Daylighting In Buildings: Investigating The Relationship Between Daylight Levels And Building Compactness In Various Contemporary Architectural Types. [Efficient Typology Classification], Andrew Welch, Ermal Shpuza Phd

Symposium of Student Scholars

One of the key ways of improving the energy efficiency of a building is to enhance the daylight levels and reduce the need for artificial lighting. Good daylight levels are also associated with increased productivity and the well-being of a building's occupants. Daylight levels are often a direct function of the floorplate depth, where locations near the windows receive more daylight, and those deep inside the buildings receive less. As a result, shallow floorplates and elongated buildings are usually related to higher daylight levels. However, shallow buildings that have more natural light are also associated with greater construction costs due …

Assessing The Psychological Benefits Of Biophilic Design In Therapeutic Counseling Spaces, Andrew Graf

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the intersection of biophilia and counseling, aiming to illustrate the potential benefits of integrating nature-based interventions into therapeutic practice. Biophilia, the innate human tendency to connect with nature, has garnered attention in various fields, yet its implications for counselors remain unexplored. This qualitative study employs a hermeneutic phenomenological approach to investigate the lived experiences of counselors who have incorporated biophilic elements into their practice and the perceptions of clients who have engaged with these interventions.

Through semi-structured interviews with licensed counselors, themes emerged regarding the impact and use of biophilic interventions on the therapeutic process. Findings suggest …

Straw Bale Net Zero: Sustainable Building Solutions, Nick Antoine, Michael Ray Malonjao, Mohamed Hassan, Fareda Elsherif, Brailyn Ventura

Publications and Research

Our primary building material will be rice straw bale, which has a high thermal mass and is bio based. Straw bale, a natural byproduct derived from the dried stems of cereal plants, serves as a carbon sequester. When a straw bale decomposes, it releases its stored carbon; however, by utilizing it as a building material, we effectively retain carbon within the bales throughout the building's life cycle, thereby keeping it from being released into the atmosphere. By using bio-based materials with high thermal mass, we effectively reduce the energy demand for heating. Our building also has renewable energy sources and …

[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, …

Modulating Recycled Plastic: A Sustainable Solution To Plastic Pollution Through Innovative Recycling, Galo Cruz

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

Initially celebrated as a miracle material, modern society’s dependence on plastics has resulted in urgent environmental challenges. The consequences of this dependence are: widespread plastic pollution, an environment grappling with near-indestructible waste, and a health crisis fueled by malignant microplastics. In response to this urgent junction of environmental challenges, this research sets forth to further the transformative approach explored by Janel Sitt’s 2020 thesis and aims to answer the following questions:

1. Why does our dependence on single-use plastic jeopardize our environment, severely impacting food supplies, marine life, and overall quality of life?

2. As designers, are there opportunities for …

Safe Passage, Tenzin Senge

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

After the Cultural Revolution of 1959 in China which led to the occupation of Tibet, the people of Tibet suffered the loss of homes and were stripped away from their socio-cultural ethos. As displaced Tibetans, the next generations will grow up without a nation, their self-identity and live with uncertain future. To this day, thousands of Tibetans are fleeing into neighboring countries every year by crossing the treacherous (cold freezing) Himalayas mountains with great hardship, even the most experience hikers find this task challenging. Issues arise for these refugees trying to escape, and questions tend to pile up about the …

Modulating Recycled Plastic - A Sustainable Solution To Plastic Pollution Through Innovative Recycling, Galo Cruz

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

Initially celebrated as a miracle material, modern society’s dependence on plastics has resulted in urgent environmental challenges. The consequences of this dependence are: widespread plastic pollution, an environment grappling with near-indestructible waste, and a health crisis fueled by malignant microplastics. In response to this urgent junction of environmental challenges, this research sets forth to further the transformative approach explored by Janel Sitt’s 2020 thesis and aims to answer the following questions:

1. Why does our dependence on single-use plastic jeopardize our environment, severely impacting food supplies, marine life, and overall quality of life?

