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East St. Louis Action Research Project
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Post-Trip Comments/ Project Program

After presenting three schematic design solutions to the East St. Louis residents, and taking into account visits to some facilities in the area we are proposing a preliminary design that hopes to satisfy all suggestions and comments received. A brief summary of suggestions and comments as follows:

Wish List From East St. Louis Trip: Wish List from Champaign Area Residents:

1 High level of security

2 Washer/dryer in apartment

3 Want a pond

4 Some units separate from building

5 Covered circular drive

6 Must have fence

7 Need at least 50% garages

8 Community Area

9 Daycare facility, but not accessible to whole building

1 Covered parking - safer and don't have to clean off snow

2 Handles on doors instead of knobs

3 Walk-in showers

4 Short hallways

5 Exercise Room

6 Two bedrooms or more closet space

7 Washer/dryer in apartment

8 Regular size stove

9 Ceiling lights

10 Drive up lane next to door - don't have to walk so far in bad weather

11 Lots of natural light in building

12 Outside areas for activity

13 High level of security

14 Indoor circulation

Project Program

The focus of a Senior Living Development in a low income area is to utilize programs such as HUD financial assistance, which provides a large amount of initial revenue, but does not allow for continued financial assistance. A development such as this must be able to support itself and utilize other government funding for health and periodic assistance, such as meals on wheels, health department services, at home health care, or volunteer organizations. With such initial financial support a strong sense of architectural stability maybe achieved while allowing for complete handicapped accessibility and visual pleasure. The building should be an easy transition from their private residence to the new development, as achieved in many ways:

sense of private home by ways of access to both front and back of unit
inclusion of private amenities such as stackable washer/dryer
complete diversion from institutional setting
compel as sense of community both within the complex and an extension of neighborhood with services like daycare
being that 90% of their time is spent within the dwelling, residence should be surrounded by both personal and public activity
residence should be involved with natural elements all four seasons
minimize long narrow circulation incorporate circulation into public space
elevation will be broken up with landscape material to be more asthetically pleaseing for neighborhood

The basis for the outdoor landscape is to provide multiple experiences with the use of light and shadow, open and enclosed spaces, and views and view barriers. This is created using wondering paths throughout the site. Behind the housing structure the pathe encounters four distinct areas throughout; a playground to view the interaction of children, a pavilion for social gathering, a garden where resedents can have personal space for their own enjoyment, and a large pond to walk around, view, and use for fishing.