Destination : a development plan or public space in the small historical town of Waxholm, Sweden

Small towns offer a type of community different than that of large metropolitan areas. The ideals of this community are deeply rooted in its history and culture. However, the current state of small towns in general, not only in America but also in Sweden, has been transformed dramatically during the last several decades. Advancements in technology, dependence upon the automobile and the introduction of the shopping mall, have resulted in the decay of the physical and social qualities which defined these places. The public spaces of small towns, characteristically the Town square and Main street, historically have been thriving places for social interaction and places which contributed to the sense of community pride and identity which every resident could understand. Unfortunately, these are the areas which have been affected the most. This thesis project is intended to study the past, current and future state of the small town and its major public spaces, and propose, through a series of interventions, to create good quality public spaces in the form of clearly defined destinations along and at the end of the historical paths. The revitalization of these spaces, through a method of continuation of traditions and history, are vital to the future success of these places and should promote a renewed sense of community, a sense of participation and contribution to a larger whole : the town.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Architecture

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

1994

Author dc:creator

• Brockman, Peter M. (Peter Marik), 1962-

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Rosemary Grimshaw.

• Architecture

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/64879

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/64879