MARCH, University of Cincinnati, 2008, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning : Architecture (Master of)

Sustainable design as presently practiced focuses on technical solutions, ignoring the socio-cultural dimensions of sustainability. A truly sustainable society will require substantial change to our economic structure and social order. Architecture must therefore engage both the social and technical dimensions of sustainability.This thesis attempts to understand the architectural implications of these deeper, harder changes by developing and applying social-spatial patterns. The outcomes are (1) a menu of patterns, or a “pattern language,” (2) a design methodology for pattern development and application, and (3) design explorations in two contexts.

Committee: Tom Bible (Committee Chair); Elizabeth Riorden (Committee Co-Chair); Michael Zaretsky (Committee Co-Chair) Subjects: Architecture

PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2019, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning: Architecture

ABSTRACT This dissertation introduces architecture as an active platform in the process of structural conflict transformation for positive peace in post-war and conflict contexts. It is an interdisciplinary research in which architecture operationalizes the theories of peace and peacebuilding. Architecture for/of positive peace is also a response to the United Nations' objectives in its 2030 agenda for sustainable development through a subject as distinct as architecture and relates it to the process of conflict transformation and sustainable peacebuilding. This research is initiated by questioning whether architecture can be employed as an active platform for positive peace. Further, it considers the role of architecture in the process of peacebuilding, its key devices, and operating characteristics. This dissertation analyzes both the existing discourses of `architecture and war' and `architecture and peace' to derive a set of themes and implications that reveal the role of architecture in the process of peacebuilding in post-war and conflict contexts. The research emphasizes theories of peace and peacebuilding, specifically the propositions of Johan Galtung and John Paul Lederach from the discipline of peace studies, in the aim of building a theoretical framework for peacebuilding through which it is possible to activate the role of architecture for positive peace. Based on the concluded theoretical framework, architecture for positive peace is distinguished from architecture for negative peace, and its characteristics are defined. Architecture for/of positive peace is a complex, inclusive, belonging, and common-ground platform. It manifests either as an `assemblage' (the physical visible form of architecture), as a space of `relational identity,' or both.

Committee: Aarati Kanekar Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Edson Roy Cabalfin Ph.D. (Committee Member); Patrick Snadon Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Architecture

MARCH, University of Cincinnati, 2006, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning : Architecture (Master of)

The world is in the midst of an environmental crisis. Global warming and mass extinction are looming threats, which research has proven are the results of human activity. Specifically, human activities that deal with the construction and subsequent operational energy requirements of our built environment contribute more to environmental degradation than any other factor; more so even than automobiles and power plants. This is a fact that the general public often overlooks, largely because the damaging effects of our built environment are either completely invisible or immediately destructive only to distant locations. This results in a false sense of security that has become the foundation of a severe disconnection between humans and the natural world, as well as an educational gap between the general public and the tangible positive alternatives that currently exist. All of this leaves Architecture with an enormous opportunity to not only physically demonstrate best practices from a design and construction standpoint, but also to act as a tangible educational tool to encourage the behavioral changes that our society needs.

Committee: Dr. Jeffrey Tilman (Advisor) Subjects: Architecture

MS ARCH, University of Cincinnati, 2006, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning : Architecture (Master of)

Combining a specific educational methodology with a specific approach to building can be an effective way to study the impacts of physical environment on learning capabilities. The outcome of this study will create a better understanding of the connection between Montessori teaching and the built environment. This thesis will investigate the relationship between the concepts of Montessori teaching and the process of building high performance sustainable facilities. The concept of combining Montessori teaching methods with high performance facilities will be investigated in this thesis to create a better system for learning. The result of this system will advance the Montessori teaching methods by better integrating the philosophies with the physical environment, which will make the overall learning experience more meaningful

Committee: Gordon Simmons (Advisor) Subjects: Education, Elementary

MARCH, University of Cincinnati, 2004, Design, Art, Architecture, and Planning: Architecture (Master of)

Because of our need for controlled internal environments, architecture creates a critical disjunction between nature and society. Therefore, architecture is one of the most significant artifacts of environmental and cultural adaptation, playing an important role in our understanding of society's interconnectedness with the natural world. Structures can effectively educate occupants about this complex relationship through the direct demonstration of necessary adaptations to changing conditions in a specific environmental/cultural context. The design project that accompanies this document focuses on an environmental/cultural center on the south side of Chicago. Located within an area known more for its industrial contamination than for it's ecological wealth, the site and project reinforce the notion that we as a society need to better integrate into our natural environments.

Committee: David Saile (Advisor) Subjects: Architecture

MARCH, University of Cincinnati, 2024, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning: Architecture

The world has continuously been degraded by carbon emissions, deforestation, and many other human activities. These actions negatively affect the Earth by raising the average temperature and sea level while destroying entire habitats. As inhabitants of Earth, it is our duty to mitigate our impact so we can decrease further affliction. The home someone lives in can account for 66% of the polluting emissions given by that individual. This Thesis will create a system of parts that can be built onto an existing site or built as the building of the site. Both can be designed for multiple climates. The parts will add a renewable source of energy that is present in all climates and often goes unused. The product will also offer climate-specific harvesting techniques to decrease our impact further. The parts will do so without a negative impact on living for the tenants.

