By: Heidi Lukewich
This thesis sought to test the ability of architecture to reanimate a place, specifically the American phenomenon known as Main Street.
Main Street has characteristically served as the commercial corridor of typical American towns. Main Street is a phenomenon because it is not just a place, but also an event; it is the physical manifestation of a town's essence. Its significance, however, has naturally changed over the years. As the big box and malls provide services that mimic Main Street's services, its role in our everyday lives has decreased.
Read this article in its entirety on page 44.
Figure A: Depicts the two sides of Main Street in Medford, Wisconsin, split physically and developmentally in half by Broadway Avenue. Figure B: Part of the inspiration for the design of the project came from the physical nature of the site, the green depicts gaps in the urban fabric that allowed for connections in the design.
Heidi Lukewich is a 2006 graduate of the College of ARchitecture and Landscape Architecture. This is an excerpt from her thesis, Re-Animating Main Street.
