Architecture Commons^™

Critical Spatial Practices: A Trans-Scalar Study Of Chinese Hutongs And American Alleyways, Gregory Marinic, Rebekah Radtke, Gregory Luhan

Interiors Faculty Publications

Across time and cultures, the built environment has been fundamentally shaped by forces of occupancy, obsolescence, and change. In an era of increasing political uncertainty and ecological decline, contemporary design practices must respond with critical actions that envision more collaborative and sustainable futures. The concept of critical spatial practice, introduced by architectural historian Jane Rendell, builds on Walter Benjamin and the late 20th century theories of Henri Lefebvre and Michel de Certeau to propose multi-disciplinary design practices that more effectively address contemporary spatial complexities. These theoretical frameworks operate through trans-scalar means to resituate the built environment as a nexus of …

Weaving Material Connexion Into Curriculum, Shelley Woods, Gouthami Vigneswaran, Patricia Buckley

Publications and Scholarship

Weaving Material ConneXion into the Curriculum poster presented at OLA Super Conference 2020.

From Eye Sore To Eye Catching: Improving Function And Appeal Of Campus Spaces, Katherine E. Gorham

Senior Honors Projects

An interior space has a lot of power over an individual. It can dictate one’s mood, efficiency, confidence, and more. Most people can recall a time when a room had a negative effect on their mindset and productivity level due to its lack of color, light, or comfort. A functional, well lit, warm space makes for an uplifting and motivating work environment. Throughout my college career, I have encountered several spaces across the University of Rhode Island campus that aren’t the most visually appealing, comfortable, or inspiring, yet they still have plenty of potential. The goal of my project was …

Design For Living Complexities, Peter J. Taylor

Working Papers in Critical, Creative and Reflective Practice

Lectures from a 12-session course that addresses the intersection of design with critical thinking. Design in this course means intentionality in construction, which involves a range of materials, a sequence of steps, and principles that inform the choice of materials and the steps. Design also always involves putting people, as well as materials, into place. This happens by working with the known properties of people, as well as the known properties of material, and trying out new arrangements to work around their constraints (at least temporarily). Critical thinking, as I define it, involves understanding ideas and practices better when we …

The Fine Arts In Architecture: Creation Of The Wku College Of Fine Arts, Austin Young

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Over the years, the fine arts have served as the embodiment of a cultures beliefs and practices. From Art and Music to Language and Communications, the fine arts have shaped the way we interact and live our daily lives. Architecture is considered one of the many fine arts. Architecture has served as a physical monument of the representation of these ideals. Many artistic principles such as rhythm and repetition are prevalent in the detail orientation of architecture, and other principles such as performance and expression, showcase the beauty behind design that influences people’s thoughts and feelings. This research will establish …

Pivot Dublin: A Discussion On The Bid For Dublin To Become World Design Capital, Barry Sheehan, Ali Grehan

Articles

In this article, Barry Sheehan interviews Dublin City Architect, Ali Grehan, about PIVOT Dublin, the bid for World Design Council, how and why it came about, what happened to the bid and where PIVOT Dublin is now.

Future Oriented Sustainable Design. Design Purpose: What Is Design And Who Is It For? [Please Note: This Is A Large File And May Be Slow To Download.], Barry Sheehan

Academic Articles

In November 2016 I was asked to make a presentation at the Future Oriented Sustainable Design International Conference in Wuhan in the People's Republic of China. My topic was Design Purpose: What is Design? And who is it for?

The presentation examines the wider aspects of design and its categories and asks who were are actually designing for.

I made a powerpoint presentation that I narrated in English whilst it was simultaneously translated into Chinese for the attendees at the conference. On my return to Ireland I created a soundtrack to accompany the presentation slides for people to watch the …

Profile Of Business In The Traditional Design Sectors, Con Kennedy

Reports

This research report illustrates the findings form the “Profile of Business in the Traditional Design Sectors”. This research was commissioned by the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland as part of the Year of Irish Design (ID1025) which is supported by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and was under taken on their behalf by Con Kennedy. The aim of this research is to develop an understanding of the size, location and demographic of design practices and business in the Republic of Ireland. For the purpose of this report, the agreed sectors and design sectors to research were: • …

Discover Joyce's Dublin By Reading And Running, Barry Sheehan

Academic Articles

James Joyce told his friend Frank Budgen. “‘I want’ said Joyce, as we were walking down the Universitätstrasse, ‘to give a picture of Dublin so complete that if the city one day suddenly disappeared from the earth it could be reconstructed out of my book.’” (Budgen, 1960, p.67, 68).

This research looks at the relevance of Dublin to Joyce’s writings and to the relevance of Joyce’s writings to Dublin. It is concerned with the virtual Dublin of Joyce’s writings, the physical manifestation of Dublin over time, and the relationships between them.

Numerous scholars read and analyse the writings of Joyce …

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

Architecture Masters of Science Program: Theses

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 …

Baye Fadioul Niang: A Brief Biography Of An Ebeniste In Senegal, Katie J. Niang

Interior Design: Student Creative Activity

Baye Fadioul Niang described himself as a traditional European designer of wood furniture, doors, and trim. In 1945, at age 22, Fadioul began designing furniture as an apprentice in the state labor department of Kaolack. He settled in Dakar, where Fadioul not only designed and constructed furniture, but was a popular informal educator in the business. His furniture shop became a center for education in Menuserie and Ebenisterie, which is the art of furniture making. In 2005 Fadioul retired from furniture making because of deteriorating eyesight.

Includes photos taken in February 2013 in Dakar, Senegal.

Design Collaboration As A Tool For Developing Diversity In The Work Place, Rees E. E. Shad

Publications and Research

Without a doubt the modern workplace is one made up of numerous working professionals graced with an array of varied abilities who work in tandem to meet a common goal. In this article the author recounts his personal journey to embracing the collaborative process and how he has honed and developed the skill set into an important element of design curriculum in order to prepare students for this fundamental market paradigm.

The Presence Of The Past: Conference Proceedings, Barry Sheehan

Books/Book Chapters

Is architecture design? Where does it begin? Where does it end? With every iconic architect comes an iconic chair. Mies Van Der Rohe's Barcelona Chair, Aalto's Artek stool. Where is the furniture by Irish Architects? As Irish architecture has become internationally recognised what has happened to our furniture? Is furniture design oflittle interest to current Irish architects and will this change with the current market conditions?

Learning From Cultural Space: Connecting Culture And Environment In Beginning Design, Jeffrey Hou

Proceedings of the 18th National Conference on the Beginning Design Student

The paper begins with an introduction on the background of the course, the students, and the assignment. It then introduces a selected group of projects, including the opportunities they have created for discussing the multiple dimensions of space. By examining the students' projects, the paper looks at how the exercise provides a vehicle to connect the students' life experience to design, and how the complex issues of culture and multiplicity of space can be introduced at the beginning level. The paper concludes with an observation on the multiple instrumentalities of the exercise and its broader implications for beginning design education.

Towards The Poetic, Noel Brady

Other resources

The thesis purports to build a theory for the analysis and synthesis of architecture. It identifies a poetic strutcure which contextualises the production of arhcitecture while aspiring towards universal themes of dwelling and belonging. Using a number of case studies it uses deep reading of the artefacts to confirm the theoretical concepts.

Architecture As Responsibility, William G. Reckmeyer

School of Architecture - All Scholarship

Reckmeyer discusses the essence of Architecture as a unique form of art.