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Title: THE PERSPECTIVE GRID: MUSEUM AND PARK FOR THE SOUTH LOOP
Creator: Idrovo Orellana, Santiago Javier
Date: 2015, 2015-12
Description: The diverse and infinity of forces that are shaping the cities are luckily unknown. The bigness of the forces may not have a beginning nor an...
Show moreThe diverse and infinity of forces that are shaping the cities are luckily unknown. The bigness of the forces may not have a beginning nor an end. The questions and the answers are always late. Cities are always running behind, trying to code and survive through the economic condition. The speed of the fluids are always mutating, transforming and taking different shapes. We are constantly proposing and putting in practice perception in between the endless spiral of the present. Our human behavior and perceptions are being built by others and by different matters. History in the end is the only parameter from which we can rely. Our mastery of the knowledge technics keep holding the population and transforming the way we live by processing and turning resources into elements of survival. The 21st century characterizes by the transformation of matter and energy into technological tools that we unconsciously rely on while they are also being misused and manipulated, giving non-consistent answers. The thesis travels through different subjects in an attempt to construct a general perspective that will define the decisions on the urban programmatic plans and direct them into educational and cultural performances. Due to economical forces and a projected demographic growth, the near south region of Chicago is looking for a transformation and a direction to travel. Through the general perspective the proposal for the region firstly study to connect cultural collective open spaces injected on a particular area of the South Loop. The area is mainly influenced by industrial infrastructure that can be replaced or reprogrammed according to a considered value. The study will explore the cultural connection from the neighborhood to the Museum Campus as catalyzers for the future interventions of the zone. Secondly, the near south region of Chicago is looking for a transformation and a direction to travel. Through the general perspective the proposal for the region firstly study to connect cultural collective open spaces injected on a particular area of the South Loop. The area is mainly influenced by industrial infrastructure that can be replaced or reprogrammed according to a considered value. The study will explore the cultural connection from the neighborhood to the Museum Campus as catalyzers for the future interventions of the zone. Secondly, the near south region of Chicago is looking for a transformation and a direction to travel. Through the general perspective the proposal for the region firstly study to connect cultural collective open spaces injected on a particular area of the South Loop. The area is mainly influenced by industrial infrastructure that can be replaced or reprogrammed according to a considered value. The study will explore the cultural connection from the neighborhood to the Museum Campus as catalyzers for the future interventions of the zone. Secondly,, the near south region of Chicago is looking for a transformation and a direction to travel. Through the general perspective the proposal for the region firstly study to connect cultural collective open spaces injected on a particular area of the South Loop. The area is mainly influenced by industrial infrastructure that can be replaced or reprogrammed according to a considered value. The study will explore the cultural connection from the neighborhood to the Museum Campus as catalyzers for the future interventions of the zone. Secondly,the general perspective will go more specific into the museum campus and the appropriation of the abandoned McCormick Lake Site Center. An infrastructure located in a zone where the ecological systems and the cultural concern are the roots of its creation. The proposal will face the parameters to reorient the building into a filtered cultural source and as a natural connection infrastructure.
M.S. in Architecture, December 2015
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Title: AMERICA'S NEW HOME
Creator: Klinger, Ryan J.
Date: 2013-04-30, 2013-05
Description: The role of the American nuclear single-family home has shifted significantly in the past 100 years.It began with the introduction and...
