problems throughout modern history. In the early 1990s an epidemic of HIV/AIDS took hold of the country almost immediately after its release from the con-straints of Apartheid (The Origin of AIDS and HIV and the First Cases of AIDS). The pandemic is a degenerative disease, contracted from the virus HIV, which attacks the body until it transforms into a debilitating disease known as AIDS. Since the first cases were discovered in South Africa the disease has spread like wildfire through the country and has had dilapidating effects since its discovery. HIV/AIDS affects not only the individuals who have contracted the disease, but also the families, communities, and the social and economic aspects of the country. The children who have lost parents to HIV/AIDS have been hit the hardest by the pandemic. Over 3.5 million children in South Africa alone have lost at least one parent (Women and Children in South Africa). With their parents gone these children are facing a grave future with few ideal outcomes. A portion of these children are cared for by the government system; which often results in families being divided and relocated, some children are cared for by nearby relatives or become the heads of households themselves, creating a “lost generation” (Impact of HIV upon South Africa). The South African culture is built around a tight knit family unit that often includes extended family members. The HIV/AIDS epidemic has caused an immense breakdown of this structure, causing further problems for the people of South Africa (Eddy & Holborn, 2011). These issues include an outbreak of homelessness and unemployment within the country. When an individual contracts the disease they become ill and unable to work, their income is then severely diminished while medical and eventual funeral costs skyrocket their expenses. The economic vulnerability of these households eventually sends the remaining family members into poverty and eventually homelessness (Impact of HIV upon South Africa). Approximately 7.5 million people in South Africa are considered homeless, with 33% of the entire population living in poverty and the estimated unemployment rate at an estimated 40% (South Africa: Winter Freeze Highlights Homeless Crisis, 2007). The South African government has created temporary housing for these individuals, resulting in “tin-can cities”, where diseases run freely and overcrowded shanties are practically stacked on top of one another. One resident of Blikkiesdorp, a tin city outside of Johanessburg stated that “We feel like we are thrown away here, like the government is just throwing us away. It’s like a dump” (Kelto, 2010). These “tin cities” are intended to be temporary housing, however many individuals are never given access to an affordable permanent housing option, and even with the temporary units there is still an estimated government backlog of approximately 3 million homes (Bollinger & Stover, 1999). The orphaned children, “The Lost Generation” will become the future of a country with a generation gap caused by the pandemic. The ghosts of HIV and AIDS will undoubtedly remain in South Africa for generations to come, and it will be the burden of the youth to rebuild their decaying country and overcome their own personal hardships (Lehrer, 2009).
My draft:
Concept Statement
· Aging in place
o The ability to live in one’s own home/ community
o Safety, independence, comfort
· Re-design the spaces most used by the elderly inside their own homes for ease of living
o Have volunteers/ USF students come in to help design spaces requested
o Have a small full time staff at all times to maintain/ lead the projects while university/ high school students come and go
· Change the home itself to fit the needs of the residents
· Affiliated with USF – School of Architecture and Community Design, School of Aging Studies
o Site is 15 minutes away from Campus without traffic
· Gensler’s Detroit Office as a Precedent
o Fairly open to all
o Collaborative office space for the majority of people
o Openable/ closeable meeting room
§ Can be public or private
Location Analysis
· 1102 N Franklin St, Tampa, FL
· Has a building right up beside it
· Haneke Design around the corner ( website designer )
· Close to apartments
· Very close to Downtown Tampa
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