| dc.description.abstract | Students in this studio were asked to study the planning principles of a 1960’s “new town” that was proposed for west-central Minnesota, the Minnesota Experimental City (MXC). They were then asked to imagine a new or hybrid typology based on these principles, select a site as if the city had been built in the urban or rural settings that were proposed northwest of Alexandria, and design a building, circa 2011.
The MXC involves a new concept of design. With healthcare it takes a preventative approach. In a rural setting my project, Prairie Health and Wellness, seeks to provide for what the community needs and yet keep the rural character intact. Prairie Health and Wellness provides exercise opportunities in the cold Minnesota winters. It reuses drift wood from the site as focal elements in the design in order to help capture the character of the area. It creates places to study, research, and educate with public computers, library, and spaces to hold meetings, classes, gatherings, and banquets. Then with shared long term and short term medical care facilities and a symptom tracking service this project seeks to protect the health of the community in a welcoming easily accessed center. This project seeks to be a gathering place for the young and the old, the sick and the healthy and above all allow the community to stay together and strengthen their bond. Through all of these and so much more this project is designed to accomplish its goal of bringing the community together and taking care of their needs in a friendly, community centered atmosphere. | en_US |
