Course Projects
Scroll through and click on photos to read about how the images represent and tell part of the community story.
Exclusionary Landscapes of the Chippewa Valley
(Nathan Walker) When building a community, the landscape provides an essential contextual platform for those who live there. While originally the space is nothing more than a location, when filled with symbols, architecture, and infrastructure, the landscape begins to reflect the values and livelihoods of community members. This further results in a strong sense of place, identity, and pride with one’s community. However, groups can be excluded from this vision of the landscape produced by the dominant political and cultural powers. These types of landscapes are known as exclusionary landscapes, where a minority, interest, or group is intentionally erased or discouraged from the landscape of a space. While these rarely can be used wisely to grow communities, the historical precedents and increasing diversification of our communities result in primarily negative implications. Ranging from hostile architecture or symbols to differences in infrastructure, exclusionary landscapes can inhibit individuals from being accepted by the larger community, connecting with their own identity, and gaining equal access to necessary resources. These barriers must be understood and handled appropriately to promote diverse and welcoming communities for all groups, not just the dominant culture.
Third Spaces as Sites for Community Building
(Lauren Becker) This research examines the role of third spaces as sites for community creation and maintenance through the provision of formal and informal intergenerational local history education. Elder-taught local history education is a viable strategy to counteract increasingly low levels of civic engagement, interest in history, and place attachment within youth. There is a great need to build up children’s relationships to their community, rather than their individual understandings about the community. Given that civic engagement, interest in local history, and place attachment are positively correlated with sense of belonging, we can increase connection to place by fostering sites for intergenerational education. Third spaces, especially universalized local community institutions, like public libraries, are contact friendly, fostering equal group status within interactions and viewed as safe and non-judgmental spaces for both formal and informal education. Sites for this education span public and private third spaces such as libraries, food banks, community centers, places of worship, taverns, community gardens, playgrounds, farmers markets, and coffee shops.
Senior Spaces: Community & Controlled Environments
(Katrina Berg) A successful community is supports and cares for all members, young or old, at any ability level. Senior generations require a different level of care and support than other generations. Seniors are more prone to falling, overall decreased mobility, as well as mental health disorders like dementia and depression. Because of these things, a good community would make accommodations and safe spaces so that those who fit into those boxes feel cared for. The spaces are largely built environments in which they are designed for safety.
Seniors make up a large portion of nearly any community, but tend to be overlooked in some communities. This case study was conducted to investigate what types of support systems the community of Eau Claire County has in place to support senior citizens. Included in this study is mall walking, the Aging and Disability Resource Center, the services they provide, and L. E. Phillips senior center.
Community, Mobility & Multimodal Transportation
(Savanna Grunzke) Research has shown that mobility between and throughout communities increases interaction and participation of individuals, creating stronger bonds and cooperation. Access to multiple modes of transportation expands the opportunities available for residents including job options, community activities, social experiences, and use of services. Barriers of mobility can also inhibit the movement and interaction of people including examples such as highly trafficked roadways or financial hurdles to attain transportation access. Residents with mobile disabilities can also be excluded from the community without inclusive transportation. In order to connect the people of the community, multimodal transportation must be available to a diverse population economically and geographically. Modes including bus routes and walking or biking paths allow for more social interaction at a low cost in all locations of a city. Eau Claire utilizes these modes with city and school buses and a vast system of trails to increase mobility throughout the community. This case study will examine the geographical concept of mobility in relation to its benefit to the community of Eau Claire, WI.
Running & Community
(Aidan Mills) This case study seeks to determine how running as an activity can influence a person’s sense of place and further influence community building and maintenance. This will be accomplished through reviewing the literature on the topics of sense of place, community, and running. This literature will guide the case study and give background and context to the study. This knowledge about the topic's sense of place, community, and running will then be contextualized into the city of Eau Claire WI. To provide an insight into, if, how, and why running might be useful in building and maintaining a healthy and vibrant community.
Accessibility & Community
(Stephanie Pasowicz) Disabilities have an impact on nearly 61 million, or nearly 1 in 4 (26%) people in the United States living in communities, according to the CDC. There are countless disabilities, but the most frequent categories of disabilities include mobility limitations, sight loss, and hearing and speech disabilities. In the United States of America, lack of transportation was the second most frequent reason for a person with disability being discouraged from seeking work, per the World Health Organization. Therefore, this study is focused on the integration of handicapped-accessible areas and tools within city planning and development of community building, specifically in the city of Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The city’s efforts to go above and beyond the laws and regulations that call for disability aid are shown in its many ways to cater to mobility crisis's. Several of the implementation initiatives include the following: building ramps, transit lifts and inclines, specialized vehicles, service entrances and entrance assistance buttons. The purpose of the study is to stress the importance of providing for those with disabilities in order to continue to include them in community services, events and outreach opportunities.
Landscape, Art, and Community
(Maddy Rauscher) My case study explores the relationship between Eau Claire’s artistic landscapes and the community through a geographical understanding. I began my research through the process of gathering literature on community and art relations from a Geodatabase. This literature prepared me for my own research and enhanced my knowledge on these subjects. After preparation, I jumped into my fieldwork where I observed the landscape of Eau Claire and met with several leaders of the community to discuss my research topics with them. My research focuses on painted murals, graffiti, and sculptures in the downtown area of Eau Claire, and how the community interacts with these entities. To the left you can look deeper into my findings by clicking on a picture and reading its description.
