Architecture Commons^™

Reviving Knowledges Through Play And Resistance: The Case Of Navajo Conceptions Of Space, Daniel Ness, Richard D. Sawyer

Northwest Journal of Teacher Education

The authors explore a possible cause of epistemicidal predispositions of the dominant Eurocentric curricula. They posit that one way to determine a plausible contributing factor of this increasing devastation is to consider epistemicide through the lens of intellectual development. To do this, the authors examine parallel patterns of behavior in the domains of developmental and cognitive psychology. The authors then discuss an alternative framework to the Western conception of space within formal K-12 education by presenting the Navajo conception of space and play. Throughout the paper, the authors argue that all students—and especially those living in poverty in commercially constructed, …

Regional Growth Concept To Promote Densification And Mixed Land-Use In The Suburbs Of The Portland Metropolitan Area, Sangwan Lee

Hatfield Graduate Journal of Public Affairs

This study attempts to address two questions. First, what factors influence the categorization of neighborhoods into regional and town centers under a regional planning framework (the 2040 Growth Concept) for the Portland Metropolitan region? Second, have the regional and town centers fulfilled their goals of fostering densification and diverse land use, as indicated in their strategic plans, or have they fallen short of these goals? The multinomial logit model was used to answer the first research question, and propensity score matching and a paired t-test were used to answer the second research question in this study. This paper found that …

How Can Biomimicry Inform A Sustainable, Ethical Future In Architecture And Design?, Chloe Hanf

University Honors Theses

This publication traces effects of systems theory and assemblage thinking on American architecture and design since the 1960's in relation to contemporary ecological thought and biological discoveries. Building upon these observations, the author concludes that biomimicry belongs at the forefront of contemporary theory and praxis in architecture and design.

Basic Concepts Of Structural Design For Architecture Students, Anahita Khodadadi

PDXOpen: Open Educational Resources

This book aims to narrate fundamental concepts of structural design to architecture students such that they have minimum involvement with math problem-solving. Within this book, students learn about different types of loads, forces and vector addition, the concept of equilibrium, internal forces, geometrical and material properties of structural elements, and rules of thumb for estimating the proportion of some structural systems such as catenary cables and arches, trusses, and frame structures.

Please see the Open Textbook Library for faculty reviews of this textbook

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Salem-Gateway Asset-Based Community Development, Portland State University. Center For Public Interest Design, Sergio Palleroni, Todd Ferry, Kaylyn Berry, Hannah Lopez, Danette Papke, Sean Silverstein

Center for Public Interest Design Projects

The Salem-Gateway project, developed by Community Development Partners (CDP), will address the community’s need for high-quality, affordable housing. The project aspires to support an intergenerational community for all ages (CFAA) and an intercultural community. The project will be a hub for residents and the broader Salem-Gateway community by providing a large community center with robust programming. The abundant green space provides outdoor amenities and recreational opportunities at the heart of the site, echoing a Central Park sentiment to be enjoyed by residents and surrounding neighbors.

As an initiative of the Center for Public Interest Design (CPID), this report aims to …

Comparative Life Cycle Assessment Of Mass Timber And Concrete Residential Buildings: A Case Study In China, Cindy Chen, Francesca Pierobon, Susan Jones, Ian Maples, Yingchun Gong, Indroneil Ganguly

Publications, Reports and Presentations

As the population continues to grow in China’s urban settings, the building sector contributes to increasing levels of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Concrete and steel are the two most common construction materials used in China and account for 60% of the carbon emissions among all building components. Mass timber is recognized as an alternative building material to concrete and steel, characterized by better environmental performance and unique structural features. Nonetheless, research associated with mass timber buildings is still lacking in China. Quantifying the emission mitigation potentials of using mass timber in new buildings can help accelerate associated policy development and …

Timber Constructed: Towards An Alternative Material History, Laila Seewang, Irina Davidovici

School of Architecture Faculty Publication and Presentations

Editorial:

This issue of Architectural Theory Review proposes an alternative intellectual history of timber architecture. It foregrounds the relationships that tie the natural resource to the cultural artefact, its processing into construction material and, with it, the production of associated disciplinary expertise. The essays explore the spatial and symbolic possibilities of timber in historical and contemporary discourse by highlighting its simultaneity as cultural artefact, material commodity, environmental resource, and structural element. Thus, the material’s appearance and representation are positioned within perennial oscillations between globalism and locality, natural and man-made, industry and craft, innovation and tradition, material and ideology, modernity and …

