Architecture Commons^™

Resilience Through Experience, Nathan Johnson

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

Resilience Through Experience answers the question: How can architecture contribute thematically to the climate crisis? The project transforms and renews a polluted EPA Superfund site in Pasadena, Texas into a center for ecological research and climate simulation. The design constitutes an addition to the new Apocalyptic Architecture: architecture which actualizes the climate crisis for its users.

The site is split into two primary zones: an active soil washing pit that will reclaim the site from its pollution and a constructed bioswale wetland that floods every two hours. The endless cycle of rising water levels will serve as a spatial and …

Loophole, Eduardo Brimmer

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

With the envisioning of this project, music will solidify its attachment to the world of beer through the notion of design. Many breweries, bars, night clubs, and taphouses exist. However, the difference between this project and many of its sister markets, is the direct fusion between the ideology behind music, beverage, and emotion. The projects’ ability to create a cultural hub impacting its community will be what sets the venue apart from any of its kind.

If the project creates this center for experience, then by default, the community around the hub will become part of a sub-culture surrounded by …

In Light Of Design: The Architecture Of Ambiance, Dariusch Hakimi Gilani

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

Architectural education often emphasizes technical proficiency and efficiency over the development of sensory and emotional experience, despite the profound impact atmosphere has on the built environment. Architecture schools claim to prepare students for a broad range of creative careers, yet direct education in atmospheric design is frequently relegated to adjacent disciplines like interior design, production design, or themed entertainment design. This disconnect raises a critical question: Can architectural education teach technical engineering skill and atmospheric sensitivity simultaneously, without compromising either? Given the crucial role of atmosphere in shaping human experience within spaces, it is essential to integrate its study into …

Urban Refuge: Plausible Architectural Solution For The Unhoused, Cameron Lewis

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

Growing up in and around Atlanta, the presence of unhoused individuals has always been a stark reality. My dad often recounted how many people experiencing homelessness he would pass on his commute downtown, and as a child, I vividly recall seeing groups of unhoused individuals at MARTA stops and on the streets. Even as I’ve grown older, these same scenes are still there. According to the 2023 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report (AHAR) from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, over 653,000 people nationwide were reported homeless, with 256,610 of them unsheltered. In Atlanta, the 2024 Point-In-Time count revealed a …

Wheelchair Worlds: [Re]Imagining Architecture For A Mobility-Centered Society, Stephanie Kim Le

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

This thesis reimagines architecture from the perspective of wheelchair users, proposing a mobility-centered design approach where ramps, movement, and sensory experience are the foundation of form — not afterthoughts. Rather than adding accessibility features to an able-bodied norm, the project designs entirely from the experience of wheeled movement. Through the creation of a Wellness and Recreation Center at East Montlake Park in Seattle, the thesis investigates how ramps can become architectural generators, how sensory-responsive materials can shape spatial dignity, and how buildings can welcome all bodies through seamless, inclusive circulation.

Drawing from both research and real-world challenges, the design replaces …

Performative Biomechanics : Evolving Buildings Into Inhabitable Organisms, Josh Lopez

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

There has always been a connection between biology and architecture. Michael Pawlyn, in Biomimicry in Architecture, coined “biomechanical designs” to describe structural techniques derived from creatures. This study investigates chitin-based creatures. Crustaceans, insects, and microscopic organisms all have exoskeletons in nature. With a focus on crabs, other crustaceans and bugs, this study examines and evaluates the formal characteristics of chitin-based organisms. The architectural creations of OXMAN, NOX, which was founded by Lars Spuybroek; and Lebbeus Woods are among those that are analyzed and studied due to their inspiration from living things. They follow functional effectiveness in nature, which is why …

A Work[Play]Ce For All: Working Hard And Playing Hard Shouldn't Be This Hard, Mary E. Caldwell

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

62% of the United States Labor Force goes to an office every day. That means that nearly 6 out of every 10 Americans spend most of their days experiencing an ordinary office environment every week. Children, on the other hand, spend most of their days in school, where they are constantly given playful and enjoyable tasks to promote their learning. Why does this concept of promoting pleasant emotions in a person’s everyday life seem to disappear as we become older and our everyday life becomes more critical to well-being? Imagine if offices were designed to promote pleasant experiences.

