Second-year architecture students who have spent about six weeks developing models of Muncie will display their work today.
The opening will take place from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Muncie Civic Center lobby, and the models will be on display throughout the month at various downtown locations.
Muncie Program Mixer, this year's architecture studio project, uses a hybrid approach to downtown development that allows vacant lots to be filled with the visions of architecture design majors. Program Mixer acts as a system of research, involving students in the history, culture, and activities of the community, which allows them to make more accurate improvements.
"The main thing I learned is how to take a vacant site and come up with a design that attracts people," sophomore architecture major Logan Parmele said.
Models for the display were created based on Muncie history, weather and the patterns of people who occupy the space.
"We hope this project generates interest in the community for development downtown," said Pam Harwood, associate professor of the architecture department and head of the project.
To prepare for this project, the College of Architecture and Planning, which just introduced a new Cultural and Social Issues class, traveled to Montreal and Quebec in Canada to explore techniques for understanding the social, cultural and historical context of cities. Students used the skills they developed in class to explore Muncie and interact with people living in the local community.
"There were two main goals in the process of designing the proposals for downtown models," Harwood said. "One was to explore programming, looking at how uses are combined and how the site is occupied. The second was context, to explore the urban fabric and to relate the contemporary building to downtown."
The research for the project included studying the archives and special collections at Bracken Library, as well as using the library's historical maps and geographical information systems. The students also visited the shops downtown and talked to the business owners and residents about the community.
"You have to be able to talk to people and understand what they want," said Alison Meirose, a second-year architecture student who designed a model for the display. Meirose said working on the project motivated her to explore more of the downtown area on her own.
Harwood said only a handful of students visited the downtown area outside of studio context prior to this project.
"Now we have students going downtown for entertainment, and they bring guests who are visiting." she said.
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