Community Wellness Center

Project Description

For this project, we were in an interdisciplinary studio funded by the National Academy of Sciences. In the studio, we worked to redesign Vinton and Jennings, Louisiana as receiving communities in response to the environmental issues in Louisiana pushing people along the coast out of their communities. My group worked to redesign Vinton and designed with the health of the people, economy, and environment in mind. My group consisted of 3 Landscape Architecture students (Sydney Milligan, Eric Vanbergen, and Jacob Contreras), 2 Architecture students (Jerund Sanders and Leah Leblanc), and 1 Interior Design student (myself, Willow Cook). Sydney Milligan, Leah Leblanc, and I worked to redesign the downtown. For my design, I focused primarily on the health of the people in Vinton.

Concept Statement

In response to the lack of care services, food options, and social infrastructure in Vinton, the Community Wellness Center is designed to increase access to care, healthy food options, nature, and social spaces. Located on Horridge St., the center offers community gathering spaces for social interaction, therapy wellness rooms where residents can seek many different care services (virtual check-ups, therapy sessions, wellness/quiet room), a flex community space in which residents can hold different meetings and events (community organization meetings, group therapy, community classes, etc.), a community kitchen and garden to increase access to healthy food options, study areas, play areas for children so that the entire family can enjoy the center, a stage, and public restrooms. In addition to these everyday uses, this center can also be used during festivals and other cultural events. This center can also be used as a disaster recovery center after storms to connect residents to the aid they need. The Community Wellness Center aims to improve the wellbeing of Vinton’s residents, while also attracting people downtown, and to Vinton overall.