Digital Commons Network^™

The New Urbanism In New York City: A Case Study Comparing Battery Park City And Alphabet City, Lena Farley

Pomona Senior Theses

This thesis examines two Manhattan neighborhoods, Battery Park City and Alphabet City, through the lens of New Urbanism—an urban planning approach developed in the 1990s. New Urbanist principles prioritize walkability, connectivity, mixed-use development, diversity, varied housing options, architectural quality, green transportation, sustainability, and accessible green spaces. While Battery Park City represents a top-down, master-planned New Urbanist neighborhood based on a 1979 plan, Alphabet City emerged from the 1811 Manhattan grid with significant community-driven design, notably through community gardens and grassroots initiatives. Using a mixed-methods approach including residential surveys, qualitative, and quantitative analyses, this research investigates how these neighborhoods embody New …

Demonstrating The Potential Of Biophilic Design, Sustainable Site Initiatives, And Regenerative Landscape Design To Transform Neglected And Underutilized Spaces Into Vibrant, Eco-Friendly Hubs In Mckeesport Pennsylvania., Chinweuba Stephen Kikanme

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

McKeesport is a city located along Monongahela and Youghiogheny rivers in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, about 13 miles southeast of Pittsburgh. It is part of the River metropolitan area. McKeesport, once a thriving center of steel production, is now facing significant challenges associated with industrial decline, urban blight, flood hazard, population decline, brownfield sites and environmental degradation. However, the transformation of neglected spaces within the city into sustainable and vibrant urban hubs offers a powerful opportunity for revitalization. By incorporating natural elements such as green roofs, urban agriculture, and native plant restoration, this project seeks to create spaces that not only …

A Study Of The Impact And Mitigation Strategies For Community-Defined Historic Places At Immediate (Within Three Decades) Risk Of Sea Level Rise, Isaac Quaye

All Theses

The rising sea level casts formidable threats on community-based historic places within coastal communities. These community-defined historic places derive their meaning from local values and are more recognized within the local community. Unlike recognized iconic historic places, these resources are confronted with inadequate resources to address the impacts of punctuated climate events. This study investigates the imminent threats posed by sea level rise (SLR) to community-defined historic places within the next three decades (2025) and explores mitigation strategies proposed by stakeholders. The study used a GIS-based (enhanced bathtub model) to model the impact of coastal inundation on three historic places …

Santa Maria Climate Action Plan Recommendations: Building Energy And Transportation, Thomas Zimmerman, Elena Blewett

City and Regional Planning

The Santa Maria Climate Action Plan Recommendations addresses GHG emissions reduction for the largest sectors in the City of Santa Maria- Building Energy and Transportation. The project includes GHG forecasts and reduction targets from the City’s Draft 2020 Community-Wide Greenhouse Gas Inventory Report. The reduction targets are met through a series of actionable measures to help the City meet aggressive reduction targets by 2030 and 2045.

Urban Design Guidelines: San Antonio Road Corridor, Palo Alto, Ca, Cassidy T. Charles, Madeleine Emeric

City and Regional Planning

Urban design guidelines are a set of principles, standards, and recommendations that guide the planning, development, and construction of urban spaces. The guidelines aim to enhance the physical environment of cities and communities, improving functionality, aesthetics, sustainability, and overall quality of life. They provide a basis for making design decisions that are consistent with the City’s needs and the community’s interest.

This document is specifically tailored to the San Antonio Road Corridor in Palo Alto. Each section is supported by extensive research on existing conditions, case studies, and best practices. The document includes an introduction, a brief overview of existing …

Small Islands Commons: Retrieving Territory, Identity And Rights In The Bahamas, Fangzhou Zhao

Masters Theses

The Earth’s surface area comprises 71% ocean and 29% land. This vast disparity has led to the conceptualization of the Earth as a collection of interconnected islands, a perspective that challenges traditional views which often portray islands as isolated, marginal, or primitive. These narratives have been further complicated by the effects of climate change, which positions islands as vulnerable and in need of attention.

