Rebuilding community: designing a community center for the enrichment and social engagement of a diverse youth

Abstract

It’s a recurring trend that the fate of many community centers is to become an operable, yet irrelevant space that people simply ignore, or to become simply abandoned. Many community center buildings have lost traction as true ‘centers for community engagement’ and have been repurposed as gymnasiums, weight rooms, and community pools. While this still drives some community engagement and belonging, it doesn’t quite fit the needs of every community. The main problems currently plaguing community centers nationwide include insufficient funding, difficulty measuring impact, recruitment and retention of staff and volunteers, lack of effective community outreach, and irrelevant or unsustainable program. In order for community centers to be successful, they must not only be physically accessible, but locationally accessible. Community centers must aim to fill the gap that exists in communities, whether that be a lack of access to good education and GED programs, or a lack of access to fresh produce and affordable food. Another reason for this research is the current lack of community among people. In recent years (especially post-Covid) people have become more isolated, and community has become less mandatory for people and places in day-to-day life. Things like food, friends, family, ideas, and everything in between can be accessed remotely through the use of technology, and people have begun to lose the importance of true human connection and interaction.

Understanding the principles of the human experience provides a solid foundation to begin exploring the importance of human connection and engagement, and what it means to be a part of a community. Through literature review it is possible to learn how architecture impacts the human experience, and how to use architecture to facilitate engagement and specific behaviors. Through interviews and archival research it becomes possible to learn how specific communities differ in their practices and needs. By first understanding what a community wants/needs, there can be further development of a community center based on those needs.

This research is relevant to all communities that currently lack a space where people can come together for the benefit of one another. The lack of community engagement and interaction in recent years has led to the abandonment and irrelevance of community centers across the country, and a new set of principles and practices is required in order to reshape the community center into something more usable. By redefining the framework of what makes a community center, cities can be better prepared to provide spaces for community engagement and interaction that will last far longer than the community centers we see today that fall to the wayside after initial excitement dies down.