Working in the Ohio Countryside

For the past month, I have been working on a project in Utica, Ohio, which is one hour north east of Columbus.  Leaving my double in the Short North neighborhood where I have lived for 5 years, and driving 2-lane country roads to the rural community ofUtica has been an eye-opener.  The small town has just 2,100 residents (less than my high school population) and is desperate fornew.

As we continue to convert an old Napa auto parts store into offices for a new construction company, residents stop by and ask what is going into the space, hoping the building will be home to a new restaurant, new bar, or new experience.  

The goal my design hopes to achieve is an experience.  The design seeks to make the space something more than boring corporate offices.  This space, located in downtown Utica, will be a gathering space for the community. The brand seeking to draw people from the town into the building for discussion about the area, and in turn, create new business for the owner.  

The design is evolving, as am I, as I learn how people who reside in rural towns live in such a rural and quiet environment.

My daily drive looks something like this (x 2 hours):