Show moreThe role of the American nuclear single-family home has shifted significantly in the past 100 years.It began with the introduction and expanded availability of the automobile by Henry Ford in 1908. Though private ownership of single-family homes steadily increased in the early part of the Twentieth Century, the majority of the existing housing market remained on rental. As a result of the stock market crash in 1929, the American housing market saw its first decline in the growth rate of new properties being built and occupied. Following the crash, the housing market experienced its first declining growth rate of the century. It was not until the late 1940s, with the end of World War II and the G.I. Bill’s introduction, that Americans saw an unprecedented increase in private homeownership nationwide. Pre-fabricated building processes, adapted from assembly-line production during World War II, radically transformed standard building methodologies for production of housing communities. Levittown, Pennsylvania was the primary example of this new fast-paced method of construction beginning in 1948. In the two decades following World War II, single-family homeownership surpassed rentals to become the majority of occupied housing units in the United States. The housing market took another hit in the economic decline of the 1970s. An economic downturn and an oil embargo that occurred during the 1970s produced a rising demand for rental properties that weakened the demand for newly-built singlefamily homes. In 1980 FHA revised its form of financing private homeownership and the American single-family home was now available to an expanded demographic of qualified owners. ix This resulted in another expansion of units being built and occupied from the later 1980s through the early 2000s. In 2007 America saw this come to an end; the American housing market crashed, forcing homeowners across the country into premature foreclosure. Private homeownership, once a central aspiration of the American Dream, is now shattered on a wide scale. As we move into the next phase of the American singlefamily home, many wonder if it will survive as a building model and reemerge as a prominent housing typology. It is the sole purpose of this investigation to establish the new face of the singlefamily home in an urban setting. The Gap Neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side will be used as an example. The investigation’s conclusion will provide the architectural community, as well as the target client-population, with a prototypical case study for the emerging single-family dwelling unit.It will serve as a comprehensive model that has reacted to the current issues that remain as a result of the housing crisis.
M.S. in Architecture, May 2013
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Title: DEVELOPING INTELLIGENT AND ADAPTIVE BUILDING SYSTEMS FOR OUR DIGITAL ECOLOGY
Creator: Hansen, Kai
Date: 2013, 2013-07
Description: Our world is being changed by a dynamic digital presence. The marriage of virtual and physical represents an ecology which has become...
Show moreOur world is being changed by a dynamic digital presence. The marriage of virtual and physical represents an ecology which has become intertwined with the lives of nearly everyone, fundamentally altering how our society functions. While we have evolved in this sense, the built environment has become outmoded and strains to meet emerging occupant requirements. To correct this, it has become necessary to develop environments that are capable of intelligently responding to shifting requirements. As curators of the built environment, architects are responsible for seeking out and engaging new mechanisms to achieve spaces that occupants find desirable. An experiential summary of the architectural-digital-hacking process will be given. A more traditional research method was followed when possible while engaged in this learning process. This research focuses on utilizing readily available digital tools that are capable of simultaneously mitigating issues associated with occupant requirements and energy consumption. It will also address shortcomings related to occupant comfort and energy consumption observed in our buildings by producing a series of working prototypes that will be tested and analyzed. Results will be presented, and will consist of components used and how they were used to serve as a reference for future development.
M.S. in Architecture, July 2013
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Title: HOUSING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION WITHIN A SOCIAL CONDENSER
Creator: Loman, Catherine
Date: 2016, 2016-12
Description: Throughout the United States and Canada the railroad, a system that was once the central method of transportation through the countries, has...
Show moreThroughout the United States and Canada the railroad, a system that was once the central method of transportation through the countries, has had a large downfall in the popularity and development after the introduction of the car into the city and the surrounding area. With the downfall of the train came the downfall of the use of the train station, a space that was once a local temple of the city has now become an economic center with no larger connection to the city. If a new high-speed rail system is to be introduced into North America then there is the need for a new method of looking at what the train station can be and how it can interact with the larger city around it. With an in-depth study of the city that the station is located in the local nature of the city will become prevalent and play a key role in the conceptual design of the station and how it can create a stronger social presence within the city and within the line.
M.S. in Architecture, December 2016
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Title: INTERPRETATION OF ADAPTIVE REUSE ISSUES IN MULTIPLE SCALES, BUILDING, NEIGHBORHOOD, CITY
Creator: Loukas, Panagiota
Date: 2015, 2015-12
Description: The purpose of this study is to interpret the topic of adaptive reuse, focusing on the reuse of existing buildings and new structures inserted...
Show moreThe purpose of this study is to interpret the topic of adaptive reuse, focusing on the reuse of existing buildings and new structures inserted into them. The issues related with adaptive reuse are not a new field in architecture but is related to previous practices such as preservation and conservation. Focusing on the issue of adaptive reuse in order for existing structures to cover the new needs of an emerging society, giving a new use. Other disciplines, such as social and political are forming and guiding those decisions. The topic of what to keep and what to discard is global and various solutions has been given in the past years, focusing on monuments and landmarks conservation, preservation or practices of adaptation in the cities history. The research analysis in various scales, engaging the site to its surrounding, through neighborhood analysis and its urban context are important. Understanding the problem means focusing the research not only on the aspect of architecture agenda since there are political and social practices engaging with the transformation. It means focusing on the issue of adaptive reuse as an important cultural topic related with social, political and economic factors.
