Architecture Commons^™

Bridge_Works, Chris Driscoll

Architecture Senior Theses

Building typologies are generally well defined and functionally specific. A church is for worship, a house is for living, and a theater is for performing. In certain instances, these basic building typologies have been combined to form composite structures such as mixed-use housing/retail projects, or a house on a boat. The opportunities created by composite typologies have allowed for broader economic development, more complex and integrated programming, greater utility and richer social structures. A specific combination of typologies--the mix of infrastructural bridge with housing/retail/public space--has produced a few historically successful models[...] Over time, the bridge was developed from a simple …

Sustainable Commercial Interior Design, Órla Keane

Dissertations

This dissertation looks at the environmental benefits of 3 key areas in relation to interior design: Energy, Water and Air; energy efficient lighting, water efficient plumbing fixtures and the effects of interior materials and finishes on indoor air quality.

Qualitative research methodology: Extensive literature review of texts available on these topics, and also of the relevant building codes and environmental legislation applicable to Irish interior designers and the built environment.

Quantitative research methodology: A comprehensive survey of then currently practicing Irish interior designers, and their use of sustainable design strategies (or lack thereof). The survey was conducted in conjunction with …

Analyzing Equity Impacts Of Transit Fare Changes: Case Study Of Alameda–Contra Costa Transit, California, Cornelius Nuworsoo, Aaron Golub, Elizabeth Deakin

City and Regional Planning

Many public transit agencies consider increasing fares when faced with budget shortfalls. This paper analyzes the Alameda–Contra Costa (AC) Transit District's five alternative fare proposals introduced for public discussion in March 2005. The proposals combined fare hikes, base fare reductions, eliminations of free transfers, and discontinuation of periodic passes. Using the agency's 2002 on-board survey data, the study assessed the impacts of individual fare proposals on different subsets of riders and evaluated if they were equitable; and estimated potential fare revenues, using alternative price elasticities to estimate changes in ridership due to changes in price. The analysis revealed that proposals …

Targeted Updates To The Bicycle Plan For The University Of Georgia Main Campus, Athens, Georgia, Srikanth Yamala

Community and Regional Planning Program: Professional Projects

Through this Professional Project, the author examines circulation and suitability pertaining to bicycle planning on a college campus, in the real-world setting of the University of Georgia (UGA) main campus located in Athens, Georgia.

Based on existing on-campus activity, bicycle circulation is established. Using an analytical tool, namely the bicycle level of service (BLOS) analysis, roadway segments within the study area are evaluated for suitability with respect to adjacent motor vehicle traffic. Several improvements are suggested throughout the project to enhance the existing BLOS, and in turn enhance the bicycling conditions. Most of the suggestions are based on traditional improvements, …

Marginal Lands And Suburban Nature: Open Space Planning And The Case Of The 1893 Boston Metropolitan Parks Plan, Steven Thomas Moga

Landscape Studies: Faculty Publications

Soon after publication, the 1893 Boston Metropolitan Parks Report came to be regarded as a model plan for American cities. Little known to the public today, it is frequently cited by landscape and planning historians as a testament to the vision of “pioneer” landscape architect Charles Eliot and metropolitan planning advocate Sylvester Baxter. However, planning historians have overlooked key aspects of the plan and omitted significant details about the authors’ redevelopment and planning goals. I argue that Eliot and Baxter viewed open space planning as a means of combating slums and establishing a regionwide land use template for future growth.

Making Connections - Envisioning Springfield's North End, David M. Ahronian, Kelly R. Ashton, Erin G. Bassett, Maxwell A. Cohen, Victor J. Czulak, Gregory S. Dunbar, Brendan T. Farragher, Jonathan L. Gorman, Peter L. Guy Ii, Timothy J. Iles, Piyawut Inthasorn, Travis A. Johnson, Jonathan Koch, Justin J. Kronewitter, Zachary B. Livingston, Matthew Morano, Brian Mulvehill, Kevin C. Murphy, Sean P. O'Connell, Peter W. Stephens Jr., Christopher Tourigny, Bryce P. White, Timothy E. Young

