Live-work artisan's community in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia

Abstract

The intention of this Graduate Thesis Project is to experiment with architectural design and planning tools in order to create an architectural environment where a live-work community of artists would have a chance to be established and thrive.

I am interested to understand how to design dwellings and plan residential developments that would provide privacy and comfort for their residents, while becoming an integral and sustainable part of a larger community. A client (either a developer, or a committee of future residents), as well as local authorities are crucial in bringing the vision of a community to a fruition. However, an architect's idea, convincing opinion and knowledge about how a community can work are very necessary elements of any community development process. Architect's knowledge of the subject is a result of experience, as well as extensive research and self-education. Since I want to practice residential architecture, I decided to use my Graduate Thesis Project as a tool to research and explore issues related to the design of urban housing.

Therefore, for my Thesis Project I have chosen to design a high-density residential/commercial complex for an artisan's community in Old Town Alexandria. The Project is set to explore these design issues:

1) urban live-work housing community, and how architecture can enhance it;

2) relation of private, public and transitional spaces;

3) pedestrian versus vehicular circulation;

4) modern building materials in the context of historic urban fabric;

5) use of a computer as a design and presentation tool.