M.S. in Architecture, December 2015
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Title: Rapid Rail Transit Oriented City for One Million in Calfornia
Creator: Moore, Jeremy Edward
Date: 2011-11-22, 2011-12
Description: The city of Aubretia will be a city for approximately one million people situated at the northern divergence point of the proposed California...
Show moreThe city of Aubretia will be a city for approximately one million people situated at the northern divergence point of the proposed California High-Speed Rail Authority system and the current San Joaquin Amtrak passenger rail service, located near Madera city. Having the largest population out of all 50 states and three cities —Los Angeles, San Diego and San Jose—in the top ten list of most populous US cities, California certainly has the demand to support a high-speed rail system. The 2010 United States Census has also demonstrated a continuing trend of residents relocating from the Midwest and East Coast to the Sun belt states. All inhabitants of Aubretia will have access to a heavy two-rail system providing transportation to any other point in the city in 45 minutes or less. Development will be restricted to an area approximately one half mile in radius or a ten minute walking distance centered on each transit stop. Along with standard rapid transit stops in each development area there is also an interface with a central transportation hub connecting the Aubretia Metro to Amtrak and California High-Speed Rail as well as ground transportation options like regional bus and for-hire vehicles. The planned population level for Aubretia is based on a city size that can be served with a two-track automated metro system. The system will be capable of accommodating a majority of rush hour commuters at three persons per square meter density with a minimum headway of 90 seconds.
M.S. in Architecture, December 2011
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Title: THE SINGLE BUILDING AS THE URBAN CATALYST
Creator: La Serna, Matias S.
Date: 2012-03-28, 2012-05
Description: An identified strip of land in Chicago’s South Side has left an unmistakably large void within the grid of the city. Current city plans call...
Show moreAn identified strip of land in Chicago’s South Side has left an unmistakably large void within the grid of the city. Current city plans call for single-use and low density spaces to eventually fill the enormous void bounded by State Street to the East, and Federal Street to the West. Resisting the current pattern of architectural and urban segregation, this alternative proposes an ambitious plan to fill an entire block with a select and diverse range of program to invigorate a depleted urban area while simultaneously creating an identifiable architectural landmark. The sudden interruption of single-use occupation reclaims the architectural potential of a site burdened by its troubled past and serves as the catalyst to stimulate ambitious and diverse urban growth. Necessarily occupying the entire site for the urban development of the city, the building is faced with the challenge of expanding to fill the tremendous void imposed by the grid with as few program members as possible, all the while preserving the richness of urban overlaps otherwise afforded in tighter urban settings. The result is a single building that is both mindful of the independent needs of its occupants while simultaneously creating and maximizing shared spaces within the overlaps, generating program opportunities and interactions not otherwise afforded in a system of architectural fragmentation.
M.S. in Architecture, May 2012
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Title: INFILL HOUSE – HANOI, VIETNAM
Creator: Luu, Dung Q
Date: 2017, 2017-05
Description: In 1986, the ‘Economic Reform’ had brought significant economic success to Vietnam. The cities such as Hanoi, HoChiMinh City, and Danang,...
Show moreIn 1986, the ‘Economic Reform’ had brought significant economic success to Vietnam. The cities such as Hanoi, HoChiMinh City, and Danang, expanded enormously, and building activities increased to accommodate population growth and housing demand. The rapidly increased income allowed middle-class and upper-class families to pursue their dreams to own a private home. However, most housing projects were built without any city guidelines and lacked thoughtful design. [5] Because of high land prices and valuable frontage for business uses, most new private buildings and houses, 3 to 5 stories, were built to maximize their footprint, on very long and narrow frontage properties. Many of these infill houses were constructed, however they had limited daylight and poor natural ventilation. [4] For my thesis, I have studied typologies of the Vietnamese infill house. The study analyzes 4 types of infill sites based on different site access. In response to the analysis, six house schemes were developed on two of the types of long and narrow infill sites, in the high-density area of Hanoi, Vietnam. The design investigates different site strategies, and applies suitable building techniques to create viable living spaces that improve natural daylight and ventilation.
