Architecture Commons^™

Rethinking The Industrial Landscape - Revealing The Curative Potential Of Genetically Modified Plants, Susannah Horton

All Theses

At the turn of the 21st century, much like the turn of the 20th century there has been a major shift in North America with its industries and their impact on the landscape. With a trend of massive deindustrialization of large-scale production facilities throughout the (Gibbs 2003, 222-236) United States, it has directly impacted the landscape. There are currently changes underway in the American industrial landscape emphasizing a new technology whereby pharmaceuticals are manufactured in recombinant plants. These plant-derived pharmaceuticals are poised to become the next major part of the pharmaceutical industry. By recognizing the potential and studying the possible …

The Making Of A Movement: A Qualitative Content Analysis Of The National Trust For Historic Preservation Magazine From 1949 To 2010, Katherine Marie Ferguson

All Theses

For over 60 years, the National Trust for Historic Preservation has published a magazine. Covering issues from preservation legislation to sustainability, this publication has been the predominant voice in the preservation movement. But what has it been saying, really? This study applies a communications approach to examine the messages the National Trust magazine has presented to its members and the public and studies the role this type of marketing tool has played in the movement for more than half a century.
This research identifies seven important eras in communications for the magazine. Trends in the kind of news being reported, …

The Potential Of Virtual Heritage Reconstruction In Lost Ansonborough, Caglar Aydin

All Theses

The virtual reconstruction of vanished heritage is a well-known practice in the preservation field. The constant development in computer technologies has been improving visualization and interpretation techniques for virtual reconstructions of no longer extant or inaccessible sites. Reconstruction projects of vanished heritage sites implement various approaches because of different challenges at each site. This research involves 3D reconstructions, as well as historical research of early nineteenth century residences, Radcliffe-King and Gabriel Manigault houses in the Ansonborough neighborhood of Charleston, South Carolina, USA.
The demolition of these two mansions in the first half of the twentieth century leads to the loss …

Reconnecting Lost Place: Comprehensive Green Space Design Based On Historic Preservation Principles In Compact Changsha City, China, Jingjin Zhong

All Theses

As a developing country with a booming of economy and increase of population, China is in the different process of coexisting between old and new. This is particularly significant issue when one considers the long history and significance of Chinese culture. This study examines historic districts in the ancient Changsha city; the study proposes a design for an integrated green space network, aiming at sustainability for future urban expansion that addresses environmental concerns and culture heritage. This study uses case studies selected from United States, worldwide and vernacular China. Results at the neighborhood scale, include a new green space organization, …

'The Garden Spot Of The Earth': A History & Historic Resources Survey Of Reevesville, South Carolina, Stefanie Marasco

All Theses

Reevesville, South Carolina, is a rural agrarian town within Dorchester County. It was established as a settlement in 1793, but it did not become an official town until it was first incorporated into Colleton County in 1875. The population of Reevesville has, since 1875, remained fairly consistent, averaging 150 to 250 inhabitants. Reevesville's most prosperous era extended from 1875 to 1930, years that coincide with the most active period of the South Carolina Railroads, which served the town in the late 19th century. Many of the extant historic buildings in the area date to this period.
This thesis compiles a …

Re-Framing Historic Agra: Resident Central Design Recommendations For The Yamuna River At Agra, India, Akshay Badwe

All Theses

The Yamuna River has religious significance in India. Its landscape evolved based on the cultural philosophies of Hindus and Islam. The current rapid urbanization in India affects the river, resulting in utilitarian drain. This study recognizes that extensive contamination is harmful for the physical and the cultural values along the river. Therefore, a new plan for the design and management of the river is needed. To create new sustainable model, qualitative and quantitative methods were used in the conservation of both the intangible and the tangible values in the region. The 105 surveys responses and interviews from the residents of …

Unlocking Drayton Hall: A Survey And Analysis Of Hardware At A Southern Plantation, Lauren Elizabeth Golden

All Theses

No other single architectural element at Drayton Hall near Charleston, South Carolina better reflects the social and financial evolution of the house better than its hardware. When Drayton Hall was built, architectural hardware was in a period of transition, shifting from displaying hardware as a symbol of one's ability to purchase relatively expensive items to conceptualizing of rooms as holistic spaces where the hardware elements were as hidden as possible. Generations of family owners significantly changed the original, cohesive hierarchy of types ranging from the highly stylized to the simply functional, but much of the original remains. This thesis is …

Cultural Landscape Preservation: Analysis Of Five Preservation Models, Vineet Date

