Architecture Commons^™

70 Mph: Place And Perception In The Automotive Landscape, Erik Nathaniel Hall

Masters Theses

This project explores the adverse impact of the automobile in regards to perception and the resultant disconnect from environment exhibited in the contemporary suburban landscape. It posits that the way we move through the world affects the way we understand the world, both physiologically/sensually, and philosophically/ethically. The automobile, and its landscape, prejudices vision as a means of cognition. Specifically, it is biased to the perceptual characteristics of vision at high speed- that is, a decreased cone of vision, with a consequent increase in the total area of the peripheral visual field. This peripheral field is characterized by flattened, monocular perception, …

Residential Water Conservation: A Cross Comparative Analysis, Jeffrey M. Cook

Master's Theses

This thesis will explore different water conservation strategies and systems in the residential home, using the city of Irvine as a basis. The thesis will compare the financial implications between the different systems and as a return on investment. The analysis will also account for ecological and social implications on the occupants, in particular their standard of living and lifestyle changes. The thesis will explore the ability to conserve water in new residential construction and will provide a sustainable and conscientious schematic water design for the particular area of concern.

This thesis will act as a preliminary case study for …

Fenestration Studies On Building Energy Using The Facade Evaluation Facility, Wendell Cocina

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The project was developed to assess several types of facades and their influence on building energy, mainly focused on windows and other building fenestrations. Requirements for the facility are stated in this paper alongside corresponding solutions. The facility is designed to represent a section of a building façade. Experimenting on a wide range of fenestrations including windows with integrated PV elements was the primary prerequisite. The option of removable façade configurations was used and allowed testing specimens to be changed effortlessly. Instrumentation and data acquisition are discussed including calibration and uncertainty analysis. Investigation of the air conditioning unit was concluded …

Integrating And Applying Conservation Development Principles To Commercial Sites: A Business Park In Bristol, Tn, Christopher Lee Chandler

Masters Theses

Abstract

Throughout history, land has been treated as man's platform for development and expansion into new territories and the basis for our current infrastructure. Understanding existing properties and characteristics of the land has become imperative to successful development and strong networks that connect human beings to one another. As we discover ever changing natural tendencies, we are prone to rethinking the way in which the land is engaged from a developmental and conservational standpoint. Coexisting with natural processes of the earth and the land is of utmost importance to the success of human systems using it as a base for …

A Phenomenological Study On The Natural Rhythms Of Light: Implications On Educative Design In Haiti, Jonida Paqesor Shehu

Masters Theses

This thesis explores a design project concerned with the relationship between the person and nature in the context of achieving a state of symbiosis between the two – a state which can be reached through highlighting the relationship between the person and the rhythmic characteristics of natural light. The project originated from a concern with modern society’s constant separation from the natural environment and the resulting sense of placelessness often experienced in the spaces created. In response, a desire arose to investigate the effect that natural light has on the person and contribute to the design of naturally enriched spaces …

Planning Growth - Preserving Character, Nathan Daniel Oliver

Masters Theses

Gateway communities are the towns, cities, and communities that border public lands such as national and state parks, wildlife refuges, forests, historic sites, wilderness areas, national forests, and other public lands. They offer scenic beauty and a high quality of life that attracts millions of Americans looking to escape traffic congestion, fast tempo and uniformity of cities and suburbs. Gateway communities provide food, lodging, and business for Americans on their way to public lands. They serve as portals to public lands and therefore play an important role in defining the park, forest, or wilderness experience for many visitors. Their beauty, …

Strip Development And Community: Maintaining A Sense Of Place, Andrew Kelly Carr

Masters Theses

Abstract

Strip development eases communities’ economic troubles by providing jobs and cheap goods at the expense of a sense of place and social fabric. Four factors are critical to the dissolution of place in strip development: mobility, standardization, specialization, and technology. (Randolph Hester)

Mobility gives people the freedom to move over distances with little constraint; a consequence of this is a produced sense of rootlessness within many communities.

Standardization creates placelessness in communities by the repetition of form and function.

Specialization diminishes comprehensive knowledge of place and complex social and ecological thinking.

Technology may divorce people …

Inhabiting The Periphery: A Dialogue Between Individual And Site, Robert Oliver Kown

Masters Theses

What is a periphery? We can think about this word in more than one way. First off, peripheries are places that exist as spatial conditions in cities, They indicate edges and places that have been left behind. Spaces that have lost their meaning. But in this thesis I will use the word in another way as well. What does the periphery mean for us today? What are those parts of our lives that have been marginalized, and how can we begin to reclaim what has been lost? It is the aim of this thesis to address these issues of the …

Open Space Planning; Utilizing Green Infrastructure To Preserve Community, Cynthia V. Reynolds

Master's Theses

Current sprawl development patterns typical of contemporary development in the United States are unsustainable. The uniform development guidelines prevent context sensitive community design, degrading our communities and consuming large amounts of natural and cultural resources. Significant progress has been made in reorganizing community planning towards sustainable development practices. However, these alternatives still work under the misconception that there is a disconnect between planning open space networks and planning development. Through a comprehensive land use planning approach, this project explores combining concepts of landscape ecology, green infrastructure planning and conservation subdivision patterns to design an integrative open space/community network.

