Soul_Strip

Abstract

Space exists without people, but people identify what the spaces truly are. People identify these spaces based on how they are used and what they are used for. The spaces that are used are considered habitable areas. However, these spaces can change overtime depending on the number of people surrounding the area and their needs and wants. Overtime, these habitable spaces can become nonfunctional and the buildings within these spaces are considered obsolete. An obsolete building can be defined based on the culture, population, and desires of the neighborhoods surrounding. The people see these obsolete buildings as useless areas, or voids. People view a void as an empty space or a space that is no longer functional. The voids of an urban environment are seen as negative spaces, such as an abandon building or empty lot. These spaces are what divide neighborhoods from one another. They are the areas that people avoid. Voids are not always considered nonfunctional for everyone. Some people see a void as a space that can be functional but not for its defined purpose. The way the voids are filled in and used is what gives an urban space its identity. In this thesis, it will explore the options of what a void can become. This will be done by identifying specific voids, exploring how the voids are currently used, who uses them, and what further possibilities can become of them. It will involve a deep investigation in the neighborhoods: learning about the culture of the areas and recognizing the identity of the neighborhoods. The thesis will prove that there are opportunities within these voids and these voids will be what reconnect one neighborhood to another. A void is not always an empty space rather what some perceive to be nonfunctional or inhabitable. Not everyone may see a certain space as a void but through this thesis it will be a way of celebrating the void and having others recognize its significance. The thesis will explore these uninhabitable voids and discover the possibilities and changes that can be made. Architecture is a way we are able to celebrate these voids by reconnecting different neighborhoods and cultures. It will celebrate the identity of the neighborhood or in some cases establish a new identity for a neighborhood. A void is not always a space that should be avoided but rather a space that has the opportunity to create a connection between space and people.