Other Architecture Commons^™

Adaptive And Inclusive Seating Design For Transit-Oriented Interior, Muhammad Daffa Brisbhanuharto, Novrizal Primayudha

ARSNET

As transit-oriented interiors increasingly evolve into complex commercial and social micro-environments and serve diverse user groups, seating design must respond beyond basic functionality to address the need for adaptation and inclusivity. This study explores adaptive and inclusive design strategies through the development of seating design in such a context. This research follows Liedtka's human-centred, iterative design process comprising stages such as empathy, definition, ideation, and prototyping in developing seating design for a transit-oriented interior at Canabeans Coffee, located within KCIC Halim High-Speed Rail Station, Jakarta.

The design integrates ergonomic, aesthetic, and accessibility considerations while responding to contextual challenges of a …

The Babycare Box Project - A Design Proposal By Culp And Jerkins, Jeremy R. Jerkins, Payton L. Culp

SPARK Symposium Presentations

The BabyCare Box was an interdisciplinary design project proposed Professor Lima’s 4^th Year Fall Studio and the Doctorate of Nursing program at Belmont in coordination with OliveLink, a non-profit organization out of Kenya.  The prompted project was to create a localized version of the Baby Box that had been successful in Finland and Scotland in reducing infant mortality rates.  Our proposed design is that of a box that has multiple uses after the child has grown too large for the bascinet.  Constructed from locally sourced or sustainable materials such as bamboo plywood and recycled plastics, the box emphasizes safety, …

An Exploration Of The Evolving Boundary-Spanning Leadership Role Of Architects, Rory Concannon, Roisin Murphy, Oluwasegun Seriki

Articles

Architects form part of multidisciplinary teams in the construction of the built environment. Traditionally they have played a leading role within the construction process, often managing entire projects to completion. In recent years the composition of construction teams have evolved, leading to a perception that the architects leadership role has been diminished. Little is known about the boundary-spanning leadership required by architects, particularly in the light of the evolving roles. Through in-depth, semi-structured interviews, this research reduces this gap by exploring architect’s leadership practices in the context of changing boundaries within the construction team. Our findings reveal six specific competencies …

Between Shelter And Ash: A Process-Based Study On Fire-Resilient Recommendations For Wildland-Urban Interface Zones, Sandra L. Santos

McNair Summer Research Program

With the intensifying threat of wildfires across California, evident in the destruction of over 16,000 structures during the 2025 Los Angeles fires, there is an urgent need to reconsider how residential structures are conceived in fire-prone zones. While existing building codes and guidelines have made notable progress in addressing wildfire risk, their predominant focus on “home hardening” often overlooks the potential of site planning, spatial configuration, and architectural design as agents of wildfire resilience.

This study, conducted through the McNair Scholars Program under the mentorship of Professor Daniel Lopez-Perez, ultimately develops a Wildfire-Resilient Design Guide and three connective drawings through …

Between Shelter & Ash: A Design Policy Atlas For Wildfire-Resiliency, Daisy Elizabeth Morales-Zaragoza

McNair Summer Research Program

Architectural design holds a powerful potential in the face of wildfire threats, yet remains underutilized in fire resilience strategies. This study will explore how design, at the level of the house, street, and community, can move beyond code compliance toward holistic protection. Through analysis of principal fire codes such as IWUIC, CBC Chapter 7A, and NFPA 1144, visual diagrams, precedent case studies, and original architecture proposals, the paper proposes a multiscale design framework that expands our understanding of resilience. It argues that while fire codes establish critical baselines, spatial planning, form, and materials must work in concert with social and …

Between Shelter & Ash, Designing Fire-Proof Resilient Neighborhoods, Arlene I. Garcia Guzman

McNair Summer Research Program

In response to the ongoing catastrophic wildfires in the U.S., especially the West Coast region, the State of California is proactively implementing the first multi-faceted legislative and regulatory framework to enhance wildfire resiliency.

During a disaster, embers are the most important contributors to wildfire, and can dictate whether homes ignite or not. Given their potent ignition source, their capacity to travel for miles, researchers have concluded that wind-blown embers are the leading cause of destruction during wildfires. Simultaneously, the purpose of the 2025 building codes is to strengthen construction methods, requiring the use of rated structural materials, such as sheathing, …

Shared Kitchens Changing The Housing Development, Agniya Seliuzhytskaya

McNair Summer Research Program

In response to the escalating housing crisis and ongoing economic disruptions, many individuals have turned to home-based food entrepreneurship as a means of financial stability. The Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operation (MEHKO) program enables residents to legally operate small-scale food businesses from their private kitchens, effectively blurring the line between domestic and commercial space. This research investigates how MEHKOs challenge conventional understandings of housing, domesticity, and zoning, and considers how shared or adaptable kitchen models might inform emerging housing typologies.

