Architecture Commons^™

Healing The Scars, Tony J. Rodriguez Jr

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

We live in a Kleenex society. What I mean by this is that everything is, or is in danger of becoming, disposable. We simply take what we need and like a tissue toss it aside when we've exhausted its use.

We have come to believe that no matter our actions nature will eventually heal itself. Showing the world the impact industrialization has had on the natural world can lead us as a society to become aware of our Kleenex mentality.

My site, Bellwood Quarry here in Atlanta, is currently proposed to be the largest park and water reservoir in the …

Resurrection, Zachery Terry

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

In Sensory Design by Author Joy Monice Malnar, she describes 1.The perception of a physical construct. 2. Assessment of its individual composition in relation to a larger characteristic pattern. 3. Memories of prior personal and cultural experiences all play a part in conditioning ones perception and the totality of these factors can be described as a spatio-sensory construct.

The experience of an area built on the foundation of a rich cultural history should be always be dynamic whether to a visitor or resident.

But what do you call a place where none of this is present?

Today, Sweet Auburn …

A Place Of Our Own: Investigating The Physical And Social Construct Of Public Space In Atlanta, Jonne Smith

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

Atlanta has lost the quality of spaces which links the social and physical qualities of its urban fabric. Through its disjointed nature its sense of place and organic public life has dwindled into the background. As it stands Atlanta’s “identity” broadcasts a city whose urban spaces are haphazard assemblages of the social, economic, cultural, and historical elements of the city.

Business has become an overbearing forefront in the streetscape as public spaces such as plazas function in reality as surveilled extensions of corporate space. The cultural and historic attractions, though enjoyable and interesting, are scattered throughout the city, making for …

Sport In Society: Enhancing The Experience, Sean Fuller

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

As an avid sports fan myself, sport has become a huge cultural event in today's society. It’s evolved from a social interaction aspect to a physical experiential standpoint. When you arrive to a sport stadium, the first thing you notice is the amount of people and the size of the structure. How can that many people fit comfortably in one space? Does the experience become something more than just finding your way to your seat and watching the game? By understanding the breakdown of stadiums and how they perceive experiential architecture, these massive structures can open up to the community …

Divine Intervention: Designed For Social Evolution By Integrating Natural Order, Anatoshia L. Wyatt

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

There is a long tradition in architecture of using ordering systems found in nature and science to create built space. This thesis builds upon such line of thought to propose new design methods based on ordering systems with a particular focus on social relations. It focuses on the design of a community center in the city of Atlanta which is considered as a catalyst for jumpstarting the betterment of society through improvement of social bonds, community involvement, activism, meditation, and the integration of nature in the community. The design is situated on the Bellwood Quarry site and creates an ecological …

Infrastructural Urbanism: Hybridizing Our Networks, Hannah Boyd

KSU Journey Honors College Capstones and Theses

“The story of people can be told through our infrastructure. In the rise and fall of cities throughout history, the places best positioned for a thriving future have always been those that offer systems to create the lives that we want. And we can see that as the innovations of canals, aqueducts, railroads, and highways did in their time, the kind of infrastructure that we build today matters to our success. If we do it right, it will forever transform our way of life.”
– Ryan Gravel¹

Urban edges are created through interstices, spaces intervening between one thing and …

Re (Civic) Function The Cultural Value Of L’ Aquila, Ogechi Nwoko

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

I want to start by exploring with you the meaning of you these numbers. From 2000 to 2012 natural disasters have caused 1.7 trillion dollars in damage and affected 2.9 billion people. Nearly 50% of the fatalities caused by natural disasters were due to flooding or earthquakes events. If we also look at the regions affected, these are usually facing social, cultural and environmental difficulties; therefore, the process of recovery of the communities in most of the time is slowly effective or unsuccessful. In order to face better future calamities, this research aims to analyze the displacing effect of the …

Infrastructural Urbanism: Hybridizing Our Networks, Hannah Boyd

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

“The story of people can be told through our infrastructure. In the rise and fall of cities throughout history, the places best positioned for a thriving future have always been those that offer systems to create the lives that we want. And we can see that as the innovations of canals, aqueducts, railroads, and highways did in their time, the kind of infrastructure that we build today matters to our success. If we do it right, it will forever transform our way of life.”
– Ryan Gravel¹

Urban edges are created through interstices, spaces intervening between one thing and …

Constructed Reality: A Study In Spatial Perception Through Virtual Reality, Jose P. Rodriguez

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

Architecture often begins explorations that lead into various modes of end products. These modes of production and representation could often embed traces that shape the outcome of the design. In his book, “Architectural Representation and The Perspective Hinge.”, Alberto Perez Gomez says that “Architects do not produce Buildings but instead produce images of buildings.” These representational images are an expression of an idea or design. Historically, representation began in static two-dimensions. By bridging into digital environments, these representations become more dynamic. As computing power increases and software broadens, the use of virtual reality environments and immersion simulations are becoming more …

On Craft, William Lentjes

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

Craft is a relationship - a dialogue - between craftsman, tool, and material. Craft begins with the intent of all of these loci, and all of these loci are rooted in Being.

Being is known through the consciousness, awareness, and perception of a subject. Being is the inherent existence and totality of "what is."

Being crafts us; Craft imbues Being.

This thesis re-examines the pedagogical approach of an architectural education. The focus is placed on craft through presuppositionless phenomenology.

In an age of endless mechanized production and spiritless materialism, the practice of craft can teach us to return to the …

Memento Memoriam: Reconciling Death, Society, And The Environment, Damari Weaver

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

The increase in population, rising cost of funeral expenses, and environmental “permanence” of cemeteries has increased the burden of modern American burial practices. In order to reconcile the various environmental, financial and psychological challenges of death, the architecture of death-related practices must propose sustainable alternatives of honoring and “housing” the dead. It must create a supportive environment that assists in the mourning experience and helps foster thoughts of remembrance, and goes beyond the physical function of a cemetery, or a crematorium, or a columbarium, by focusing on architecture's subliminal nature to heal, orient, and evoke.

