The aim of the dissertation is to create a meeting place between the rural immigrant and the city. It is a system that recognizes the various layers in which the horizontal human meets the vertical city. The meeting place must act as a transition facility where one enters the complex mechanics of city life. It is a celebration of what city life is and can be. The function of the meeting place is to educate and orientate the user in the language and mechanics of city life. It is an archetype of the new life ahead. The catalyst of the meeting place takes the form of a market situated in between Bloed Street Taxi Station and Belle Ombre Train and Taxi Station in the north of Pretoria Central Business District. / Dissertation (MArch(Prof))--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Architecture / unrestricted

THESIS QUESTIONS This project revolves around rebuilding a site of a destroyed building in a cultural historically important area.  Acting within the context of the depopulated city this project will investigate how a new building can answer to some of the issues symptomatic of a decreasing and increasingly older population. This project will also investigate how a new building can be adjusted into a historical milieu, not by rebuilding the past, by rather by working with a developed identity.  CONTEXT/SITE The project takes place in Söderhamn, a small city by the coast in southern Norrland, Sweden.  The site is a part of the cultural historically important town hall square.  PROPOSAL The proposal consists of three main parts: a new building, a remodeling of an old building and a part which link them two together. The proposal contains senior apartments and a meeting place shared between residents and the public.

Mötesplatsen är en utforskande designuppsats som behandlar ämnena möten, kommunikation och återhämtning på arbetsplatsen. Vi gör en litterär undersökning där vi tittar på forskning gjord av Rachel och Stephen Kaplan, Gary W. Evans och Janetta Mitchell McCoy med utgångspunkt i frågeställningarna: Hur skapas en plats för vila och återhämtning? Hur skapas en plats för naturliga möten och kommunikation? Hur skapas en samlingspunkt för att lära känna varandra? För att få ytterligare utgångspunkter utför vi även enkätundersökningar och intervjuar tre arkitekter. Baserad på en kreativ process resulterar undersökningen i ett inredningskoncept och en möbel utformad för en planerad mötesplats inför samlokaliseringen av en nybildad koncern. / The meeting place is an investigative design essay which covers the subjects meeting, communication and recovery at the workplace. A literary investigation is made where we study research by Rachel and Stephen Kaplan, Gary W. Evans och Janetta Mitchell McCoy based on the questions: How could a restorative space be designed? How could a meeting place and a place for communication be designed? How could a meeting place to get to know each other be designed? To broaden our investigation we are carrying out surveys and interviewing three architects by profession. Based on a creative process the investigation results in an interior design concept together with a furniture designed for a planned meeting place for a recently united concern.

There are ideas that cities today compete in a global market in terms of investments, tourism and residents. This competition is based on the notion that cities' opportunity for development is dependent on human capital and financial flows. Which is seen as a limited resource; thus, the competition prevails. Providing well-planned and attractive meeting places in the city's public spaces is not only an important part of the cities' quest for growth but is also important for the social community. The public space acts as a space for individuals and groups where meetings can take place, dialogues can be conducted and ideas can be exchanged. The aim of this study was to investigate how families with children as a community group use and experience Umeå citycenter as a public space, and in what way they think the room could be made more attractive. To fulfil this studies purpose, a literature review has been carried out, in order to create an understanding of the concept of public space, meeting place and accessibility. Then a qualitative interview methodology has been utilized, where 14 families with children have been interviewed. The analysis of the study's theoretical framework and empirical evidence shows that Umeå's citycenter is characterized by a number of qualities. Among many of the families with children interviewed, the supply and resources are the primary cause of visiting the center. While a couple of the interviewed families with children mean that the place and the public environment are the strongest reasons for visiting the center. Based on the respondents' thoughts and opinions about the public space, it appears that accessibility and the range of activities have a huge influence on how the room is used and how the environment is perceived. In summary, the respondents gave a picture of the public space being of great importance for both individuals, different social groups and for the whole of society.

Experience economy reinforces not only the correlation intensity between enterprise and its customers, but also the differentiations with competitors. Above all, it enhances value and price, and frees itself from price competition. The operation model and product / service are getting similar in the industry of direct selling, so consciousness of crisis urges those companies to keep close relationship with distributors. Except for reward system, the direct selling companies will seek for intensifying distributor¡¦s willingness and capabilities throughout training and marketing in the ¡§Meeting Place¡¨. The ¡§Meeting Place¡¨ can be regarded as the base where the potential distributors are nurtured. Hence, ¡§participating in every meeting¡¨ has become a key successful factor for direct selling. This study adopts the method of qualitative research to study how the various experiential theories apply to direct selling. It attempts to define and to confer the above-stated terms based on authors¡¦ practical participation experience and analyzes the triple role, consumer-seller-operator; a distributor plays in the mean time. The conclusions of this study are summarized as follows: ¤@Experiential theories are broadly used in the industry of direct selling, but they lack of systematic planning and thinking. ¤@Experiential theories can fit the triple role of different stages. ¤@A model of the activities in the ¡§Meeting Place¡¨ is built as reference of future application for scholars and direct selling operators.

