Architecture Commons^™

Contemplative Retreat: Examining The Fundamentals Of Spiritual Orientation Through Architecture, Daryl Rowe

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

With over 4,200 faith practices documented all over the world and 84% of the world's population identifying with one of them, the studies of the Pew Research Institute clearly show that there is a need for spiritual spaces worldwide. Throughout history, these places were held as sacred and the land and building of these structures were treated as such. They offered a connection with the energy of the earth and orientation of the soul. All religions have their own defined religious rites that aid in the continuation of your practice of the faith. These involve rites of passage, affliction, fasting, …

Revival Of The Dead Zone- Ecotourism Within The Chornobyl Exclusion Zone, Angelina Damaj

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

Since the nuclear accident, Chernobyl has been abandoned for 30 years. 30 kilometers around Chernobyl was evacuated and it has left the area to become a dead zone. In actuality the dead zone is full of life. Plant and animal populations have expanded and thrived, and people have slowly started to reenter the zone. The exclusion zone has become a new ecosystem.

With more people coming into Chernobyl for tourism, there is higher risk of the ecosystem being threatened. My thesis will explore ecotourism within the Chernobyl exclusion zone. My proposal is an urban design that is shaped by ecotourist …

Elevated Education: Approach To Inclusive Pedagogy For Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Elijah James

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

My mother is a huge inspiration in my life. She is a special education teacher. And throughout the years she has continually expressed the dramatic increase in autistic students. When she first began, she had 4 students, she now has 28. According to the CDC, throughout the last four years the number of autistic students has risen about 8%. This brings the autism rate to 17.8% for students aged 3-17. That is about 1 in every 6 students.

The views of autism are often misconstrued just for being different. I too was guilty of this. Until the day I met …

Shifting Perspectives: A Travelling, Interactive Installation Educating Youth, Mary Branon

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

If I were to ask a group of people to explain what countries make up the Middle East, they likely wouldn’t be able to list more than a few. Despite the internet, technology, and social media being within reach, it is still common to see generalizations about groups of people, their origins, and the boundaries of those origins. This leads me to wonder why. Is this an issue within our educational system? Is this due to lack of accessible information? Or maybe information isn’t presented in a way that is easily understood and digested? An abundance of information remains just …

The Aesthetics Of Memory, David Trinidad

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

The Aesthetics of Memory is an exploration into the role that Architecture plays in the Resolution of Trauma and Loss. The thesis explored the various places that Architecture is involved, broad research was done on hospitals, graveyards, and then eventually focused on Memorial Design. Memorials serve a unique purpose; much the same way music organizes our emotions at a visceral level Memorials make tangible the emotions around loss/trauma events. The goal was to leverage this unique capacity of memorials to create a space for “Rolling Loss”. A space dedicated to the universal human experience of Loss, a space where people …

Building With The Floods, Kim Khanh Quan

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

Throughout Vietnam's wet season, flooding is a reality that residents face annually. Vietnam's wet season is known to cause serious detriment to communities, and severe weather conditions are becoming more frequent due to climate change. The annual high tides are rising every year. Flooding within dwellings can already reach up to waist or shoulder height and even beyond. Blocking the floods with dikes and other structures can only help to an extent. Water will go somewhere. Elevating a structure also has a limit - many residents have already elevated the ground level of their home to the maximum height that …

Nex-Us, Julianna Decocco

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

A THESIS ARGUING THE BASIC FUNCTION OF ARCHITECTURE IN ITS PRIMITIVE MEANS OF SHELTERING THE BODY AND THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT SHOULD BE INSTEAD RETHOUGHT TO THE INTERCONNECTION OF THE BODY AS A CONDUIT BETWEEN PHYSICAL EARTH AND THE COSMOS. ARCHITECTURE FOR CONNECTING THE PHYSICALITY AND MENTALITY OF HUMAN’S HIGHER SELF TO ITS SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENT, RETURNING TO WHAT THE ESSENCE OF ARCHITECTURE IS AND REDEFINING ITS PARAMETERS. IT WILL FORMULATE ITSELF AS A MEDIATION, NON-DENOMINATIONAL TEMPLE CENTER. IRONING OUT WHAT ARCHITECTURE MEANS MORE HOLISTICALLY THROUGH THE INTERPRETATIONS OF NATURE, COSMIC GEOMETRIES AND THE TUNING OF CONNECTION IN HUMANS TO THE UNIVERSE …

Technological Augmentation: Creating A Public Center For Making, Timothy Hardeman

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

We live in an era where technology is driving forward at an unprecedented pace. We have access to tools, materials, and processes which weren’t even conceptualized 50 years ago. 3D printing, CNCs, and Laser Cutters allow us to create incredible designs, and at affordable prices. We have carbon fiber, advanced composites, and modern alloys.

