Other Architecture Commons^™

Objects In The Sunset, Iskander Guetta

Masters of Environmental Design Theses

This research explores everyday design practices in the Maghreb shaped by economic, political, and ecological struggles amid transnational debates on decolonizing design. To do so, it looks at objects in, through and with the sunset. Taking المغرب — the place where the sun sets — as a conceptual lens, Objects in the Sunset illuminates the savoir-faire born from dispossession, scarcity, and epistemic violence. Working across different scales of the built environment — infrastructures, spaces, objects, and materials — it shifts design away from Eurocentric conceptions: from rationalization to resourcefulness, homogeneity to heterogeneity, optimization to adaptation, disposability to repair, and universal …

Between Shelter & Ash, Designing Fire-Proof Resilient Neighborhoods, Arlene I. Garcia Guzman

McNair Summer Research Program

In response to the ongoing catastrophic wildfires in the U.S., especially the West Coast region, the State of California is proactively implementing the first multi-faceted legislative and regulatory framework to enhance wildfire resiliency.

During a disaster, embers are the most important contributors to wildfire, and can dictate whether homes ignite or not. Given their potent ignition source, their capacity to travel for miles, researchers have concluded that wind-blown embers are the leading cause of destruction during wildfires. Simultaneously, the purpose of the 2025 building codes is to strengthen construction methods, requiring the use of rated structural materials, such as sheathing, …

The Value Of Home: The Covid-19 Pandemic’S Influence On Living Space, Mental Well-Being, And Design Adaptability, Grace E. Woodall

2025 Spring Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

Grace Woodall, Architecture

Title: The Value of Home: The COVID-19 Pandemic’s Influence on Living Spaces, Mental Well-Being, and Design Adaptability

Faculty Mentor: Marisa Gomez Nordyke

The COVID-19 pandemic redefined how people worked, learned, socialized, and lived. This study examines how American young adults’ perceptions of home evolved during and after the isolating lockdowns. This work addressed how the COVID-19 experience altered home’s value in young adults, the spatial, mental, and experiential challenges of confined spaces during the lockdowns, and the architectural elements that responded to these shifts. By analyzing post-pandemic housing trends, a literature review of architecture, psychology, home design, …

Affordable Architecture: Promoting Mental Health Through Cost-Effective Design In Underfunded High Schools In Dallas-Fort Worth, Raphaella Malicay

2025 Spring Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

Mental health awareness has increased over the years as well as numerous strategies to support mental health. Some of these strategies include addressing the built environment. This paper explores the intersection between mental health and the built environment through the lens of affordable architectural methods that would be effective in underfunded secondary schools. This study examines how architecture influences students’ well-being and how certain design strategies can be implemented even in schools that lack the financial resources for adequate infrastructure. Here the focus is on investigating affordable solutions such as improving ventilation, optimizing natural light, having flexible learning spaces, and …

An Investigation Of Design Processes And Their Effects On Accessibility In Narrative Themed Environments, Arielle Spencer

All Dissertations

Accessibility matters, and not merely in meeting minimum codes or limited to basic necessities. Access and inclusion matter still more in places of recreation and leisure which have too often been overlooked or considered low priority, however it is precisely these places that merit special attention. Narrative Themed Environments occupy a unique position relative to the general built environment, often acting as utopic ‘other-spaces’ for enjoyment, freedom, and escape. However, for guests with disabilities, current themed experiences can often lack true inclusivity and instead create inequality, segregation, diminished experiences, and feelings of isolation and exclusion. The peculiar idiosyncratic design process …

The Art Of Experience: Changing Architectural Designs Through The Perception Of Light, Brett Hembree

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

We are constantly surrounded by and inhabiting the built environment. Architecture can affect someone’s mood in the most subtle of ways. The spaces we inhabit have an impact whether you are aware of it or not. Peter Zumthor said, "Architecture is a service, a process, a way of building and leaving the world a little better for our presence." The question becomes, "How can we use lighting in architectural designs to create impactful experiences for those in the space?" My thesis explores how we design spaces and what strategies can be implemented to influence the viewers’ perception. We are shaped …