This research seeks to explore new socio-cultural contracts with territories to achieve bio-socio-spatial justice. It aims to maintain sustainable and equitable relationships between governments and local communities, focusing on addressing historical inequalities. By examining landscape-based strategies …

Equivision Habitat: The Collective Dreamworks, Shixuan Zhou

Masters Theses

近年来，武汉这座充满活力的城市在经济快速增长的同时，也经历了重大的社会变革。城市的天际线不断扩大，新的商业和住宅区正在迅速涌现，吸引了更多的中产阶级家庭。作为武汉的长期居民和观察者，我看到了这种向中产阶级社会转变的诱惑力，但我也敏锐地意识到随之而来的社会成本。武汉向中产阶级社会的转变不仅体现在消费水平的提高和生活方式的转变上，更重要的是，体现在城市空间和社区角色的重新配置上。曾经为低收入居民提供住房的旧社区正在被改造成高端公寓和商业空间。虽然这种转变改善了城市的整体形象，但也导致了原住民的流离失所。这种深刻的变化凸显了中产阶级化的双刃剑性质。在这种背景下，我开始关注那些被这一进程边缘化的人的声音和需求。老年居民失去了熟悉的社区环境，年轻人尽管渴望加入新兴的中产阶级，但仍在为高昂的生活成本而苦苦挣扎。这种日益加剧的社会分层，让我深刻反思了城市更新的公平性和可持续性。本文提出了一种基于集体所有权和通过社区土地信托进行管理的社区模式。这种模式将土地所有权从个人转移到社区集体，确保开发活动优先考虑社区的长期福利，而不是短期的商业收益。其目的不仅是提供经济适用房，还旨在培养一个具有共同愿景的社区，探索在城市发展的同时维持社会多样性和包容性的方法。

Life Cycle Assessment Integrating Gis As Decision Support Tool For Designing Zero Emission Neighbourhoods., Mariam Adel Magdy, Marwa Adel El Sayed, Yasmine El Sawaf

Architectural Engineering

Climate change casts a long shadow over densely populated cities, which is a consequence of the greenhouse gas emissions. Consequently, a critical concern regarding the environmental condition was caused. Zero-emission neighborhoods offer a promising solution but designing them effectively requires balancing complex factors. The neighbourhood is divided into components such as: buildings, mobility, infrastructure, and on-site energy, which were analysed separately to facilitate deeper comprehension of the neighbourhood emission pattern, according to its ambition levels. The aim of this study was to utilize a GIS model that integrates LCA at initial stages of neighbourhood’s design, in order to identify the …

[Re]Mapping Resilience: Reimagining Urban Waterfronts In The Face Of Climate Change, Brandon Bernard

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

By the year 2100, southern-Florida is projected to experience a 1-2 meter rise in sea level, resulting in the lower portion of the state becoming almost completely submerged under a new watertable.[14] During the 19th and 20th centuries, the city of Miami developed rapidly and the community and economy inevitably became intertwined with the water and its ecology. Due to the growing population and economy, urban developments soared and led to low-lying areas being filled in, open space along waterways were claimed for commercial and residential buildings, and man-made islands such as the venetian islands were constructed. As a result, …

Revitalizing Sweet Auburn, Georgia: A Foodcentric Biophilic Inspired Solution, Cason Lott

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

Revitalizing Sweet Auburn, Georgia: A Foodcentric Biophilic Inspired Solution addresses the critical issue of food deserts and the challenges of maintaining a healthy balance in densely populated urban environments. It underscores the importance of easy access to essential resources like food for community well-being and highlights the strain on individuals. The thesis emphasizes the potential for sustainable solutions to improve urban living conditions, promoting both physical and mental health while ensuring stability and community. Furthermore, the thesis explores the integration of urban farming, community education, and sustainability with biophilic design’s natural elements to create an enriching community center that acts …

Reclaiming Tremé: A Design Research Thesis, Tori Dunston

Masters in Architecture Program: Theses

Reclaiming Tremé explores the potential for design to support the well-being of the oldest African American neighborhood divided by urban highway projects in the US. This comprehensive thesis that seeks to improve the well-being the neighborhood using precedents, historical context, and the quantifiable architectural goals of WELL v2, to present a design solution for Tremé. Through understanding the current communities needs and having historical context of the area, the design strategy focuses on creating a vibrant cultural core that enhances the community's well-being. By integrating new structures and amenities, preserving cultural heritage, and enhancing physical and social infrastructure, the project …

Assessing Equitable Distribution Of The Urban Tree Canopy At The Neighborhood Scale In Greenville, South Carolina., April Riehm