In Kooperation mit dem Deutschen Bibliotheksverband e.V. und gefördert durch das Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung präsentierten sich Bibliotheken in ganz Deutschland vom 24.10. bis 31.10.2010 mit zahlreichen Aktivitäten als Lernorte und Orte der Kommunikation auf vielfältigste Weise. Die Palette der Veranstaltungen reichte von Poetry-Slams, Lesenächten, Autorenlesungen über Ausstellungen und Präsentationen bis hin zu verschiedenen Serviceangeboten wie z.B. Büchertausch. In Sachsen fanden insgesamt 160 Veranstaltungen in den Bibliotheken statt.

In our digitalized world, there are ongoing discussions about the public library as a physical place and if it still has a role in our society. Even though many public libraries in Sweden and other western countries are being closed because of political and economic cuts, people still visit the public library. This gives an indication that the library is important not only as a place to borrow books, but as a physical place. This study will try to find answers to how the library space is being used by the visitors by examining when people come to the library, what people do in the library and who these people are. To find answers to these questions, empirical data based upon observations of the library space has been collected. The method of observation used was the TTTmethod (Track the Traffic) developed by the Norwegian scientist Tord Høivik. The TTT-method is a simple method to observe how the different spaces of the library are being used by walking through all the spaces in the library whilst observing what activities are being done. This is repeated at certain times during the library’s opening hours and over a certain period. In this study, the observations were done in three different time-intervals during the day (morning, daytime and evening), over a twoweek period and resulted in 779 registered observations. These data will be analysed in relation to the four space-model developed by the Danish scientist Dorte Skot-Hansen. The model specifies four overall goals of the public library which are experience, involvement, empowerment and innovation and the different possibilities, described in the model as spaces, that the library can offer to fulfil these goals. These four spaces are inspiration, learning, meeting and performative space. In this study, the space that is mostly used, is knowledge, but in the daytime and the evening, the meeting space is also often used. The activities registered are mostly done by adult people. Children and young people are not often observed in the library-space, which gives an indication that this group, which is a priority in the Swedish library act, is not being attended to as it should be according to this. It is also a quite interesting result that activities done by young people often are activities done in a group of people.

Mötesplats för alla är konceptet för Mötesplats Ljungdala, som är en mötesplats öppen för alla oavsett bakgrund. Syftet med studien är att öka förståelsen för fenomenet mötesplats, dels ur arrangörsperspektiv och dels ur brukarperspektiv. Studien fokuserar på hur mötesplatsen diskuteras som en del av fritiden och på vilket sätt personal och besökares uppfattningar kring mötesplatsen kan förstås och diskuteras utifrån meningsskapande. Kvalitativa intervjuer med personal och besökare utgör det empiriska materialet i studien. Mötesplatsen diskuteras främst genom spontana möjligheter och organiserade aktiviteter där de organiserade aktiviteterna i den här studien visar tendens på att vara det som motiverar besökare till att ta del av det som mötesplatsen erbjuder. Dialog och motivation lyfts fram i studien som viktiga i meningsskapande för en mötesplats. / The meeting place for all is the concept for Mötesplats Ljungdala, which is a meeting place that is open to all regardless of background. The aim of this study is to gain better understanding of the phenomenon of meeting place, both from the organizing perspective and from the user perspective. The study focuses on how the meeting place is being discussed as part of leisure time and the manner in which staff and visitors' perceptions about the meeting place can be understood and discussed on the basis of meaning. Qualitative interview with staff and visitors is the empirical evidence in this study. The meeting place is discussed mainly by spontaneous opportunities and organized activities in which the organized activities in this study shows tend to be it that motivates visitors to take part of what the meeting place offers. Dialogue and motivation highlighted in the study as important in sensemaking of a meeting place.

Mötesplats för alla är konceptet för Mötesplats Ljungdala, som är en mötesplats öppen för alla oavsett bakgrund. Syftet med studien är att öka förståelsen för fenomenet mötesplats, dels ur arrangörsperspektiv och dels ur brukarperspektiv. Studien fokuserar på hur mötesplatsen diskuteras som en del av fritiden och på vilket sätt personal och besökares uppfattningar kring mötesplatsen kan förstås och diskuteras utifrån meningsskapande. Kvalitativa intervjuer med personal och besökare utgör det empiriska materialet i studien. Mötesplatsen diskuteras främst genom spontana möjligheter och organiserade aktiviteter där de organiserade aktiviteterna i den här studien visar tendens på att vara det som motiverar besökare till att ta del av det som mötesplatsen erbjuder. Dialog och motivation lyfts fram i studien som viktiga i meningsskapande för en mötesplats. / The meeting place for all is the concept for Mötesplats Ljungdala, which is a meeting place that is open to all regardless of background. The aim of this study is to gain better understanding of the phenomenon of meeting place, both from the organizing perspective and from the user perspective. The study focuses on how the meeting place is being discussed as part of leisure time and the manner in which staff and visitors' perceptions about the meeting place can be understood and discussed on the basis of meaning. Qualitative interview with staff and visitors is the empirical evidence in this study. The meeting place is discussed mainly by spontaneous opportunities and organized activities in which the organized activities in this study shows tend to be it that motivates visitors to take part of what the meeting place offers. Dialogue and motivation highlighted in the study as important in sensemaking of a meeting place.