Geometric Principles In Architecture Aesthetics, Vincent Gemmiti

Architecture Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study focuses on geometric formalism in three major monuments across different architectural eras in time. The use of three distinct geometric principles to outline the use of pure or manufactured shapes and figures helps to discover and isolate an aesthetic component of architecture within which it is contained. A collection of studies are implemented and are focused on orthographic drawings from each monument in horizontality and verticality, consisting of a dual set of overlay and interpretative drawings for each type of orthographic representation for each monument. A discussion follows and highlights the changes or similarities over time the role …

Giving Up Control: Hybrid Ai-Augmented Workflows For Image-Making, Joshua Vermillion

Tradition Innovations in Arts, Design, and Media Higher Education

This paper argues that if we are to come to creative terms with AI image-making then we must critically interrogate these new tools in the production of creative works. In doing so, designers can start to chart new creative workflows that integrate AI for image-making while augmenting and then evolving our current ways of designing. Workflows are shown that relate to how AI models can augment human creativity in hybrid (human and AI) creative endeavors while taking advantage of the affordances of these technologies.

Exploring Methods Of Adaptive Reuse As A Means Of Reviving Abandoned Spaces, Joshua Davids

Honors Projects

This interdisciplinary project explores cases of building abandonment as well as adaptive reuse projects. Building abandonment is analyzed for its causes and influences, with adaptive reuse also discussed as a means to revitalize these abandoned spaces. The end of the project includes a small-scale design concept for the renovation of unused spaces in Bowling Green State University's Founders Hall.

Exploring The Psychological Consequences Of Distances In Virtual Reality, Gary D. Jacobs

Frameless

This presentation will examine common concepts of traveling between formalized spaces inside virtual reality (VR) experiences.

The common method for traveling in virtual reality is to click on an area or trigger and be transported to that location. These “teleportations”, however, remove the notion of distances from our virtual worlds. This is akin to a magic wand that eliminates the consequences of travel in VR. Often heralded as a boon for the virtual worlds we can create, wherein we can travel to far away lands without lag in time and without effort on the part of the participant. We posit …

Development Of A Conceptual Design, Estimate, & Schedule For Cal Poly Track & Field Hurdle Shed, Jonathan Chagnon

Construction Management

This paper details the processes completed to produce the conceptual design, estimate, and schedule for a track and field hurdle shed at the Cal Poly Track facility. The main objective for this project was to create a conceptual idea for the track team that would make use of the current open space at the facility and create more storage space for current and future equipment obtained by the program. By completing this project, the track team would be able to receive a design that would allow them to push the concept forward as possible, an estimate that would give the …

City Of Guadalupe Cultural Arts & Education Center Veterans Memorial Wall, Alejandra Arroyo Perez

Construction Management

As a student in Construction Management, the importance of firsthand experience in the construction industry should not be taken lightly. The responsibility of every construction manager is to learn how to take a project from concept to reality. The primary five elements of construction management entail project programming, design development, material specifications, estimating, and scheduling. This paper documents the construction management process related to a Veterans Memorial Wall. Through coordination with the project stakeholders (i.e. property owners, engineer consultants, material fabricators, and vendors) a fully immersive construction management experience is gained. One of the stakeholder requirements was to establish a …

The Art Of The Climbing Wall, Gavin P. Day

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The aim of my thesis is to share the intricacies of climbing wall design, and the building blocks of art, science, and philosophy that go into the work. I will also be detailing my journey of learning through mentorship, trial and error, and my own experience with climbing. All of this culminates in a redesign of the current climbing wall at ETSU’s Basler Center for Physical Activity. While there is limited information on climbing wall design theory, insight is given through industry standards, competition regulations, and interdisciplinary design philosophies

Covid-10, Healthcare Interior Design + Provider Experience - How Does Your Space Work For You?, Ruth E.P. Deibler

Graduate Research Posters

The lack of research on healthcare staff experience and interior design of the spaces they work in is evident. A focus on staff perspective is needed, particularly staff who navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. This research seeks to capture those stories to develop further research in order to improve staff experience. The initial phase of this mixed-methods approach is a survey. Hypothetically, by placing providers at the center of qualitative research related to healthcare interior design, we can better understand existing healthcare spaces. Ideally, we can develop additional evidence-based, human-centered solutions to transform interior environments in healthcare.