Committee: Vincent Sansalone M.Arch. (Committee Member); Michael McInturf M.Arch. (Committee Chair) Subjects: Architecture

MARCH, University of Cincinnati, 2023, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning: Architecture

As the architectural community strives for new energy efficient design solutions, the overlooked and underutilized method of earth sheltering stands the test of time. Earth sheltering has sustainable properties such as high thermal mass and offers a practical solution to a growing carbon footprint in the housing sector. Despite this, earth sheltering is rarely being explored, expanded upon, and utilized. This is possibly due to beliefs of these buildings being dark, wet, cold or the thought that this type of design is a fad from the 70's-90's. Energy efficiency is a high priority making it pertinent to explore how earth sheltered design can be utilized to create efficient housing options. This thesis explores earth sheltering through the lens of a multifamily community built into the hillside of retired iron mine. The scope of this project covers the layout of a large community down to the architecture of individual units. The design utilizes historic and contemporary precedence as well as research to help inform the solution. The project offers a new look into energy efficient multifamily housing solutions by utilizing earth sheltering. These ideas are represented through drawings, diagrams, renders and models along with this writing. The final design solution looks to address the challenges and misconceptions associated with earth sheltered design by providing energy efficient and aesthetically pleasing multifamily housing options.

Committee: Elizabeth Riorden M.Arch. (Committee Member); Rebecca Williamson Ph.D. (Committee Chair) Subjects: Architecture

MARCH, University of Cincinnati, 2019, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning: Architecture

The impacts on the environment of carbon being produced by the building industry have been known for some time now. The United States is by far one of the biggest carbon emitters on the planet and our building industry is one of the main contributors. Between manufacturing, transportation of materials, construction, building maintenance, and end of life processes buildings consume around 48% of total U.S. energy use. This energy use is predominately fueled by carbon emitting fossil fuel sources. This thesis will analyze the architectural implications of carbon neutral building by creating a low-carbon baseline through analyses, using a life cycle assessment tool. The baseline analyses will aim to reduce the embodied and operational carbon impacts of the building by analyzing the massing, location (suburban/urban), wall assemblies, structural material, and energy efficiency. The results of the low-carbon baseline building will produce the lowest total carbon emissions for each category listed previously; while also giving visualization to the architectural implications. The concurrent design portion will try to put these lessons to use by designing a building that is low in embodied carbon, low in operational carbon and high in carbon sequestration.

Committee: Michael McInturf M.Arch. (Committee Chair); Thomas Bible M.C.E. (Committee Member) Subjects: Architecture

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Akron, 2017, Biology

The appreciation for nature as inspiration for design has happened throughout human history. However, it wasn't until the late 1990s that biomimicry was put forward as a discipline providing a framework to more actively and consciously use nature's time-tested and refined strategies to inform innovative products, services and systems. The implementation of biomimicry as a design tool to solve real-life, time-sensitive challenges inherently requires an interdisciplinary and collaborative approach. Biological knowledge needs to be made available, either by new research or by extracting it from existing literature. This then needs to be abstracted into design principles to be used to inform the creation of new designs. Ultimately this design needs to be commercialized by organizations that remain successful under rapidly changing conditions. In this PhD work I explored the implications of implementing biomimicry thinking throughout this entire process, which included the scientific, engineering, design and business world. It is through experiential and observational learning that people are trained to design, support, and lead biomimicry endeavors. By sharing my experiences, challenges, concerns and research results I am hoping to boost the further development of biomimicry as a tool for technological and social innovation, as well as promote the potential of biomimicry to facilitate a sustainability transition and therefore increase its prominent implementation for solving real-life, time-sensitive challenges. The growing interest and successful application of biomimicry can ultimately result not only in more environmentally conscious technologies, but also make organizations themselves nature-aligned.

Committee: Peter Niewiarowski (Advisor); Matthew Shawkey (Advisor); Dayna Baumeister (Committee Member); Pravin Bhiwapurkar (Committee Member); Ali Dhinojwala (Committee Member); Karim Alamgir (Committee Member) Subjects: Architecture; Biophysics; Environmental Engineering; Sustainability

MARCH, University of Cincinnati, 2011, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning: Architecture

