This thesis considers non-metropolitan, non-suburban small towns and their oft-neglected place within the architectural discourse. Issues include: resistance of physical homogeneity, authenticity as opposed to placelessness (inauthentic to place) and nostalgia (inauthentic to time), and the representation and stimulation of community values and character through built form.
Architecture can reflect the values and character of a culture; the evolution of both built form and social qualities can lead to renewed vitality in a place. An individual building project can participate in a community-wide effort to attract energy and business, which may in turn be part of a regional effort to attract attention at a larger scale. Any efforts that promote the unique aspects of place will distinguish strong communities from weak ones.
Away from the din of cities and the hustle of suburban shopping centers and highways, somewhere near fields of corn and stands of trees lies a place longing for a thoughtful architecture. In the village of Minster, Ohio, the community has realized a need to attract outsiders. Wooden Shoe Brewing Company, a local brewery that closed in the 1950’s, has been resurrected, and the new owner is looking to reestablish brewing in Minster. The project is a brewpub for Wooden Shoe that also participates in the town’s redevelopment efforts. This thesis will explore how architecture can help a place communicate its identity and inspire interaction between insiders and outsiders.