M.S. in Architecture, May 2017
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Title: DESIRES OF THE CITY, THE SENSIBLE METROPOLIS
Creator: De Sanabria Sales, Lucia Rodriguez
Date: 2014, 2014-07
Description: The question about the future of our cities starts with the consideration of what kind of society we want. What role will architecture play in...
Show moreThe question about the future of our cities starts with the consideration of what kind of society we want. What role will architecture play in shaping our society and the way people live their lives? Can architecture really be a tool for other objectives? Can it be part of reactivation of the economy? The future of cities, whether they are as densely populated as the modern metropolis or more sprawled like its surroundings, need to adapt to new technologies and ways of living. We have to be aware that our cities are in constant change and development, and that their future relies on how able they are at adapting. In order to adapt, urbanism needs to step back and analyze the existing city structure, to improve it and create a more flexible environment that will adjust to the next century. The objective of this thesis is to propose a strategy that enhances sustainable development and meets the needs of today by opening a path to the future. Sustainable development is the kind of development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their own needs.1 Change is occurring - society is willing to connect with the city and therefore the city must connect back. It should be the playground of young and not so young people. It is in our hands to transform the built environment and create spaces of relation in society. 1 Definition coined in the Brundtland Commission of 1972. xv However, what is really needed is to fix, re-activate, remodel and improve the existing metropolis that we already have. The objective of the thesis is to investigate the urban model of a city and how this can address the present but at the same time is flexible enough to shape the future. Opposites exist and, by definition, there is a strong connection between them. In this research I will work towards a hybrid condition of society. Why do we need to have the opposites separated? Can we bring them together, make them work and interact but at the same time maintain their identity? Can nature influence the metropolis without causing it to lose the density that characterizes it? To investigate this and find answers to the continuous evolution of society, the first studio will concentrate on the Retreat, what it is and how it works. This research will provide an abstraction of nature and Retreat in its pure simple form. I will use this abstraction by applying it to the built environment and using it to analyze and shape the metropolis. I will also observe what changes occur in the basic relationships of society. Many questions arise when an architect gets into the topic of the future city. What kind of people and cities do we want? What will make us experience the difference that we are searching for? How can public spaces be used for people to meet and connect and for culture to grow? What is the difference between metropolis and nature? These questions will guide the projects to find a coherent strategy that could be applied to different metropolitan sceneries. The first field of study proposed is designing with nature. The environment in Colorado around Camp of Arts Perry Mansfield is mostly wild. Here I will see how design xvi responds to the nature around it. How do we bring an urbanized sense to the landscape in order to enhance the feelings we have in it? The second field of study of the thesis addresses the urban tissue of Woodlawn (a neighborhood in Chicago), the existing metropolis, how it is moving towards the future, and creating a bond between environment and metropolis. In this section of the thesis, I will introduce nature as a tool for the development of the city. What are architects and urbanists working on to reshape the built environment, and how do we make spatial conditions where we will experience more diverse stages? I want to create a hybrid stage where natural and urban elements work together, a space for interaction in society, and having retreat and metropolis in the same place. The ´Desires of the City´ will be a strategy that looks into a series of aspects that involve the urban development. Focusing in what the users need and want, and creating a community sense between the neighbors. The aspect of controlling energy and sustainable projects that deal with communication and infrastructures of the neighborhood. In the programmatic side, providing a strategy of one space that hosts different activities, with a variety of cultural and social equipment. I will introduce a designed landscape that will work as the extra layer that we are missing in the urbanism of today. Landscape will be the infrastructure of the neighborhoods, introducing the concept of semi-private ownership in the metropolis. Questioning the actual ownership of the ground and transforming vacant land into options and opportunities, one of the fundamental assertions of the projects is the necessity of community action and engagement. In order to make an impact, society has to be involved xvii in the process. This new landscape infrastructure is where action happens and will spark the beginning of a new urbanism that is characterized by flexibility and where future changes in society are an asset and not an issue. This new residential model is sensible and will respond to the desires of the users.
