Art and architecture have always maintained an important role in the shaping of public life and culture. Their definitions overlap and their reciprocal relationships are indisputable; the dichotomy between the two provides a strong basis for architectural design and urban renewal.

This thesis explores the design of an art facility in downtown Haverhill, Massachusetts. The design is used as a catalyst for further development of the existing Arts District and the rest of the downtown area. Through the adaptive reuse of a factory building, Haverhill's current inadequate Arts District will be rehabilitated by providing a flexible vehicle by which artists can live, work, display, and teach. The cyclical relationships of art and architecture will be used as a generator of public purpose and cultural interest, giving Haverhill a public purpose to its surroundings. The city, which once thrived in the shoe production industry, will be given a new industry: art.