FAC

Fulcrum Arts Center

Masters of Architecture collaborative thesis | University of Washington

A Place of Making, The Making of Place
Located in Eastsound, WA, this thesis employed Participatory Action Research and Community Driven Design to create a visual arts center for Orcas Island. Working with a client group of five artists and the greater Orcas community, we explored community driven design through surveys, a design charrette, public presentations, and a wiki site. Using Participatory Action Research as our investigative methodology we sought to understand how the architect/designer negotiates the terrain between the community’s voice and their own. The intent of this thesis was not only to create a functional space but also to build relationships, curate ideas and to gain a better understanding of how each individual comes to define place. As the design was realized certain concepts took precedent over others; trust, gift economy, collective identity and representation became very important parts of the conversation. To date, we continue to develop the project with the Orcas community.

What is needed is an architecture of change - an architecture that moves the field beyond the design of buildings and toward the design of new processes of engagement with the political forces that shape theories, practices, academies, policies and communities.
-Jose L. S. Gamez + Susan Rogers | Expanding Architecture.

Status: Ongoing
Design: Travis Anderson | Adrienne Wicks
Orcas Gang: Emily Aring | Stephanie Iverson | Mathew Maher
Kyler Townsend | Ian Woolworth
Advisors: Steve Badanes | Rob Corser
Thanks: Micheal Brennan | David Kau | Bill Trogdon
Nootka | Gordon Walker | All the residents and artists of Orcas