The 20-year Women’s Health …

Dynamic Workplace Design, Eduardo Parra De Nova

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

The design of workplaces is often complex because it balances two opposing forces: on the one hand, innovation and creativity often involve teamwork processes and collaboration, occurring in spaces which may then produce higher than normal noise levels. On the other hand, many work processes rely on individual work, which requires quiet spaces needed for concentration. Another complex issues that office design architects must address involves the ever changing nature of workplaces, either as part of short-term evolving daily activities or as part of the longer-term changes organizations have to bring to their managerial style in order to stay competitive …

The Hospitality Design Laboratory: Testing A Growing Global Resource For Architectural Planning Research In The Tourism/Resort Industry, Glenn Nowak

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

The HD-Lab at UNLV is an experiment in merging academic research teams with industry leadership to address the ever-changing landscape of global tourism, gaming, and hospitality as it pertains to the built environment. This poster session seeks to share overviews of previous studies, lessons learned, and opportunities for future architectural research. Collaborations amongst diverse teams aim to foster interdisciplinary research and continued contributions to the intellectual capital of hospitality design in Las Vegas and around the world. The presentation is structured across six broad and intertwined areas of foci: 1. Integrated resorts’ future evolutions and innovations, 2. Tourism architecture’s advanced …

Accessible Design In Rural Health Care: Usability Profile Of Outpatient Health Care Facilities In Rural West Virginia., Jordan E. Miller

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) became law in 1990. Since then, research has shown that people with disabilities continue to experience environmental, systematic, and structural barriers to health care. The purpose of this research is to explore the prevalence of barriers in rural West Virginia health facilities and the relationship between building characteristics (like age and purpose) and accessibility. The researcher evaluated ten rural outpatient member-sites of the West Virginia Practice-Based Research Network using a survey to understand building characteristics and a tool to measure essential features for a facility to be considered ‘usable’. Findings included a negative correlation …

Audio To Architecture: House Music As A Form Generator, Polina Timchenko

Architecture Undergraduate Honors Theses

Contemporary music undergoes similar process of creation to that of the design process through computation and variation. House music as a representation of contemporary culture has a layered structure that allows specific characteristics to identify it as house music. Song components can vary and mix in different orders that form new dynamic compositions. I am going to explore the idea that every house music component can be translated into geometry with the use of parametric design techniques.

Design Guidelines For Activating Outdoor Spaces Of University Campuses, Torina Wilson

City and Regional Planning

No abstract provided.

Fault, Katharine Fritz

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

3,000 people died, 80% of the city was destroyed. On the morning of April 18, 1906 an estimated 7.9 magnitude earthquake echoed through the city of San Francisco. Waterlines, having been destroyed during the quake, resulted in a fire that engulfed the city and burned for 3 days after.Its epicenter was 3 miles off the coast of city surging waves of destruction from this center, this is the site of the first phased memorials designed along the San Andreas Fault system. This kinetic landscape of the San Andreas Fault stretches the length of californias coast continuously destroying and taking lives, …

Bio-Architecture Feedback Loop, Nicole Samuelu

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Biomimicry is the imitation of the models, systems, and elements of nature for the purpose of solving complex human problems. There is an incredible opportunity for architecture to use biomimicry as a model for design in which a resulting architecture can become an operating part of its environment. While this project will consider the efficiency and beauty of nature, those elements will not be the focus. This thesis will aim to create a more cohesive relationship between architecture and its environment by treating the human-made structures as if they were a participating member of its habitat and part of the …

The Psychological Impact Of Architectural Design, Natalie Ricci

CMC Senior Theses

The interplay between architectural design and human psychology is significant, yet it remains largely unnoticed or even ignored both in and outside the design industry. Moreover, the relationship between design and psychology is not only consequential, it is bidirectional. On the one hand, successful design has been shown to have clear psychological and physiological impacts; on the other, psychology, human experience, and the function of our neurological systems all play a significant role in what we perceive to be successful design. This thesis endeavors to create an understanding of how that complex relationship evolved and how it works in today's …

Building (V.) Gastronomy, Zoe C. George

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Through experimentation and examination of the transformations of food, comes the architecture of food processes.

Food is not just a means of survival, it brings forth colors, textures, smells, and even memories that engage the senses and stimulate our brains.

