Architecture Commons^™

Coarse-Work: An Investigation Into The Impact Of Materiality In The Interior Educational Setting, Isabel G. Robb

Honors Theses

Education design in modern suburban America curates learning environments that are cold and impersonal, being used more as a place to keep youth during the day than as a place where they can truly learn about and understand the world around them. This learning environment does not suit all students, especially those with learning disabilities, and it leaves little room for flexibility in classroom usage.

Focusing on creating a learning environment where all students feel welcome and are able to effectively learn, this projective design research project aims to provide a comprehensive intervention through the built environment and interior design, …

The Kruger Collection Reimagined: A Case Study In 3d Scanning And Interactive Exhibit Design, Annissa Davis

Anthropology Department: Theses

This thesis examines the use of 3D modeling in museum exhibition to create exploratory exhibits that facilitate unique relationships between the visitors and the collection beyond what is provided by the collection’s in person counterparts. Typical use of 3D modeling in museums is currently often representative rather than exploratory. By employing a Digital Humanities lens to approach the development of a digital exhibition utilizing 3D technology and interactive elements created in a video game engine (Unity), this thesis project evaluates these potential new relationships. Using the Eloise Kruger Collection of Miniatures as a case study, the following text details the …

Art Teams: Teaching With Arts And Emerging Media Infographic, Elizabeth Valerio-Boster, Guy Trainin

Research and Evaluation in Education, Technology, Art, and Design

Infographic from Art TEAMS at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln about teaching with arts and emerging media.

Designing The American Dreamscape: Suburbs Of Worship And The American Dream, Rebecca Virgl

Masters in Architecture Program: Theses

This thesis explores suburbia as the physical manifestation of the American Dream as a pseudo-religious system. This religious system and contemporary suburban ideology are explained and disseminated through a historical review and analysis of suburban media. Pop culture serves as a signpost that directs public opinion and cultural value; much of media today wrestles with the ideas of the American Dream, fore fronting these cultural values in our collective identity. Once the baseline of socio-economic religious ideology has been established in the American Dream, the extremes of these beliefs were explored in three suburban environments: home, labor, and retail. Each …

Impact Of The Pandemic On Computer Science Education, Dwight Miller, Guy Trainin

Research and Evaluation in Education, Technology, Art, and Design

This poster examines the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on computer science education in Nebraska. Data collected by Code.org on student and teacher engagement in CS education in Nebraska public and private schools helps paint a picture of the changing landscape.We reveal a significant decrease in rural student participation since the 2019-20 school year, a minimal increase in the number of teachers teaching with Code.org, and a significant drop in participation of girls at the secondary level. By uncovering these trends in engagement, we hope to inform and inspire educators and administrators to take action.

Interdisciplinary Design Studio: Programming Document Visioning For A Robotic Demonstration, Research, And Engagement Dairy, Steve(N) Hardy, Nate Bicak, Sarah Alduaylij, Noor Al-Maamari, Devyn Beekman, Kelsey Belgum, Lauren Chubb, Nicholas Forte, Mitchell Hill, Joshua Holstein, Dylan Lambe, Phuong Le, Mia Leriger, Elizabeth Loftus, Josh Lorenzen, Megan Lovci, Alex Martino, Zade Miller, Hannah Morgan, Annabelle Nichols, Collin Shearman, Rebecca Sowl, Nalin Theplikhith, Angela Vu, Shaylee Wagner, Ethan Watermeier, Trever Zelenka

Student Creative Activity, Architecture Program

The 2022 COLLABORATE Design Studio brought together students from various disciplines to address a complex, real-world project which required collaborative input from different perspectives. The studio worked to advance the co-creation of knowledge between external stakeholders, students, and instructors. The course was co-taught by faculty from different disciplines, and areas of expertise. During the semester, Nate Bicak and Steven Hardy worked with students from Architecture and Interior Design in collaboration with students in Dr. Tami Brown-Brandl’s students in Biological Systems Engineering and Animal Science to explore the values, spatial qualities, and area requirements of a Robotic Demonstration, Research, and Engagement …

Restoring Lost Heritage, Lewis Culliver

Masters in Architecture Program: Theses

One of the best streets to explore in Omaha is N. 24th Street. Many buildings showcase larger than life, vibrant murals that express the creative nature and spirit of this part of historic North Omaha. The murals represent a healing element for the community; many murals cover structures that are in various states of disrepair. Community gardens have risen to fill voids left by traumatic development practices, such as the implementation of the north freeway.