All Theses

We are living in an era that necessitates adaptation and resilience. The Earth is warming. Our climate has changed (EPA, 2016). Our planet is also rapidly urbanizing. It is predicted that 68% of people will live in cities by 2050. The City of Greenville is a rapidly growing city in South Carolina that has been losing its tree canopy to development(City of Greenville, 2023). The Urban Tree Canopy (UTC) is a community asset that provides many quality-of-life benefits including improved air quality, stormwater management, carbon sequestration, mental and physical well-being, increased mobility and access, aesthetics, a reduction in energy costs, …

Reclaiming Housing For Sustainable And Equitable Development, Ethan Harner, Gabrielle Fraizer, Bradley Wilson

Undergraduate Scholarship

Across West Virginia, Appalachia, the South, and other regions which have borne the historic brunt of extraction, capital flight, and systemic lack of opportunity, cooperative and community-based solutions to economic challenges have historically and presently been found in and amongst marginalized communities. As a critical component of community wellbeing, development, and prosperity, we situate housing as a necessary component to the understanding of cooperative, grassroots, and solidarity forms of economic organization. In this we explore the ways community-based housing solutions contribute to senses of community and solidarity both within housing structures and the broader community. We place these findings in …

Designed For Life: Unearthing Just And Sustainable Urban Design Through The Daylighting Of Phalen Creek, Corgan R. Archuleta

Geography Honors Projects

This thesis conceptualizes a relational approach to urban design. Often separated from justice, I argue urban design can shape spaces to enable respectful and reciprocal human and more-than- human relationships. Focusing on Phalen Creek in Saint Paul, Minnesota, I illuminate just and sustainable possibilities between ecologically sustainable and socially inclusive design. Phalen Creek was a natural waterway buried in a pipe during 20th century urbanization to be partially reconstructed through daylighting. The Indigenous and Immigrant stories driving restoration expand urban design’s liberatory potential. Combining just sustainabilities with infrastructure theory and Indigenous Knowledges, I contend urban design offers a relational approach …

Towards A Sustainable Urban Community At The Point Development In Durban, Magdalena C. Cloete, Viloshin Govender

CSID Journal of Infrastructure Development

Urban design is the art and method of shaping cities and communities; it plays a pivotal role in creating sustainable, liveable environments that cater to the diverse needs of residents. As urbanization continues to shape our world, integrating architectural education with a bottom-up approach to urban design becomes increasingly imperative. This paper explores the symbiotic relationship between architectural education and urban design, emphasizing the benefits of adopting a bottom-up approach toward creating sustainable urban neighbourhoods. This research aims to explore and understand the role of architectural education and urban design in developing a sustainable urban neighbourhoods in the case study …

Partnership And Coalition Efforts For Community-Based Research: Towards A Liveable Urban And Rural Settlement In Kwazulu-Natal, Sibongile A. Ngcobo, Nene E. Khalema, Tawanda Makusha

CSID Journal of Infrastructure Development

This paper examines the role of community partnerships and coalitions in the intricate and constantly evolving dynamics of communities in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Various aspects of the community context, such as socioeconomic conditions, geography, environmental factors, demographics, community politics, and cultural norms, often influence these community partnerships and coalitions. This study adopted the Community Coalition Action Theory as an organisational framework to examine the efforts of coalitions and partnerships in community-based research. The research applied a mixed-methods approach. This included a survey and individual interviews within the research organisation responsible for multiple community-based projects in rural and urban areas of …

Liveable Communities: A Case Study Of Availability, Proximity, And The Quality Of Critical Infrastructure In Colombo, Srilanka, Maheshi Tennakoon, Udayangani Kulatunga

CSID Journal of Infrastructure Development

The concept of livable communities has become increasingly significant in regional planning, aiming to improve the quality of life for residents. Despite continued investment in critical infrastructure in developing countries, the enhancement of livability has not kept pace with infrastructure development. This study investigates the impact of crucial infrastructure on community livability, utilizing a holistic single case study approach with Colombo as the case study. The relationship between critical infrastructure development and urban livability serves as the unit of analysis. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with ten subject matter experts and analyzed using manual content analysis. The research finds …

Assessment Of Educational Facilities In Osogobo Metropolis Nigeria, Dele S. Ogundahunsi, Martins B. Gasu, Samuel B. Adedotun, Olayiwola Olayode, Akintayo O. Ojo, Christiana Olayode