All Theses

In the recent past there has been a rise in concerns regarding the management and preservation of cultural landscapes. This project attempts to understand and analyze contemporary approaches taken by organizations around the world to preserve cultural landscapes. Five organizations are (1) United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), (2) Australian Heritage Council (AHC), (3) New Zealand Historic Places Trust (NZHPT), (4) National Park Service (NPS) and (5) Archeological Survey of India (ASI) have been selected for study. The existing preservation guidelines and two case studies from each organization are examined. The results of the study will help in …

City Food: Re-Imagining Urban Food Access Through Holistic, Multilayered Typologies Of Urban Agriculture Systems, Tiffany Managad

All Theses

Urban Agriculture is a growing movement that has resulted in response to the world's increasing urbanization. As global urban populations continue to multiply, the demand to supply healthy and nutritious food to cities has magnified. More than half of the global population now lives in cities and this trend continues to increase exponentially. This phenomena raises the question: How will cities continue to sustain and feed their growing populations now and in the future? Cities are hungry for sustainable ways to grow, access and consume healthier, more delicious food. The current industrialized food system is unsustainable due to escalated dependency …

Slave Housing: In Search Of Endangered Architecture, Syra V. Valiente

All Theses

Although enslaved Africans constituted a significant majority of the population of Charleston County, South Carolina, from the early eighteenth century until the Civil War, only miniscule number of former slave houses survive. Intense analysis of the surviving slave houses at McLeod Plantation on James Island raises questions about what inherent aspects of their plan and construction constitutes what this study labels 'slave architecture.' The emergence, development and decline of slave houses reflects the broader history of slavery in the South Carolina Lowcountry and suggests that improved documentation of these rare buildings can play an important role in conveying the history …

The Making Of A Legacy: Three Generations Of Drayton Family Women And Their Influences On The Landscape Of The Lowcountry And Eighteenth And Nineteenth Century Charleston, Brittany V. Lavelle

All Theses

For eight generations, the Drayton family of South Carolina and their properties have played significant roles in the history and development of the city of Charleston. As scholars have extensively explored the successes of the Drayton patriarchs of the colonial era, this thesis will showcase the accomplishments of the three generations of eighteenth and nineteenth century Drayton family women in property management and estate development, revealing their influences on the establishment and expansion of one of Charleston's most recognized family legacies in property wealth and architectural grandeur. This study intends to prove through property and genealogical research that the legendary …

Solving Urban Conservation Issues Through Botanic Garden Functions, John Lashley

All Theses

Historically, botanical gardens have many contributing factors relating to their success. Attracting visitors to botanical sites all around the world and providing a unique set of resources are only a portion of what makes these types of gardens so successful. This paper will first analyze the effects botanical gardens, in their current state of operation; have on society from a cultural, economic, and environmental impact. This paper will then propose and discuss education, environmental and community awareness and urban potential. Through a past and present inventory, a proposed alternative future for botanical gardens will be revealed.
Botanical gardens have an …

Re-Engaging Historic Military Sites, Gina Hartness

All Theses

Historic Conservation seeks to protect the historically significant built environment while
allowing for more current uses. As it pertains to land planning, this effort extends current
land-use tools beyond the historic and conservation districts to include buffer districts and
heritage areas. We need these tools because preservation, which is defined as maintaining
an unaltered environment, does not adequately address managing change over time. Fort
Moultrie on Sullivan's Island, South Carolina is one example where historic preservation
and conservation merge to address the adaptive reuse of this former military installation.
At Fort Moultrie, many of these former installations are in disrepair …

The Evolving Philosophy Of Climate Control For Historic House Museums In Subtropical Climates: Recommendations For The Aiken-Rhett House, Charleston, South Carolina, Mariah C. Schwartz

All Theses

This study was designed to determine the most appropriate type of climate control system for the Aiken-Rhett House (1820-22), a historic house museum located in Charleston, South Carolina. The Aiken-Rhett property is unique in that it has never been restored and the current stewards of the museum have taken a conservation philosophy to the interpretation of the house. This house museum is rare because it is one of the few remaining unrestored antebellum structures in the South. Although grand mansions were never intended to exist in a state of decline, as the Aiken-Rhett does now, the preserved layers of time …

The Application Of Food Landscape In Johns De La Howe School, Shuowei Qin

All Theses

Recently, food landscape has been put forward under ecological urbanism. Most of our food in the plate comes from miles away and transporting them consumes large amount non-renewable energy in earth. At the same time, our existing landscape suffers from the land degrading because of old ecological paradigm. Food landscape encourages combining edible plants in our landscape and works under new ecological paradigm which could best address those two main problems. Food landscape is a newly coined word and does not have a specific definition. From intensive literature review, the origin, the rationale, and the benefits of food landscape will …

