Architecture Commons^™

Clean Water Act Phase Ii: How To For Development, A Case Study, Jeffrey Caleb Lillard

Masters Theses

I am researching the use of several stormwater techniques known to reduce runoff to provide future developers and municipal officials with tools to meet the stormwater post-construction runoff standards laid out in Phase II of the Clean Water Act. Specifically, I am looking at Smart Growth, Low Impact Development, Open Space Design, and Green Infrastructure. Phase II states that any new development or re-development equaling one acre or greater must be able to capture and infiltrate the first inch of rain to fall on site following 72 hours with no measurable precipitation. There is no one way to solve the …

A Life Cycle Comparison Of Light-Frame Wood And Insulated Concrete Form Building Envelopes: Energy Use And Green House Gases, Sherman Authur Matthews

Masters Theses

Given the building sector’s substantial contribution to global energy use and green house gas (GHG) emissions, it is of great importance that only the most effective building envelopes are utilized. Conventional light-frame wood building envelopes are highly popular due to their ease of construction and building economy; however the life cycle performance of the building envelope is often overlooked when this selection is made. Although insulated concrete form (ICF) building envelopes generally require a substantially higher embodied energy input, it should be considered that improvements during a building’s operation phase can offers significant energy returns, ultimately reducing the building’s life …

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 …

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, …

Analysis Of Urban Heat Islands By Using Multi-Sensor And Multi-Temporal Remote Sensing Images, Umamaheshwaran Rajasekar

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This doctoral dissertation research has developed models to facilitate in characterization, analysis and monitoring of urban heat islands (UHI). Over the past few years there has been evidence of mass migration of the population towards urban areas which has led to the increase in the number of mega cities (cities with more than 10 million in population) around the world. According to the UN in 2007 around 60% (from 40% in 2000) of world populations was living in urban areas. This increase in population density in and around cities has lead to several problems related to environment such as air …

The Historical Influence Of Railroads On Urban Development And Future Economic Potential In San Luis Obispo, Adrianna L. Jordan

Master's Theses

Abstract

The Historical Influence of Railroads on Urban Development and Future Economic Potential in San Luis Obispo

Adrianna L. Jordan

Today the sound of a train passing through San Luis Obispo may be intermittent and faint, but persistent nonetheless, a reminder that the railroad (displaced eventually by the automobile and accompanying expansion of highways and road systems, and later by air connectivity) was a significant force in the development of the City of San Luis Obispo. The sound of railroads evokes a sentimental reminder of the past, but the railroad’s continued presence in the city, cutting through its urban fabric, …

The Challenges Of Urban Development Case Study – Prizren, Besa Jagxhiu

Theses and Dissertations

Prizren, what was, what it is now and what is going to be? The city with rich values of cultural and historical heritage, civilization and various religions and ethnicities used to be an important center of culture, trade and diplomacy, during the history, since the antiquity, which was known also as a “City Museum”. Nowadays, unfortunately there are no efforts for preserving and promoting these rich values, and with this trend in which is going, it cannot be seen the bright future for it. Prizren historic center is the best example of urban heritage in Kosovo, which has valuable traces …

Dendroclimatic Reconstruction From Bald Cypress In Southwestern Indiana, Robin Lyn Van De Veer

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the United States, bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) is generally recognized as an important component of the forested wetlands found in the Southwestern Coastal Plain and the Mississippi River Valley (which extends to the southern Midwest). The lifespan of this deciduous species is important not only commercially, but also in an ecological capacity. This study focuses mainly upon the role the tree plays in its environment and how it can be used as an indicator of climate through drought/flood signals in the rings. Bald cypress is a long-lived tree that can be over 1000 years old and is sensitive to …

Examining Variables Related To Help-Seeking And Victimization Differences After Coercive Intercourse, Ginger Faulkner

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The issue of sexual violence against women has been an area of interest to psychological researchers because of its importance and prevalence in America. A problem that has been attracting more attention recently is sexual coercion against women, especially on college campuses. Researchers have consistently found that over half of college women have been victim to coercive sexual encounters (Struckman-Johnson, Struckman-Johnson, & Anderson, 2003) making this a serious problem in need of greater understanding. Researchers have also found that sexual coercion can cause a variety of problems, yet victims typically do not seek help after these experiences (Fisher, Daigle, Cullen, …

Assured Identity For The Cloud, Jeff Daniels

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

It has been widely reported the largest security concerns with cloud computing design and implementation are centered on identity and access management. Pearson (2009) identifies open security challenges such as where processing takes place, auditability of transactions, and data sensitivity in distributed systems. Cloud computing builds on prior research in virtualization, distributed computing, utility computing, networking, and web services (Vouk, 2008). A recent study conducted by the Office of Homeland Security found that cyber security is a national problem (Homeland Security, 2009). The study recommended that ―managing identities‖ must be part of a comprehensive national cyber security strategy. The Department …

