City halls have long been regarded as the social, organizational, perceptual and physical centers of cities. A successful city can be recognized by the success of its city hall. As a city develops, so must its city hall. Over several decades of construction, urban sprawl in Michigan has resulted in an increasingly contiguous network of cities. Devoid of distinction, the boundaries of these cities meld with each other, disintegrating developed city centers. City halls have furthered this disintegration by relocating municipal service buildings along the periphery of downtowns reducing accessibility to the services and involvement with the vitality of the downtown. The city hall is then left to contend with mid-rise commercial buildings for prominence and distinction or to simply become isolated amidst residential neighbors. In downtown Ann Arbor the 1964 city hall stands, exemplary of an era concerned with accommodating the conveniences of driving, economy of construction and the modernist style. Building upkeep, working conditions, accessibility of services and expansion cause problems today. This thesis recognizes the city hall as an intrinsic part of the development of downtowns for midsized cities. It looks at how a city such as Ann Arbor could further that development by relocating and transforming the city hall into a new, central, responsive, informative and integrated hub for administrative and social functions, worthy of pride. Devised in response to numerous observations made across the State, related studies and discussion with city officials, the project identifies eight major criteria to consider when designing a new city hall. An integration of community and social programs with those of the administrative departments of the city, draw the citizens to use the building regularly and become more actively involved with political issues. Success of this project might assert the city as a leader in inspiring others to evaluate the role of architecture in smart growth planning and urban densification.

City halls have long been regarded as the social, organizational, perceptual and physical centers of cities. A successful city can be recognized by the success of its city hall. As a city develops, so must its city hall. Over several decades of construction, urban sprawl in Michigan has resulted in an increasingly contiguous network of cities. Devoid of distinction, the boundaries of these cities meld with each other, disintegrating developed city centers. City halls have furthered this disintegration by relocating municipal service buildings along the periphery of downtowns reducing accessibility to the services and involvement with the vitality of the downtown. The city hall is then left to contend with mid-rise commercial buildings for prominence and distinction or to simply become isolated amidst residential neighbors. In downtown Ann Arbor the 1964 city hall stands, exemplary of an era concerned with accommodating the conveniences of driving, economy of construction and the modernist style. Building upkeep, working conditions, accessibility of services and expansion cause problems today. This thesis recognizes the city hall as an intrinsic part of the development of downtowns for midsized cities. It looks at how a city such as Ann Arbor could further that development by relocating and transforming the city hall into a new, central, responsive, informative and integrated hub for administrative and social functions, worthy of pride. Devised in response to numerous observations made across the State, related studies and discussion with city officials, the project identifies eight major criteria to consider when designing a new city hall. An integration of community and social programs with those of the administrative departments of the city, draw the citizens to use the building regularly and become more actively involved with political issues. Success of this project might assert the city as a leader in inspiring others to evaluate the role of architecture in smart growth planning and urban densification.

No description available.

Nynäshamn is a city with a rich industrial history, its municipal arms consist of partly an achor, and partly three gears. The identity of the city has been greatly impacted by the industry which today consist mainly of the harbour and the oil refinery. I strive in my project to bring together the forms of industrial Nynäshamn with the urban fabric of the inhabited parts of the city. A city is the sum of its parts although these parts tend to be conflicting within many cities causing the city to become an alien to its inhabitants. The city hall in my proposal is an attempt to overbridge the conflicts within the city´s narrative and a place for its inhabitants to meet. / Ett kommunvapen berättar om en stad präglad av 1900-talets industri, ett ankare symboliserar sjöfarten och tre kugghjul den industri som kommit att definiera stadens identitet. Idag utgör stadens oljeraffinaderi en tredjedel av den bebyggda ytan i Nynäshamn och det är det första som fångar ens blick om en skulle komma sjövägen.  Oljecisternernas cylindriska form har en viktig plats i  den växande staden och utgör en särpräglad typologi  likt San Gimignanos torn eller Hollands väderkvarnar. Det är sannolikt att vi i framtiden gått vidare till andra energikällor, oljecisternerna kommer då finnas kvar för oss att finna nya funktioner till. I mitt förslag är den cylindriska formen invävd i projektet för att bekräfta en typologi som både är närvarande och frånvarande i staden Nynäshamn

Strängnäs is a small scaled eclectic city where houses date from different centuries. This is shown in their different architectural styles. Main idea with this project is to adjust the City Hall building to the place that we were assigned. I wanted to create a building that is going to meet the area requirements, which is around 1600 sqm of work and activity area, and at the same time is going to be experienced as a small-scale building. / Strängnäs är en småskalig eklektisk stad där husen daterar från olika sekelskiften och är därmed utförda i olika stilar. Huvudidén med mitt projekt är att anpassa den nya stadshallen till området. Jag vill skapa en byggnad som kommer att uppfylla kraven på det gene- rösa programmet, med ca 1600kvm arbets- och aktivitetsyta, men som ska kännas småskalig.