An Environmental Economic Analysis Of Green Building And The Leadership In Energy And Environmental Design Rating System, John A. Manna

Honors Theses

Buildings account for over 70% of U.S. energy consumption and produce 30% of the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions. With growing concerns over future energy prices, the green building industry and the LEED rating system have made it their goal to produce better performing, more efficient buildings. LEED projects have been implemented in all 50 states, with 46 implementing LEED into public policy. In this study we evaluate the environmental and economic benefits of the LEED certification process. A cost-benefit analysis provides a framework for assessing the life cycle of a LEED building, incorporating both energy and cost savings, as well …

The Darker Side Of Americas Wonderland A Study Of The First Four Decades Of Yellowstone National Park, Elizabeth M. Sargent

Honors Theses

Those who first stumbled across the steaming, bubbling land of Northwestern Wyoming in 1860s and early 1870s described it as “Hell on Earth.” Over the course of a few decades, the land underwent a vast transformation, which replaced “Hell” with “Wonderland” in visitors’ minds. The year 1872 represents a turning point in environmental legislation and marks the conception of Yellowstone, America’s first national park. While creating a national park preserved, for the first time, the country’s natural wonders, the 1872 act included no direction for management, no allocation of funds for upkeep, and no system set in place to manage …

Improving The Energy Efficiency Of Fero House Home Of Alpha Delta Phi, Matt S. Stankiewicz

Honors Theses

As our country continues to grow and prosper we are faced with a growing number of environmental issues. While many of these issues were ignored in the pursuit of economic growth, we are now facing the harsh realities of our unmitigated expansion. The continual mining and use of fossil fuels has scarred our landscapes, polluted our air, and contaminated our waterways. Our nation’s greenhouse gas emissions are higher than ever and contributing heavily to global warming. With the United States’ population constantly on the rise and projected to hit 350 million in little over a decade1, it appears that our …

Characterization Of Green Roofs And Their Potential Effects On The Union College Campus, Cybil Tribie

Honors Theses

A green roof is the construction of protective layers and vegetation on the roof of a building. Green roofs are capable of providing ecological benefits to the environment as well as economic advantages for the client. Therefore, my thesis will explore the characterization features of green roofs by focusing on the layers they are made up of, the different types of green roofs, and the benefits they can provide. Although this technology is relatively new to the United States in comparison to places such as Germany, where green roofs have been extensively used for over 40 years, there is a …

Assessment And Improvement Of Fire Resiliency For Structures Located In The Wildland-Urban Interface, Allen L. Meskimen

Master's Theses

The purpose of this research was first to study the Wildland-Urban Interface and Wildland-Urban Intermix (WUI) fire problem, and then to design, develop and implement improved fire assessment and fire protection features for structures in the these interface fire-prone areas. The findings included that several areas of the world are prone to devastating fires that claim lives and destroy property, and their fire problems continue to exacerbate. None of these compare to the property loss experienced in Southern California due to its vast development in fire prone areas. It is because of the continuing huge property loss and frequency of …

Planning For Building-Integrated Agriculture In Las Vegas, Robert Vralsted

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

High food prices, concern about food nutrition and safety, and an awareness of commercial farming's environmental impact have generated a renewed interest in sustainable urban agriculture. Advances in controlled environment agriculture (CEA) have made it possible to grow food virtually anywhere in a much more sustainable manner than traditional field-based agriculture. Locating and planning urban farms using retrofitted existing building stock to maximize food production and ease of distribution in Las Vegas requires consideration of multiple barriers related to geography, economics, and the built environment. Consideration of these factors in the planning process informs the design of a successful BIA …

An Empirical Comparison Of Life Cycle Cost Of Green School Buildings And Non-Green School Buildings, Nitisha Pushpala

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

One of the major economic concerns today of the world is reduction of energy consumption because of depleting energy sources in the world. The construction sector in the United States is also contributing in reducing the energy consumption and construction cost of the buildings by constructing cost and energy efficient buildings with energy efficient materials and techniques. The U.S Department of Energy introduced the Building Technologies Program that develops techniques, tools and technologies for making buildings more energy efficient. Other private bodies like the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), which is developed by the U.S. Green Building Council …

Shop Like A Designer: How The Mass Media Perpetuates Non-Sustainable Design, B. Marie Minnich

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This study investigated the perception that mass media perpetuate critique of interior design projects using non-environmentally responsible design (non-ERD) assessment models, based on traditional ideological considerations, as opposed to models based on environmentally responsible design (ERD) philosophies. Using the Delphi technique, thirty keywords were selected, based on educators’ and practitioners’ content knowledge, then categorized into seven dimensions representing ERD or non-ERD attributes. These dimensions formed design assessment models, which included a distinction between ethical ERD attributes and aesthetic non-ERD attributes. Using content analysis, keywords were identified in randomly selected feature articles from three design magazines. Quantitative statistical analysis documented an …