CSID Journal of Infrastructure Development

This study assessed educational facilities in the Osogbo metropolis, Nigeria, aiming to evaluate the available educational facilities, examine student and staff satisfaction levels, and analyze their availability across schools in the area. The sample consisted of 476 schools, from which 73 were randomly selected. A multistage sampling procedure was employed to sample 1,863 pupils/students and 87 teachers for questionnaire administration, complemented by observation. Data were analyzed using Mean Weighted Average, Summation of Weighted Value, and Analysis of Variance. Findings showed that 63.4% of primary schools had the listed facilities, while 75% of secondary schools reported 81% availability. Public primary school …

การพัฒนาแหล่งท่องเที่ยวโฮมสเตย์เพื่อส่งเสริมชุมชนท่องเที่ยวเชิงนิเวศวัฒนธรรมที่ยั่งยืน ในจังหวัดสมุทรสงคราม กรณีศึกษา ชุมชนบ้านริมคลองและชุมชนบางสะแก, วิภาดา รักษาศิลป์

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

การพัฒนาเชิงนิเวศวัฒนธรรมเป็นเป้าหมายการพัฒนาของจังหวัดสมุทรสงคราม เนื่องจากวิถีชีวิตเกษตรกรรมที่สอดคล้องกับระบบนิเวศวัฒนธรรมไทยดั้งเดิม โดยเฉพาะชุมชนบ้านริมคลองและชุมชนบางสะแกซึ่งมี ทรัพยากรธรรมชาติ วัฒนธรรม และจำนวนโฮมสเตย์ที่ผ่านเกณฑ์มาตรฐาน งานวิจัยนี้มีวัตถุประสงค์เพื่อศึกษากระบวนการพัฒนาในด้านกายภาพ การบริหารจัดการ และผลของการพัฒนาโดยใช้ทัศนคติของชุมชนต่อผลการดำเนินงาน ก่อนและหลังการพัฒนาโฮมสเตย์ กับ 3 เกณฑ์ ได้แก่ การพัฒนาโฮมสเตย์ การพัฒนาแหล่งท่องเที่ยวเชิงนิเวศวัฒนธรรม และการพัฒนาชุมชนยั่งยืน โดยเกณฑ์ย่อย 93 หลักเกณฑ์ ด้วยวิธีการ สำรวจ สัมภาษณ์แบบมีโครงสร้าง วิเคราะห์ข้อมูลเชิงปริมาณหาค่าเฉลี่ยและมาตราวัดลิเคิร์ต จากการวิเคราะห์พบว่ากระบวนการการเริ่มพัฒนาของสองชุมชนต่างกัน โดยที่ชุมชนบ้านริมคลองเริ่มพัฒนาโฮมสเตย์ ก่อนการพัฒนาชุมชนในปี พ.ศ. 2542 (ระยะเวลาการพัฒนา 26 ปี ) และชุมชนบางสะแกเริ่มด้วยการพัฒนาชุมชนก่อนตั้งแต่ปี พ.ศ. 2538 แล้วจึงเริ่มพัฒนาโฮมสเตย์ในปี พ.ศ. 2558 (ระยะเวลาพัฒนาโฮมสเตย์ 10 ปี และระยะเวลาพัฒนาชุมชนรวม 30 ปี) ทั้งสองชุมชนมีการพัฒนาโฮมสเตย์มาอย่างยาวนานโดยมีผู้นำชุมชนที่เข้มแข็งตั้งแต่เริ่มมาถึงปัจจุบัน ผู้นำชุมชนมีความเข้าใจ และเห็นความสำคัญที่จะต้องอนุรักษ์ระบบนิเวศวัฒนธรรมชาวสวนและระบบนิเวศสามน้ำไว้ และได้ใช้การพัฒนาแบบมีส่วนร่วมเพื่อความยั่งยืน ในปัจจุบันพบว่าชุมชนบ้านริมคลองมีโฮมสเตย์ 3 หลัง คิดเป็น 15% จากจำนวนบ้านในกลุ่มชุมชน และชุมชนบางสะแกมีโฮมสเตย์ 4 หลัง คิดเป็น 13.33% ของบ้านในชุมชน และเป็นการลงทุนของเจ้าของบ้านเองโดยมีการสนับสนุนจากภายนอกเพียงเล็กน้อยผลจากการพัฒนาตามเกณฑ์วิเคราะห์ จากทัศนคติของชาวชุมชนพบว่าทั้งสองชุมชนได้คะแนนเฉลี่ยรวม 3 เกณฑ์ ค่อนข้างสูงจาก 5.00 คะแนน โดยมีคะแนนเฉลี่รวมที่ใกล้เคียงกัน ชุมชนบ้านริมคลอง 3.68 ชุมชนบางสะแก 3.57 แสดงว่าทั้งสองชุมชนประสบความสำเร็จในการพัฒนาทั้งในมิติแหล่งที่พักนักท่องเที่ยว มิตินิเวศวัฒนธรรม และมิติความยั่งยืนปัจจัยสำคัญที่ทำให้เกิดความสำเร็จ คือ การมีผู้นำที่มีความเข้มแข็ง ทำงานต่อเนื่องอย่างยาวนาน จึงสามารถพัฒนาชุมชนเพื่อรักษาระบบนิเวศสามน้ำนี้ไว้ได้ โดยได้รับการสนับสนุนจากหน่วยงานที่เกี่ยวข้องในลักษณะเป็นโครงการย่อยจึงนำมาสู่ข้อเสนอแนะต่อชุมชนโดยให้ชุมชนพิจารณาปรับปรุงข้อจำกัดร่วมตามเกณฑ์ย่อยที่ได้คะแนนน้อย คือ ด้านการประชาสัมพันธ์และด้านความปลอดภัย โดยหน่วยงานที่เกี่ยวข้องควรร่วมกันวางแผนระยะยาวสนับสนุนการพัฒนาชุมชน