Vi ses fram på torget är en uppsats som berör attraktiva mötesplatser i det offentliga rummet. Den postmoderna människan söker återigen kontakt med andra i det offentliga rummet men saknar möjligheten att interagera. Till stor del fokuserar därför uppsatsen på social interaktion mellan invånarna och hur den kan underlättas på offentliga mötesplatser. I teorin finns användbara begrepp, vägledning och idéer för hur attraktiviteten ökar. Här behandlas även hur offentliga mötesplatser påverkar den enskilda invånaren och kommunen. Mötesplatser i det offentliga rummet kan ge invånarna välmående, hälsa och tillfredsställelse. Genom exempelvis engagemang och kvalitet knyts ett band mellan människan och kommunen. Om invånaren känner tillhörighet och lojalitet på platsen förstärks dess identitet. Kommunen kan därmed öka i konkurrensfördelar och värde för turister och invånare.Syftet med uppsatsen är att ta fram en ny modell som kan ligga till grund för utvecklingen av mötesplatser i det offentliga rummet. Modellen utgår från teorier och existerande modeller inom event, marknadsföring och stadsutveckling. Modellen Att skapa attraktiva mötesplatser i det offentliga rummet tas fram, prövas och utvecklas i uppsatsen. Det här är en fallstudie applicerad på torget i Lidköping. I empirin får fokusgrupper, bestående av kommunens invånare, diskutera kring attraktiva mötesplatser, interaktion och Lidköpings torg. De uppskattar trygga och levande platser med möjlighet för aktivitet, interaktion och avkoppling. Attribut som sittplatser, naturliga element och event efterfrågas av fokusgrupperna.I uppsatsen framgår att modellen Att skapa attraktiva mötesplatser i det offentliga rummet är användbar vid utvecklingen av mötesplatser i det offentliga rummet. Utifrån genomförd studie kan hela modellen fyllas i med invånarnas åsikter och förslag. Därigenom är modellen ett användbart verktyg som kan utvecklas och användas i nutida och framtida forskning. En större empirisk undersökning bland invånarna i Lidköping är att rekommendera för att kunna generalisera det resultat studien presenterar på populationen. Uppsatsen presenterar hypotetiska förslag på hur en attraktiv mötesplats kan utformas på torget i Lidköping. Modellen är även tillämpningsbar på andra platser. Forskningsområdet är nu påbörjat och öppnar upp för vidare arbete med Lidköpings kommun. / Vi ses fram på torget (Local expression of Lidköping for ‘meet you at the square’) is a thesis about attractive meeting places in public spaces. The post-modern person is once again searching to connect with others in public spaces but is lacking interaction opportunities. Therefore this thesis is largely focusing on social interaction between town inhabitants and how to favour it in public meeting places. In theory there are concepts, guidance and ideas on how to increase the attractiveness and effectiveness. It also covers how public meeting places effect the individual inhabitant and the municipality at large. Meeting places within public spaces have the possibility to give its inhabitants increased well-being, health and satisfaction. Through, for example; involvement, quality and safety strings are attached between a human and the municipality. If the inhabitant is experiencing affiliation and loyalty to the place itself it enhances its identity and strengthens mutually beneficial interaction. The municipality could consequently increase its competitive advantage and value for tourists and it’s own inhabitants.The purpose of the thesis is to create a new model that can form the basis for developing meeting places in existing public spaces. The model is based on previously un-tested theories and existing models of events, marketing and urban development. The model Att skapa attraktiva mötesplatser i det offentliga rummet (To create attractive meeting places in public spaces) is designed, tested, developed and expanded in the thesis. This is a case study applied to the Lidköping square. In the observed focus groups, consisting of inhabitants of Lidköping municipality, discussion focused on attractive meeting places, social interaction, and the Lidköping square itself. A set of empirical findings to use as a study base was the object of the exercise. It was generally found that people appreciate places that are safe and alive with possibilities for activities, interaction and relaxation. Attributes such as seating areas, nature elements and events are requested by the focus groups.This thesis argues that To create attractive meeting places within existing public spaces is a useful development tool and enables productive meeting places within public spaces. Based on the performed study the model is successfully filled in with the inhabitants opinions and suggestions. With some modification and further empirical study the model will be a useful tool that can be developed and used in current and future research. The thesis presents hypothetical suggestions on how to actually create an attractive meeting point at the Lidköping square. The model is also applicable to other places. This field of research is now started and opens up for further work involving the Lidköping municipality.