Ties That Bind: The Emergence Of Iron Tie Rod Reinforcement In Load Bearing Masonry Buildings Of Charleston, S.C., Jamie Lynn Wiedman

All Theses

Comprehensive studies of structural tie rods in Charleston's load bearing masonry buildings are scarce. While the presence of these anchors on building facades fascinates passersby and is appreciated throughout the city, a general knowledge of their history and emergence as a technology is lacking. Often associated with the earthquake of 1886, iron tie rods were in fact present in Charleston buildings as early as the 18th century. And while the effect of the 1886 earthquake on Charleston's built environment is typically looked at from a sociological or political perspective, and the physical effect has been studied extensively, rarely has the …

Biophilic Design At Pomona College: An Analysis Of The New Sontag And Pomona Residence Halls, John W. Hasse

Pomona Senior Theses

The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for New Construction (or LEED-NC) has become one of the most commonly used green building standards during the turn of the 21^st century. While many champion LEED-NC, certain architects and academics believe that its low-environmental impact design approach toward green building isolates people from nature and thus cannot achieve sustainable development over the long-term. Pomona College’s green buildings, including its newest LEED Platinum certified Sontag and Pomona Residence Halls, exemplify this fact, as their designs fail to communicate their sustainable goals or inspire sustainable behavior. By examining the LEED-NC standards, the history …

Does Design Affect Behavior? A Case Study Of Pomona And Sontag Halls, Erin F. Morgan

Pomona Senior Theses

This paper investigates the successes and failures of architectural design techniques used to improve the sustainability of occupants. It looks broadly at research that has taken place in the past and focuses specifically on the strategies used in Pomona and Sontag Halls - two dormitories constructed at Pomona College.

Designing A Complete Community Center: Responsive Design In A Rural Setting, Sheryl Tubbs

Capstone Collection

It is a common sight to see community centers in use in various parts of the world. They have fulfilled a variety of roles in many communities for a number of years. This project’s focus is on the design of community center for a rural town. The main research question in this research asks, “What type of community center does this area need?” The sub questions also help to establish the kind of community center that is needed and wanted.

A review of current literature shows no specific way to build a community center or what to include. However there …

What Do You Call A Place Where Books Are Kept?, Taryn Elizabeth Mcgann

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

The public library as a single grand building, gated by massive columns and filled with rows of dusty tomes, is a severely outdated conception. The model of library as a permanent, stable landmark in the city has been debased with the advent of digital technology and a new model is forming that embraces the ephemeralness of modern media. However, the image of a building filled with books still holds power over architects and bibliophiles and continues to wield influence over the design of new libraries. Consequently, the modern library is caught between trying to provide adequate technological and educational resources …

Measuring Spillover Effects Of Residential Amenity Improvements Using Spatial Hedonic Approach, Shruti Bishan Tandon

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this dissertation is to develop a methodology for the estimation of the appropriate welfare benefits in the presence of spillover externalities. The ability to capture influences of the not so easily observed variables allow spatial lag models to measure the direct and indirect spillover effects. The direct effect measures the value of the property in question and the indirect captures the influences of neighboring properties, through a spatial multiplier effect.

Kim et al. (2003) through a path breaking approach estimated welfare benefits of air quality improvement. Their methodology captured spillover effects of amenity changes that lump both …

Public Parks And Private Ideologies: Building Nineteenth-Century British National Identity Through Landscape, Laura Swaim Witherington

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This project examines how nineteenth-century landscape theories shaped national identity and were influenced by it. Predominant is an investigation of how the desire for a more egalitarian class structure underlies the changes in British landscape design from an attachment to classical exclusivity through pastoral tropes to a limited acceptance of middle and working classes within public landscapes that represented patriotic values. Although poetic works inform the study, novel-length fiction and non-fiction prose and periodicals are also a primary source of consideration. Novels demonstrate how fictional geography generates the constructs of national ideology, and although canonical works typically referenced in studu …

The Potential Of Downtown Las Vegas Becoming A Creative Milieu, Ana Magdalena Barragan

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The city of Las Vegas is attempting to revitalize downtown through a creative economy by bringing cultural and experiential activities to the area in a mixed use arrangement with residential, business and civic uses. This study looks at the possibility of not only revitalizing downtown, but on it becoming a true creative milieu - a place that fosters creativity and innovation. It does so by first identifying three major forces working upon the realization of these goals: 1) the regional socio-economic conditions, 2) the government strategies, and 3) the creative population's participation.

