Gainesville Middle for Civic Arts // Studio Zeren

Text description provided by the architects.

We perceive culture as the participation in a latent identity. Cultural Centers must be interventions built upon love; a love that is a gracious manifestation of devotion to the benefit of others in a form that is Phronetic and emits a gravity that draws our hearts to the warmest lights of civilization.

© Studio Zeren

Through imagination and interdisciplinary collaboration we considered the redemptive potential of communo-centric adaptive reuse apropos to the City of Gainesville’s adaptive reuse explorations for some of its existing public facilities. Focusing on a historically Black community in East Gainesville, We noticed that the defunct Station #1 was situated within a place in dire need of love.

© Studio Zeren

The design approach acknowledge the laminate histories of place, and this place was a precinct of civic service, sacrifice, rescue , and compassion. The scheme accepts the bonding influences of St. Francis House to the north, a new fire station south, and the residential fringe to the west. The urban itinerary of this site is understand through the lens of opportunities for compassion, consideration, and kindness.

© Studio Zeren

The project establishes a threshold relationship with Main St, and remains open to adjacent uses. More conceptually, we envisioned the treater as a social threshold, such that the design offers a theater for dwelling – open to families, individuals and people of all ages to come and have an urban meeting place.

© Studio Zeren

This is essentially a space of public participation, replete with kindness. This design rethinks sedimentary past to propose a dynamic and fluid future. The C.F.C.A program offers 10,000 SF of cultural amenities including a Young Adult Treasury Theatre, covered Antetheatre, adult/ vocation education facilities, bakery/ café to serve the St.

© Studio Zeren

Francis homeless shelter, a teaching kitchen seasonal food garden, and the Proscenium theatre- an outdoor gathering space to welcome community activation and anchor a renewed urban fabric..

© Studio Zeren

Gainesville Center for Civic Arts Gallery