Architecture Commons^™

Cultural Identity In Landscape Architecture, Renovation Of Managua's Lakeside, Julio Alvarez

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines a design approach in landscape architecture in which cultural and historical values are reinterpreted in a contemporary urban environment. The site of this project is located in Managua's lakeside area, which was destroyed by hurricane Mitch in 1998. The lakeside area has been an attraction to Managua's residents because of its beautiful views and fresh breezes.

The majority of Nicaragua's population is of indigenous descent; however, Managua's urban environment is predominantly of European influence. The pre-Columbian heritage of Nicaraguans is hidden in their cultural expressions, such as the names of places and religious rituals.

This project provides …

How Monuments Shape Urban Identity, John O. Angée

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Monuments in our society commemorate historical events, acts or heroes, and educate people about them. Monuments are landmarks that stand out from other buildings to give the city identity and order.

This thesis asks how a monument can be designed to project a clear image at a distance and articulate a spatial experience at close range.

Two important monuments that form part of the life of America serve as examples: (1) The Statue of Liberty, in the New York Harbor, that has become the visual icon of New York if not the nation and (2) The Holocaust Memorial in Miami …

The Analogy Of Skin In Architecture Revisited, Rene Croteau

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis re-examines the implications of skin as an architectural analogy. The metaphor of skin has a long history o f usage in architecture, particularly regarding the building enclosure system. This thesis focuses on the role o f the built skin as a place of interaction between the inside and outside, rather than a simple physical barrier. Through an examination of the structure and functions of human skin and building enclosures I investigated issues o f permeability in the design of a center for cartographic research in Miami Beach. I explored layering and interdigitation as strategies for controlling the passage …

Reactive Architecture : Urban Recreational Center, Michael Figueredo

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores how architecture can be designed to react to changing conditions. In the design I address how the occupants of a building may change the exterior façade based on a change of events or on group size. This creates an architectural language on the façade for pedestrians and motorists to read those activities that are occurring.

The design project is a hybrid recreational center and plaza that is designed for the use of small groups and can be adapted for larger groups. By manipulating the ground plane I create spaces where the spectator becomes the display and the …

Transitional Areas Between Public And Private Space, Hernan Beillard

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study analyzes transitional areas between public and private space in order to develop a design that might improve social interaction in the city. Architectural elements in specific pedestrian friendly spaces within the Miami area were identified and analyzed as social spaces in terms developed by Ali Mandanipour.

Proximity, visual permeability, intersection, layering, and monumentality are design strategies used in many projects to enhance individual encounters. These strategies typically apply to transitional areas and serve as the direct physical links perceived by individuals moving between public and private areas. This project explores the different approaches to transitional areas in the …

Architecture As Contextual Re-Interpretation : A Mixed-Use Cultural Center In Old Havana, Cuba, Gabriel Fuentes

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis addresses contextual design in the city, particularly the design of contemporary architecture in historic places.

The research focuses on an analysis of Old Havana's urban architecture, particularly the spatial qualities of colonial Cuban houses as well as visual, social, and functional qualities of their urban façades. Additionally, I analyze specific mid-twentieth century houses that reinterpret Cuba’s colonial architecture in order to derive architectural principles that are tested in my design process.

The design project is a mixed-use cultural center at the Plaza Vieja in Old Havana, Cuba. As a cultural destination currently under going restoration, the Plaza Vieja …

Sustaining Culture Through Architecture : How Can Local, Vernacular Architectural Principles Be Adapted To Contemporary Design In A Village In Guyana, Davina Peters Bittner

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores how architecture can adapt local vernacular design principles to contemporary building design in a rural setting. Vernacular buildings in Guyana present a unique and coherent set of design principles developed in response to climatic and cultural conditions. The concept of “habitus” proposed by philosopher Pierre Bourdieu describing the evolving nature of social culture was used to interpret Guyanese local buildings. These principles were then applied to the design of a Women’s Center in the village of Port Mourant on the east coast of Guyana. The design specifically interpreted the “bottom-house” of local Guyanese architecture, an inherently flexible …

Cultural Influences : Visual Traces Of The Cuban Community In Hialeah, José Antonio Aguada

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines specific changes and modifications made to the domestic architecture of Hialeah that relate to the construction of cultural identity. Much of the study is based upon oral histories from twelve (12) Cuban immigrants now residing in Hialeah, focusing on their renovated houses as architectural responses to cultural and social changes in their community and family life.

The research focused specifically on those renovations that transformed standard developers' houses into the "Cuban" home. A shared theme was the creation of additions, where the point of connections between the existing and the new structures as well as how these …