The study conducts a quantitative assessments of each, …

Structural Performance Of Reinforced Concrete Flat Plat Buildings Subjected To Fire, Sara Jean George

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Reinforced concrete structures are typically considered to have inherent resistance to fire. However, several concrete structures around the world have experienced partial or total collapse under fire. Reinforced concrete flat-plate is a type of structural system widely used for office and residential buildings. Flat plate construction is prone to punching shear failure at slab-column connections which may lead to a catastrophic progressive collapse. The slabs of flat-plates generally have very thin concrete cover leaving steel reinforcement more sensitive to thermal loads. Little is known in the engineering community about the structural performance of flat-plate structures subjected to fire. Through a …

Framework Development For Construction Safety Visualization, Kishor Shrestha

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Throughout the history of the construction industry, many fatalities and injuries have occurred in construction sites. One of the major causes of accidents is unsafe site conditions; basically, this is due to inadequate supervision. To improve upon the traditional supervision approach, this study proposes a `Framework Development for Construction Safety Visualization' approach. In addition to this, a computer vision Edge Detection Algorithm was developed and tested to convert construction site still images into edges of the objects in the images. The framework development of this study uses computer vision, robot vision, image compression, pattern recognition, internet transmission, network communication, and …

Legal Issues In Green Construction, Namrata Shrestha

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The most recent "green construction movement", made a significant impact on the design and construction industry in the United States. Organizations such as the American Institute of Architects (AIA) have lobbied governmental entities to provide financial incentives to promote green construction. The green construction community also promotes the notion that a healthier working and living environment is achieved. Due to finical incentives coupled with projected long-term energy cost savings, many owners of new construction are considering green construction as an option. Accompanying the "green construction movement", new kinds of legal issues, particularly relating to green aspects such as certification, energy …

Public Housing In The United States: Using Sustainable Urbanism To Combat Social Exclusion, Jasmine L. Edo

Scripps Senior Theses

The United States government has taken steps to assure underprivileged citizens housing in the form of public housing through the Department of Housing and Urban Development, as well as various humanitarian programs in the form of homeless shelters. Yet, all housing is not equal. Our freedom to choose where we live and what type of house we live in is one revered aspect of life as a United States citizen. We can express our individuality, creativity, and personality through the architectural style of our homes. In this sense it is hard to ask for equal housing. I am suggesting that …

A Critical Evaluation Of The Sustainable Sites Initiative's Guidelines And Performance Benchmarks 2009 As Applied To The Design And Development Of The Orem, Utah Intermodal Center, Jeffrey E. Dzikowski

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

In 2006 the American Society of Landscape Architects, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, the United States Botanical Garden, and additional stakeholders joined together to form the Sustainable Sites Initiative^TM (SITES^TM), an organization dedicated to the promotion of sustainable land development and management practices. As part of this effort SITES recently released its Guidelines and Performance Benchmarks 2009, a document which provides a voluntary guideline and rating system for the development, operation, and maintenance of sustainable landscapes.

This guideline and rating system is currently being tested through the Sustainable Sites Initiative pilot program, in which a select …

Utah State University Botanical Center Stream Master Plan, Daniel Willard Schults

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

The Utah State University Botanical Center Stream Master Plan is a design to assist Utah State University Botanical Center (USUBC) administration in fulfilling their goals of community outreach and education, implementing sustainable practices and creating aesthetically beautiful areas for public enjoyment. These goals are met through updating the USUBC master plan to account for the newly built man-made stream as well as other future buildings. Trails, overlooks and information nodes are part of the new master plan. The planting plan includes representations of six natural plant communities found in Northern Utah. Additionally, the stream design improves the water quality of …

Cultural Sustainability Of A Post-Industrial Brownfield In Wanzhou China: Maintaining Cultural Value Through Brownfield Redevelopment, Yi Zhang

All Theses

The post-industrial brownfield, generally regarded as one type of brownfield, is defined as an industrial property that remains abandoned or underutilized in part because of environmental contamination. In China, more and more post-industrial sites are abandoned because of changes to city land use, often becoming an obstacle for healthy city growth. This phenomenon places more concerns on brownfield redevelopment in China. Chinese professionals in landscape architecture can borrow some methods and techniques for addressing brownfields from more developed countries. While the brownfields in China share some similar characteristics with those in developed countries, they also have some specific features. For …