But where do we experience these things? In a classroom? Through screens as we read about these intangible leaps in technology? Why don’t we have a place where we get to experience these things first-hand, and experiment with our own ideas about how they could be …

Head Space: An Exploration Into Design Code, Gaylon Lerch

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

This thesis explores the field of medical research for data to support the assertion that today’s coding standards are not performing in a way that fully addresses the needs of occupants of the built environment. This thesis will pull from the fields of psychology, physical medicine, and architecture to establish what current codes are, how they are deficient, and how they can be rectified, improved upon, or added if not already existing. The method used to establish the criteria of basic needs for healthy human function is established through understanding of how light, sound, and overall spatial quality effects the …

Architectural + Language: Breaking Barriers And Creating Cultural Dialogue, Maria De Los Angeles Delgado Bailon

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

When I was 11 years old, I moved back to the United States, after having spent my whole childhood in Ecuador, my parents native land. I was moving back to the land of opportunity in the search for the so called ‘American Dream’. It was difficult to leave and move to a new place where we did not know anyone or have anything, but just the idea of a going back to my hometown piqued my curiosity and excitement. I remember very vividly, the day I left Ecuador. I remember telling myself to be happy, because this was a moment …

Revitalizing The Charm: Reconstructing Homelessness To Urbanization, Tyrik Grant

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

The city of Baltimore is known for its beautiful harbor, distinct neighborhoods, unique museums and the renowned Johns Hopkins Hospital. Most notably, however, Baltimore is known for its delicious choices of crabs and other types of seafood. It is not Maryland’s capital, but it is Maryland’s biggest city and economic hub. The Inner Harbor, Baltimore biggest tourist attraction, is also one of America’s major import and export stations. However, it wasn’t always like this. After World War II, the city lost so much in population and business it became as financially depressed as it had been during the Great Depression. …

[Aero]Tecture: An Exploration Of The Relationship Between Natural Air And The High-Rise Office Typology, Matthew Williams

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

This thesis explores the relationship between natural air and high-rise office typology and questions “has air been neglected as an essential element of spatial design, and if so, what are the consequences of such neglect?” Pre-1900, office buildings relied on natural ventilation to function. With the advent of technology such as air conditioning in 1902, accompanied by innovations in standardized steel, artificial lighting, and hydraulic elevators at the turn of the century, office buildings got bigger, taller, and deeper for economic benefit. The resulting architecture of high-rise offices supplemented natural air with mechanical air. The thesis concludes that several complications …

From Shelter To Home: Creation Of Home In Areas Of Poverty And Scarcity, Claudia Rateb

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

Areas of scarcity among third-world countries are often subject to poverty stemming from a various reasons. Focusing specifically on Minya, Egypt, extreme poverty is a result of a combination of factors. These factors include but are not limited to systematic targeting of religious minorities, lack of potable resources, lack of education among the region, poor transit and distance from employment opportunity, and governmental corruption. As a result, slum-like conditions arise within and directly outside the city of Minya, creating unsafe and undignified living conditions to people affected by poverty. These living conditions further the wedge between the poor and wealthy, …

Intersectional Freedom: Rehabilitating Victims Of Human Trafficking, Nathalia Weston

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

Atlanta, Georgia is associated with being the home of CNN, The Atlanta Falcons, and Coca-Cola, but it is also one of the largest hubs for human trafficking in the United States. Every month, 7,200 men purchase sex from a minor, accounting for more than 8,000 sex acts. According to the United States Department of Justice, human trafficking is defined as the illegal act of recruiting, harboring, transporting, obtaining, or providing a person and especially a minor for sex. The 100 billion dollar industry has trapped and permanently altered the lives of nearly 5 million women and children around the world. …

Adaptive Stadium_ A Microcosm In Understanding The Identity Of Brasilia, John Rolon

