arkitekter
− Friendship Center _ Kashef Mahboob Chowdhury/Urbana
− New Encants Market _ b720 Arquitectos
The Scene that Builds a Community
The Scene that Builds a Community _ Diego Terna
− La Boiserie _ DE-SO Architecture
− Cultural Center in Castelo Branco _ Mateo Arquitectura
− Akiha Ward Cultural Center _ Chiaki Arai Urban and Architecture Design
− CIDAM _ Landa Arquitectos
− The Square of Arts _ Brasil Arquitetura
− New Culture House and Library in Vizcaya _ aq4 Arquitectura
C3 no.357 (2014 #5/12)
Building Gathering Spaces
Building Gathering Spaces _ Tom Van Malderen
If we take a look at the numerous opinions out there on architecture and its relationship to community, we can observe that a colorful debate is ongoing and sentiments are very mixed. Not only because the word “community” itself covers a number of meanings and diverse scales, but most certainly because it brings up the role of public authorities in architecture and whether architecture can be a solution to sociological questions or not.
The projects described in this chapter are forms of community facilities, located in different corners of the world. They all come with their community “missions” and aspirations, but they are first and foremost places where people gather. The act of gathering is something we have been doing for centuries and the assembly of people has been a driver for both the development of certain architectural types as well as sets of actions that can be referred to as rituals. Community centers embody these rituals and give birth to new ones. In doing so they blend past and present, help community bonds grow, increase participation and stimulate encounters. Whilst globalization makes us wary of our identity and instils the fear of losing it, the four projects shown here demonstrate that regional otherness still occurs and that the relationship between architecture and the notion of community commands for architectural practices that commit not only to the form of the built environment, but also its content.
C3 no.357 (2014 #5/12)
Building Gathering Spaces
Building Gathering Spaces _ Tom Van Malderen
If we take a look at the numerous opinions out there on architecture and its relationship to community, we can observe that a colorful debate is ongoing and sentiments are very mixed. Not only because the word “community” itself covers a number of meanings and diverse scales, but most certainly because it brings up the role of public authorities in architecture and whether architecture can be a solution to sociological questions or not.
The projects described in this chapter are forms of community facilities, located in different corners of the world. They all come with their community “missions” and aspirations, but they are first and foremost places where people gather. The act of gathering is something we have been doing for centuries and the assembly of people has been a driver for both the development of certain architectural types as well as sets of actions that can be referred to as rituals. Community centers embody these rituals and give birth to new ones. In doing so they blend past and present, help community bonds grow, increase participation and stimulate encounters. Whilst globalization makes us wary of our identity and instils the fear of losing it, the four projects shown here demonstrate that regional otherness still occurs and that the relationship between architecture and the notion of community commands for architectural practices that commit not only to the form of the built environment, but also its content.
