Irreplaceable : community-cherished architecture

Abstract

The focus of my research was to find the answer to "What is community-cherished architecture?" In answering this question, I discovered a definition of community-cherished place. My research starts by observing community-cherished places in six communities and historical precedents worldwide. More insight is gained by reading other architects' understanding of this issue. Then I identify the considerations an architect must take to create an experience which will be cherished by the community. It is a space where the residents share experiences together and form unity through social interaction. A cherished place is so integrated into the character of the community it has become part of the community's identity. The results of this research offer actual examples of community-cherished place and the reasons they are cherished by the population.

Why do humans give certain buildings such a high value? Community-cherished architecture is merely a container; it creates place to be experienced by the community. The architecture is a source of pride and affection for communities through stimulating memory, symbolizing the community, containing history and sharing the culture with others. It is the collective memory of the experience which creates value. An architect's understanding of the experience of the place is just as, if not more, important than the architecture of the building. The architect should also learn the culture of the community in order to design a community-cherished place and be aware of the forces opposing placemaking. What has become clear through this process is that communities do not cherish architecture. They cherish the experiences of the place that architecture makes. Architecture has a vital role in how people see, experience and remember a place.