Landscape Architecture & Regional Planning Studio and Student Research and Creative Activity

This work explores a service learning strategy in the context of the senior Urban Design Studio taught in the Department of Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The primary goal of this project is to stimulate a conversation in the neighborhoods of the North End, to develop green design strategies, to improve services and businesses for residents and the employees of local businesses, and to foster cultural engagement and interaction in the North End that will enhance the vibrancy, resilience, and quality of life of this urban community. Making connections - Envisioning Springfield's North End …

Athletics & Recreation Master Plan Sub‐Committee Final Report, Charlie Titus, Terry Condon, Chris Fitzgerald, Ken Mcbryde, Robert Burgess, Shaun Curry, Laurie Milliken, Chris Sweeney, Pavel Braude, Ryan Norton, Jack Looney, Susan Wolfson, Jain Ruvidich‐Higgins

Campus Master Planning Publications

In 2000 the Athletics & Recreation Department at UMass Boston Implemented a five year strategic plan that would more realistically align sports sponsorship with available financial and facility resources. We reduced the number of sports sponsored from 20 to 14 maintaining 7 sports for women and 7 sports for men. The only sports maintained without a facility were Men’s baseball and Cross Country Track. We eliminated football, swimming and indoor & outdoor track and field for men and women.

Since 2005 The Athletics & Recreation Department has been focused on University wide transition and planning efforts. In that period we …

Activated Infrastructure, Joanna T. Myers

Architecture Thesis Prep

No abstract provided.

Final Report Of The Information Technology Subcommittee For The Campus Master Plan, Apurva Mehta, Ramakrishna Ayyagari, Eric Berry, David Cesario, Christine Depalma, Peter Fejer, Meghan Flynn, Kitty Galaitsis, John Jessoe, Lusa Lo, Daniel Ortiz-Zapata, Virginia Perelson, Mike Pollard, Kathleen Polley, Jamie Soule

Campus Master Planning Publications

Through its work, data collection, outreach, and careful review of various studies and information, the committee is led to conclude that as it moves forward with implementation of its Master Plan, UMass Boston has a tremendous opportunity to plan for and design spaces that support and promote the learning, teaching, and research requirements of the campus community. It is hoped that the recommended guidelines and standards outlined in this report will assist and inform the planning and design of new and renovated campus facilities and specifically address the technological needs of classrooms, laboratories, offices, informal study areas, and social spaces …

Providing Senior Citizen Mobility At Minimum Public Cost, Cornelius Nuworsoo

City and Regional Planning

No abstract provided.

Loosening The Ties That Bind: Grangegorman Masterplan, Noel Brady

Articles

Interview with James Mary O'Connor, Architect and Masterplanner with Moore Rubel Yudell designers of the Masterplan for DIT at Grangegroman, Dublin

Preliminaries To A Feasibility Analysis Of The Maglev Proposal Of The Southern California Association Of Governments For The Region, Cornelius Nuworsoo

City and Regional Planning

This is a seed grant study to perform a preliminary investigation of the system components and generalized costs of the magnetic levitation type of high speed rail system that is proposed for the Southern California Region, TGV‐based high speed rail, and urban rapid transit with special focus on bus rapid transit (BRT). This technology overview summarizes the key aspects of these transit technologies and provides comparative cost information to feed a more comprehensive feasibility analysis.

Westfield Downtown Plan Final Report, Joseph Krupczynski

Re-thinking Downtown Westfield (2009)

This project, a collaboration between the city of Westfield, the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, UMass Amherst Center for Design Engagement, and Westfield State College Department of Geography and Regional Planning is aimed at developing a comprehensive downtown housing and economic development action plan for Westfield, MA.

