Welcome To My Thesis Website
The Official Website of Dustin Melzark's Thesis
Welcome to melzark.com, the official website of Dustin Melzark's Thesis of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This website is to serve as an online portfolio to display the work I have done during my time as a student at the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee at the School of Architecture and Urban Planning
Introduction
This thesis will address social and architectural issues in the design and planning of a technology and trade school on the Tower Automotive site in Milwaukee, WI. The social aspect deals with the connectivity of a school to the surrounding community and inherent security concerns. The architectural aspect deals with ways to improve the environment of schools and the effect it has on the people who use them. This project will explore different ways to integrate these two issues and respond to the significant aspects of school safety, community access to education, overcrowding of buildings, and poorly maintained facilities.
The perception of safety in a school setting is a very important consideration. Students need to feel safe when they are at school, and parents need to feel comfortable sending their children to school. Education should be accessible to everyone in the community. Historically, schools have always been an important part of the community. For instance, when our nation was being subdivided, the sixteenth section of every township was set aside for the development of a school. Overcrowding in schools has been an issue that has arisen time and again throughout history. After World War II and at the beginning of the baby boom generation, schools were built with rapidity to address the enormous influx of students to the system. This rush led to poor design and planning decisions and ultimately many low quality facilities.
The Tower Automotive site was once a vibrant industrial hub but has since gone into disuse. Today, this massive abandoned site bisects a fine grained community and sits abandoned. This project will bridge the gap between the two neighborhoods and make education available to the community while improving the building experience.
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