Archinect
anchor

?How do we construct a society that works (of 500 people or less)?

E3

So, how does a group (or all ages and background) construct a society that works (of 500 people or less)?
In the contained community we call SCIARC, it started out as 75 and has grown to 500 over the last 30 years.
What are ways to maintain or create the same, if not better, energy and dynamic of a community that involves immense diversity in its inhabitants and creators - the students- and collaborative efforst by all to work together instead of within their own "bubble"?
Considering the diversity of its people: economically, culturally, ideologically, politcally...we have before us a group that spans the spectrum in the most extreme ways & have asked ourselves the general question:
How can we make a space work socially & temporally but at the same time keep it stimulating to the intellect, our aesthetic, etc.?

Just want some outsider feedback on what you think it takes, or what the checklist could be for building an atmosphere that "works" for 500 people doing 500 different things - but all localized by one thing: architectural education

More specifically, how do we instill a sense of community in an already physically built environment and how do we spark an enthusiasm, within an instituional environment, for unification and dare I say "school spirit" (without the sports teams)

And then how do you ensure that its a society that continually evolves with the currents of new architecture?

 
Nov 23, 04 12:22 pm
abracadabra

as a graduate from old berkeley st. sci arc, when there were 200 of us or so ( a good 1/4 lived in school or in the parking lot), community thing worked pretty good. space was smaller, non linear, and since the graduate school was not accredited, everybody got the same diploma which was a thick white paper with press on helvatica letters. diploma said, it was given to you on the recommendation of its faculty and the students. this kept every body keep checking on others business and created very good dynamic.
i don't know if this is a curse or blessing, but any attempt to organize anything in sci arc usually fails and everything goes back to its organic ways. this was the sci arc identity at the time. i guess things have changed since the tuition went from 625-1125 a semester which we paid, to 7-8 thousand. then a lot of us vagabonds were able to afford an architectural education and i am greatfull to ray kappe and others for starting it. oh, by the way people still had their bubbles which was caalled a rombic or cube.
school door did not have a lock on it so everything could enter or exit, new or old.

Nov 23, 04 2:43 pm  · 
 · 

Block this user


Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site?

Archinect


This is your first comment on Archinect. Your comment will be visible once approved.

  • ×Search in: