Architecture Commons^™

Coarse-Work: An Investigation Into The Impact Of Materiality In The Interior Educational Setting, Isabel G. Robb

Honors Theses

Education design in modern suburban America curates learning environments that are cold and impersonal, being used more as a place to keep youth during the day than as a place where they can truly learn about and understand the world around them. This learning environment does not suit all students, especially those with learning disabilities, and it leaves little room for flexibility in classroom usage.

Focusing on creating a learning environment where all students feel welcome and are able to effectively learn, this projective design research project aims to provide a comprehensive intervention through the built environment and interior design, …

Native. A Look Into Interior Design's Impact In Rural Communities., Ashlynn Engelhard

Honors Theses

Rural America faces a greater set of health challenges than ever before, especially when compared to its metropolitan counterparts. The Association of American Medical Colleges notes these rural disparities resulting from “economic, social, racial, ethnic, geographic, and health workforce factors.” Though somewhat daunting to consider, the AAMC concludes “We need to figure out how to use this data to target resources and interventions to make a meaningful difference in improving the health of rural America.”

Focusing on addressing rural disparities that inhibit communities from positive health and well-being, this projective design research project aims to provide a comprehensive intervention through …

Epicenter: An Investigation Of Interior Design's Influence Of The American Suburban Situation, Lindsay Meyer

Honors Theses

The suburbs cause isolation and poor physical and mental health for a variety of individuals, including parents, teenagers, and the elderly. Neighborhood design rarely considers marginalized teenagers and elderly, but instead focuses on the automobile. Teenagers show higher rates of anxiety, depression, and substance abuse in suburban areas than in urban areas. Millennial desire for suburbs that are engaging and elderly desire to remain in their homes longer demands reconsideration of the current suburban model. Big-box store blight ravages suburban communities damaging local economies and diminishing community curb-appeal. Closing box stores compounds the suburban dweller’s reliance on the automobile, continuing …

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

Architecture Masters of Science Program: Theses

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 …

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

Architecture Masters of Science Program: Theses

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

An Evidence Based Design Guide For Interior Designers, Bethany Friedow

Interior Design Program: Theses and Other Student Work

The intent of this thesis is to provide an introductory guide for interior designers wishing to conduct research on various aspects of the built environment. It is tailored toward designers working in the healthcare field, but the concepts discussed can be translated into any realm of interior design or architecture.

Research is important to the profession and should play a role in every design project, particularly in the healthcare market. Credible design research will continue to elevate the profession and strengthen the credibility of design practitioners and firms who can successfully conduct a research program. Among the key areas of …

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

Architecture Masters of Science Program: Theses

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 …