Pathways To Health: Linking Accessible Green Space To Improved Health And Well‐Being In Rural Appalachia., Udday Shankur Datta

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Green spaces are essential for our physical health. The quality of its green space often determines the health of a community. The presence of green space in our lives is associated with reduced stress levels, better sleep, and increased feelings of safety. Lack of access to green space can lead to many health issues, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases, and has been linked to obesity and physical inactivity.

The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) defines Appalachia as a region covering 420 counties across 13 states in the eastern United States. A large part of this region is …

Riverview Community Park Commoning Plan, Haley B. Keene

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

Riverview Community Park began as an illegal DIY skatepark in the Maymont neighborhood of Richmond, Virginia. Now, although it is a city park, it is still entirely managed by volunteer community groups (skateboarders, the neighborhood Civic League, and a community garden) who view the park as a creative, experimental community-led spatial project. Due to a dearth of communication between the three groups, the park has suffered political strife between the groups and a chaotic physical atmosphere. This plan utilizes a commons governance framework and participatory, asset-based community design to usher in a new era of enhanced collaboration, common narratives, and …

Assessing The Sustainable Development Dimensions Of Environmental Public Policies For Protected Natural Areas In Mexico: A 1970-2018 Perspective, Cielo María Ávila López, José Israel Herrera

Journal of Maya Heritage

Abstract: This abstract discusses the challenges and issues related to the implementation of Environmental Public Policies (EPP) for Protected Natural Areas (PNA) in Mexico from 1970 to 2018. EPPs aim to achieve sustainable development by balancing economic, environmental, and social dimensions while reconciling conservation and the use of natural resources with restrictions on their use and economic compensation to communities. However, the results of this study reveal that the establishment of PNA has been unilateral and without consensus, leading to limitations on communities' use of the environment without granting them economic compensation or productive alternatives. This has resulted in conflicts …

A Social-Ecological Systems Inquiry For Understanding Environmental Change In Los Angeles Outer-Ring Suburbs, Farnaz Kamyab

All Dissertations

Within the framework of the city's green infrastructure, urban and suburban green coverage play a pivotal role in delivering substantial benefits to health, economy, and the environment. However, the permanence of these green coverage is threatened by dynamic changes in neighborhood socio-economic, spatial, and ecological elements and their loss or degradation presents a problematic issue. Social-Ecological System Theory (SES) offers a comprehensive framework for understanding the potential correlations between socio-economic trends and the degradation of green coverage. This research is based on a case study of the highly diverse megacity, Los Angeles (LA), which encompasses a wide array of built-environments, …

Shades Of Housing: Real Estate Urbanism And State Planning In Egypt, Zeinab Nadeem