Despite having lost a large part of its heritage, including hundreds of homes and businesses that were destroyed to make way for the north freeway, …

Educational Design: Does The Design Of A Learning Environment Effect How A Student Learns?, Terrie Larsen

Interior Design Program: Theses and Other Student Work

New 21^st Century classroom layouts have evolved from the studies of several educational researchers and their findings over the past century. In conjunction with universities across the world, researchers developed progressive outlooks of what the built environment can offer to the newest generation of learners. Their studies have coined several terms such as Active Learning Classrooms (ALC), Student Centered Active Learning Environment for Undergraduate Programs (SCALE-UP) and Technology Enabled Active Learning (TEAL). These classroom models represent higher learning studies for more effective 21^st century learning environments. Some of the models include a specific style of table and number …

Review Of Flexible Learning Spaces In Education, Emily A. Fisher, Donger Liu, Guy Trainin

Research and Evaluation in Education, Technology, Art, and Design

Research has shown that Flexible learning spaces have benefits in educational settings. The space has an impact on teachers' pedagogies and mindsets. In turn, instruction can be more student-centered promoting more interaction and engagement with each other and content. These findings imply that Flexible Learning Spaces can contribute to positive shifts in mindsets for teachers and students, as well as disrupting the dynamics of traditional classroom settings and instruction.

Native. A Look Into Interior Design's Impact In Rural Communities., Ashlynn Engelhard

Honors Theses

Rural America faces a greater set of health challenges than ever before, especially when compared to its metropolitan counterparts. The Association of American Medical Colleges notes these rural disparities resulting from “economic, social, racial, ethnic, geographic, and health workforce factors.” Though somewhat daunting to consider, the AAMC concludes “We need to figure out how to use this data to target resources and interventions to make a meaningful difference in improving the health of rural America.”

Focusing on addressing rural disparities that inhibit communities from positive health and well-being, this projective design research project aims to provide a comprehensive intervention through …

Review Of Nature Experience In Learning, Donger Liu, Emily A. Fisher, Guy Trainin

Research and Evaluation in Education, Technology, Art, and Design

The current review examines the impact of nature experience on student academic performance. The findings suggest that the effect exists in two types of association: (1) green space and school-level academic performance; (2) outdoor educational programs and student school motivation and knowledge. Overall, the researchers predominantly found that students exposed to green space performed better academically in Grades K to 12. Meanwhile, students’ socio-economic status, the proximity of green space, types of vegetation, and subjects could also affect the association. Considering it is not unusual that researchers found SES contributing to the correlational model, future studies ought to control for …

His And Hers: Gender-Specific Design In Mid-Twentieth Century North America Through Film And Television, Morgan O'Shaughnessy

Architecture Masters of Science Program: Theses

The built environment exists as a variety of ‘spaces’ which are constructed by, and for, the people who occupy them. What is the relationship between social constructs of gender and our built environment in the 20^th century? How does film and television representing the mid-20^th century exemplify this relationship? The overall theme of this topic will include a positive relationship between social gender constructs and our built environment. Through the exploration of select film and television, this study attempts to answer the question of how gender-focused design reinforces traditional gender roles in North American society in mid-20^{th …}

Encapsulating Educational Design For Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Lauren Praeuner

Honors Theses

This paper is a thesis/creative project hybrid split into two parts. First, it examines different aspects of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), the symptoms experienced by those on the spectrum, and the guidelines that parents, medical professionals, and educators should follow to ensure a holistic approach to the care and education of children with autism. The text also notes some of the considerations that designers should review when designing educational facilities for these individuals, as well as few precedents that successfully do so. The second part of the paper presents my team’s architectural studio project, contributed to by UNL students Lindsay …

Epicenter: An Investigation Of Interior Design's Influence Of The American Suburban Situation, Lindsay Meyer

Honors Theses

The suburbs cause isolation and poor physical and mental health for a variety of individuals, including parents, teenagers, and the elderly. Neighborhood design rarely considers marginalized teenagers and elderly, but instead focuses on the automobile. Teenagers show higher rates of anxiety, depression, and substance abuse in suburban areas than in urban areas. Millennial desire for suburbs that are engaging and elderly desire to remain in their homes longer demands reconsideration of the current suburban model. Big-box store blight ravages suburban communities damaging local economies and diminishing community curb-appeal. Closing box stores compounds the suburban dweller’s reliance on the automobile, continuing …

Tiny Houses In Metropolitan Areas Of Nebraska: Seasonal Or Permanent Living Environments, Michele L. Hybner

Interior Design Program: Theses and Other Student Work

This study is designed to determine if tiny houses offer a viable seasonal and/or permanent living environment for Nebraska residents. Two objectives are used to assess the viability of tiny housing in this Midwestern state. The first analyzes the economics (demand, supply, and cost) of tiny housing in metropolitan areas of Nebraska. The second identifies barriers to occupancy of tiny houses in the state. The results of this research are significant because tiny housing presents a means to address the state’s need for more affordable housing options available to Nebraska residents. At the time of this study, 11.4% of Nebraska’s …