Spatial Daylight Autonomy Study, Portland State University. School Of Architecture, Srg Architects

Research-Based Design Initiative

SRG has run into a problem with the current LEED V4.I when it comes to achieving daylighting credits for mid-rise buildings in the Pacific Northwest. The higher in latitude a structure is on the globe, the less potential sunlight will reach it. In order to calculate how much sunlight enters a space we partnered with SRG to create a tool to help determine how much usable daylighting enters a space. From this tool, we want to collect data from different latitudes to show discrepancies in the possible daylighting conditions in these locations, and then finally organize this data in a …

Challenges + Responses To Thermal Comfort + Indoor Air Quality For Multi-Family Housing In The Face Of Increased Extreme Heat Events + Wildfires Amidst Anthropogenic Global Climate Change, Daniel Athay, Nathan Flowers, Salazar Architect Inc.

Research-Based Design Initiative

This research sought to investigate the perceived occupant comfort levels given the reality of global climate change and the increasing occurrence of extreme weather events. The research conducted was two-fold. First, a community engagement questionnaire was developed and administered to solicit qualitative feedback from community members. Simultaneously, scientific literature was researched and reviewed surrounding specifically identified events related to changing climate conditions: extreme heat events (EHEs) and wildfires (WF).

Heat is the leading cause of weather-related mortality in the United States. EHEs are categorized as summertime weather that is substantially hotter and/or more humid than average for a location at …

Thermal Performance Of Window Details, Nancy Colores, Emmanuel Valdovinos, Anna Hollingsworth, Levi Eads, Bassetti Architects

Research-Based Design Initiative

Bassetti asked our team to use THERM software and thermal imaging technology to test, analyze, and compare window performance at two recently built schools. Not only will this information be used to enhance future designs, but we are assisting the firm with creating a troubleshooting and how-to guide for future use.

Mass Timber Study: Seating Bowls Design, Darrick Williams, Regina Batiste, Srg Architects

Research-Based Design Initiative

This project focused on finding other ways to use mass timber (outside roof).

Wood Red/Green List, Aaron Mayers, Fatemeh Sheikholya Lavasani, Salix Sampson, Hacker Architects

Research-Based Design Initiative

Heavy timber construction is gaining momentum within the architectural community because of its aesthetic and perceived sustainable qualities. But where exactly does the wood come from and how sustainable are these forestry practices?

Through research, we seek to analyze the forestry practices, social impacts, and biological aspects of temperate wood species in the Pacific Northwest used for structural lumber to then create a red/green list that displays and compares the sustainability of the forestry practices. The intent is to create a widely available and transparent document that architects and engineers can reference when making decisions on projects.

Biophilia X Jedi, Nyaz Addison, Martha Dane, Maddy Capizzi, Opsis Architecture

Research-Based Design Initiative

The intersection of biophilic design, justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion provides a unique vantage point from which to design. When viewed as intersecting lenses to design the human state becomes more than utility, health, or productivity and more sustainable designs emerge. How can Biophilic design improve by becoming more inclusive in its process and more inviting to a diverse audience? How can Opsis’s initiatives improve by looking to nature for clues on how to move together toward a common purpose in unison? By creating a diverse culture influenced by nature and a nature-based, design process influenced by a diverse culture, …

Facade Optimization, Brandi Barlow, Bryan Ortiz, Matt Wiste, Madeline Peck, Bora Architecture

Research-Based Design Initiative

As part of Bora’s renovation of Portland State’s Science Building One [SB1], we have been tasked with helping research how to optimize the building envelope through multiple methods, including optimizing daylighting and maximizing insulation, while staying within budget. The PSU team has worked with the BORA team to expand an existing Thermal Flux Calculator to include all four facades of the Existing condition, the Schematic Design, and an Optimized version based on our own design. This calculator is used to determine the best wall-to-glazing ratio to increase the thermal efficiency of the envelope without compromising the visual experience. We focused …

Mapping The Case Study Houses: Translating History Via Design, Samuel L. Person

University Honors Theses

In this paper, I detail the process of creating a book titled The Case Study Houses: A Field Guide, a project meant to fill a gap in the scholarship on the Case Study Houses, one of the most influential architectural programs of the 20^th century. I provide an overview of existing scholarship on the program, in addition to its shortcomings, and how my project addresses these by translating that body of work into an approachable, modern, yet no less informational format. My research process involved concatenating various informational sources into one cohesive whole that provides a standardized presentation …