Monumental-It: A 'Robotic-Wiki' Monument For Embodied Interaction In The Information World, Tarek Mokhtar

All Dissertations

ABSTRACT
Conventional monuments are concrete manifestations of memories without the capacity to reflect individual interpretations of history. In an increasingly digital society, however, there is a need for configurable monuments reflecting our contemporary, open and complex community. “Monumental-IT” reflects the dynamic and inclusive character of our time. Rather than static, Monumental-IT is a dynamic, robotic, intelligent environment reconfigured or “retuned” by citizens and by historical information accumulating on the World Wide Web. This information is periodically “coded,” altering the multi-sensorial physical-digital “Robotic-Wiki” components of Monumental-IT. Monumental-IT is designed to embody a new form of human-robotic interaction evolving from the monument …

African Americans Perceptions Of The “N-Word” In The Context Of Racial Identity Attitudes, Keya Wiggins

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The “N-word” has been a pop-culture topic of interest which has fueled many heated discussions within the African American community. Given the history of the word nigger in America, the use of the word nigga among some African Americans may cause confusion among those who do not understand the phenomenon of African Americans‟ perceptions of the “N-word.” The present research was conducted to explore the phenomenon of African Americans‟ perceptions of both the words nigger and nigga in the context of racial identity attitudes. A primarily qualitative embedded mixed method model was utilized to gather information about feelings of group …

Impacts Of Different Forest Tree-Harvest Methods On Diets And Populations Of Insectivorous Forest Bats, Megan K. Caylor

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Hardwood Ecosystem Experiment (HEE) in central Indiana presents an excellent opportunity to study species reactions to different forestry practices: clearcutting, shelterwood cutting, and single tree selections. This project focuses on the differences in the populations and diets of the various insectivorous bat species in the HEE management units. Bats studied were Myotis septentrionalis, Lasiurus borealis, Eptesicus fuscus, Perimyotis subflavus, Myotis sodalis, Myotis lucifugus, and Lasionycteris noctivagans. Since insectivorous bats do not simply eat whatever is available, and I hypothesize that the diets of these bats will not change despite their changing environment and changing populations. To test these ideas, …

Adoptive Parents’ Perceptions Of Their Open Versus Closed Adoptions, Begum Nebol

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The author presents a research study on adoptive parents’ perceptions of their own open versus closed adoptions. The main research interest behind this study was to identify similarities and differences between open versus closed adoption methods. Thus, this paper offers description and exploratory analysis of the adoption literature as well as discussion of the findings of this research study

Effect Of Fluid Administration On Fluid Consumption And Hydration Status, Megan E. Finn

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The use of an external fluid administrator (EFA) to deliver fluids is a recent phenomenon in athletics. However, this has yet to be compared to the traditional method of self administration (SA). PURPOSE: To examine the influence fluid administration methods have on fluid consumption, hydration status, and perceptual variables. METHODS: Nineteen recreationally active individuals [14 males, 5 females (30±10y; 176±8cm; 72.5Kg) participated in two days of exercise with varying the method of fluid administration (self-administration SA; external fluid administration EFA) between days. EFA refers to when someone else squirts water into the participant’s mouth, whereas SA, the participant squirts water …

Teacher Bullies: A Factorial Analysis Of Perceptions Of Teachers’ Bullying Behaviors, Sally Walter Davies

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Bullying in schools is a global phenomenon that can infringe upon the rights of students to learn and grow in a secure and fostering environment. Most of the past and current research on school bullying focuses on peer bullying, but there is a gap in the understanding of types and characteristics of bullying behaviors. This study centered on a type of abusive behavior that has received very limited attention: teachers bullying students. For the purpose of this study, the definition of teacher bullying behavior is a repeated pattern of conduct used to punish, manipulate, or disparage a student, rooted in …

Assessment And Impact Of Gentrified Public Housing Neighborhoods In The United States: A Case Study Of Chicago, Todd W. Sink

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Social-mix housing policies play a unique role in shaping the geography of gentrification in cities throughout the U.S. and Europe. The HOPE VI program in the U.S. is one popular example. Since its inception in 1992, HOPE VI has simultaneously displaced thousands of urban poor from their homes and neighborhoods, reduced their housing opportunities, and created and encouraged housing development for a more affluent population. Yet over the years, very few empirical studies have emerged that examine the place-based outcomes of HOPE VI within the context of gentrification. As such, important empirical questions remain unanswered. This study focuses on the …

Comparison Of Design-Build And Design-Bid-Build Performance Of Public University Projects, James David Fernane

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

With an unsure market and scarce work, owners across the United States, especially universities, are finding themselves in situations where they are unable to complete their projects within cost and schedule using the traditional delivery method: Design-Bid-Build (DBB). Under the DBB project delivery method, many competent contractors are electing to send low bids on projects just to keep work on their books, with plans to receive change orders once the project is underway; this practice is leading to cost and schedule overruns. Public universities across the United States are beginning to elect to use Design-Build (DB) as an alternate project …

