Korsa! : ett gestaltningsförslag till församlingshemmet i Rättviks innergård

Abstract: The purpose of this bachelor thesis is to redesign the courtyard of the parish house in Rättvik. The parish house is a social meeting place in the city, with many activities daily. This leads to a broad variety of visitors in all ages. The courtyard is at the present a dark, uninviting area and the design proposal aim to create a lighter and more welcoming entrance to the parish house while at the same time interact with other public places in Rättvik. The parish house in Rättvik is planned to be renovated in the summer and autumn 2015, making it up to date with also a redesign of the courtyard. The courtyard is dominated by a parking lot and an empty lawn area. This means that it does not meet up to the functions desired by the church: to give a polish first impression of the parish house and be a meeting spot for the visitors. An inventory and analysis of the courtyard was made and showed the prevailing conditions, weaknesses and strengths of the place. Furthermore, it created a basis for the design program and a concept. The program for the design proposal listed focus points that the design would respond to. The concept, Cross, provided guidance in the decisions that was made during the design process. The design proposal was a result of these two. In the proposal the parking lot was removed. The lawn was redesigned into a social meeting place, with a stone setting and space for table and chairs. Rippling water helps to create the atmosphere and works as an architectural element. The dark pines were replaced with lighter trees and more vegetation such as shrubs and perennials were added. More seating invited more people to stay in the courtyard. The work can be seen as an example of how landscape architects can redesign a courtyard from a dark area and make it be perceived brighter through different soil and plant material. It is also an example of how to make an unused area into a social meeting spot. The design proposal also aim to show how to consider and create design while still regarding local traditions. A parish is an important meeting place for many people, creating a social life for both young and old people. A neat and well-kept admission attracts more visitors, leading to more people that will sit down. The importance of creating a social space outdoors is always a hot topic for both landscape architects as users of a public place or a city.