How Can Portland's Urban Landscape Better Utilize Stormwater?, Joni Frame

University Honors Theses

This thesis worked to explore stormwater management and water runoff using urban green infrastructure in Portland, Oregon. Water management systems are used to store and treat stormwater (precipitation) that runs off impervious surfaces in our built environment. Stormwater is produced by rain and other forms of precipitation that runs off impervious surfaces such as streets, parking lots, and other sites. Climate changes are projected to include more frequent and more intensive storms which can lead to extreme flood hazards, increasing the stormwater runoff. This study analyzed the context of climate change in the city of Portland, OR, to understand how …

Maple Lane Asset-Based Community Development, Portland State University. Center For Public Interest Design, Sergio Palleroni, Todd Ferry, Kaylyn Berry, Hannah Lopez, Athena Shepherd, Sean Silverstein

Center for Public Interest Design Projects

A development of Community Development Partners (CDP) and Hacienda Community Development Corporation (Hacienda CDC), the Maple Lane project will address the community’s need for high-quality, affordable housing. In addition, this project aspires to support an intergenerational community for all ages, and an inter-cultural community. The project aims to be a hub for residents and the wider Oregon City community through the provision of meeting spaces and community center for a wide range of programming. The abundant green space will provide an outdoor park and other recreational amenities, at the heart of the site, echoing a Central Park sentiment.

As an …

Computational Form Exploration Of Branching Columns Using Concepts Of Formex Algebra And The Paragen Method, Peter Von Buelow, Anahita Khodadadi

School of Architecture Faculty Publication and Presentations

This study addresses the relationship between the geometry and structural performance of branching columns using an example case based on a square grid shell supported by four branching columns. The branching columns are configured with three levels of members, bifurcating into four members as each member branches upwards. A range of solutions is parametrically generated using the concepts of formex algebra and its associated software system, Formian 2.0. The form exploration uses the GAbased method, ParaGen which incorporates both quantitative structural performance and qualitative architectural considerations in the exploration process. Certain design constraints, as well as multiple objectives, are established …

Timber Ridge, Portland State University. Center For Public Interest Design, Sergio Palleroni, Todd Ferry, Kaylyn Berry, Hannah Lopez, Athena Shepherd, Sean Silverstein

Center for Public Interest Design Projects

A development of Community Development Partners (CDP) and the Northeast Oregon Housing Authority (NEOHA), the Timber Ridge project will address the community’s need for high-quality, affordable housing. In partnership with EngAGE NW, a leading organization in intergenerational programming, the project also aspires to support a community for all ages and an inter-cultural community. The project aims to be a hub for residents and the wider La Grande community through the provision of classroom and meeting spaces for a wide variety of programming and developing outdoor park and recreation amenities in a region of the city remote from most community resources. …

St. Helens Asset-Based Community Development, Portland State University. Center For Public Interest Design, Sergio Palleroni, Todd Ferry, Athena Shepherd, Kaylyn Berry, Hannah Lopez, Sean Silverstein

Center for Public Interest Design Projects

A development of Community Development Partners (CDP) and the Northwest Housing Authority (NOHA), the St. Helens affordable housing project will address the community’s need for high-quality affordable housing, while promoting an intergenerational and intercultural community. In partnership with engAGE NW, a leading organization in intergenerational housing programming, the project also aspires to support the larger needs of the community as a whole by providing a hub for all residents of St. Helens to come together. In addition, the importance of nature and the larger theme of ecology and connection to the natural environment, acted as a framework to guide the …

Concrete Embodied Carbon Study, Maab Mohammed, Tabassum Kalam Khandoker

Research-Based Design Initiative

Generally, in concrete, cement contains a significant amount of embodied carbon. For this reason, designers are looking for different mixtures and .sources for the replacement of cement in concrete. Which can provide the optimum strength by using a minimum amount of cement.

Ec3 And Embodied Carbon Reduction, Karl Benjamin, Opsis Architects

Research-Based Design Initiative

The objective of this research was to use the Embodied Carbon in Construction Calculator (EC3) tool to evaluate the embodied carbon emissions in several material categories, allowing for specification and procurement of low carbon options. The case study for this research is the Shiley-Marcos Center for Design & Innovation (University of Portland), an adaptive reuse project currently in the late design and procurement phase of the construction process. This research was intended to contribute to the research done during the design phases related to the Whole Building Life Cycle Analysis (WBLCA) using Tally. I worked primarily with Heather DeGrella and …

Volta Project, Portland State University. School Of Architecture, Bora Architectects

Research-Based Design Initiative

This project aims to renovate the existing building, both the exterior and interior. For this renovation, BORA has committed to meeting ambitious sustainability goals. Among these is to convert the building into a net-zero energy (NZE) building. The research this term supported this NZE effort by studying the existing building and testing strategies to improve its performance. The team identifed multiple opportunities to implement passive strategies, but decided to go with daylighting strategies.