Cultural Sincerity In Urban Development, Gordon Douglas

Faculty Publications, Urban and Regional Planning

This paper examines the role of culture in the urban development process. An abridged selection from an ongoing study of developers, activists and the politics of growth in Davis, California, it presents the case of the Target Corporation's campaign to build the first "big box" retail store in that city. I argue that Target's ability to win over the strongly slow-growth and anti-corporate community in a public referendum -- following apparently successful attempts to meet popular expectations of environmental leadership and the preservation of unique local character -- provides a clear example of how what I call cultural sincerity can …

What Is Glamour? The Production & Consumption Of A Working Aesthetic, Gordon Douglas

Faculty Publications, Urban and Regional Planning

I examine here how glamour is manifested in different places and among different peoples across Los Angeles, each with different histories, cultures and aesthetics. After initially defining the concept with reference to traditional understandings using the social and spatial history of Hollywood, I develop three ideal-typical categories of glamour (glitz as glamour, status as glamour, and grit as glamour) as heuristics for looking at the many diverse ‘glamours’ to be found in Los Angeles today: from the film industry to finance, the allure of haute cuisine to the chrome of Latino car culture, the manufactured spectacle of absurdist architecture to …

A Concept For Implementation Of Lessons Learned Capability For Presidentially-Declared Disasters, Charles R. Jennings

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

Land Conservation And Land Use In New England: Trends, Challenges & Opportunities, Amanda Loomis, Tom Devine, Andrea Small, Brittany Howard, Brett Richardson, Stephanie Dulac

Land Conservation

Sprawling development patterns accelerated across the New England landscape in the last three decades and consumed the region‘s forests, farms, and open spaces at an unprecedented rate. New England‘ers in all six states formed land trusts, supported statewide conservation organizations, and collaborated with state and federal partners to protect some of their most-prized recreation lands, wildlife habitats, and working lands. The current economic recession has slowed development pressures across the region and offers an opportunity to build on recent successes. The time is right to plan a coordinated New England conservation strategy that protects and links the region‘s natural assets. …

Applying Environmental Policy Instruments To Used Oil, W. David Conn

City and Regional Planning

A comprehensive assessment was conducted of California's Used Oil Program, which was established in 1992 to reduce the illegal disposal, and promote the reuse, of used lubricating oil. This paper summarises selected key findings of the assessment and discusses them in the context of designing and implementing policy instruments for promoting environmentally responsible waste management. The approach known as 'community-based social marketing' is identified as a promising option.

Dublin At The Crossroads: Exploring The Future Of The Dublin City Region, Elzbieta Krawczyk, Paolo Ronchetti

Reports

No abstract provided.

South Burlington Vt: New Urbanist South Village, Jack Kartez, Richard Barringer

Planning

The 220 acre master plan for South Village, the largest project in the City of South Burlington’s history, encompasses multiple housing types and innovative provisions for affordable housing. It integrates housing with open space and natural resource conservation, including a major Community Supported Agriculture project developed by a nonprofit partner, the Intervale Foundation. While not a mixed-use project (that is, commercial as well as residential development), South Village nonetheless represents a qualitative change in approach for South Burlington by incorporating large-scale open space preservation as part of development and multiple housing-types in one project. The case study recounts events leading …

South Burlington, Vt: Mixed-Use Comes To O’Dell Parkway, Ryan Neale, Brett Richardson, Richard Barringer

Planning

The proposed redevelopment of an underutilized property along major travel routes in South Burlington presents possibilities for infill development. The City of South Burlington, the developer, neighbors, and a variety of public and nonprofit financial partners work together to create a mixed-use residential/commercial development to meet a variety of housing and community needs. The case study describes the obstacles overcome to make redevelopment possible through zoning and regulatory changes, negotiation with local residents over traffic and other concerns, support from state and local housing advocates, and political leadership; as well as the development’s application of smart growth principles.

Interview With Ivy Dunlap, Bureau Of Environmental Services, 2009 (Audio), Ivy Dunlap

All Sustainability History Project Oral Histories

Interview of Ivy Dunlap by Kris Thomason at Portland State University on May 23rd, 2009.

The interview index is available for download.

