Architecture Commons^™

Echoes Of The Ocean, Carolina Siano Moratt

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

In my exploration of architectural criticism, I have focused on how social institutions and their architectures have failed to address the global health issue of microplastics. My building, located in the Great Pacific Gyre – the site of the largest collection of plastics and microplastics on the planet – is a reflection and a critique of these institutions’ effectiveness, as the typical architecture for these climate action talks (read: sites of global summits and accords) often operate far from the problems they aim to solve and are constrained by the geopolitical regulations of the nation-state.

The site for my project …

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 …

Folk Art As A Catalyst: Unfolding Salvadoran Identity Through Design., Kevin E. Lopez

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

This research explores how folk art can act as a catalyst to revitalize spaces and deepen connections to Salvadoran culture. It examines works of folk art as cultural artifacts that embody Salvadoran identity, revealing their underlying structures, patterns, and meanings. This understanding of form and symbolism within these artistic expressions will serve as a foundation for translating cultural identity into architectural design.

Ideas and experiences can be ephemeral, but through design, these concepts can be translated into architectural forms. Knoespel argued in “Diagrammatic Transformation of Architectural Space” that diagrams conveys architectural information, suggesting that by analyzing an element, new information …

The Missing Connection: Designing A New Transit Hub Typology Centered Around Community, Michael Rixom

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

To effectively develop cities and improve the quality of life for their citizens, urban transportation infrastructure must evolve beyond its current function as a mere conduit for movement. Transportation hubs, such as MARTA stations, are essential in connecting people to their jobs, homes, and recreational spaces, serving as critical nodes within the urban fabric. However, despite their importance, they are designed with a sole focus on efficiency and movement, and often neglect the potential of these spaces to serve as more dynamic, community-centered environments.

In this Thesis Placemaking will be defined as an approach to urban design that emphasizes the …

Disrupting Monotony, Elias Mendez

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

At the start of this project, I was confronted with a range of global issues that revealed the harsh realities many regions face in securing basic human needs, particularly shelter. One issue that stood out to me was the housing crisis in Mexico, where low-income families often struggle to afford homes while also meeting essential needs like food and clothing. Many of these homes are poorly constructed due to strict budget constraints and are built in such close proximity that both private and communal spaces are sacrificed in favor of maximizing land use. This often results in rows of identical …

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 …

Sustainable Solutions: Innovating Vernacular Architecture In Togo's Communities, Kevin Toudeka

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

Togo, like many other countries, faces significant challenges in the housing sector, particularly for low-income communities. Traditional or vernacular architecture offers a rich repository of knowledge and practices that can be harnessed to address these challenges in a sustainable and culturally appropriate manner. Exploring innovative approaches to vernacular architecture will improve affordability, comfort, and resilience while preserving cultural heritage. Innovating vernacular architecture presents an opportunity to address housing challenges in Togo in a culturally sensitive, environmentally sustainable, and socially inclusive manner. Traditional knowledge and practices, combined with modern technologies and collaborative approaches, can create housing solutions that are both rooted …

Plastic Repurposed: Explorations For The Use Of Plastic Waste As An Architectural Element, Caleb Tinajero

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

The business model for plastic has become accustomed to a system of consumption and disposal that has failed to develop a way that benefits the environment. Unless the production of plastic ceases to persist, the number of plastic waste will continue to grow and even though it is not fully visible, the effects of this pollution will eventually contaminate the aspects of our lives. Although stopping the production of such a vital factor to the prosperity of the economy is unrealistic, it could also be detrimental to the machinations of society. It is after all a very useful resource. The …

Vacant Voices - An Architectural Response To Spatial Neglect, Logan G. Handwork

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

Vacant Voices explores how architecture can confront and reverse urban neglect by transforming long-abandoned land into civic space. Centered on the vacant lot at 3rd Avenue and James Street in Seattle—left undeveloped for over 20 years beside City Hall—this thesis investigates how public spaces can reflect the priorities of a government and the voices of its people. Through literature from Charles Wolfe, Rem Koolhaas, and Margaret Crawford, the project builds a theoretical foundation around everyday urbanism, adaptive reuse, and spatial justice.

The methodology incorporates case study analysis, expert interviews, and iterative prototyping. Precedents such as Zuccotti Park, Boston City Hall …

Nature's Nexus; Revival Of The Mall Typology Through Nature, Bailey Wilson

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

Many suburban shopping malls are struggling today due to online shopping, questions of access, and monolithic experience among other things. The Savannah mall, abandoned in 2023, provides an opportunity for exploration in the revival of the mall typology through biophilic design. This project explores the nexus between Savannah’s landscape and the abandoned mall. Therefore, envisioning a future where malls evolve from heat island hardscapes into environments that create a nexus between nature and community.

