Live-work/Live-Learn/Live-Play: An Urban Village for Musicians Across Generations

Abstract

In the 21st century, increasing costs of higher education and costs of living in cities yields a tumultuous landscape for young Americans trying to find their way. While formal education was once the backbone of the American dream, there is now a more nuanced truth to the way skills are obtained. This is particularly true in the artistic disciplines, which historically have rarely provided the means for a sustainable existence in a city where the arts tend to congregate. The cost of housing and education leaves many artists at the poverty level throughout their career. This thesis proposes a model of living that subverts artists - specifically musicians - from the risks associated with formalized education and urban living and proposes an architectural solution that integrates the daily practices of the discipline with their day-to-day lives. Through this, ideals about education through community and habitual responses come to the forefront and can begin to shape how musicians learn skills and achieve goals related to their professional development. As a result, not only does both the community and the individual grow, but the art form itself is nurtured, loved and given the freedom to evolve around its immediate context. Ultimately, by generating critical mass, this thesis posits that musicians can live affordably and learn skills informally in the very places that support their work.