Theses and Dissertations

The housing crisis is a global dilemma, especially in the context of urban cities in developing countries. Housing affordability has become more challenging in the recent global and national turbulent economic conditions of rising inflation rates and construction costs, where Egypt is witnessing a surplus of vacant housing units that are either unsold or unoccupied with citizens involuntarily relocating to remote new cities. The government has also significantly engaged in real estate market speculation by offering public land for profits to private investors in the market since the 1990s. The shades of housing found in Egypt are the works of …

The Water Mills Of The Historic Río Arriba In Northcentral New Mexico, 1598-1975, José A. Rivera Ph.D, Thomas F. Glick Ph.D

Faculty Publications

The water mills of New Mexico played a major role in the agricultural economy of the Río Arriba for centuries following the introduction of wheat from the Old World to the Americas. Wheat, in its ground form as flour, was a staple during the Spanish colonial period. To process raw wheat, local grist mills (molinos) were essential infrastructure as were the aceq uias (ditches) that powered them. Situated near the banks of rivers, the internal components of each mill were driven by the gravity force of water from an acequia, itself diverted from the river. Researchers have documented …

A Mixed-Method Study On The Walkability Of Streets In Hospital-Anchored Neighborhoods, Xiaowei Li

All Dissertations

The field of healthcare design is adopting planning and design principles from the Healthy Communities movement to connect hospitals to their adjacent communities. This research explores the impact of neighborhood and street design on the walkability of Hospital-Anchored Neighborhoods (HANs), a concept integrating hospitals and satellite services with their surrounding communities to enhance public health. Walkability, a crucial marker of healthy and vibrant communities, was investigated through a mixed-method study across three HANs. A comprehensive Walkability Framework with 17 built environment dimensions was developed from the literature to inform data collection utilizing GIS archival data, ethnographic observations, street audits, and …

Developing Sustainable Smart Cities To Improve Citizen's Quality Of Life And Well-Being, Mohammed Ali Berawi, Mustika Sari, Perdana Miraj

CSID Journal of Infrastructure Development

In the wake of urbanization and environmental challenges, cities nowadays face multiple issues related to uncontrolled urban growth, insufficient public infrastructure, and inadequate citizen participation in the management of public affairs. Sustainable urban development cannot be achieved without addressing these challenges, necessitating a paradigm shift in urban space management. Therefore, urban development needs to shift traditional concepts and focus on incorporating smart and environmentally friendly practices that allow cities to adapt and implement intelligent solutions to meet the needs of their citizens while continuing to protect the environment.

To achieve sustainability, cities should prioritize a balance between economic activity, population …

Soft City: Reclaiming Urban Public Spaces For Play, Jennifer Pham

Masters Theses

This thesis explores the relationship between children’s play and urban public spaces. What kinds of play are prioritized, and consequently, what ways of learning are celebrated above others? How are public spaces serving or not serving to nurture children’s development and joy?

The thesis design project is a strategic plan for spatial activism. Using a “guerilla architecture” approach, I am developing a series of workshops with the local community that culminate in collectively designed urban installations. This participatory design process enables people to perceive public spaces in new ways, and it invites community members and children to become active parts …

Estimating The Impact Of Infill Housing On Reduction In Vehicle Miles Traveled, Peyton Marie Ratto

Master's Theses

Vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and its relationship with the built environment has been extensively studied. Most notably, five D variables of the built environment including density, diversity, design, destination accessibility, and distance to transit are the key variables included in this research to explain VMT generation from housing developments. This thesis uses prior research that developed robust statistical models and findings to create a framework to estimate VMT reduction affected by infill housing developed using incentives provided by the state compared to a regional comparator. The regional comparator is typically a suburban single-family housing development in the region. The models …

Desert Safe Haven, Deja Dortch

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

The purpose of this thesis is to inform on the materials, technologies, spaces and structure needed to architecturally and sustainably achieve human comfort and create a mother nature-proof safe haven in the becoming harsh climate of the USA. All the while implementing minimum HVAC, using primarily passive and active systems towards a net zero home. Studies have shown there is a real threat with the rate in which the climate is changing. Temperatures are rising worldwide which is causing droughts, more frequent fires, glaciers to melt, sea levels to rise, more severe hurricanes and storms, etc. Sustainability is a way …