Urban Eden, Establishing The Groundwork For A More Resilient City, Max R. Oliva

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

Cities account for over 70% of Global C02 emissions and as these areas grow over time their Carbon Footprint will grow in turn. In order to offset this imbalance I propose to design Performative Skins & Building Modules to not only reduce the carbon footprint in these cities, but also recover their connection to Nature contributing not only to energy efficiency and air quality, but also to urban aesthetics, the inclusion of these systems could go so far as to help mitigate the heat island effect and in the long term help establish a more resilient and sustainable city

Empow{Her}: Architecture As A Tool For Healing, Dignity, And Collective Power In Underserved Communities, Miciah Norman

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

This thesis investigates the role of architecture as a catalyst for empowerment, healing, and social transformation within underserved communities, with a specific focus on the lived experiences of Black women. Empow(her) centers Black women as co-victims — individuals who are often forced to carry the emotional and economic weight of losing loved ones to gun violence, a crisis perpetuated by systemic neglect and ineffective gun legislation. These women, frequently overlooked in policy and design conversations, navigate generational trauma in environments that fail to support their healing or acknowledge their pain. Through the lens of feminist, trauma-informed, and justice-oriented design, this …

Defining Space With Bamboo, Nicholas A. Stile Jr.

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

Defining Space with Bamboo explores the architectural potential of bamboo in the subtropical climate of the United States—specifically challenging the preconception of bamboo as merely an invasive species. While it’s true that bamboo is non-native and fast-spreading, its presence is already well-established across the region. This project asks: rather than resisting it, what if we embraced bamboo as a rapidly renewable, structurally versatile construction material?

Set along the Atlanta BeltLine, the project comprises three spatial installations—small, medium, and large—each designed to examine how bamboo can actively define space through qualities of leisure, activity, and discovery. The small pavilion employs a …

[Shape Up!], Noah D. Garity

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

"designs and strategies for urban play-scapes and the notion of a deployable play-city"

Through the proliferation of exclusively visual stimuli urbanites are growing disconnected from their peers. People need tangible and physical stimuli in the built environment. Emergence is the tendency for a population to connect without any preconceived notion of such. Emergence is a critical term in the discussion of growing urban isolation. Emergence and play are intertwined, both are critical in addressing urban disconnection. Using architecture, emergence will guarantee a resurgence in urban connectivity.

People need play.

This thesis will generate positive disruption to reengage street citizens and …

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 …

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 …

Weaving Of Spaces: Designing Spaces That Create Opportunities For Communication And Freedom Though Ease Of Access., Fiona Louise Duvall

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

Suburban environments frequently experience spatial and temporal, fragmentation, resulting in disjointed landscapes, limited social interaction, and a weakened sense of place. This thesis explores how the strategic design and integration of interconnected destinations can counteract these issues by fostering continuous, accessible, and engaging public spaces. Focusing on an area just outside Marietta Square in Georgia, the project proposes a network of vibrant, multipurpose nodes linked through walkable corridors and green infrastructure. By enhancing physical and social connectivity, the design aims to create rhythms of use that span different times of day and appeal to a diverse range of residents. Through …

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 …

Spatial Echoes, Joy Cherichel

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

This abstract critiques the limitations within the U.S. education system, arguing that its selective preservation of history often obscures crucial narratives, particularly regarding systemic racism. Focusing on the suppressed history of Oscarville and the expulsion of Black residents from Forsyth County, Georgia, in 1912, the proposal advocates for architectural intervention to combat this historical amnesia. The central research question explores how architecture can preserve and convey unbiased racial history to enhance education. The thesis posits that intentionally designed architecture can serve as a powerful and enduring educational tool, making it harder to ignore marginalized histories. To address this, the abstract …

Raising Families, Restoring Communities Through Adaptive Re-Use Design: Housing For Single Parents In New York, Laila S. Smith

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

This thesis explores the transformative potential of adaptive reuse in addressing New York’s growing housing crisis, with a focus on creating affordable, high-quality housing communities for single-parent families in Yonkers. As the population of New York continues to rise, housing affordability remains a pressing issue, particularly for low- and moderate-income families. Over half of renters in the region are rent-burdened, spending more than 35% of their income on housing, which leaves limited financial capacity for essential needs such as childcare, healthcare, and food. Single-parent households are especially vulnerable, often struggling to find stable, supportive housing in safe and resource-rich neighborhoods. …

Revitalizing Oncology By Transforming Treatment Environments By Reconnecting To Life, Lindsey Garcia

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

There is a growing consensus among researchers that human activities have profoundly reshaped the Earth's environment, to the point that our modes of living and their ecological footprint have given rise to new conditions of habitability. This transformation marks not merely the continuation of human dominance, but the emergence of a new era in which human and non-human actors are linked in shaping the future of life on Earth. Our collective actions from urban expansion to industrial processes exert influence not only on the built environment but also on the health and vitality of all species. A critical example of …

Origami Lunar Habitation Unfolding A Future Colony In Space, Andrew Fields

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

What is origami? Origami is the ancient Japanese art of folding paper into decorative pieces. Today we use origami as a way to compact things for better storage or transportation and still to create decorative pieces of art. Origami is a must in space travel as it allows for large satellites to be folded and compacted down into a rocket and then unfolded in space to allow for the most surface area for solar absorption.

