Environmental Design Commons^™

Designed Physical Environments As Related To Selves, Symbols, And Social Reality: A Proposal For A Humanistic Paradigm Shift For Architecture, Ronald Smith, Valerie Bugni

Sociology Faculty Research

In this paper we will begin by briefly describing the concept of self, proceed by discussing the symbolic significance of physical environment, then describe as well as propose a humanist paradigm which we believe should be employed in architectural theory and practice, and finally discuss how the shift to a humanistic paradigm might be accomplished.

Information And Communication Technology And The Part Urban Planners Can Play, P. Wales

Ned Wales

Extract:

At the beginning of the new millennium, information and communications technologies (ICT’s) are the centre of interest for both business and government. Increasingly, new development and urban policy is concerned with the opportunities and threats posed by the digital revolution and business and government need to respond strategically. The advantages of a proactive approach to ICT’s and the spin-off economic activity is the opportunity to create more sustainable communities which incorporate clean industry and reductions in use of non-renewable resources.

Despite recent market trends where correction in over speculative activity has seen technology stocks decline, it is still broadly …

Research Into Evaporative Cooling Of Buildings In Maritime Climates, Ben Costelloe, Donal Finn

Reports

Concern with environmental emissions has focused attention on traditional forms of energy use in buildings, with a view to reducing and making more rational use of energy consumption. One area of concern is the traditional, refrigeration based, commercial air conditioning system, which has high levels of electrical power consumption in fans and refrigeration compressors. There is also concern among building owners and design teams, supported by the PROBE series of post occupancy studies, conducted by the CIBSE, that many buildings, with traditional forms of air conditioning, under perform in terms of occupant satisfaction, ease of operation and control, maintenance costs …

Developments In Evaporative Cooling Of Buildings In Maritime Climates, Ben Costelloe, Donal Finn

Reports

Concern with environmental emissions has focused attention on traditional forms of energy use in buildings, with a view to reducing and making more rational use of energy consumption. One area of concern is the traditional, refrigeration based, commercial air conditioning system, which has high levels of electrical power consumption in fans and refrigeration compressors. There is also concern among building owners and design teams, supported by the PROBE series of post occupancy studies, conducted by the CIBSE, that many buildings, with traditional forms of air conditioning, under perform in terms of occupant satisfaction, ease of operation and control, maintenance costs …

Inside Unlv, Diane Russell, Cate Weeks, Betty Biodgett

Inside UNLV

No abstract provided.

Roundtable Series On Innovative Approaches To Land Conservation And Smart Growth, New England Environmental Finance Center

Smart Growth

A series of six roundtable discussions was conducted by the New England Environmental Finance Center (NE/EFC) from January through May 2002, one in each New England state. The objectives of the series were to consolidate expertise in financing and coordinating projects that combine conservation and development on the landscape, and to identify key areas of unmet need that could be addressed by the NE/EFC. Each discussion entailed several case study presentations and facilitated discussion about what works, what doesn’t work, and what might work in financing and coordinating efforts that combine conservation and development. Key areas of opportunity that emerged …

Connections, Ronald Smith, Valerie Bugni

Sociology Faculty Research

We will begin the series by providing a definition of sociology. Next, we will discuss the ways in which sociologists and architects have collaborated in the past and finally we will propose ways in which the sociologist might assist the architect in today’s complex world.

Smart Growth And Land Acquisition Priorities, New England Environmental Finance Center

Land Conservation

It is well-known and generally accepted that all undeveloped land in New England cannot forever be protected from development; nor would this be a desirable goal, as continued economic development and population growth are near certainties. For these and other reasons, private land trusts and government agencies generally use explicit criteria to prioritize their land acquisition activities and prospects.

Much land protection in New England and elsewhere, however, has occurred without substantial attention to such land use needs as fostering the best locations for where people will live, businesses will locate, and infrastructure will be built to avoid degrading resources. …

Edra 33: Bibliography Of Books On Display, Kathleen Demsky

Bibliographies

EDRA 33 | Community: Revolution or Evolution | Philadelphia, PA

Self Reliant Agriculture For Arid Lands, David A. Bainbridge

David A Bainbridge

More than a billion people face the challenge of supporting themselves in the world's arid lands. Much can be improved by refining and adopting the best traditional practices and crops from around the world. The lessons learned can also help develop new and improved agronomic practices and crops.

Creative Communities: An Application Of The Visioning Method For The Development Of Community Indicators In Ballymun (Ireland), Elzbieta Krawczyk

Articles

No abstract provided.

Native Plants: The Preservation And Restoration Of Native Plants In Designed Landscapes In Northwest Arkansas, Janet Coleman

Inquiry: The University of Arkansas Undergraduate Research Journal

A decline in Northwest Arkansas's native plant population has occurred over the past 50 years, as documented by the U.S. Forest Service in the Ozark-Ouachita Highlands Assessment. This decline has been caused by increased human development in natural areas and the replacement of native plants with exotic, non-native plants. As a result, a generation has grown up not knowing what an Ozark wake Robin trillium (Trillium pusillum var. ozarkanum) or Blood root (Sanguinaria canadensis) Look like, because these plants are difficult to find in nature, are not commonly grown in designed landscapes, and are Largely unavailable in garden centers. The …

Marsport Deployable Greenhouse, Iova Dineva

Inquiry: The University of Arkansas Undergraduate Research Journal

To sustain a Mars exploration team, NASA's reference mission IV includes a greenhouse facility requirement to supplement the crew's food supply. This research project explores strategies for building, delivering, deploying, operating, and maintaining a greenhouse as a supplemental structure for the Mars environment. The MarsPort Deployable Greenhouse (MDG) addresses the issues of atmosphere, sunlight, energy, deployment mechanism, water and nutrients, crop collection, modular development for expansion, research module for Mars experimentation, and crew recreation.

The Neighborhood Concept: A Retrospective Of Physical Design And Social Interaction, Nicholas Patricios

Nicholas Patricios

In 1929 the neighborhood concept was published separately in two forms. First was the neighborhood idea of Clarence Stein and Henry Wright, exemplified in their plan for Radburn. Second was the Neighborhood Unit idea of Clarence Perry. Since then, for the past seven decades, the concept has been applied and adapted internationally. Over this period the concepts original principles of neighborhood physical design, in both its forms, have varied with little controversy. What has been and is still an issue is the nature of the relationship between the neighborhood's physical arrangement and the social interaction among its residents. The conceptual …

Urban Design Principles Of The Original Neighborhood Concepts, Nicholas Patricios

Nicholas Patricios

The neighbourhood concept is arguably one of the major planning landmarks that shaped the urban form of the twentieth century city in many countries. Coincidently, both the neighbourhood idea of Clarence Stein and Henry Wright, exemplified in their plan for Radburn, and the Neighbourhood Unit idea of Clarence Perry were published in 1929. The urban design principles of Stein and Wright included the idea of a superblock of residential units grouped around a central green, the separation of vehicles and pedestrians, and a road hierarchy with culs-de-sac for local access roads. A cluster of superblocks was to form a self-contained …