CULTURE MATTERs - STITCHING THE DIVIDe
St. Louis, Missouri - Spring 2015. Comprehensive Studio, Degree Project.
Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts.
‘The Delmar Divide’ is an example of social, economic and racial disparity. The divide occurs along Delmar Boulevard between Kingshighway Boulevard and North Taylor Avenue in St. Louis, MO. This stretch of Delmar Boulevard holds a lot of potential; it encompasses a highly established system of commerce and occupancy called ‘The Loop’. The Delmar Metrolink Station marks the east end of ‘The Loop’, beyond which commerce and amenities are near nonexistent. Physical barriers are part of what creates the Divide.
A place that holds the synergistic potential to connect neighborhoods is a community center. The proposed community center is modeled after the YMCA|YWCA. Historically, the YMCA has provided a platform for many socio-cultural reforms. The institution affords its occupants programs including health and fitness, job training, community counseling, integration activities for recently arrived immigrants, and temporary housing to name a few. This project stitched the Divide by creating a place where both the highly established system and the underdeveloped sides of the community could gather.