Three experiments titled Pigment, Ferment, and Leaven examine these transformations, resulting in a series of devices designed to engage the user and invite them to look, touch, smell, taste and create.

Pigment explores how a solid form becomes a liquid that has the ability to dye or avor. The container is designed to observe the jour- ney of the liquid …

The Farmacy, Emilie E. Dunnenberger

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

The human population has practiced natural, herbal forms of medicine since the beginning of recorded healthcare. Only in the past 150 years have our ideas of healthcare evolved to what we know today, a reactive and immediate response to disease and illness. Using the science of phytotherapy and the processes of herbalism, this network of spaces work together to offer a traditional form of healing in a modernized setting. Prototyped in the city of Philadelphia, The FARMacy works alongside existing buildings to treat patients through an alternative yet instinctive form of medicine.

Evaluating Variables Of Patient Experience And The Correlation With Design, Dyutima Jha, Amy Keller Frye, Jennifer Schlimgen

Patient Experience Journal

The objective of this paper was to understand the variables of patient experience by analyzing recent and relevant evidence and to identify design solutions within the hospital environment that positively impact those variables. A systematic review of literature published from 2008-present was conducted to identify variables that contribute to patient experience benefits. Identified variables were documented and categorized into a design, organizational, and outcome variable matrix. Interviews were conducted with professionals from healthcare institutions, architecture firms and organizations committed to improving the patient experience. Data from healthcare facilities, with high patient experience scores, was also examined to derive effective design …

Pivot Dublin: A Discussion On The Bid For Dublin To Become World Design Capital, Barry Sheehan, Ali Grehan

Articles

In this article, Barry Sheehan interviews Dublin City Architect, Ali Grehan, about PIVOT Dublin, the bid for World Design Council, how and why it came about, what happened to the bid and where PIVOT Dublin is now.

Future Oriented Sustainable Design. Design Purpose: What Is Design And Who Is It For? [Please Note: This Is A Large File And May Be Slow To Download.], Barry Sheehan

Academic Articles

In November 2016 I was asked to make a presentation at the Future Oriented Sustainable Design International Conference in Wuhan in the People's Republic of China. My topic was Design Purpose: What is Design? And who is it for?

The presentation examines the wider aspects of design and its categories and asks who were are actually designing for.

I made a powerpoint presentation that I narrated in English whilst it was simultaneously translated into Chinese for the attendees at the conference. On my return to Ireland I created a soundtrack to accompany the presentation slides for people to watch the …

Profile Of Business In The Traditional Design Sectors, Con Kennedy

Reports

This research report illustrates the findings form the “Profile of Business in the Traditional Design Sectors”. This research was commissioned by the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland as part of the Year of Irish Design (ID1025) which is supported by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and was under taken on their behalf by Con Kennedy. The aim of this research is to develop an understanding of the size, location and demographic of design practices and business in the Republic of Ireland. For the purpose of this report, the agreed sectors and design sectors to research were: • …

Gabe's Reimagined: A Multi-Use Renovation Of An Abandoned Hotel, Alissa Ramburger

Lewis Honors College Capstone Collection

The building, named Gabe’s Tower after owner and public figure Gabe Fiorella, was once an icon of Owensboro. Unfortunately, due to population growth southward and the opening of a rival hotel downtown (The Executive Inn), Gabe’s Tower was unable to remain open. It has since undergone many different ownerships, each of which have struggled to remain profitable. The building has remained vacant for years and therefore has been subjected to becoming a location for crime. This has produced a very negative image for the building and the surrounding area. This negative image drives the purpose of this project. Through the …

Greening Restaurant Design: A Study Of The Implementation Of Leed Certification In Restaurant Design, Shelly Schmidt

Interior Design Program: Student Creative Activity

With a significant amount of interest in sustainability and green design in the commercial industry, this thesis examined the effects of the implementation of LEED certification specifically within the built environment of restaurants. Being one of the largest energy consumers and waste producers in the commercial retail industry, restaurant stakeholders have a social responsibility to safeguard the environment from such detriments imposed upon by the daily operations of their business. Yet, few owners have chosen to implement green practices or sustainable features into the design of their restaurant.

Case study comparisons of six restaurants, three LEED certified and three non-LEED …