Art, Architecture, and Community: Create Spaces to Highlight Local Talent

Abstract

The paper will focus on a two-semester service-learning project in which Architectural Technology Students are partnering with a local entity called Reclaiming Community. Reclaim is a subsidiary of a larger local organization with a mission to bring about sustainable regeneration, improvement, and management of the physical environment through their Art Shed initiative. Each semester will develop a separate set of shed designs, with separate assessment methods and outcomes. The over-arching goal of the project is revitalizing the neighborhoods that will house these sheds, and encourage the love of art and design in area. Sheds are designed with the intent that after a certain about of time in residence the materials will be recycled for custom designed furniture.

Utilizing the evidence-based design process (EBD) students will collaborate with Reclaiming project organizers to identify goals for the destination points. Sheds are studied and designed utilizing varying roof styles and interactive design ideas. Through this process each student will design a version of the shed, creating detailed instruction manual with materials and construction methods, and do a miniature 3D study model of the shed. Community partners from the reclaim project will play an integral role in reviewing the design process of the sheds, giving critical feedback for revisions and use. This is a very important part to ensure the evidence basedesign strategies are effectively solving the design problem.

Assessment methods include our institutions Start/Stop/Continue along with customized end of course survey specifically aligned with this project. The community partners will also assist in development of end of course surveys, further integrating them into the culture of the course. The Start/Stop/Continue assessment is a student-centered mid-semester assessment of the project and its process. The completed paper will include the assessment results and course/project modifications carried into the second part of the semester. The customized end of semester course survey will allow the community partner along with the faculty member to specifically target questions at the students participation in the project and the outcomes. Results will be used for phase two of the project to take place in the spring semester.