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

This thesis addresses the issue of readapting the National Mané Garrincha Stadium in Brasilia with the intent to start a dialog on what identity and culture mean and how its represented in terms of a city using Brasilia. My proposal focuses in on the interrogation of the past theory and practices that influenced the concepts and foundation of the city and blending in modern day cultural ideas and influences. The main idea in choosing to re-adapt the stadium is because of its history of abandonment in which in 2 periods in history where it reached a point were it was …

Surmounting Disembodiment: Architecture And Suicide Prevention, Jack Mcgeehan

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

Suicide is currently the 10th leading cause of death in the United States, more than double the number of homicide deaths. This thesis questions how architects can design more appropriately for people who are at risk for suicide in the United States. While suicide is individualistic and varies from person to person, there are consistencies that can serve as a basis for mitigating the problem and building an infrastructure for the solution. This thesis begins by examining four key cohorts that are typically high risk in the United States; veterans, the elderly, the homeless, and youths. It examines the behavioral …

Preemption: Using Design To Enhance Student Safety And Promote Student Wellness, Tobias Lewis

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

On February 14th, 2014 we witnessed one of the most horrific tragedies in American history.16 year old Nikolas Cruz walked freely through the doors of Stoneman Douglas High school, armed with an AR-15 semi- automatic rifle, and ruthlessly shot 34 and killed 17 individuals. This including 3 teachers and 14 students. In the past 10 years there have been at least 239 School shootings nationwide. Of those shootings, 438 were shot, and 138 were killed. Being appalled by these number I began to ask myself why? Why so many?. Some statistics have linked school shootings with the mental trauma of …

Regen Care: A Self-Sustainable, Urban-Scale Project That Promotes Healing Through Communal Support And Spatial Design, Fatama Mugbil

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

Nowadays, we rely mostly on hospitals to aid us or the medicine prescribed by our doctors to cure us. But, not everyone has that opportunity because not everyone can afford and/or access healthcare. And with poor health, there’s poor people, causing then the homeless people to become more vulnerable.

However, with the idea of healing by design, there can be a way to facilitate healing by using thoughtful environmental and spatial design strategies that can accommodate our wellbeing. Although every site has its own conditions, the same concept can be applied through different regions where our environment can support our …

Urban Resilience: Urban Design Strategies For Addressing Climate Change In Waterfront Cities, Kathryn Stapleton

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

Many of the world’s historic and notable cities grew on waterfronts taking advantage of transportation, protection, and resources. While water is essential, it can also bring great destruction where flooding and erosion leave universal damage. In light of climate change predictions, by 2050, 90% of the major waterfront cities in the world will face the challenge of rising sea levels. Waterfront cities must quickly adapt and answer to this influx of water before its effects become irreversible. Urban design should address how to enhance the resilience of coastal cities to flooding through the reintegration of nature and water into the …

2021- The Twenty-Fifth Annual Symposium Of Student Scholars

Symposium of Student Scholars Program Books

The full program book from the Twenty-fifth Annual Symposium of Student Scholars, held on April 29, 2021. Includes abstracts from the presentations and posters.

Spring 2021, Joëlle Walls

The Investigator Research Magazine

Dear readers,

We are proud to present the spring issue of The Investigator and share with you the expansion of diverse research and scholarly activities occurring at Kennesaw State. Although this year was met with challenges, KSU’s research enterprise has thrived and grown.

In this issue, Pamela Whitten discussed the establishment of the Interdisciplinary Innovation Initiative, an internal funding program to spur new collaborations focused on KSU’s research themes. And alumni Carl Saint-Louis and Karen Armstrong, featured in our cover story, have returned as faculty to mentor the next generation.

This publication would not have been possible without the visual …

2020 - The First Annual Fall Symposium Of Student Scholars

Symposium of Student Scholars Program Books

The full program book from the Fall 2020 Symposium of Student Scholars, held on December 3, 2020. Includes abstracts from the presentations and posters.