The Collective Object: Realizing Collective Space In An Era Of Bigness, Laura M. Sherman

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

Architecture reacted to the Technological Revolution of the late 19th century with inspired proposals of optimistic expectation for the new era. The advancements of elevators, escalators and air conditioning meant almost limitless potential for the scale and scope of the built environment. However, society quickly realized the advantageous reality of this technology: Their buildings no longer needed the cities which surrounded them.

Endless interiors and “cities-within-cities” meant the possibility of a lifestyle where people could choose to never again interact with the undesirables of the true city. The built environment actively resisted the collective. A trend of self-interested architectures affected …

Living Space : Client - Based Design For Assisted Living, Michael K. Adams

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

Designing an assisted living facility with the client in mind. This project aims to create a space which encourages growth and progression for its residents by focusing on community, access to nature, sunlight, open spaces, increased living space, and flex spaces.

By working with the existing community and by emphasizing a program which focuses on the physical and mental needs of the residents, this building seeks to inspire and allow the residents to pursue their passions a manner that honors who they are and what they require.

"A Vigorous Propaganda": The Peace Conferences Of 1899 And 1907, The Peace Palace, And Internationalism Through Design At The Hague, 1899–1920, Daniel Pecoraro

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis uncovers the history of the Peace Palace and The Hague’s role in the early days of the internationalist movement. In the process of localizing the early twentieth century history of The Hague, this thesis examines the development of international imagery and culture through design. The Peace Palace as we know it today was ultimately a result of tensions between internationalist ideas (cooperation, arbitration, modernity) and the pride of Old World nationalism. The final design by Louis Cordonnier and J. A. G. Van der Steur repudiates the feeling of modernity surrounding the idea of peace through arbitration. It is …

Coda - Determining The Sounding Chamber, Michael Phaff

KSU Journey Honors College Capstones and Theses

This research is in direct relation to the accompanied thesis proposal conducted within the Department of Architecture by author, Michael Phaff, under the guidance of thesis Advisor, Marietta Monaghan. Upon examining local problems with urban fabric, a site and a cause to resolve has been identified. Examining the urban disconnect and architecturally related history and projects, this capstone addresses a condition not yet publicly identified of the site, sound quality of the pedestrian experience in a high traffic environment. Studies show increased health problems of residents living in close proximity to high traffic environments. The goal of this research is …

The Collective Object: Realizing Collective Space In An Era Of Bigness, Laura M. Sherman

KSU Journey Honors College Capstones and Theses

Architecture reacted to the Technological Revolution of the late 19th century with inspired proposals of optimistic expectation for the new era. The advancements of elevators, escalators and air conditioning meant almost limitless potential for the scale and scope of the built environment. However, society quickly realized the advantageous reality of this technology: Their buildings no longer needed the cities which surrounded them.

Endless interiors and “cities-within-cities” meant the possibility of a lifestyle where people could choose to never again interact with the undesirables of the true city. The built environment actively resisted the collective. A trend of self-interested architectures affected …

Learning Is Diverse: The Dynamics Of Change, Catherine G. Harter

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

Educational models of the 20th century in the United States responded directly to the then current economic circumstances and workforce needs. Schools throughout the United States were designed on those educational models of production and efficiently. While educational models have since changed in response to societal shifts, now emphasizing flexibility, diversity, and the integration of technology, the design of school infrastructure has not made that leap. By reconceptualizing the boundaries between elements and opening existing structure schools can be redesigned to align with the new educational model. This creates collaboration between different levels of expertise, the exploration of relationships between …

Intelligible Hospitals ( Understanding The Parts = Understanding The Whole), Giovonni C. Reese

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

Healthcare complexes exemplify many features of complex buildings since they expand over time to accommodate growth and the ever increasing specialization of branches of clinical medicine. We understand and use buildings by moving through them. Especially in hospital complexes, intelligibility of movement is critical for the functioning and the interfacing among patients, visitors and healthcare professionals. This thesis focuses on the redesign of the circulation system in Piedmont Hospital complex in Atlanta GA, which has expanded over the years into a sprawling complex labyrinth of pavilions. In 1957, Piedmont started on Peachtree street with just one central building. A series …

Dame Zaha Hadid, Architect: Her History, Style, And How They Uniquely Qualified Her To Design The Guangzhou Opera House, Allison Foster

AWE (A Woman’s Experience)

This paper provides a brief background on the accolades of Dame Zaha Hadid, architect, and expresses the significance of her international acclaim in light of being a woman architect. Hadid’s experiences developing into a successful, professional architect, despite existing gender and cultural minority biases working against her, are compared to the city of Guangzhou’s economic success, despite a history of foreign occupation. Hadid’s personal experiences of working and living in areas with strong multicultural influences relate to Guangzhou’s multicultural population, as it exists as a hub for immigration and trade into mainland China. Hadid’s personal style, as inspired by her …

Overused And Neglected: Conceptual Designs For Spaces On Campus, Cayla A. Riehl

Senior Honors Projects

As humans, we routinely spend time in the spaces we perceive to be comfortable and serve a purpose centralized to the individual. Most do not recognize the science behind what goes into making a space serve its purpose and that is done best by interior designers. Over time, it is common for the needs of a space to change in accordance with the changing times and current trends. The University of Rhode Island has recently made grand investments in the programs that attract the most students, leaving many other spaces overused and neglected. There has been continuous neglect to certain …