This thesis …

Reclaiming Space: Addressing Urban Stratification In Atlanta's Bankhead Neighborhood, Maci J. Sims

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

Picture Bankhead, Atlanta, a neighborhood woven with Black cultural history, where generations of families have shaped a strong, resilient community. But now, that fabric is fraying. Luxury developments rise where community landmarks once stood, coffee shops replace local staples, and long-time residents are priced out. At the center of this transformation is the Atlanta Beltline, originally envisioned as a unifying greenway, now a powerful catalyst for displacement in neighborhoods like Bankhead. The root of this crisis is not just affordability, but a deep housing imbalance: a polarized system of luxury high-rises and clustered affordable housing, leaving middle-income residents without space …

Tensile Techonics, Jesus A. Vielma

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

Architecture has traditionally responded to seismic threats with mass, rigidity, and fortification. However, in an era of increasing seismic volatility and material innovation, the architectural response must evolve from resisting nature to coexisting with it.

This thesis reimagines earthquake-resilient design through the framework of tensile technicism — the strategic use of tension-based systems, lightweight materials, and dynamic structural strategies to create flexible, adaptive environments that breathe with the earth’s movements rather than fracture under them.

By integrating structural engineering principles with emerging material technologies, this approach offers a lighter, more sustainable, and more resilient architecture for seismic zones. Tensile systems …

Skid Row To Recuperation Constellation, Nafisa Azad

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

California suffers from more homelessness than any other state in the U.S. This is also true of chronic homelessness – a critical category of homelessness that captures the intersection of homelessness and disability. Indeed, homelessness and disability – both physical and mental - often occur together. This intersection is especially prevalent in Los Angeles. Current approaches to homelessness focus on housing, with insufficient attention paid to the oft equally troublesome disabilities that follow suit. The dearth of attention paid to the intersection between homelessness and disability represents a crucial gap to be filled. This thesis aims to demonstrate how community …

The Slice / Revitalizing Space For Bushwick's Creatives, Nadabya Lorick

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

Bushwick has an underlying heritage of being a vital, diverse, energetic neighborhood. Declining infrastructure, fragmented social networks, and a lack of attention to residents’ needs have contributed to the area’s struggles. Despite these challenges, the neighborhood’s vibrant street art culture has emerged as a powerful force for renewal, fostering a sense of identity and drawing widespread appreciation. Reconfiguring a person’s relationship with their existence in Bushwick, NY, sits at the intersection of the wider well-being of humans, which includes intrinsic elements and more social interaction. This looks like repurposing buildings to highlight Bushwick’s unique blend of historical heritage, artistic energy, …

Sardis - The Agonist: A Monument To The Resurrection Of A Dormant Cultural & Commercial Center, Inocencio Ruiz

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

The rural American Southeast is a region of deep cultural significance that is shaped by resilience, adaptation, and an ever-evolving relationship with the land. Sardis, like many crossroad towns in Georgia, bears the imprint of shifting economies, environmental forces, and the enduring spirit of its people. This thesis combines a familiar vernacular of place that is integrated with a neo-cultural sophistication to explore how material details become the foundation for composing and proposing a neo-narrative architecture that represents a people, a region, and its rural southern heritage.

Sardis, Georgia is a complex and historically important small town... the materiality that …

Balancing Act: Retrofitting Office Design To Enrich Communities, Luke A. Griffith

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

The office workplace has shifted tremendously in the last decade. The world is adapting quickly to new technology and culture changes, but office buildings seem to be stuck in the past. COVID-19 has brought the world to a stand still and moved the way to do business to our homes. This shift has taught the workforce that most work can be done as efficiently at home than in the office. This leads to existing office buildings becoming rapidly vacant due to the lack of consistent occupancy throughout the work week. Where does that leave the future of the existing office …