City Of Guadalupe: Housing Element, Cornelius Nuworsoo, Jeffrey W. Hook, Cal Poly Graduate Planning Studio

City and Regional Planning

The City of Guadalupe’s Housing Element is a major component of the General Plan that addresses adequate housing opportunities for Guadalupe residents through 2014. It serves as the primary policy document guiding local decision‐making related to housing. As one of the seven mandatory General Plan elements required by the State of California, the Housing Element is unique in that it is required to be updated every five years and its content is subject to detailed statutory requirements. The 2009 Housing Element Update provides a comprehensive analysis of Guadalupe’s demographic, economic, and housing characteristics as required by State Law. The Element …

City Of Guadalupe: Community Plan, Cornelius Nuworsoo, Jeffrey W. Hook, Cal Poly Graduate Planning Studio

City and Regional Planning

The Guadalupe Community Plan contains long‐term goals, objectives, policies, and programs to provide a basis for decision‐making and guide development. Designed to create optimum levels of services, economic activity, and quality of life for residents and visitors, these statements are based on comprehensive research into existing community characteristics, anticipated opportunities, and public input. Guadalupe must be prepared to respond to the challenges and changes that projected population growth will bring, and this Plan can help guide that response. This Plan is both a statement of purpose and a decision‐making tool. As a statement of purpose, the Plan consists of the …

City Of Guadalupe: Background Report, Cornelius Nuworsoo, Jeffrey W. Hook, Cal Poly Graduate Planning Studio

City and Regional Planning

This Background Report is an integral part of the City of Guadalupe Community Plan. It summarizes of the existing (2009) conditions of Guadalupe, California and describes issues relevant to the update of the General Plan. Thus, it provides a starting point for the Community Plan and a context for examining the constraints and opportunities for meeting the community’s needs over the next twenty years. In this way, it serves as the informational basis on which the goals, policies, and programs of the Plan are based. This information was gathered by students in the City and Regional Planning Department at California …

Revitalizing The South End - The Gateway For Downtown Springfield, Barbara J. Constable, Brian Giggey, Christopher J. Jennette, Julie P. Meyer, Megan M. Plante, Diana W. Slawniak, Ben Eli Webb, Duanchai Yomdit, Deborah A. Zervas

Landscape Architecture & Regional Planning Studio and Student Research and Creative Activity

This studio report explores a service learning strategy in the context of the Graduate Urban Design Studio taught in the Department of Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The primary goal of this project is to design the South End as the future gateway for downtown Springfield that will help to transform it into a vibrant urban community.

Green design strategies, improvement of services and businesses for residents and the employees of local businesses, and new housing opportunities will enhance the vibrancy, resilience, and quality of life of this disadvantaged urban community. Revitalizing the South …

Los Vecinos: A Map Showing Site Boundaries In East L.A.: Windows Of Opportunity Defined, Crp 341 Urban Design Studio

CRP 341 Urban Design Studio III

No abstract provided.

Dispurbia, Daniel Kimicata

Architecture Thesis Prep

"This thesis aims to produce an architectural response to sprawl in the United States without privileging either the traditional city or the exurb. The project rejects the notion that the exurb is separate from the city and therefore looks to produce a response informed through an analysis of the urban condition in general."

Fragmented City: The Intersection Of Surrealism And Urban Reality, Lauren Hackett

Architecture Senior Theses

"The concept of the experience becomes relevant in the surrealist view of the city. It is one that has been embraced by the situationists in their concept of the derive. The psychological understanding of urban space can supersede the retinal understanding of rationalized space. The search for truth within the city is what guides a civilization toward absolutism.

In treating the city as a field for discovert and the formulation of ideaas and pure thought, urban space enters a realm of surreality."

Sustainable Portland: Implementation Series 2, New England Environmental Finance Center

Climate Change

The Portland Municipal Climate Change Working Group prepared a report in March 2008 that outlined several recommendations as a commitment by the City to address greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) produced during daily municipal operations. The Municipal Climate Action Plan was written in partnership with Clean Air – Cool Planet and Portland officials, and acknowledges under Recommendation #2 that an employee energy efficiency program would provide significant positive impact on the City’s reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Best practices from three cities show that focus on the greening of City Hall is critical in developing a program that promotes partnerships, community …