Farmers Markets & Community
(Dustin Shimoda) In an age of industrialized capitalism, farmers’ markets offer communities an opportunity of enhancing social relations and improving local economies. Retail supermarkets can serve as a place for social interaction, but many people might not interact with others as much at supermarkets due to the sterile and streamlined environment. Consumers can go to supermarkets and easily go the whole time without having an interaction with anyone. Farmers’ markets provide more opportunities for consumers to interact with fellow consumers in the community as well as the producers. Interactions are an important part of community building, as relationships are established and maintained through interactions. Produce found in supermarkets often are shipped in from various states and countries, with limited or no local produce being offered. Farmers’ markets involve produce from local farmers, and so money is kept local with every purchase. People who shop at farmers’ markets are also more likely to stay around the downtown area longer and purchase from local businesses, further boosting the local economy. When a community supports a farmers’ market, they are strengthened in return.
Dog Friendliness, Local Interaction, & Community
(Hailee Jefferies) My case study topic aims to explore dog parks, leashing policies, neighborhood interactions, and individual characteristics throughout different communities based on dog friendliness. Specifically looking at the positive and negative impacts dogs and their owners have in communities and whether dog friendliness makes communities feel stronger and more connected. Dog parks and leashing policies are closely linked together because pet owners use dog parks where they may roam freely. Off-leash dog parks also increase the likelihood of social interaction between owners, building a sense of community and individual relationships, but these interactions can also have negative impacts. A bad experience between individual dogs can cause an owner to have negative feelings towards that other pet owner, therefore some dog parks continue to have on-leash policies. Other factors play a role in neighborhood interactions like demographics and individual friendliness. For instance, on a class field trip exploring different communities in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, I encountered a kind individual who specifically placed a water dish on the edge of their property, welcoming thirsty dogs to drink if they wish. I do not live near this community, but it made me feel welcomed and a part of that community.
Religious Amenities, Inclusion, & Community
(Zack Rau) Religious amenities rely on multiple forms of community. From physical to virtual platforms, this has become the norm due to changing landscapes. Online reviews are critically important for people who relocate or are looking for a change from what their parents or ancestors have historically followed. I will use reviews from Google, Facebook, and Yelp to determine if people feel included by these third spaces. I will determine what religious institutions are creating and sustaining community by a measure of categories such as branch of main religion (Christian, Judaism, Islam, etc.), and smaller sub-categories within Christianity (Catholicism, Mainline Protestant, Evangelical Protestant, etc.). These third spaces are important in showing how people view a faith community or the buildings themselves as a separate amenity (a polling place, meeting center) and provide an outlook of how they existence is vital. This study includes the cities of Eau Claire and Altoona, within the boundaries of Eau Claire County. These two cities are essential since some religious amenities (Islam and Judaism) are only located in one place and this captures the full picture of the faith community.
Neighborhood Design, Architecture, & Community
(Mel Rausch) Cultural landscapes include art, architecture, signs, and symbols. Architectural structures, such as houses and neighborhoods, can impact a community by creating spaces that prevent or provide opportunities for social interaction. Studies show that when neighborhoods are pedestrian-friendly, ecological, and lead to a central park, they are most beneficial for the creation of a sense of community between residents. On the other hand, vehicle-friendly, sidewalk-less neighborhoods prevent community by decreasing space for safe social interaction among residents. Through regulations and restrictions, the city government can also prevent changes in housing design that are meant for encouraging community, like front porches.
The Importance of Green Spaces for Community
(Lyndsey Tyznik) Research has shown that interaction with the natural environment can positively affect human mental and physical health. These interactions can occur through gardening, hiking, or simply doing things where natural elements are present. My case study focuses on the effects of green spaces on a community. Greens spaces are described as land areas covered in grass. These spaces can be parks, community gardens, playgrounds, yards, and even cemeteries as long as the land space is covered in vegetation. Studies have also shown that green spaces allow for encouraged community interaction and growth of community attachment as centralized and easily accessible open green spaces allow for increasing satisfaction among community residents. The city of Eau Claire has multiple examples of green spaces on the landscape as city leaders become increasingly conscious of green spaces' benefits. Parks, playgrounds, and community gardens are prevalent among the landscape allow for green spaces to be more accessible to community members of all ages.
Sense of Place, Geography, & Community
(Liam Brandt) My research topic aims to determine questions that should be considered and asked to assess a person’s sense of place. A foundational part of geography is human geography, which is understanding human attachment to place. In this subject, we consider community members and assessing their sense of place. Assessing sense of place in a community is important because assessing sense of place could determine aspects of a community that need to be addressed, as sense of place is important for land use decisions. Through speakers who talked about community something, what you find is that a person’s sense of place is highly influenced by the community, like the decision to not move closer to family, but instead run a local business. By looking deeper into the desire to stay, you can really begin to find out what the driving force is that builds the sense of place which keeps someone attached to a community. Like the small businessman staying in his community and giving back to better his community.
Virtual Networks and Local Community
(Rickey Smilowski) Virtual networks like Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat serve a variety of different purposes when it comes to bonding, bridging, and creating social capital. The functionality of SNS (social networking sites) allows users to engage in social activities and build and maintain their social networks online as well as in offline settings among family, friends, and professional colleagues. We know from various studies the key actors like leadership, professional roles, and the participation of a network’s moderators create a vibrant online community. Places like community gardens, libraries, bars, restaurants, or recreation centers (third places) are supported by an online presence. Studies indicate that social media networks do help create social capital in offline settings, but more work is need to fully understand how this works. Looking online networks in Eau Claire will help explain how social capital in communities can be supported by online networks and activity.