M.S. in Architecture, July 2014
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Title: HOUSING 2.0: A COLLABORATIVE PLATFORM FOR THE DESIGN OF MASS HOUSING THROUGH DIGITAL ENVIRONMENTS, NEW MEDIA, AND DESIGN FRAMEWORKS
Creator: Pollard, David P.
Date: 2011-07-18, 2011-07
Description: The role of the architect as master-builder has been severely eroded, especially in the single-family housing industry. Although other...
Show moreThe role of the architect as master-builder has been severely eroded, especially in the single-family housing industry. Although other professions have embraced the tremendous advances in technology, the architectural profession has regressed. Historically the architect has been an innovation pioneer. Early in the twentieth century architects had a broad, innovative role. Architects rethought the design process, construction methods, fabrication processes, structural, and engineering systems. Now in the twenty-first century, however, the majority of architects have little to no influence on the latter four; and the design process, the one aspect the architect still controls, has remained stagnant. This thesis examines the available technologies being championed by parallel industries, compares the advantages and disadvantages of innovation implementation in the design field, and proposes a solution for the architect to regain control as master-builder of single-family homes through new media concepts. With an architectural implementation of a web-based, collaborative design and construction alliance, consumers have access to choice, quality, and information when purchasing a new home. It is proposed that affordable architect-designed housing choices be delivered through architectural design systems. These systems allow controlled customization of architectural designs, all while delivering real time cost data and building simulation. The result of this study is an open design system led by the architect that allows homebuyers access to affordable quality design, transparency in costs, and an alternative choice in purchasing a new home.
M.S. in Architecture, July 2011
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Title: THE CITY AS A DIGITAL PUBLIC SPACE: DATA-DRIVEN DESIGN AS A SOCIAL LINK
Creator: Shabehpour Setork, Pegah
Date: 2016, 2016-12
Description: We live in an age of instant communication, rapid transportation, and smartphones; an age where the answer to a question can be prompted...
Show moreWe live in an age of instant communication, rapid transportation, and smartphones; an age where the answer to a question can be prompted through voice command. With today’s unparalleled increase in digital information, big data is continuously adapting and developing our society with the support of emerging technologies. This has led to the rise and growth of our virtual communities as communication is primarily done through social media networks. The demise of our physical communities has reduced social interaction within the built environment. Despite this forward thinking and the ability to translate big data into architectural solutions, our urban environments have yet to reflect this. Patterns of human interaction within our cities can be transformed by incorporating and visualizing big data within public infrastructure. As a result, the architectural design process is due for an update. This research project explores the use of a high-speed rail station as a hybrid space for virtual and physical communities by providing an interface for users to interact with data streamed in real-time. With the use of data-driven design, new social links are formed and powered by technology as the city becomes a digital public space.
M.S. in Architecture, December 2016
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Title: YAMUNA RIVER CITY: SUSTAINABLE NEW CITY NEW DELHI, INDIA
Creator: Aggarwal, Sakshi
Date: 2013, 2013-07
Description: The aim of this thesis is to design a sustainable city prototype with a new approach for a 100,000 residents in Delhi , India .This will give...
Show moreThe aim of this thesis is to design a sustainable city prototype with a new approach for a 100,000 residents in Delhi , India .This will give the ‘Delhiites‘ ( as we love to call ourselves ) a chance to live on the water body in a sustainable environment. To create this sustainable environment, the first challenge was to understand the site conditions, followed with the issues on the site, concept of developing new cities, reinforcing old sustainable technologies, and merging with new technologies for a better environmental, social and economic balance. Being on a flood plain, Delhi’s beautiful Yamuna river bed, was never built before, may be ignoring the fact that structure engineering has done some marvels in the past. Thus, I took up this challenge of building a city prototype here. It is hopeful that the design, ideas and process could also be a framework to be applied on other undeveloped land for new cities particularly in India and helps us to provide the solution for any foreseen problems in city development beforehand.
M.S. in Architecture, July 2013
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Title: CHICAGO’S REFORMATIVE URBAN ARMATURES HYPERACTIVE INFRASTRUCTURAL LINKAGES
Creator: Osborne, Zachary C.
Date: 2015, 2015-12
Description: This research will project the impact of a new urban armature of logistics for the city of Chicago capable of improving the movement and...
