Architecture Commons^™

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

Theses from the Architecture Program

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 …}

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

Theses from the Architecture Program

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 …

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

Theses from the Architecture Program

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

Theses from the Architecture Program

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 …

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

Theses from the Architecture Program

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 …

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

Theses from the Architecture Program

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 …

The Contribution To And Affect Of Design And Architecture On Health & Activity Promotion (H&Ap) In The Workplace, Krystal L. Schumacher

Theses from the Architecture Program

Expanding the research and awareness on the contribution to and affect of design and architecture on health and activity promotion in the workplace (h&ap) is essential in moving forward in the design of working environments. As humans, we spend the majority of our time indoors, for an average American adult he or she spends the majority of the day in a working environment. The impact that our spaces have is much deeper than the aesthetic. Our environments can depict how we act, feel and operate based on the design of our surroundings. Through this research, the goal was to study …

Transparency: The Unspoken Design Element -- How Levels Of Visibility Affect Adult Learning And Sharing, Erica M. Bartels

Theses from the Architecture Program

Adult learning and sharing environments, specifically high school, college, and workplace facilities, maintain a similar purpose in terms of meeting the needs of the institution and its users. For each of these three project types, the design team develops a plan for users that are capable of social, cognitive maturity while engaging in the creation of new knowledge or ideas. With abundant discussion available on the design variations of these spaces, such as open vs. closed delineations; individual and group work; online or unplugged, it is necessary to dig deeper into the environmental psychology at play amidst the built environment …

From Carson Pirie Scott To City Target: A Case Study On The Adaptive Reuse Of Louis Sullivan’S Historic Sullivan Center, Lisa M. Switzer

Theses from the Architecture Program

This study provides an in-depth exploration of the adaptive reuse of one of Chicago’s most iconic structures over the course of a year from the Summer of 2011 to the Summer of 2012. The Sullivan Center was converted from a mid-scale retailer to City Target. Through extensive interviews with the Target development team, Chicago city officials, historians and Landmark Commission representatives this study documents the conversion and identifies the successes and opportunities of the project. The study follows the project from design development to completion, and provides insight on the local community perspective on the development.

Advisor: Mark Hinchman

The Impact Of Interior Design On Hospital Cleaning: Can Good Design Decisions Help Cleaning Staff Achieve Better Outcomes?, Julia Graves Williams

Theses from the Architecture Program

Evidence- based design is commonly recognized as the best practice for the interior design of healthcare facilities. Research indicates that careful planning and design can have a positive effect on hospital staff and patient outcome. However, there is a lack of existing research on how interior design effects the cleaning of healthcare facilities. More research is needed to determine the impact of interior design specifically on the cleaning and maintenance personnel of our hospitals and clinics. If designers can make the important job of cleaning and disinfecting healthcare facilities easier then healthcare acquired infections can be reduced saving lives and …

Encouraging Creativity In The Workplace Through The Physical Environment: Focusing Of The Office Workstation, Dale R. Landry

Theses from the Architecture Program

People can be creative anywhere but how can designers and organizations encourage this process to occur at an office workstation through the physical work environment? This four stage study investigated what Interior Designers, experts in a field that judges creativity, felt they needed to enhance their creativity while occupying a workstation in a commercial or home office.

An exploratory mixed method of social science qualitative and quantitative research was employed that applied methodological triangulation validating the data through cross verification of codes produced through the narrative process that were perceived to influence the creative phenomena in office workers. In stage …

Experiential Interior Design: Branding Entertainment And Nightlife For The Postmodern Young Urban Professional, Niccole S. Skomal

Theses from the Architecture Program

Past study on Interior Design has been primarily looked at through the lenses of aesthetics and functionality. Only recently have scholars begun to see the influence marketing, in the form of branding, can have on the Interior Design process in targeting specific lifestyle groups. The purpose of this research is to understand the fabric of the postmodern Young Urban Professional lifestyle as a marketing tool for branding and designing services in the form of entertainment and nightlife. With an increasing lack of community and social connectedness in today’s postmodern society, Young Urban Professionals tend to consume entertainment and nightlife as …

Corporate Office Employee Analysis: Transformation From Closed Office Layout To Open Floor Plan Environment, Stephanie J. Fanger

Theses from the Architecture Program

The office workplace within the United States has undergone monumental changes in the past century. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has cited that Americans spend an average of 90 percent of their time indoors. As human beings can often spend a majority of the hours in the day at their workplace, more so than their home, it is important to understand the effects of the built environment on the American office employee. In order to stay current with modern times, General Dynamics, a corporation located in Scottsdale, Arizona implemented a renovation of interior space. This thesis examines the transformation from …

Interior Designer's Attitudes Toward Sustainable Interior Design Practices And Barriers Encountered When Using Sustainable Interior Design Practices, Leigh Bacon

Theses from the Architecture Program

The objectives of this study evaluated whether interior designer’s had a positive or negative attitude toward sustainable interior design practices. Next, it evaluated the three areas of perceived barriers interior designers encounter when using sustainable interior design practices (project capabilities, transition to sustainability, and knowledge and skills associated with sustainable design). The final objectives determined if attitudes and barriers affected the use of sustainable interior design practices, and determined whether the attitudes of interior designers and the barriers encountered by interior designers were related. Overall, attitudes toward sustainable interior design practices were positive. Barrier scores indicated that factors affecting project …

Awareness Of Daylighting On Student Learning In An Educational Facility, Alana S. Pulay

Theses from the Architecture Program

This study examines how awareness of the interior architecture of a building, specifically daylighing, affects students academic performance. Extensive research has proven that the use of daylighting in a classroom can significantly enhance students’ academic success. The problem statement and purpose of this study is to determine if student awareness of daylighting in their learning environment affects academic performance compared to students with no knowledge of daylighting. Research and surveys in existing and newly constructed high schools were conducted to verify the results of this study. These design ideas and concepts could influence the architecture and design industry to advocate …