Calculating Embodied Carbon In Las Adelitas, Nancy Barakat, Salazar Architect Inc.

Research-Based Design Initiative

The purpose of this research is to assist team Salazar and Hacienda in researching embodied carbon in the construction materials that will be used in Las Adelitas affordable housing, public plaza and event hall project. As part of the AIA 2030 commitment, this report will help the team and their client prioritizes collect necessary data to understand the climate impacts of selected materials, in order to reduce the building’s carbon footprint, and improve the wellbeing of the environment and the Living Cully community.

Comparing Wall Assemblies Based On Carbon Emissions And Red List Materials, Alexa Esguerra, Bassetti Architects

Research-Based Design Initiative

The purpose of this project was to conduct necessary sustainability research in the early design phase and serve as a starting point for all future projects.

Hacker: Evaluating Design Impact Under Quarantine, Portland State University. School Of Architecture, Hacker Architects

Research-Based Design Initiative

PROJECT OVERVIEW:

Hacker Architects are interested in understanding the impact of their design decisions on the user experience of five of their Portland-area residential projects. One of their greatest challenges has been a pandemic that prevents their team from conducting quantitative research ,vithin each of the their occupied residential buildings to better understand the efiect of site-specific designs of the architecture. What has becorne a unique opportunity, Hacker proposes that we research, develop, administer, and analyze the responses of a Post Occupancy Evaluation that addresses the design decisions vs. their impact on user experience and the impact of COVID-19 on …

Urban Hostility: Cpted, Hostile Architecture, And The Erasure Of Democratic Public Space, Matthew M. Carr

University Honors Theses

Free and open public space is essential to the health of urban living. In theory, it is purely neutral, acting as a social equalizer providing those of all backgrounds space to co-exist within the confines of the built environment. However, truly democratic public space has consistently been threatened and reduced in cities, affecting none more heavily than marginalized and impoverished populations. The creation of the Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design agenda gave birth to hostile architecture, a detrimental form of urban exclusionism. By using hostile design typologies, cities can render public spaces unusable to undesirable citizens, and subsequently erase images …

Two Black Utopias Of The United States: Self Determination And Survival, Makaveli Gresham

University Honors Theses

In line with Charles Davis III's assertion in regards to the formation of black space and it’s spectral qualities representing the "material conditions of black survival", two black utopian projects: Soul City, North Carolina and the unrealized work of Architects Renewal Committee in Harlem (ARCH) in New York City are analyzed to explicate to what extent that the United States built environment is compatible with "black survival". These two case studies are used to inform an understanding of the anti-black nature of Modernism and the cultural relationship between the construction of "whiteness" and "blackness" in the United States. This relationship …

525 North Capitol Avenue, Portland State University. Center For Public Interest Design, Sergio Palleroni, Todd Ferry, Hannah Lopez, Sean Silverstein

Center for Public Interest Design Projects

The 525 N. Capitol Ave was initiated in response to the housing crisis in San Jose, CA. Livability and affordability currently plague Silicon Valley, as many residents are considered rent-burdened -- spending most of their income on housing-related costs. In collaboration with Community Development Partners, this new development will help provide affordable units to families experiencing housing insecurity, chronically homeless veterans, low-income seniors, and those with disabilities; with the idea in mind of creating a thriving, intergenerational community. Other project partners include David Baker Architects (DBA), and CivicMakers, who partnered with the CPID team to help implement the ABCD process, …

Fractals As Basis For Design And Critique, John Charles Driscoll

Dissertations and Theses

The design profession is responding to the complex systems represented by architecture and planning by increasingly incorporating the power of computer technology into the design process. This represents a paradigm shift, and requires that designers rise to the challenge of both embracing modern technologies to perform increasingly sophisticated tasks without compromising their objective to create meaningful and environmentally sensitive architecture. This dissertation investigated computer-based fractal tools applied within a traditional architectural charette towards a design process with the potential to address the complex issues architects and planners face today. We developed and presented an algorithm that draws heavily from fractal …