The study combines spatial and policy analysis by mapping the distribution of approved MEHKO sites in San Diego and overlaying that …

Spaces Of Empowerment: A Study On University Multicultural Spaces & Civil Rights, Keana Balalio

McNair Summer Research Program

Following the 1960s Civil Rights Movement, American universities dedicated offices and centers to multiculturalism. This project questions how identity-centered spaces for empowerment operate in relation to efforts for institutional integration. This study proposes the term space(s) of empowerment to describe identity-based areas at universities [and other institutions] that encourage gathering of historically marginalized communities, their allies, and institutional supervisory support. The concept draws on architectural literature regarding political and economic power dynamics of space. Beginning with the University of San Diego’s United Front Multicultural Commons (UFMC), study includes reproductions of floor plans and memories. Analysis draws from Michel de Certeau’s …

Nature Playscape: Investigating Children’S Play Behavior And Environmental Affordances In A School Playground, Sara E. Billie

All Dissertations

Existing research demonstrates that the physical environment can either hinder or enhance children’s play behavior. Diverse outdoor settings are especially effective in fostering motivation to play, contributing to children’s physical, social, and cognitive development. In response to the growing belief that outdoor play is both a necessity and a right for young children, particularly amidst concerns about nature deficit disorder and the rise of urban living among children, this study investigates the concept of nature playscapes, or naturalized playgrounds, as a vehicle for reconnecting children with the natural world. While contemporary playground design often struggles to balance structure with creativity, …

Family Homemaking Tactics In Tyneside Flats: Contemporary Interpretations Of Victorian Domestic Interior, Heba Sarhan, Rosie Parnell

Interiority

This study addresses the gap between knowledge of adaptable design and the socio-spatial practices within the interior spaces of contemporary domestic settings. The aim is to support the sustainability of residential environments by enhancing the adaptability of dwellings to changing and diverse home life needs. Consequently, this paper delves into design features that enhance the adaptability of interior domestic spaces, informed by everyday family homemaking processes. Through a case study of the Tyneside flat, this paper illustrates challenges of transitioning this flat from Victorian to contemporary family home. Drawing on data gathered using multimodal methods, the findings demonstrate homemaking tactics …

Live-In Tajuk: Role-Play Model In The Co-Creation Of Community-Based Design Practices, Resza Riskiyanto, Nurul Syala Abdul Latip, Maheswara Rizky Pasopati, Brandi Orbita Imagi Putri Agung

ASEAN Journal of Community Engagement

This article examines a collaborative project that involves diverse actors in the co-creation of community-based design within an agricultural context. This study focuses on the implementation of the role-playing model as a practice that cultivates empathy, reflexivity, and collective agency among actors. The model is implemented through several methods, including collective reading of the context, dynamic role shifting, and the negotiation of architectural program. As part of community service, this seven-day program involved four groups, each consisting of four local students and two international students, four lecturers and design practitioners, and four household units, to participate in the role-playing and …

Revisiting The Post-Tsunami Aceh School: A Community-Based Evaluation Framework For Improving Build Back Better Projects, Muhammad Naufal Fadhil, Aji Sofiana Putri, Muhammad Fadli Muslimin

ASEAN Journal of Community Engagement

This study proposes a community-based evaluation framework to assess and improve the existing conditions of post-tsunami schools based on the occupants’ evaluations. Rapid, donor-driven reconstruction often defaults to ‘fit-for-all’ solutions that bypass community needs, resulting in facilities that are misaligned with local contexts. This project focused on Lampageu State Elementary School in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, which was reconstructed in 2009 by a German NGO after the 2004 tsunami. The project began by observing the school’s physical condition through the community engagement team, followed by a review and exploration of the school’s design needs with the school community. The community-based evaluation …

A Tale Of Two Worlds: A Framework For Translating Literary Fiction Into Architectural Space, Timothy D. Anderson

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

Authors and orators have employed fictional stories for thousands of years as a crucial method for translating narratives, lessons, and intangible culture. These take shape through diverse art forms such as spoken word, visual art, dance, and sculpture. However, in the current age, architecture often neglects its immersive and spatial potential, allowing stories of a site’s heritage to become lost beneath the layers of urban development. This thesis explores design as storytelling, examining how fictional narratives can be translated into architectural space.