Designing Single-Family Residences: A Study Of The Positive Impact Of Interior Design In Creating New Home Value, Shawn M. Falcone

Interior Design Program: Theses and Other Student Work

This study seeks to demonstrate that interior designers should be included as primary stakeholders in the home construction market. The market demand for new single-family homes in America is a relative constant. The primary stake and role that land developers, architects, draftsman, home builders, bankers, appraisers, real estate agents, and buyers have in the home construction market is clear. What is less clear is the role in value an interior designer has in the home construction market. This thesis examines the impact designers have on home value when their expertise is utilized in space planning (i.e.: layout, function, room utilization, …

The Heart And The Living Room: A Comparative Case Study Of Two Informal Learning Spaces, Tara Grebe, Tiffany Schweer, Mikinna Mcgerr, Erica Defrain, Miyoung Hong

UCARE Research Products

The goal of this exploratory study was to apply post-occupancy evaluation techniques to understand how informal learning spaces at UNL are utilized by students. Results will be used to improve future space design across college campuses to better accommodate student learning. Data for this mixed-methods study was collected during the Fall 2018 semester. Preliminary findings have shown different usage patterns between genders. The Stacks - which are confined, quiet study spaces interspersed throughout the collections - were often used by males, while the Mezzanine－a larger, open space－was primarily occupied by females. Other findings have shown a distinction between how students …

Best Practices For Urban Coliving Communities, Rachel Osborne

Interior Design Program: Theses and Other Student Work

Coliving, a new typology of housing design, has recently been gaining in popularity. Coliving is a form of rental housing that seeks to create community among its residents by providing features such as extensive shared spaces and community managers paired with typically small, furnished private spaces. Little architectural or interior design research is available to describe this emerging typology, and no best-practices or guiding principles exist to aid designers in ­making informed decisions when designing or evaluating coliving spaces.

This thesis uses a mixed-methods approach to understand the composition of existing coliving facilities as well as the motivations and preferences …

Challenging The Norm Of Minimums: A Case Study Of Ada Design Standards On The University Of Nebraska-Lincoln Campus, Emily Drummy

Interior Design Program: Theses and Other Student Work

In the United States, over 30 million people have difficulties climbing stairs and require the use of a walker, cane, or wheelchair to move around (United States Census Bureau, 2012). All people interact with the built environment around them, including the some thirty million who deal with physical difficulties. While some can navigate the space around them easily, others have more difficulty due to certain barriers. Often, interior environments are designed with the able bodied in mind, not accommodating properly for the disabled even in the most basic of ways. Despite the introduction of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) …

Impacts Of Active School Design On Schooltime Sedentary Behavior And Physical Activity: A Pilot Natural Experiment, Jeri Brittin, Leah Frerichs, John R. Sirard, Nancy M. Wells, Beth M. Myers, Jeanette Garcia, Dina Sorensen, Matthew J. Trowbridge, Terry Huang

Interior Design Program: Faculty Scholarly and Creative Activity

Background Children spend a significant portion of their days in sedentary behavior (SB) and on average fail to engage in adequate physical activity (PA). The school built environment may influence SB and PA, but research is limited. This natural experiment evaluated whether an elementary school designed to promote movement impacted students' school-time SB and PA.

Methods Accelerometers measured SB and PA at pre and post time-points in an intervention group who moved to the new school (n = 21) and in a comparison group experiencing no school environmental change (n = 20). Difference-in-difference (DD) analysis examined SB and PA outcomes …

Shifting School Design To The 21st Century: Challenges With Alternative Learning Environments, Bryan H. Perez

Architecture Masters of Science Program: Theses

There is a need for major change in our educational system and in particular the design of schools. Our existing school model was defined in the mid- to late-1800s, as a response to the Industrial Revolution, and does not reflect the needs of the next generation of 21st century students. One of the key elements of change in schools is the shift from confined classrooms towards alternative learning environments – spaces that are designed for a specific learning type or activity.

This thesis focuses on secondary education and examines three schools identified as having innovative school designs. While all three …

How Acoustics In California High Performance Schools Relate To Student Achievement, Devin K. Wong

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Dissertations, Thesis, and Student Research

This research project seeks to determine if students attending K-12 schools meeting a minimum standard of high performance classroom conditions in the state of California do evidence higher scholastic achievement, based on publically available results on state-wide standardized tests. In three phases, a subset of 200+ schools applying for grants dedicated to building high performance schools over the past decade was correlated with an existing database of achievement scores for all public schools in California. The criteria utilized to specify high performance classrooms was provided by the California High Performance Initiative (HPI) Grant program. Academic achievement was evaluated on a …

The Communication Of Design To Non-Experts: An Investigation Into Effective Methods Of Communicating Design Through Drawing Styles, Jerry M. Hiler