2. As designers, are there opportunities for …

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 …

Crux: Urban Ecology And Cultural Essence, Maria Del Valle

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

The CRUX, stands for islands grappling with the aftermath of hurricanes. Its transformative vision is set against the backdrop of a city scarred by abandoned homes, tainted water sources, agricultural decay, and a crippled electrical grid. CRUX aspires to breathe new life into this urban landscape, envisioning a self-sustaining city dedicated to nurturing community ties for the resilient people of Yabucoa. The testament to the restoration is not just physical structures, but the research studies the very spirit of the community. By delving into the realms of art, farming, Afro-Carribbean culture, and food, the project seeks to create a vibrant …

間, Lele Dai

Theses and Dissertations

LeLe Dai makes contingent participatory public interventions using sensory materials such as sound, flickering light, and water. This paper examines their works through the lens of Chinese character Jian (間), meaning “gap/slit/incision,” to investigate the concept of “in-betweenness.”

Utilizing Biomimicry To Design Sustainable Architecture, Virginia Hammond

Architecture Undergraduate Honors Theses

Nature has an integral relationship with architecture and serves as a sustainable role model and inspiration for designers. The process of biomimicry in architecture has the potential to produce more sustainable design solutions and foster a connection between humans and nature. Existing biomimetic design projects have varying strengths and weaknesses as examples of the process. Utilizing guidelines and references from key leaders in biomimetic design consultancy (Biomimicry 3.8), selected case studies are assessed for their ability to demonstrate the benefits of this design strategy. Using these evaluations, the case studies are diagrammed and critiqued to determine how new projects could …

Breaking The Spatial Justice Emergency Cycle: The Role Of Foresight Planning, Fabio Capra-Ribeiro

Faculty Publications

This paper examines the critical need to integrate prospective planning into territorial development processes for achieving spatial justice and sustainable urban futures. It highlights the limitations of a reactive approach to urban governance, particularly prevalent in Latin America, where weak institutions and unstable political systems often hinder long-term perspectives. The research emphasizes the importance of strategic foresight as a complementary tool to traditional planning practices. Territorial foresight facilitates the exploration of complex future scenarios, fostering collaborative learning and a shared vision among stakeholders. The study proposes a shift towards a proactive, foresight-driven approach that can help break the vicious cycle …

Architects Of Influence: Pioneers Who Shaped Today's Architecture, Carlynn Olinger

University Honors College

Architecture is a world that many people take advantage of and don’t understand the complexity behind it. There are many people in history who made a path for the way the world functions today, some of these people are architects. There are five men specifically: Antoni Gaudi, Frank Lloyd Wright, Ludwig Meis Van Der Rohe, Le Corbusier, and Louis Kahn, who pioneered the way for technology, education, aesthetics, and functionality of architecture. By researching we can learn who they were, what they did, and how they did it. Each one of these architects had different struggles, goals, backgrounds, and ideas. …

Edra 55: Bibliography, Tamara Karr

Bibliographies

edra 55: Human-Centric Environments

Analysis Of The Right Sizing Approach To Healthcare Space Planning, Johnathan Anspach

All Theses

Achieving optimal spatial design in healthcare facilities is crucial for efficient operations and high-quality patient care. This study investigates the application of the right-sizing approach to healthcare conceptual design, with a specific focus on the Medical-Surgical Unit (MSU) and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) departments within inpatient wards. Utilizing a robust methodology, foundational parameters and constraints were established to align with the functional requirements of a 100-bed hospital case study. Through a systematic process, industry practitioners contributed valuable insights via surveys, facilitating the quantification of parameter rankings essential for spatial decision-making.

