In the United States, migrant farm workers are often the lowest paid workers in a multi-billion dollar agricultural industry, and are also often provided substandard housing which lacks the space and basic necessities to live in dignity and hope. After a few years of hard labor and sacrifices, some of these farm workers, called seasonal or resettled farm workers, decide to lay down roots in rural communities around the country where they obtain more stable, year-round work and thus need more permanent homes to raise families and be part of their communities. This thesis documents the research and conceptualization of farm worker housing, a community center and a chapel for these farm workers.
The idea of space, not only as a physical entity but also as a place for events, interactions, and as an enabler of community and progress are the specific areas of study that will drive my research and process. My belief is that Architecture's ultimate goal is that it should be relevant to our daily lives, our dreams and aspirations, that it become a stage for our hopes and dreams, a space to enhance our lives, to serve but not get in the way, to uplift and to recharge our minds, our bodies and most importantly, our souls. I kept these thoughts in mind as I embarked on a journey filled with hope, frustrations, discovery and clarity.
This study is of an Architecture that is not only responsive to the land and the environment, but also to the lives, work, community and culture of its inhabitants; that a place farm workers can call home will emerge and help elevate the living conditions and nurture the continuing narrative of farm workers in America. / Master of Architecture
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:VTETD/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/51144 |
| Date | 16 December 2014 |
| Creators | Hernandez, Hernando Calma |
| Contributors | Architecture, Galloway, William U., Jones, James R., Rott, Hans Christian |
| Publisher | Virginia Tech |
| Source Sets | Virginia Tech Theses and Dissertation |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | ETD, application/pdf |
| Rights | In Copyright, http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ |
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