DESA1002 'Nine Quarter City' - <Clifford Luu>

Abstract

This semester’s work involved the creation of the community center for the women in Tunisia within a major public space. This community center was linked to my earlier research as the status of women in society has changed noticeably. Today, women are legally equal to men in terms of inheritance, property ownership, child custody and divorce. The community centre for women was clearly linked to my earlier research. After the preliminary research, I focused on one aspect of society which was women. The status of women in society has changed noticeably. Today, women are legally equal to men in terms of inheritance, property ownership, child custody and divorce. With women facing such difficulties in order to gain equality, I wanted to challenge the ways in which women can celebrate political change through architecture. The main concept of this project is draw people from the open space into 4 key areas of the building, where men, women and tourist can share and experience the challenge that women faced in a public space. In order to build a community center, I had to look through previous precedents to investigate how and what a community center required. In this case, I studied an existing women center in Rufisque in Senegal and a youth community center in Chicago. Both precedent studies have allowed me to set and plan a program within my chosen site. My women center involved two levels which faces the public space, with columns supporting the balcony on the first level. On the bottom floor, there are many public spaces which are accessed by women, men and tourist. There are small market-style shops which sell products by local women. As well as this, there is a community hall, kitchen/dining area and a library. Access to the upper floor is by two public stairs, elevator and a private stairs (for women to access their private housing). Directly above the library contains more library space as well as private rooms for meetings and teaching resources. The main feature on the first floor is the private housing for women. Above the shops are office/admin spaces as well as storage.