Analysis of the data revealed significant correlations between parameters, emphasizing …

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 …

Theme Park Experiences Of Families With A Child Who Has A Disability Regarding Accessibility And Participation - A Mixed Methods Study, Kylie Kathryn Allan, Karen Park

Spring 2024 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Despite the large number of children with disabilities, there is no research focused on the experience that families with a child who has a disability have while at theme parks. Utilizing surveys and semi-structured interviews, this mixed-methods study explored the experiences of these families, specifically looking at accessibility and participation within the theme park environment. Thirty-seven parents/guardians completed the online survey, while ten individuals also elected to participate in the semi-structured interviews. Results of the study revealed that families are driven to visit theme parks by a want for connectedness. The positives of theme parks include the staff/cast members and …

Assessing The Characteristics Of Coastal Neighbourhoods That Influence Flood Susceptibility In Kosofe, Nigeria, Saudat O. Ajijola, Funmilayo M. Adedire, J A. Fadamiro

CSID Journal of Infrastructure Development

As climate change continues to exacerbate weather patterns, flood susceptibility has become an increasingly pressing global concern. The susceptibility to floods is influenced by many contextual factors; as such, characterizing coastal neighbourhoods for the purpose of articulating susceptibility pathways is crucial for developing appropriate physical planning policies. The specific research objective seeks to assess the dimensions of neighbourhood characteristics that influence flood susceptibility in Kosofe, a suburban coastal community in Lagos, Nigeria. The data used were based on primary and secondary sources. Using a systematic sampling method, 324 respondents participated in the field survey. The result of the descriptive statistics, …

Sustainable Living At Imsa, Vignesh Tiruvannamalai, Zuyu Liu

Goal 4: Intrapersonal Intelligence Narrative

Students will collect any recyclable materials they have discarded to create wing decorations in conjunction with everyone in the wing and learn about sustainability, including statistics and lifestyle guidance.

Health And Healthcare: Designing For The Social Determinants Of Health And Blue Zones In North Nashville, Rebecca Tonguis, Honor Thomas, Olivia Hobbs

[Archive] Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS)

Owned by North Nashville’s First Community Church, a now empty site in the Osage-North Fisk neighborhood of North Nashville has been identified as a potential site for a new location of The Store, in addition to a community-centric architectural development based on the social determinants of health and informed by the principles behind Blue Zones, the locations with the highest lifespans in the world. Opened by Brad Paisley and Kimberly Williams-Paisley, The Store is a free grocery store that “allow[s] people to shop for their basic needs in a way that protects dignity and fosters hope”, for which North Nashville …

Consumerism To Community: Bringing Main Street To The Suburbs, Constantina Mead

Interior Design Capstones

The decline of traditional shopping malls poses a significant urban development challenge. This research endeavors to explore the transformative potential of repurposing defunct shopping malls into vibrant, community-focused mixed-use developments. The objective is to provide a comprehensive understanding of how these spaces, both within the mall buildings and the surrounding properties, can serve as catalysts for the betterment of communities, emphasizing revitalization, social cohesion, and sustainable urban living, while redefining v role in modern urban environments. By reconceptualizing the role of the present-day mall, this study aims to inspire new opportunities for the revival of neglected urban areas, ultimately fostering …

Unblocked Re-Imagining Incarceration By Restructuring The Cell Block, Carlee Castle

Interior Design Capstones

Prison cell blocks, often overlooked as monolithic structures of confinement, conceal a rich tapestry of complex social environments. This study delves into the interplay between the architectural and interior design of cell blocks and the individuals who reside within them, highlighting the profound impact of built elements on the promotion of privacy, independence, and collaboration among cellmates.

Incarceration, by its nature, places inmates in close proximity, fostering interactions that range from cooperation to conflict. However, the prison environment is not equivalent in different countries, and the layout of cell blocks varies widely. By examining these variations, it becomes evident that …

Stones Have Personalities Too, Grayce Sprecksell

Interior Design Capstones

The natural environment is a system we as humans can learn from. We after all, benefit from the system of nature, it is the idea that there are three groups who inhabit the built environment, that is flora, fauna, and human. By working together, we create a circular approach to sustainable development. What it means to be self-sufficient is to work alongside nature and what it has to offer. Creating a built environment that benefits all four tiers of sustainability can create a circular approach to sustainable systems that will benefit all three groups who inhabit the built environment.

Biomimicry …

Emotionally Responsive Design: Shaping Spaces + Engaging Senses, Colleen Harmon

Interior Design Capstones

This research project delves into the intricate and symbiotic relationship between the human body and the built environment, with a particular emphasis on the transformative influence exerted by a nuanced integration of various textures. The primary focus revolves around the profound impact that these textures have on shaping sensory experiences and spatial perceptions within interior spaces.

