Urban Activation

Abstract

There are many elements within a city that provide a significant impact on your quality of life. Quality of life is a subjective measure of the overall happiness of a person or a community usually measured within the categories of economic, environmental, and social. This thesis addresses the question, how can an urban campus improve the quality of life a city has to offer? I explore this question by taking an emancipatory approach involving multiple tactics such as personal interviews, literature, and case studies.

This urban campus strives to help improve the quality of life Duluth, MN has to offer. The master plan and building provides a new way of learning and collaboration for students, professionals, and the public. The building includes a business incubator, classrooms, affordable housing, retail, and green-space. The building encourages the public, students, and professionals to learn from each other. The mix of people promotes entrepreneurship and creativity which endorses higher quality of life. Quality views, natural light, social interaction, connectivity, context, and multi-functional design were the main design concepts used during the design process. This urban campus and master plan was designed to improve the quality of life for the citizens of Duluth.