Invisible Scholars, Emmaline Payne

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

In the United States, every year, there are approximately 1.3 million students who experience homelessness, an individual who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. Homelessness among students has a significant impact on their academic performance, mental health, and behavior. Factors like higher absenteeism, constant movement, and lack of support can all contribute to decreased academic achievement. Ultimately, this leads to students having to repeat grades or not graduating high school, compromising their abilities to succeed in the future. In addition to the decrease in academic achievement, behavioral and mental challenges exacerbated by the stress of housing instability also …

Aquatic Boundaries: Reimagining BeléN, A City Carried By Water And Resilience., Kassidy R. Mcclain

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

Rising water levels are not a distant threat. It is a reality that many cities already face. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the global mean sea level has risen approximately 8–9 inches since 1880. The rising sea levels affect not only coastal cities but also cities along rivers and lakes attached to the sea by causing baseline water levels along rivers to increase. The rise in baseline water levels reduces the river's ability to drain effectively, thus causing riverside areas to become more susceptible to flooding. Traditional building methods meant to keep water out of buildings often …

Eos Wellness Center: Rethinking Inpatient Mental Health Facility Design, Emily Simms

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

The design of mental health facilities significantly impacts patient outcomes, especially for individuals with depression. Environmental factors such as lighting, thermal comfort, and access to nature influence mental health. This research explores how architectural design can reduce self-harm incidents and enhance recovery outcomes for patients with depression. The project hypothesizes that synchronizing light patterns and thermal comfort with patients’ circadian rhythms will reduce self-harm incidents and improve recovery. The problem established in the research is that disruptions to circadian rhythms increase the risk of depression, PTSD, and anxiety by 30% (Burns et al., 2022). Suicide is also the second leading …

Dust To Dream, Brenda Meloto De Oliveira

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

This thesis explores the design and implementation of a holistic housing initiative to address the needs of economically disadvantaged populations in Sertão do Moxotó, Pernambuco. Situated in an arid region with limited resources, the project provides not only shelter but also community spaces, educational opportunities, and essential services to improve local living standards.

The region’s history of resilience is reflected in its vernacular architecture, which uses materials like adobe, rammed earth, and thatch—offering sustainable, climate-adapted solutions. Yet, basic amenities remain out of reach for many. Community-led initiatives, non-monetary systems, and vocational training help bridge these gaps and empower individuals to …

Architecture Through Modularity, Jafet Estrada

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

Globally, an estimated 1.8 billion people lack access to adequate housing with an included 150 million people who live in permanent homelessness. Additionally, Housing costs have significantly outpaced income growth globally. Between 2014 and 2022, house price-to-income ratios have risen, with the global median ratio now at 6.1 (up from around 5 in 2014). Architecture through modularity could transform these lives with low-cost solutions. Modularity more broadly refers to a system’s ability to be broken down into smaller, self-contained, and interchangeable parts or modules. These modules function independently but are designed to work together as part of a cohesive whole. …

Interactive Bodies: Creating A Haptic Dialogue, Evan R. Haller

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

BUILDINGS ARE BORING. The majority of modern buildings often fail to have meaningful engagements with their occupants, resulting in static spaces that prioritize function over experience. If we continue to design for pure functionality, are we any different from machines? My thesis, “Interactive Bodies: Creating a Haptic Dialogue,” explores a shift in architectural design where spaces can adapt and change depending on the users’ ability to interact with them.

Through various case studies on kinetic architecture and interactive design experiments, as well as inspiration from Archigram, my research investigates how kinetic components can foster a more meaningful relationship between people …

Debunking The Past - A Descent Through Memory, Architecture, And Ruin, Nili Karaj

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

Albania’s landscape is etched with the remnants of a totalitarian past, most notably through its widespread network of bunkers constructed at the peak of the Cold War under Dictator Enver Hoxha. Among them, the "Big Bunker," situated in the Ceraunian Mountains overlooking the Ionian Sea, stands as both a monumental relic and a spatial threshold between past and future.

This thesis reimagines the Big Bunker not merely as an object of preservation but as a site of transformation: an architectural journey through memory, ideology, and renewal. Through a qualitative case study combining on-site observation, architectural analysis, and historical research, the …