The research draws on fictional and speculative narrative architecture, analyzing the use of metaphor, symbol, and allegory as …

Outdoor Exercise Area Renovation, Hagan T. Jackson, Chet S. Crummett, Jesse E. Muth

Architectural Engineering

The Outdoor Exercise Area Renovation project revitalizes a well-used outdoor exercise area located near the baseball fields at Cal Poly. The existing exercise equipment, originally donated by Maino Construction, was weathered, but the area remained well-utilized and presented potential for revitalization. This project transforms the site into a functional and resilient space by replacing the pull-up and dip bar equipment, constructing a 300 square foot pavilion, and adding a concrete slab and integrated concrete benches. The new design enhances usability, providing a multifunctional area for the Cal Poly community to exercise, socialize, relax, and enjoy scenic views.

The renovated area …

The Third Annual Hasslein Caed Collaborative, Marianne Nicole Bishai

Construction Management

This paper details the planning, development, and impact of the third annual Hasslein CAED Collaborative Student Competition. The intention of the Hasslein Cup is to engage the students of the five College of Architecture and Environmental Design (CAED) majors in an industry-like scenario. The five majors, Architecture, Architectural Engineering, City and Regional Planning, Construction Management, and Landscape Architecture, make up the workforce of the construction industry, yet there has been very little opportunity for the students to work together and replicate a professional scenario. The competition began from research conducted by Greta Stout, class of 2022, which explored the benefits …

From Industrial Building To Affordable Senior Housing: An Idea Book Beyond Code, Weiyi Ma

Masters Theses

This thesis envisions a proposal to adaptively re-purpose Rhode Island’s extant industrial building stock into affordable housing tailored to the needs of its older and more vulnerable citizens. Architectural dignity, in terms of older citizens amidst this housing crisis, is the creation of living environments that honor their autonomy, comfort, and identity through design interventions that provide accessible, luminous, breathable, and socially enriching spaces, reaffirming their rightful place within the community. With humanistic care and logical rigor, it establishes a mathematical framework for assessment and execution, anchored in five criteria: light, air, space, accessibility, and livability, and presents itself in …

Time In Architecture, Minho Kwon

Masters Theses

This project explores how the environment and time interact with architecture, proposing the potential to foster a deep connection between people and space by using time as a shared interactive factor.

Furthermore, this project seeks not only to explore the accumulation of time within architecture itself, but also to consider its relationship with the surrounding environment.

Bodies Collapsing Together... Together As Dust., Catherine J. Wang

Masters Theses

I welcome you to a pedagogy of collapsing bodies: the teaching and learning practice between surviving occupants of Institutions.

From the villainizing of trans- bodies in K-14 public schools to the bodily removal of Palestinian discourse from universities, the 2025 presidential takeover of the Department of Education unearths systemic urgencies over the fragility, complicity, and agency of academic institutions—survivors of wars, recessions, shootings, climate disasters—that have always been collapsing. As long as educational campuses stage political and industrial performances, Institutional marriage to capitalism collapses the future of the university. Our architectural pedagogy shoulders this weight of confrontation: design education as …

Prosthesis, Alexander A. Grosek

Masters Theses

This thesis explores the hospital as a prosthetic—a structural and spatial support for the human body in moments of vulnerability. Like a crutch or cast, the hospital temporarily supports patients in their transition from horizontal (infirm) to vertical (mobile), yet its architecture often fails to contribute meaningfully to that healing process. While clinical treatment is prioritized, the spatial, emotional, and sensory dimensions of care are neglected. What supports what becomes a central question: the building holds the body, but the body also gives meaning to the building. Their relationship is reciprocal.

Rather than proving that good design improves health—an idea …

The House At The End Of Time, Gyles Jose Antonio Ferrao

Masters Theses

This thesis investigates the architectural potential of thresholds as spaces of psychological and metaphysical transformation, positioning the edge not as a boundary but as a generative spatial condition. Drawing upon Carl Jung’s conception of dream architecture as a symbolic map of the self, the project proposes a nonlinear exploration of architecture through layered references that operate across metaphysical scales. The house becomes a medium through which the liminal is made tangible, a temporal and spatial construct that blurs the binary oppositions of life and death, memory and forgetting, reason and absurdity, consciousness and the unconscious.

The project conceptualizes architecture as …