Urban revitalization has become an initiative aimed at the idea of restoring and giving new life to existing urban neighbors that have begun to decline due to social, economic, and environmental reasons. The objective of this project is to engage in the process of urban revitalization by choosing a building located on North Water Street in Kent, Ohio that is at least 10,000 square feet and bringing new life back to that structure. This area of Kent is currently underdeveloped and consists of empty or vacant structures that do not currently contribute to the development of Downtown Kent, Ohio as a whole.

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 The building that I chose to design has a fascinating history as it use to be a music venue in the 1960's where bands would perform in the basement or on the second floor away from the bar. By considering this part of history and incorporating it into the program would have a positive impact on the design. With this in mind, entertainment has become lost in this area of Downtown Kent and its important to provide these services. These would consist of a restaurant with opportunities for live music, a bowling alley, and a recording studio. The environments being provided here are unique and necessary for this area to live up to its full potential. 

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The goals would begin to consist of a social gathering place. This would create a space for friends and family to enjoy together. In addition this venue would become an escape for the users, ultimately creating an environment for the users to retreat to when they are looking to get away. Lastly a third place begins to form, meaning this is a place the user will come to between home and work and spend a great deal of their time at. This goal of escape would become the concept of this multi-functional space. 

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When you are looking to escape, you are often seeking a positive and calming state of mind. By evoking this feeling into the spaces being created helps mimic the calming and relaxing feeling that is often experienced when listening to music. When this feeling is evoked the listeners feel as though their worries and problems have been solved. This venue would allow you to change to a positive state of mind by creating an inviting and welcoming space that puts priority into these calming effects.In order to achieve this a color palette will derive from positive and calming colors that will allow the users to feel this sensation of escape. Creating different environments within the venue will allow the occupants to “escape” one place and enter another while considering the feeling of relaxation and tranquility throughout. This would be done by having other uses exist in the same space.

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Skills Used:

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-Revit

-PhotoShop

-InDesign