Show moreThis research will project the impact of a new urban armature of logistics for the city of Chicago capable of improving the movement and experiences of people and goods throughout new hyperactive urban developments. Through the use of historical and contemporary precedence this new urban plan will address the continual shift in public domains, creating improved linkages and socially charged urban environments. As the inevitable densification of Chicago occurs a new network of connective infrastructure is required for creating new dynamic, three-dimensional public realms. The demand for such kinetic building models is caused by the mass influx of the creative-class returning to urban centers for both work and living. Consisting of a highly diverse set of programs, these new models for Chicago's west loop business district will focus on reconnecting the public to undiscovered urban layers. These hybrid developments break the mold of Chicago's modernist high rise tower allowing for mixing and overlapping of building programs, bringing strangers together in impromptu gathering spaces. Tiered circulation networks serve as the key infrastructural element facilitating these new socially engaging environments. Through the use of this tiered system primary circulation elements allow for the direct movements of private users and services while secondary and tertiary systems allows for pedestrians to penetrate "private" space fostering the interactions amongst a diverse a group of people. Within the new west loop district, the principles applied in creating vibrant urban atmospheres must be applied to internalized building programs, offering a variety of destination points throughout. Through the shaping of space by both generic and specific building forms the spaces in between become critical for the mixing of various characters. New urban armatures must be applied within these spaces providing the support for versatile and adaptable building programs and public spaces.
M.S. in Architecture, December 2015
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Title: REPLENISHiE THE VOID
Creator: Monteleagre, Ryan
Date: 2012-12-02, 2012-12
Description: When a site’s program becomes detrimental to the area, should it be deconstructed and completely rebuilt? Or could the celebration,...
Show moreWhen a site’s program becomes detrimental to the area, should it be deconstructed and completely rebuilt? Or could the celebration, preservation and integration of the site’s history yield a much more sustainable, successful and ultimately satisfying result? If the area has fallen into urban blight, can this serve as a catalyst for urban renewal? Can focusing on such projects eventually lead to more sustainable and safer cities while cutting down on urban sprawl? The Union Stock Yards in Chicago was once the center of the meat packing industry in America, at one point the most productive in the world. Famous for its massive size, terrible working conditions and struggle for labor rights, the Stockyards had enormous effects on its surrounding neighborhoods which are still being felt today. The site has since been gutted and is currently an industrial park. This has created a gaping hole in the urban fabric, and much of it is still abandoned, resulting in an urban wasteland. This project uses the troubled history of the site positively and adaptively reuses the Chiappetti Lamb and Veal building. Taking cues from the site’s history as a food producer, an urban farm will offer both fresh produce and jobs for residents of the area. An on site market will be added which will sell locally grown produce, create more jobs and act as a potential draw for residents within and outside the district. Given the infamous history of the stockyards, a Museum of Labor Rights is an appropriate addition. This will attract people from outside the site’s immediate surroundings and preserve the gradually disappearing history of the district. This catalyst for urban renewal in the New City neighborhood of Chicago will be the first phase of the masterplan envisioned for the Union Stock Yard site.
M.S. in Architecture, December 2012
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Title: ADVANCEMENTS IN SUSTAINABLE CONCRETE PRACTICES AND THEIR POTENTIAL IMPACT ON DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION
Creator: Villa, Jacqueline
Date: 2012-10-24, 2012-12
Description: Concrete is one of the most widely used construction materials in the world, and Portland Cement is the most commonly used cement in the...
Show moreConcrete is one of the most widely used construction materials in the world, and Portland Cement is the most commonly used cement in the industry. Manufacturing materials are dependent on research and industry specification standards. This report focuses on current innovations in concrete developments, with a specific emphasis on Aluminosilicate or ‘geopolymer’ cements and their possible implications on architecture in the United States. Aluminosilicate cements are currently being researched worldwide and have been implemented in a couple of countries as a replacement for portland cement. It’s one of many sustainable cement solutions, but unlike others, provides enhanced characteristics while remaining in the same price range as ordinary portland cement mixtures. This technology uses no limestone or water thus eliminating the need for high amounts of energy use in the production of its initial ingredients. Introducing new construction materials is challenging, especially to a well established concrete industry such as that of the United States. Precast concrete offers an ideal medium for new concrete materials and their introduction into common practice. More sustainable and durable materials are becoming available, changing construction processes and have the possibility to affect the further evolution of architectural design. This report articulates these advancements and the importance of architectural involvement within the United States construction industry.