The study employs a comprehensive exploration of tactile, visual, and auditory sensations, seeking to unravel the intricate ways in which intentional textural choices contribute to the overall design of architectural spaces. Beyond a superficial understanding, the research takes a deep dive into the collective …

Embarking On A Maritime Retirement - Re-Imagining The Retirement Experience, Carolynn Hoezee

Interior Design Capstones

In a constantly changing landscape of retirement options, retirement livingon cruise ships has emerged as a compelling alternative addressing several prevalent challenges in contemporary retirement communities. This research evaluates opportunities and concerns of retirement housing on a cruise ship or maritime setting.

The complex and ever-changing needs of older adults often go unmet in traditional retirement communities. There are a lot of adults who are retiring and the cost of retirement continues to increase.Retirement can cause health issues in older adults and a lot of people lose their identity when they retire.Current mainstream retirement communities face many issues, such as …

Designing Dignified Spaces: A Holistic Approach To Addressing Homelessness Among Children And Families, Megan Clark

Interior Design Capstones

In the face of the persistent and complex issue of homelessness in America, this project aims to reimagine the landscape for children and families facing housing insecurity. Seeking to tackle the problem at its roots by establishing resource hubs.

By innovatively establishing central resource hubs, the primary objective is to create dignified spaces connecting individuals with vital resources. This hub goes beyond being a mere refuge; it is envisioned as a dynamic center where individuals access essential services, receive mentorship, and rebuild a sense of belonging.

Given the ongoing urgency of homelessness, this project’s efforts strive to make a meaningful …

Reconnect: The Importance Of Beauty Within Architecture, Rebekah Lueck

Interior Design Capstones

In a world where secular design has become the norm, this project addresses the profound disconnect individuals experience in modern spaces. This research investigates the impact of contemporary design principles on user well-being and the built environment. It explores how secularism and modern design have contributed to this disconnect and alienation, and further how reforming a classical view and approach of architecture and design contribute to its remedy.

The integration of classical architecture not only offers an aesthetic and functional solution but also serves as a powerful response to the negative impacts of the fragmented view that has been embraced …

Beneath The Waves, Meredith Bol

Interior Design Capstones

In an age marked by technological advancements and a growing need for meaningful human-nature connections, aquariums and conservation programs stand as unique platforms for enhancing both education and human wellbeing. This design will dive into the conceptualization of interactive exhibits within aquariums, focusing on their potential to enrich visitor experiences and contribute to human wellbeing. By blending innovative technology, immersive environments, and educational narratives, aquariums can transform into dynamic spaces that not only showcase marine diversity but also actively engage visitors through these elements.

Intellectual: The aquarium space is meticulously designed to cater to varying intellectual levels, achieved through a …

From Healing To Happiness, Lauren Hannah

Interior Design Capstones

Animal shelters play a crucial role in providing care and rehabilitation for stray or abandoned dogs. However, there is a growing understanding that rethinking the conventional role of animal shelters can lead to significant improvements in the lives of dogs through specialized behavioral therapy and rehabilitation programs. By implementing these programs, shelters have the potential to regenerate and transform dogs’ lives, enabling them to overcome behavioral challenges and increasing their chances of finding loving adoptive homes.

The focus of these initiatives is to heal and nurture the dogs’ behaviors, addressing underlying issues that may have contributed to their arrival in …

Eduscape Shaping Tomorrow’S Leaders Through The Lens Of Neuroarchitectural Design, Viktoryia Shauchuk

Interior Design Capstones

Interior spaces hold undeniable significance; hence, the project advocates for a design rooted in well-being. The “EduScape” project seeks to redefine the design of K-8 schools by integrating an applied approach that prioritizes student well-being, safety, and the seamless blending of indoor and outdoor spaces. In an era where there is a heightened awareness of comprehensive wellness the physical environment cannot be ignored as it significantly influences a child’s emotional, mental, and physical development. Because the physical environment plays a pivotal role in shaping a child’s emotional, mental, and physical development, it is necessary to transform the landscape of educational …