Building Community: A Town Hall and Firewise Resource Center in Quilcene, Washington

Abstract

This thesis looks at redefining Quilcene, a small town on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington state. Once a center for logging, Quilcene has now become just another small, forgotten town along a highway. It needs help to bring back life and prosperity. I will focus on exploring the transformation by capitalizing on Quilcene's idyllic location. In Western Washington many towns have sprouted in locations susceptible to fire and now suffer from a high risk of flammability. This thesis intends to explore the unique relationship between forests and the communities located on their fringe. I will examine the ways communities build in these locations and how to better prepare them for the possibility of fire. I propose to design a Town Hall and Firewise Resource Center, a forum where the entire community and surrounding communities can come and learn about fire risks of the area as well as hold town meetings.