How can origami help? By making it possible to create lightweight, expandable structures that can be used in alien environments and by enabling the repair …

Mental Liberation, Jason A. Rosales

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

Health is often prioritized for its physical aspects, yet the significance of mental health is frequently overlooked, despite its profound impact on someone’s overall well-being. Mental health is gradually becoming a less sensitive topic, particularly among young adults and teenagers, as they increasingly seek help. However, the current mental health institutions often fail to provide a safe and helpful environment for patients to prosper and recover.

These institutions are commonly described as jail-like or draining, lacking the uplifting and private atmosphere necessary for healing. Various factors contribute to these negative perceptions, including the absence of natural sunlight, cramped and suffocating …

Blood Architecture : Designing A Hemophilia Treatment Center Through Biomimetic Principles, Melissa Da Costa Schmidt

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

This thesis explores how biomimetic principles drawn from the blood clotting process can inform the architectural design of hemophilia treatment centers, enhancing their efficiency, adaptability, and patient-centered care. By paralleling the phases of hemostasis—platelet aggregation, clotting factor activation, and fibrin stabilization—with spatial functions, the design proposes a layout where acute care areas are centrally positioned for rapid response, while rehabilitation zones support long-term healing, mirroring the reinforcement phase of clotting. Regulated movement and spatial zoning echo the precise control of clot formation, promoting accessibility, privacy, and reduced congestion. Architectural forms inspired by vascular networks, combined with the use of natural …

Living With Historic Architecture, Jenil A. Thornton

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

In recent decades, the awareness of history and heritage has permeated the state of our built-environment. In this line of thought, preserving, conserving, and restoring historic buildings have become a major approach in architecture. Further, with growing interests of a sustainable future, preservation, conservation, restoration, and adaptive reuse gives possible avenues for sustainable designs. Preservation is to create an environment to protect and prolong the buildings’ life, while Restoration is to preserve and reveal the aesthetic and historic value, the aura, of the space. Conservation is the combination of both preservation and restoration. Overall, they relate to interests in experiencing …

From Camps To Communities, Briyonna A. Reid

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

This thesis explores the potential to reimagine refugee camps not as temporary settlements, but as long-term, resilient communities that foster hope, dignity, and social cohesion for displaced populations. While refugee camps have historically provided critical emergency shelter from violence, persecution, and economic instability, their design and infrastructure often prioritize short-term survival over long-term well-being. As protracted displacement becomes increasingly common, there is an urgent need to rethink how these spaces function and evolve. This research argues that through innovative, inclusive design and planning, refugee camps can become sustainable environments that promote self-sufficiency, stability, and integration with host communities.

The thesis …

Viewing From The Sidelines: Tackling Temporality Impacting Displaced Refugees By Humanizing Border Design, Robinson Badell-Garcia

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

Every day, you follow a routine that brings comfort- be it work, errands, or family care. Now, imagine the unthinkable: your stable world collapses around you, leaving you homeless and adrift. Stripped of job and shelter, what’s the best option? To leave and seek answers in unfamiliar places while grappling with the profound isolation and discrimination that comes from being displaced.

As architects, our role is to communicate people's dreams and realities, striving for a sustainable future while fostering dialogue and care. This thesis focuses on the architectural response to the increasing displacement along the Türkiye-Syria border, exacerbated by ongoing …

New Suburbanism Learning From Suburbia, Gregory A. Sweat Jr.

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

Why does current architecture not address suburban spaces? Suburban spaces are the bulk of what is seen in Atlanta Georgia; and are the most common lived space these spaces are known as Sprawl, this sprawl seen in Atlanta can be described as fragmented, contradictory, corporate, smooth, additive and ever expanding. Suburban spaces are also airy, convenient and it addresses the needs of our current societal needs. What happens when you embrace and intensify the junkspaces and non-places seen in suburbia? How do you live with the parking lot, the big box store and the strip mall? This thesis is about …

Revitalizing Ahmedabad's Neighborhoods: Integrating Vastu Shastra-Mixed-Use Housing And Market, Jhanvi S. Patel

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

Founded in 1411, Ahmedabad is rich in cultural and architectural heritage, exemplified in its traditional pols densely packed neighborhoods fostering a sense of community, shared identity, and architectural ingenuity. Now part of a UNESCO World Heritage site, these pols are deteriorating, facing overcrowded streets, aging infrastructure, and substandard sanitation. Despite these issues, many residents remain due to strong family and cultural ties. This project explores the potential of using Vastu Shastra, an ancient Indian construction science, to guide sustainable revitalization while preserving the city’s unique identity. It examines the integration of Vastu principles in improving waste management, ventilation, and sanitation …

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 …