Art and Design Commons^™

Agri-Tecture Aesthetic Designs Addressing Food Resilience In Urban Environments, V. Kate Ferguson

Hospitality Design Graduate Student Capstones

Food resilience in urban centers is increasing at risk due to climate change, economic costs, diminishing resources and ultimately the evolution of human society. As our way of life changes we must also adapt in how we grow, harvest and transport food. Hydroponic farms and innovative urban agriculture have proven to yield more food production with fewer resources than traditional agriculture methods. Urban centers throughout the world have been more of food deserts and rely on importation of over 90% of food. Proven urban farming methods can be integrated into existing buildings, such as rooftops, walls, warehouses, or vertical structures, …

Redesigning Studentscapes The Future Of Outdoor Educational Spaces, Jaime Centeno

Hospitality Design Graduate Student Capstones

Currently, there is very little research in the field of architecture that touches upon mental health. While there were many articles that were written during this period discussing the correlation between architecture and mental health, most of them were not peer-reviewed studies and did not specify any mental illness, but were instead very broad and vague. In a recent investigation from 2020, researchers found that between 2008 and 2020, there were a total of 59 academic papers published discussing the relationship between architecture and at least 1 mental illness (Aljunaidy & Adi, 2020). The majority (66%) of articles focused on …

Hidden Portals An Architectural Intervention Of Casino Employee Entrances, Cesar Salazar

Hospitality Design Graduate Student Capstones

The current design of employee entrances across the Las Vegas Strip starkly contrasts the vibrant and inviting atmosphere experienced by visitors (Sheehan, 2004). This oversight undermines the potential for creating a hospitable and efficient work environment where every design decision contributes positively to the employees' experience. There is a critical need for a shift towards authentic utilitarian architecture in these spaces, where the primary goal should be to simultaneously enhance functionality, productivity, and employee well-being.

This book posits that a transformative architectural intervention of resort employee entrances, rooted in principles of architectural determinism, is a necessity to enhance employee morale …

Meadows Micro-City Transforming The Retail Typology Of Meadows Mall Into A Mixed-Use Urban Micro-City, Horacio Botello

Hospitality Design Graduate Student Capstones

This research book has initiated a comprehensive analysis on optimal micro-city developments in Las Vegas based on two impending issues that when combined can provide lead to a potential solution. It begins with an overview of the doomed future of the great American mall that will eventually disappear. The research then transitions into the severe housing deficit in Las Vegas which paired with the drastic increase in housing costs has directly affected new potential home buyers. The thesis proposes to utilize soon to be vacant malls and their surrounding sites as prototypes for a micro-city development. Through the analysis of …

Suburban Sustainability Lessons From History And Environment, Innovations For Tomorrow, Joan Barlongo

Hospitality Design Graduate Student Capstones

This study explores the re-imagining of outdoor spaces in suburban homes within the context of Las Vegas, utilizing vernacular architecture principles and climate-responsive sustainable solutions to enhance residents’ quality of life. Las Vegas, situated in a desert climate, presents unique challenges in terms of sustainable living and outdoor comfort due to extreme temperatures and limited water resources.

By incorporating vernacular architectural elements and adopting climate-responsive strategies, this study aims to propose innovative approaches to outdoor space design that promote environmental sustainability, cultural identity, and improved well-being for suburban residents. Through an analysis of vernacular architecture, climate data, and sustainable design …

“Minimal-Impact” Las Vegas Spaceport, Joshua Bombala

Hospitality Design Graduate Student Capstones

The development of a Minimal-Impact spaceport stands as a pivotal stride in the pursuit of sustainable aerospace initiatives, bridging the gap between human progress and environmental care. This thesis seeks to explore the emotional impact of architecture on guests, drawing parallels from the world of aerospace to examine how the design of spaces, such as those in Las Vegas, significantly influences the emotions of visitors. By conceptualizing a Minimal-Impact spaceport that minimizes ecological footprint, optimizes resource efficiency using local resources, and seamlessly blends with its natural environment, this thesis contends that a spaceport should adhere to a new set standard …

Chasing Wins To Chasing Memories Visitor Trends Playing Their Hand In The Casino Floor Through Informed Architectural And Interior Design Cues, Taylee Kelly

Hospitality Design Graduate Student Capstones

Integrated resorts throughout Las Vegas captivate audiences through its immersive architectural design and unique thematic branding. Beyond hotel accommodations, integrated resorts offer a variety of amenities for the enjoyment and convenience of visitors from dining, retail, entertainment and more. Among the heart of these resorts lies the alluring casino floor, filled with endless gaming options for visitors optimistic in the possibility of winning big.

Las Vegas’ identity as a gambling mecca has heralded slot machines and table games as the cynosure of casino floors, strategically placed and oriented by designers in aims of optimizing gaming revenue and increasing engagement among …

Aer-075, Yasmin Soliman

Hospitality Design Graduate Student Capstones

Anticipating the potential future changes of airport design and expansion along with city planning for the purpose of bringing the two entities in closer alignment with one another is the main purpose of this book.

By conducting a timeline analysis of five different US cities and their airports, conclusions were drawn from tracking the relationship between the growth patterns of both. This allowed for a discovery of methods to increase connectivity with one another. These conclusions were followed by an overview of the jet industry and its possible future impacts on the way airports are designed, considering future adaptations of …

Artscape, Emylanie Carnate, Ronald Cano

Hospitality Design Graduate Student Capstones

In this thesis, three design opportunities are presented. The first design iteration looks at the micro scale. Public infrastructure along the length of the strip serves as canvases for public art. By expressing art on posts, utility boxes, guardrails, and bollards, a consistent rhythm of public art along the strip links together the separated attractions and properties. To emphasize this connection, the second design iteration implements intermittent hooks. Here, the meso scale reinforces public art interventions on medium-scale sites, such as street medians. The third design iteration is in the macro scale, which involves artscape anchors at either end of …

[In]Hospitable, Pedro Borquez, Taylor Wolak

Hospitality Design Graduate Student Capstones

Through comparative analysis of existing development in this region, this project identifies archetypes of ranging scale and magnitude which will influence evidence-based adaptive reuse design strategies and prototypical responses. With such a vast infrastructure, many opportunities exist to subvert paradigm shifts of thinking in terms of desert living, resource management, and utility distribution.