The Architecture Of The Dead: Cemetery Symbolism In Colon Cemetery, Havana, Cuba, Dana Moody

Journal of Global Initiatives: Policy, Pedagogy, Perspective

The purpose of this study was to document and define symbolic imagery found within the grounds of the Colon Cemetery in Havana, Cuba. Memorials erected to the dead use symbology to tell stories about the departed, giving us clues to the deceased’s values and philosophies, as well as their religion, ethnicity, social memberships, occupations, education, level of wealth, and thoughts on the afterlife (Keister, 2004). Using images of Colon Cemetery from a photographic documentary series, Havana: Behind the Facade, architectural and cemetery symbology was grouped into categories, researched for meaning, and sought for interpretations to reveal clues about Cuban culture …

The Urban Network: An Ecosystemic Framework For The Enhancement Of Atlanta, Caleb Lawrence

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

The city can be considered to be one of the most delicate and intricate ecosystems on the planet, as it defines the organization of the functions and systems that make up every day human life. With the continuing trends of rapid population growth and urbanization it is imperative to thoroughly and regularly examine the network of the city to ensure the continued ability of the urban model to sustain an adequate and resilient quality of daily life. The network of certain cities, like that of Atlanta, must be challenged to develop towards that of a distributed network. The goal of …

Nai-Sig: Natural And Ideal Studies In Geometry, Steven P. Kane

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

Architecture through historical evidence seeks to find a straightforward development strategy for designing a place around Phenomenological views. Humans are one moment in time and space, seeking interactions between our senses and our environment. We are able to shape our reality over time, utilizing the characteristics given to us by history and nature. The Geometric Discipline assessed, explores how natural forces seen as vectors are applied in Different rational and irrational numbers. Natural structures and forms are looked at in a sensible fashion to give logic to our environment for design. The divide of design analysis for the hexagon form …

Maker's Village / Reviving Material Consciousness, Stephanie Balga, Stephanie Balga

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

Taking from Richard Sennett’s book, The Craftsman, “Skill is a trained practice; modern technology is abused when it deprives its users precisely of that repetitive, concrete, hands-on training. When the head and the hand are separated, the result is mental impairment” (p.52) This separation that Richard Sennett is talking about is the disconnect that our modern society has found due to the large amounts of mass production, social media, and technology abuse. In order to find this connection again, humans need to become more aware of their surroundings. This reconnection can occur through what is called material consciousness. This is …

Plastic Paradise: Reconstitution Of Plastic Waste Through Design Of A Module, Janel Stitt

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

As a material, plastic has many redeeming qualities, but as waste product, it is detrimental to our environment. This thesis aims to advance the encapsulation of plastic waste within a new building component: cladding material and/or modular design element. To see plastic as a one-time use material is short-sighted and doesn’t account for the potential which is inherent in this material composition. By examining any given city, you will find a surplus of plastic waste -- whether it is at a landfill, recycling center, or littered throughout the streets. This plastic waste has the ability to be something more. Buildings …

Camps In Crisis: Challenging The Architecture For Refugees, Duc Huy Ho

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

Every minute, 24 people are forcibly removed from their homes. This is due to violence, natural disasters, or human rights violations during premigration. Globally, there are 70.8 million people who are displaced, the largest number in history. To put this into perspective, imagine taking everyone from California and Texas and forcing them elsewhere. This is the scale of the refugee crisis. With this many people, we have to ask: what are the options? One: refugee camps or two: resettling in a foreign community. Unfortunately, some refugees are staying in camps designed for temporary use for up to 25 years. I …

Faith In Humanity : An Exploration Of Spiritually Inclusive Architecture, Jared Triemer

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

On March 15th, 2019 at 1:40 pm, Brenton Harrison Tarrant walked into Al Noor Mosque in New Zealand. Attached to his head, an iPhone set to livestream, and in his hand a loaded shotgun. Brenton then proceeded to gleefully murder 42 innocent Muslim worshippers. Soon after he fled to Linwood Mosque where he claimed 8 more victims. His actions demark New Zealand’s largest terrorist act in history. Brenton joins the long list of individuals who’s gross misunderstanding and hatred of a religion have escalated into violence. People like Brenton represent a larger issue that afflicts our modern society; the widespread …

An Experiment For Millennial Living: West-End Atlanta Social Housing, Kino Hamilton

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

The number of social housing being built is at its lowest for 70 years and we face a lack of housing that people can afford. As a result many people will live in fear and stress of being forced to move out of their home. Millennials however, will have to endure this problem coming out of college while suffering the dept of student loans. One of the biggest heartbreaks in America was the downfall of public housing throughout the nation. The demolition of public housing to give way to new infrastructures that are more promising and that will generate more …