Architecture Masters of Science Program: Theses

Communication between designers and their client has always been an essential element in the design of buildings and interior spaces. This communication occurs in various different ways, but the key method of a designer communicating their space is through their drawings. Clients come from many different backgrounds and many may not have the training or experience that allows them to fully understand what they are seeing in the drawings being presented and as such can be considered non-experts. A majority of drawings are typically presented and developed in two-dimensions which can be confusing for non-experts to understand since they rarely …

Creating Healthy Schools: Identifying The Positive Impacts Of Practicing Sustainable Interior Design In Education Facilities, Deborah Lindsey Ketchum

Architecture Masters of Science Program: Theses

A significant amount of research identifies a relationship between the physical environment of educational facilities and how the design can positively or negatively impact teachers, staff and students. Evidence indicates that America’s school facilities are outdated, decaying, and need repair. This presents an opportunity for interior design professionals to create high-quality learning environments through an emphasis on sustainable design practices.

This thesis examines interior spaces of two high school buildings in North Mississippi. Site A incorporated sustainable design principles while Site B did not. To limit influential variables, the two sites were selected because of the location and similar population …

Greening Restaurant Design: A Study Of The Implementation Of Leed Certification In Restaurant Design, Shelly Schmidt

Interior Design Program: Theses and Other Student Work

With a significant amount of interest in sustainability and green design in the commercial industry, this thesis examined the effects of the implementation of LEED certification specifically within the built environment of restaurants. Being one of the largest energy consumers and waste producers in the commercial retail industry, restaurant stakeholders have a social responsibility to safeguard the environment from such detriments imposed upon by the daily operations of their business. Yet, few owners have chosen to implement green practices or sustainable features into the design of their restaurant.

Case study comparisons of six restaurants, three LEED certified and three non-LEED …

Conceptual Thinking: How To Quantify Meaning In Projects And Processes Through Structured Non-Linear Thinking., Marijn Van Der Poll

Interior Design Program: Theses and Other Student Work

Things have meaning. Your job, your smartphone, even your insurance has another layer of meaning than its intended reason for existence. Products have become complex combinations of applications and features so small, that their shape no longer characterizes them. As people we have evolved into empowered consumers looking for purpose in our lives and in the things we buy. Advertising discovered the power of meaning more than a century ago. Since then, what has proven difficult is to quantify meaning. The skills we are taught in our educational system and the processes we apply in business fall short of identifying …

Aspen Art Museum, Rumiko Handa

Architecture Program: Faculty Scholarly and Creative Activity

'I hope when people come to the New Aspen Art Museum they will sense that this building is very much at home in Aspen and could only live here', Shigeru Ban states in a short essay to visitors included in the museum brochure. Indeed, the way in which Ban's design fits uniquely within its context is nothing less than extraordinary. A full appreciation of his accomplishment, however, requires a study of Aspen's history.

What strategies are available to the architect who intends to design a museum that fits well for a community with keen interests in arts but lacking in …

Finding Addison Mizner: His Scrapbook Testimony, Suzanne B. Kane Asid

Architecture Masters of Science Program: Theses

Through historic archival research, this study focuses on the works of Florida architect Addison Mizner (1872-1933), credited with bringing Spanish/Mediterranean Revival architecture to Palm Beach, Florida in the early 20^th century. This thesis is the first to study the works of Mizner through the perspective of his personal scrapbooks. In a state of advanced deterioration, Mizner’s scrapbooks are currently housed in Society of the Four Arts, King Library in Palm Beach, Florida. While a rare and treasured source of their own accord, the importance of the scrapbooks is elevated by the fact that many of Mizner’s buildings have been …

Facilitating Change In The Housing Industry Toward Universal Design, Brittnie Miller

Interior Design Program: Theses and Other Student Work

The intent of this thesis is to provide an introductory guide for interior designers, homeowners, builders, and those interested in the concepts of universal design. It is tailored to the target markets of interior design and those within the ho using industry, but leaves an open conversation to create a relationship between the housing industry and homeowners.

Looking at the history of universal design and how it has evolved through the years will give readers a beginning point to start a comparison of the residential design standards and universal design measurements. Using the comparison, case studies will be reviewed and …

Visual Analysis And Design Proposal For The Bridges Organization Day Facility In Rockledge, Florida, Lesa N. Lorusso

Architecture Masters of Science Program: Theses

The population by age of the client and staff at the Bridges Facility in Rockledge, Florida represent a microcosm of the population of Brevard County, Florida. The shared history of two non-profit organizations that began in in Brevard County, FL in the mid twentieth century is remarkable. NASA began in 1958, and the Bridges organization began in 1956. The historically significant American community of Brevard County, FL now faces the challenges of a new focus without the NASA space shuttle program and accommodating an increasingly aging population, while the similarly aged Bridges organization faces similar organizational and population challenges as …