Community Center for Annenviertel by anna_kamyshan

COMMUNITY CENTER ANNENVIERTEL

INTRODUCTION

City is a common place for many different actors with their interests and needs. Self-responsibility of citizens, opportunity and will to influence to development of city is evidence of modern developed and democratic society. However, in fact only a small a group of people have a voice in the processes in their own city. Since the 1960ies art practices have emerged playing an active role in allowing the public, in allowing communities to partake in the development and transformation of urban space. Art is not the only actant in the field of pushing urban change forward and at the same time reflecting or critiquing it.(1) Thus, art practices more and more pay attention to social, economic and ecologic issues in the city and promote an idea of acting in the urban surroundings. In 2009 by center for contemporary art < rotor > in Graz was started long-term project “ANNENVIERTEL! The Art of Urban Intervention”. Annenvirtel is an area in the city around Annen Street, with a heavy spirit of poor working class, red-light district and a large number of immigrants. Beside this, there is the most expensive housing building and an icon of the city - Museum of Modern Art by architect Peter Cook in this district. Economic contrast, cultural diversity and controversial past of the area are a good topic for discussion and criticism in art practices for Annenviertel. This project is not focusing on the development of Graz so far; it emerges rather as a side effect. (2) The crucial items in this project are engagement and participation of local people. Analyzing issues of acting in a public place, French philosopher Henri Lefebvre came to the sight that it is not an issue of the physical or built environment only, but an issue of the social production of space, thus art is a possibility of having a socio-economic impact rather than bringing about a merely aesthetic transformation of city surfaces. Creating of a favorable urban environment starts from a creating a strong self-responsible community, which can act in their city and vote for their rights in the public space. Therefore, an idea of creation a Community Center for Annenviertel was came up. 1. Elke Krasny “Framing of the project “The Art of Urban Intervention” in current questions and notions of public space”, 2010 2. Anton Lederer, Interview by Anna Kamyshan, 2013

A N N E N V I E RT E L STATUS QUO

Statistic population

64,66% Austrians

2,11% Germany

1,22% Hungary

4,49%

0,09%

Turkey

Russia

0,07%

3,43%

Nigeria

Bosnia and Gertsegovina

0,07% Serbia

2,47% 0,07%

Croatia

Slovenia

2,35% Rumania

Statistic population

10,37% 9,54%

26,20%

15,52%

13,10%

9,18%

7,12%

Statistic population

18,403 men

18,693 women

VO L K S G A RT E N STATUS QUO

Social environment

Design of the park

PROBLEMATICS CONCLUSIONS

Socio-cultural issues

Lack of open platform for the development of the Annenviertel community: - place for communication between local people and the people with a immigrant background for cultural exchange - place for meetings and discussions of initiative citizens - information and advice office for Annenviertel citizens in a housewifely questions/ an area renewal bureau - almost no platforms for non-formal education - almost no place for initiative of local residents: amator theater, dance, art and sport and cooking studios - there is not enough places of children after school activities in the area, especially for kids with a need in a special help with a homework

Spatial issues/ location

- poor infrastructure in the park - â&#x20AC;&#x153;hiddenâ&#x20AC;? places and poor visibility, fuzzy boundaries of the park - no place for winter activities - division of the parkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s space in two parts by river - the river is hidden from the visitors view - almost no diversity for children games, accordingly to age and physical maturity - lack of intensive full-year programme for the park: festivals, flea markets, open-air exhibitions, concerts, etc.

V O L K S G A R T E N ANNENVIERTEL PARK

Spatial solution

Master Plan

COMMUNITY CENTER FOR ANNENVIERTEL

Phase 1

children's centre teacher's room/office

study rooms

art classes games room

psychologist

lobby

parent's room wc

wardrobe

Implementation of the Community Center is planned in three phases: the place for after school activities for kids, which will gradually expand through rooms for parents, cafeteria space and classes. At the final stage the creation of a fully functioning platform for meetings and discussions of initiative citizens, for the communication of locals and immigrans and non-formal education. the heart of the community center will be a cafeteria room with a kitchen studio in the middle. The transforming space of the studios will give a big diverse for visitors: it can appear as theater, joga or dance studio.

Phase 2

caffe kitchen community garden

cafe room

storage

open terrace

stage

children's centre teacher's room/office

study rooms

offices psychologist

library art classes games room

lobby

entrance

language classes

wardrobe

lobby

parent's room wc

wardrobe

reading room

studios

psychologist

delivery

Phase 3

caffe kitchen community garden

cafe room

storage

open terrace

stage

orangery

children's centre

section of education

teacher's room/office

study rooms

entrance

psychologist

library art classes games room

section of culture & art psychologist

lobby

language classes

wardrobe

art classes

multifunctional hall

delivery

lobby

parent's room reading room

courses

studios

wardrobe

museum of the neighborhood

administration offices