Christian Fleury, “The Complex Idea of Home within the Washington Park Neighborhood”
Mentor: Arijit Sen, Architecture

Home is an idea with many complex meanings. The project investigates the diversity of the word and examines what caring for home means to residents. The investigation begins with listening to a set of 27 interviews taken in and around the Washington Park neighborhood of Milwaukee in 2014. The people interviewed range from those that are heavily invested in the community to those who simply live there. A semantic analysis of these interviews revealed a wide range of perspectives on the idea of a home. The process included careful listening and transcription followed by the creation of taxonomic mind maps that break down meaning of home to those who were interviewed. The final analysis demonstrates how diverse personal experiences and cultural beliefs impact ways by which residents describe home and care for it. This project demonstrates how despite racial, economic, and demographic similarities, divergent values and different priorities makes this neighborhood a rich and diverse place.