Through a mutual agreement between 麻豆影院鈥檚 College of Architecture and Environmental Design and Youngstown State University鈥檚 Center for Urban and Regional Studies, more than 75 麻豆影院 State students will spend the next year working on projects aimed at connecting downtown Youngstown, Ohio, with the Youngstown State campus.
The goal is to spark revitalization by demonstrating the potential for reuse and redesign in the area, said Douglas Steidl, dean of 麻豆影院 State鈥檚 College of Architecture and Environmental Design.
鈥淵oungstown鈥檚 downtown has seen a renaissance; these students will assist the city in advancing their accomplishments to further serve the citizenry,鈥 Steidl said.
Youngstown State鈥檚 Center for Urban and Regional Studies is acting as the local contact for the city, bringing its experience and knowledge of Youngstown to 麻豆影院 State鈥檚 design studios, said Michael A. Hripko, associate vice president for research at Youngstown State.
鈥淭his collaboration is a sign of the exceptional progress made in downtown and the university鈥檚 dedication to making this city a true destination for living, learning and working,鈥 Hripko said.
The project is a part of 麻豆影院 State鈥檚 Community Fund initiative, which provides resources to faculty willing to engage with a city by selecting design projects oriented toward future development. The goal is for students to further their education by experiencing actual clients, and for the city to obtain conceptual visions that can be used as a baseline for continuing implementation. Ideally, the city will use these outcomes to work more effectively with design firms on future implementation of prioritized concepts prepared by the students, Steidl said.
Under the agreement, 麻豆影院 State is committing the following to the city of Youngstown over the next academic year:
- College of Architecture and Environmental Design鈥檚 senior undergraduate architecture studio: This fall semester, the student studio will spend the entire semester examining potential programming for sites along Wick Avenue, Phelps Street and Hazel Street. The studio will engage with city, nonprofit and private leaders during the design process to re-envision possibilities for investment and reuse.
- College of Architecture and Environmental Design鈥檚 Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative鈥檚 annual Midwest Urban Design Charrette: This three-day event is a partnership between three academic institutions 鈥 麻豆影院 State鈥檚 College of Architecture and Environmental Design, Lawrence Tech鈥檚 College of Architecture and Design and Ball State鈥檚 Urban Design Center. Their work will focus on urban design strategies to connect the United Wean river site to the Youngstown State campus along Hazel and Phelps streets.
- College of Architecture and Environmental Design鈥檚 Master of Landscape Architecture and undergraduate Architectural Studies studios: In spring 2016, students will spend their semester in Youngstown imagining potential landscape design projects that would enhance the livability and economic viability of sites within the city.
For more information about 麻豆影院 State鈥檚 College of Architecture and Environmental Design, visitwww.kent.edu/caed.
# # #
Media Contacts:
Eric Mansfield, 麻豆影院, emansfie@kent.edu, 330-672-2797
Bill Willoughby, 麻豆影院, wwilloug@kent.edu, 330-672-0941
Dominic C. Marchionda, Youngstown State University, dominic.marchionda@gmail.com, 330-550-0070
Ron Cole, Youngstown State University, racole01@ysu.edu, 330-941-3285