M.S. in Architecture, December 2012
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Title: The Tall Building: The Effects of Scale
Creator: Goldsmith, Myron
Date: 2011-01-31, 1953-06-01
Description: The project described in this thesis is a new structural type for tall buildings in reinforced concrete. Both structure and function have been...
Show moreThe project described in this thesis is a new structural type for tall buildings in reinforced concrete. Both structure and function have been analyzed to show their influence on the height of the building and their influence on the architectural expression.
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Title: WAUKEGAN LAKE FRONT REVITALIZATION PLAN
Creator: Webb, Natalia Pena
Date: 2011-04-13, 2011-05
Description: Waukegan is a place that has a strategic location. Not just because it is in the middle of two important cities like Chicago and Milwaukee,...
Show moreWaukegan is a place that has a strategic location. Not just because it is in the middle of two important cities like Chicago and Milwaukee, but because of its proximity to the lake (which is the most desired location for condos and public activities) and all the existing train systems that can help to develop the area as a public transit oriented city. Because of this, Waukegan has a good possibility to become one of the most desirable places to live, but the lack of intervention; coordination and initiative from the city in the past decades have left the place abandoned. People and companies are leaving, and initiatives to redevelop are still known for its residents and are taking too long. For Waukegan the most important strategy is to bring life back to its downtown. After that, some activities could cross easily to the water front, making people aware of the endless possibilities that the area offers not just for dwelling units, but for commercial, recreational and even educational purposes. (Research center and possible school) For the lake front, the strategy should be different for some spaces depending on the surrounding areas and the character that they could have. A strategy is to bring activities that can complement life in the city, for example: theaters, sports centers, hotels etc. Adding 9,000 people to the total people will give the option of have new routes for public transportation, new jobs and new and more equipment for recreational spaces. Apart from that, the unification of the two areas: down town Waukegan and the water front are important in order to understand the place like one. The fact that the highway and the railroad stand are in the middle of both, just creates a strong division. On the top of that, there is no reason to cross over to go to the beach area. If we consider that highway traffic is low and the railroad could be moved (not erase, but moved. Because there is still the necessity for it) the connection between both places could be more clear and strong, not just for people but for cars. This strategy will be critical at the time of unification of the area. In addition Waukegan has a population of 44.8 % Hispanic, 30.9% White Non-Hispanic. With an estimated median household income in 2007: $45,548. This shows that Waukegan is mainly supported by low income families and they are mostly of Hispanic origin. The idea is not to completely change the city but to support their business and culture making places into an attraction for cultural interchange. One of the main purposes of the new vision city is equality. Not thinking that in order to make a place better (more beautiful or desirable) we have to kick out its old residents. People create ties to the place they live. This could be an incentive to bring the community together in order to improve the environment. Also the addition of the new research center in between down town and the new lake front development will help to bring new uses to the area. The research center will offer new jobs and a choice for some people coming from outside to live in the locality. Close to the research center, the new lake front neighborhood will offer an area with several entertainment spaces and then the option to live closer to this location or in a more quiet and familiar area. The research center will have the possibility for future expansion that could be an education center related to the work that is done there. This will bring students to the area and more diversity. There are many good reasons to stop abusing the car use and make use of the many alternatives, but in the end we design and negotiate the same old fashioned neighborhoods. It is because we have not solved the conflict of interest between a better envi-ronment and a better economy. The problem is that in the end people will opt for those places with more commodities and that includes the car.
M.S. in Architecture, May 2011
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Title: Textile Openings
Creator: Carvallo, Maria Paulina
Date: 2011-12-06, 2011-12
Description: A facade may serve many functions throughout the life of a building, but the primary purpose of a building’s facade is to protect the interior...