Proposal for a new city hall in Nynäshamn. The building is characterized by a coherent, rectangular volume with cantilevering floor plans. The volume is separated from surrounding buildings, forming passages for pedestrians to and from the plaza in front of the building. The facade is characterized by load bearing laminas, partly arranged at a 45 degree angle to reflect sunlight into the building. During the hottest hours of the day, the laminas instead have a blocking effect on the sunlight. The laminas are rhythmically deployed throughout the façade. The supporting frame is made of glulam with an oversized beam which forms a weave structure. Two load bearing interior walls run through the whole building which provides structure. The floor plan is function separated. Entrance floor accommodates entrance and reception with double ceiling height, located at the center of the building. Towards the west there is a café and to the east there are meeting rooms and internal service. Plan 1 contains an art gallery and a plenary hall linked together by a gathering foyer. Plan 2 holds dining room and plan 3 holds an activity office. Changing rooms, server rooms and store rooms are located in the basement. / Förslag till kommunhus i Nynäshamn. Byggnaden kännetecknas av en sammanhållen, rektangulär volym med svagt utkragande våningsplan. Volymen är frigjord från omgivande byggnader, vilket bildar passager för fotgängare till och från Banantorget. Fasaden karaktäriseras av bärande lameller, delvis uppställda i 45 gradig vinkel för att reflektera in solljus i bygganden. Under dygnets varmaste timmar har de snedställda lamellerna istället en blockerande effekt på solljuset. Lamellerna är rytmiskt utplacerade för att ge liv och dynamik åt fasaden. Bärande stomme är av limträ med överdimensionerat bjälklag som bildar en vävstruktur. Bjälklaget är fritt exponerat och befriar våningsplanen från pelare. Två bärande innerväggar som löper längs byggandens samtliga våningsplan ger struktur åt byggnaden och delar in våningsplanen i tredjedelar. Planlösningen är funktionsseparerad. Entréplan rymmer entré och reception med dubbel takhöjd, placerade i centrum av bygganden. Mot väst ligger café och mot öst ligger mötesrum och internservice. Plan 1 rymmer konsthall och plenisal med dubbel takhöjd som knyts ihop av en samlande foajé. Plan 2 rymmer matsal och plan 3 rymmer aktivitetskontor. Omklädningsrum, serverrum och förråd är placerade i källarplan.

The purpouse of this thesis was finding the way to design new city hall of district Brno - Sever. It builds on a urban study from previous semesters. I have found the pattern for my concept in ancient public proto-democratic structures - agoras, phorums. By creating some sort of a district with various (not only city hall) programmes, we gain a diversified, living and vibrant public spaces, outdoors as well as indoors.

No description available.

The project is a new city hall for the city of Lethbridge, Alberta, intended to replace the current building which was outgrown over twenty years ago, forcing several departments and city council to be housed in separate buildings. Past proposals for a new city hall have been confined to the current location in the Civic Centre, located on the periphery of the central business district. The primary objective of this project, however, was to create a city hall that was a successful public building, functioning not only as a setting for civic functions and ceremonies, but also as a place of everyday gatherings and activities that would contribute to the vitality of the city. For this reason a site was chosen downtown, on a block across from Gait Gardens, a park that at one time was the early coal mining settlement's town square. Once the commercial centre of the city, the blocks around Gait Gardens contain many heritage buildings, including the original city hall building. As retail activity moved to other locations the area and the park went into general decline. The block chosen as the site was cleared in 1965 and is currently occupied by a supermarket and a parking lot. In recent years the City of Lethbridge has made plans to reestablish Gait Gardens as the heart of the downtown area. Part of this strategy includes a radical redesign of the park itself which destroys much of its original formal plan. Locating an important public building, like City Hall, adjacent to the park would be a positive contribution to the revival of the area. City offices wrap around a wind-sheltered courtyard and large interior public space in order to fill up the block and to allow the building to come out to the street. The original twenty-five foot lot lines that ran east-west across the site govern the location and dimensions of major building elements. A tower, housing chimes and wind driven panels, marks the ceremonial entrance facing the park. A restaurant and small retail outlet are located along the west side of the building to support activity outside city hall hours. The southeast corner of Gait Gardens is redesigned to become a public plaza. Its main feature is a square reflecting pool and skating rink that corresponds exactly to the dimensions of the city hall courtyard. The park otherwise retains its original character and layout.

The project is a new city hall for the city of Lethbridge, Alberta, intended to replace the current building which was outgrown over twenty years ago, forcing several departments and city council to be housed in separate buildings. Past proposals for a new city hall have been confined to the current location in the Civic Centre, located on the periphery of the central business district. The primary objective of this project, however, was to create a city hall that was a successful public building, functioning not only as a setting for civic functions and ceremonies, but also as a place of everyday gatherings and activities that would contribute to the vitality of the city. For this reason a site was chosen downtown, on a block across from Gait Gardens, a park that at one time was the early coal mining settlement's town square. Once the commercial centre of the city, the blocks around Gait Gardens contain many heritage buildings, including the original city hall building. As retail activity moved to other locations the area and the park went into general decline. The block chosen as the site was cleared in 1965 and is currently occupied by a supermarket and a parking lot. In recent years the City of Lethbridge has made plans to reestablish Gait Gardens as the heart of the downtown area. Part of this strategy includes a radical redesign of the park itself which destroys much of its original formal plan. Locating an important public building, like City Hall, adjacent to the park would be a positive contribution to the revival of the area. City offices wrap around a wind-sheltered courtyard and large interior public space in order to fill up the block and to allow the building to come out to the street. The original twenty-five foot lot lines that ran east-west across the site govern the location and dimensions of major building elements. A tower, housing chimes and wind driven panels, marks the ceremonial entrance facing the park. A restaurant and small retail outlet are located along the west side of the building to support activity outside city hall hours. The southeast corner of Gait Gardens is redesigned to become a public plaza. Its main feature is a square reflecting pool and skating rink that corresponds exactly to the dimensions of the city hall courtyard. The park otherwise retains its original character and layout. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Architecture and Landscape Architecture (SALA), School of / Graduate