Group 8

Proposal 8: MID CITY THREAD  [ back to entries ]

     Mid city Thread is a comprehensive-approach designed to address multiple needs of the community (i.e. homelessness, unemployment, & the food dessert issue). The concept that drives the design is a screw; an object that unites two or more elements. Its literal representation manifest itself as the central mass within the building composition, and serves as the atrium which houses a grand-stair that mimics the thread of a screw, providing access to all functions of the comprehensive solution.

This graphic seeks to inspire vision for the future of Mid City and capture the progress of a master plan fully implemented over the course of thirty years.

     Located at the corner of North Boulevard and Brice Street, the old Romano’s grocery lot is currently the site of our proposed Mid City workforce development program/grocery. In an area that's seen gradual economic and social decline since the early 1940's.

 The workforce development program within the Mid City Thread proposes to address job training/retention and seeks to expose potential employers to newly trained professionals for the Hospitality Industry.

The culinary kitchen is a primary focus of the workforce development program,

...and that is supplemented by a restaurant/cafe' which allows program participants to serve the food that they prepare. Thus, further gaining an advantageous foothold in society and potentially in the work force.

Here the internal aspect of the "screw" is articulated.

Mid City thread invites and connects the individual with their community.

The first floor houses the fresh produce grocery (the primary element of priority) and covered parking.

The second floor contains the restaurant/cafe and communal area with outdoor eating area and view deck. 

The third floor lends space to the culinary kitchen, tasting gallery, classrooms, and instructor offices.
It was important that the building be functional and that we as architects anticipate other usage.

Finally, in order to address vacant and dilapidated homes we were tasked with designing a modern version of a home typical to Mid City. The Traditional Shotgun homes were most prevalent in this community. So, in order to maintain consistency and be financially practical we aided tradition with modernity.