Show moreA facade may serve many functions throughout the life of a building, but the primary purpose of a building’s facade is to protect the interior of a structure from the outside environment. By examining an element of every facade design, its openings, one may also find solutions to other design and layout questions concerning a building’s interior. Textile facades show potential as new and interesting materials for facade design. However, textile facades must reinvent or adapt standard facade elements such as windows, doors, and other openings within the constraints of the material properties exhibited by textiles. This thesis explores potential facade opening mechanisms, including technical and natural examples. Details of textile facades are considered, including laser cutting of polyester fabrics, textile material properties and tension deformation, and a variety of textile facade designs. Furthermore, a standardized design workflow and process for considering multiple environmental variables present in and around facades, such as solar thermal, day lighting, ventilation, and identity, are discussed and illustrate that the methodology applied herein can be used to predict other applications of textiles.
M.S. in Architecture, December 2011
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Title: IMPROVING DECISION-MAKING FOR ENERGY PERFORMANCE OF BUILDINGS WITH COMPUTATIONAL TOOLS IN EARLY DESIGN STAGES
Creator: Claussnitzer, Sebastian
Date: 2013, 2013-12
Description: In the early design stages of architectural practice, a relative absence of advanced decision-making processes limits the number of building...
Show moreIn the early design stages of architectural practice, a relative absence of advanced decision-making processes limits the number of building-design options that can be exam- ined for energy e ciency. This paper proposes to improve the design process by enhancing decision-making with computational tools: speci cally, tools that autonomously generate and evaluate thousands of design options. Two di erent tools were prototyped, each utiliz- ing contrasting algorithmic approaches. The rst prototype uses numerical optimization to autonomously explore the design space of a parametric building model, and simulates the annual energy consumption through energy modeling. The second prototype, in contrast, utilizes an exhaustive search to explore the design space of a simpli ed building model. Tens of thousands of simulation results are stored in a database, which users access through web-interfaces in near-realtime. The proposed tools for advanced decision-making enable architects to examine many more building design alternatives than are manually feasible, thus increasing the likelihood of identifying better design options.
M.S. in Architecture, December 2013
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Title: RESILIENT CITIES OF THE FUTURE UTILIZING NATURAL INTELLIGENCE TO RETROFIT THE URBAN SYSTEMS
Creator: Naik, Vaidehi
Date: 2017, 2017-07
Description: Accentuated by the industrial revolution, the climate change is aging our cities, which are now facing an ecological, economical, and...
Show moreAccentuated by the industrial revolution, the climate change is aging our cities, which are now facing an ecological, economical, and political imbalance resulting into the degraded quality of urban living. Not only has global warming altered the earth’s natural patterns, but it also altered the economic and socio-cultural urban patterns. With the growing needs of rapidly expanding urban population due to the industrial revolution, the cities underwent unplanned sprawling of urban agglomerations. However, our globalized economic system has evolved the way we live, work, and play, transforming the modern infrastructure growth models significantly. Our architects, urban planners, and policy makers are powered by the environmental scientist’s years of research and analysis, yet are struggling to replenish the post-industrial age rust belt mayhem with sustainable solutions. As the transition from industrial to ecological age become eminent, by investigating into the natural intelligence’s survival techniques, we could extract practical solutions to using clean and renewable energy systems to support life. This thesis aims at analyzing the current trends in redesigning and retrofitting the urban-systems with the eco-systems at the micro- and macro- scales, thus providing with sustainable solutions to the new city center of the sixth largest town in Canada, Mississauga. Caused by rapid urbanization, population growth & migration, increased emission of green house gases, and overuse & pollution, our deteriorating infrastructure is grappling for mitigation against climate change, and global warming. Using natural intelligence to shift from linear to a closed loop system, the solutions provided herein aims at increasing the infrastructure’s resource efficiency and changing from fossil fuel to solar economy. Catalyzed by the proposed Midwestern high-speed rail line, the project in Mississauga (Ontario, Canada) seeks to introduce the hybrid, mixed-use, transit oriented development to instigate the shift towards eco-cities. These intermodal transit infrastructure aims to bring a strategically sustainable change at a neighborhood scale, thus eventually refurbishing the entire city, one territory at a time. The idea of these utopian cities may seem unachievable at a larger scale, but the cities like Hammarby Sjöstad, Tianjin, and Dongtan seem to lead, inspire, and equip the ignorant with their sustainable approach to growth. By transitioning towards an ecological age, there seems a way to negating the effects of human induced climate change, and make our planet sustainable for the future generations to survive.
M.S. in Architecture, July 2017
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