Teacher Self-Efficacy Beliefs Related To Chronic Disruptive Behavior, Kalinda R. Jones

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the current study, elementary teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs regarding working with students displaying chronic disruptive behavior (CDB) were explored. CDB was defined as persistent observable actions that have a negative impact on academic or social functioning. To address the infrequently researched construct of self-efficacy beliefs specific to teaching students exhibiting CDB, a modified version of the Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy Scale (short form) was used. Factor analysis results indicated the three self-efficacy factors of instructional strategies self-efficacy, classroom management self-efficacy, and student engagement self-efficacy. No significant relationships were found between each of the three types of teacher self-efficacy beliefs and …

Santa Maria Bus Stop Improvement Plan, Jessica Wafer, Erin Gorman

City and Regional Planning

No abstract provided.

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 …

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 …

We're Still Here: Culturally Sensitive Design And Planning, Ezekiel Craig Cooper

Masters Theses

“In the 1700’s it was impossible to visit what is now known as western North Carolina without encountering the Cherokee. For the well traveled, it still is.”

In 2007, the above quote was used in a marketing campaign by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians to attract tourists to the town of Cherokee, NC. Beginning in the early 1900’s, Cherokee evolved into a tourist destination because of the beautiful location, the historical importance and the offering of authentic cultural attractions. Millions of people traveled to Cherokee throughout the 1900’s just to get a glimpse of Cherokee life and be exposed …

The Life And Death Of An American Block: A Dialogue With Entropy, Micah Daniel Antanaitis

Masters Theses

My goal in this thesis is to frame, through design, an existing environment in a manner that fosters the witness and embrace of the reality and beauty of decay—which acts as a marker of the passage of time. My intent is to engage in a careful renewal of a neglected, and largely forgotten, urban landscape, which does not ignore its temporal context. My hope is to explore the full potential of the life cycle of buildings and discover the lesson of mortality in modern American ruins.

Things fall apart. This is a simple truth about the physical world that humanity …

A Healthy Community In Burlington Neighborhood, Maudy Indriani Budipradigdo

Masters Theses

Studies have shown that the rising rate of adverse physical, social and mental conditions are tightly related to a lack of physical activity, poor eating habits, and the lack of social interaction. Unlike health problems centuries ago which were often caused by lethal diseases, the contemporary health problems in the United States relate to peoples' lifestyles and built environments. Vehicle-oriented community design has caused limited physical activity and unhealthful eating habits that increase obesity and other related health problems. Modern built environments often unintentionally discourage social interactions and present unintended obstacles to physical activities which causes social and mental health …

Wasted Land: Finding Redemption In A Post-Industrial Monument, Kristin Marie Karlinski

Masters Theses

This thesis is about the act of inhabiting the post-industrial landscape: about how a city with the remains of and scars from a previous era can begin to repurpose those remnants--both in a physical, as well as intangible sense. Proposing an alternative to the patterns of development that created such a landscape, it offers resistance to the entrenched values of privatization, commodification, and consumption.

The chosen site--an abandoned grain elevator in Buffalo, New York--sits at a nexus of converging landscapes: the grid of downtown to the north, a former industrial canal to the east, a stretch of barren waterfront land …

Re-Envisioning Reclamation: A Strip Mine's Biography, Bethany Margaret Morris

Masters Theses

ABSTRACT

This proposal is a study of coal-mining in Southern West Virginia; its impact on the landscape; local economy and culture; and presents an alternative land use to address the loss of a major industry in a rural county.

The study began with understanding the process of mining; from the actual extraction to the end product, electricity. Looking at the past provided a historical metric for the Coal Company - Mine Worker dynamic. Case studies created benchmarks for both appreciating and improving upon the issue. Constructing a timeline that tracked political, social and natural occurrences gave scope to the interrelationships …

Rooted In Place: The Role Of Design In Small Town Identity, Todd Owen Sparks

Masters Theses

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Longstanding critical theories on place, memory, and identity can begin to address critical questions that residents, civic leaders, and designers are currently facing in twenty-first century small town America. The rapidity with which many rural communities are now transforming is unlike any previous phase of transition; due in large part to a vastly expanding globalized economy and mass culture. Anonymous, exchangeable environments are quickly becoming a standard …

Beyond The Walls: The Architecture Of Imprisonment And Community, Neil Lawrence Parrish

Masters Theses

ABSTRACT


The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the role architecture plays in both causing and ameliorating cycles of crime and punishment. To accomplish this task, the study combines an investigation of historical prison typologies, with an investigation into the philosophical and ethical questions surrounding the practice of imprisonment itself, as well as in depth sociological and criminological studies of the ways in which crime and incarceration affect the health of communities over time. It then employs the tools and conclusions of these studies to investigate the change over time in a singe community in North Memphis, Tennessee from …