Oh! Home on the Range! Our American Landscape –that place which so defines our national character- has been commodified and consumed by the hungry till of industrial agriculture. Her remains are reduced to disconnected pockets hidden among the infinite irrigated mathscape of agribusiness. Ironically, some of our richest remaining natural landscape can be found on remote sprawling military bases in the west: under lock and untouched by the plow. The Umatilla Chemical Weapons Depot is one such site, and the site for this thesis. Slated for closure later this year, this ecologically valuable and culturally unique place now, too, faces that destructive plow. This thesis confronts that threat by putting forth a reconception of the relationship between human being and landscape. Instead of some distant object for profit, the land is regarded as a complex composition of natural systems with which we must intimately interact. Thoughtful stewardship of these systems –permaculture- brings forth not only lasting nourishment for our bodies, but a place to call home. This reconception of landscape is embodied in the design of a permaculture community at Umatilla –a demonstrative subversion of commodity culture. It will be a self-sustaining, walkable dwellingplace that reconnects people to the land and eacho other through intensive cooperative organic gardening. It is a place where impetus is not personal profit but the common good, and one's worth is measured in sweat not dollars. In practice, it is a healing gesture. Forward-looking optimism is juxtaposed over the eerie material remains of the site's military history to tell a story about hope. This is the poetry of terra recognita: reconceiving the past into a more sustainable future.

Committee: Nnamdi Elleh PhD (Committee Chair); Michael McInturf MARCH (Committee Chair) Subjects: Architecture

MCP, University of Cincinnati, 2010, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning : Community Planning

This thesis examines the design process for affordable housing as it relates to non-profit builders. It identifies key design elements discovered through a literature review and through semi-structured interviews with non-profit builders in the US, Thailand and The Philippines. In order to provide the widest possible range of thought associated with design of affordable housing in the non-profit world, I reviewed literature that presents key ideas and work done in the field. There are references on design, affordable housing, and non-profits, although few sources address all three. This thesis brings all of them together. The literature reviewed shows that current conditions of affordable housing fall between adequate and very good. There are ways to make all housing efforts fall on the “excellent” end of the spectrum. The way to do this is by empowering the community to be part of the design process and by understanding the history of affordable housing and new environmental movements within the housing industry. The main principle underlying “good” design of affordable housing is that it is something nonprofit builders should aspire to because they are in the market to serve the underserved communities that are in need of affordable housing. Good design is less a specific, identifiable outcome than it is a result of a guided process. Interviews with Habitat for Humanity affiliates as well as The Center for Great Neighborhoods show that both use different design processes along with a development team that weight costs with design features and housing amenities. There are many layers involved in the design process; in this thesis suggestions are provided to get the best process possible through conversations amongst a non-profitʼs development team, design experts, city planners, architects, residents, historic preservationists and others. If such development groups do not exist, it is recommended they be formed in order to make this process as strong as possible. E (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Johanna Looye PhD (Committee Chair); Francis Russell MArch, BA (Committee Member) Subjects: Urban Planning

MS ARCH, University of Cincinnati, 2008, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning : Architecture

The US Green Building Council's (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification has been widely accepted as a national benchmark for sustainable architecture. While rigorous and comprehensive in many ways, the standards fail to promote many environmental theories identified in a review of the literature. This study develops an understanding of the theoretical diversity relevant to sustainability discourse, and incorporates these perspectives in a working model of architectural criticism. Case studies provide an introduction to six buildings certified by the USGBC in Cincinnati, Ohio as of April, 2008. LEED certification strategies are examined in detail. Finally, each building is discussed according to six logics of sustainable architecture"—following the social constructivist framework developed by Guy and Farmer (2001). Conclusions are believed to introduce a more thoughtful comprehension of the intellectual resources available for effective leadership and advocacy as appropriate to the promotion of sustainable architecture.

Committee: Robert Burnham (Committee Chair); David Saile PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Architecture; Design; Energy

MARCH, University of Cincinnati, 2008, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning : Architecture (Master of)

Rebuilding Biophilia:Reconnecting Man with Nature through Architectural Design Biophilic design balances human needs with the value and considerations of natural environments and processes and incorporates aspects and qualities of those elements into architectural design. This serves to reinforce man's instinctual connection and relationship with those systems. There are two basic, symbiotic, motivations for reinforcing this relationship. First, a high quality relationship with the environment has many beneficial effects on human health on the physical, psychological and intellectual levels. The second reason is that a strong relationship with the environment will result in people acting in a manner that is conducive to the environment's preservation, as a result of having formed a personal relationship with it and having gained an appreciation of its value. Biophilic design nurtures these relationships through the use of five basic principles: affiliation & affinity, homeostasis, prospect & refuge, ecological ethics and wellness. These principles can be applied as methods for developing a design, as well as evaluating a design or built project.

Committee: George Bible (Committee Chair); Elizabeth Riorden (Committee Member) Subjects: Architecture

MARCH, University of Cincinnati, 2008, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning : Architecture (Master of)

‘ In an age of globalization and the concurrent mixing of people and cultures, identities and their attendant meanings have become contested at many levels - social, institutional and political '(Curtin 167). These ‘ contested meanings ' give rise to ‘ contested geographies ' through agents such as tourism which is ‘ one of the foremost vehicles of cultural exchange '(CIRA 2007)(ICOMOS 2007). ‘ Understanding how people use space and invest space with meaning becomes a focus of debate because you deal with different groups of people who negotiate their identities and interests through space and place '(CIRA 2007). My thesis will focus on ‘ sites of struggle between insider and outsider groups ', look at developing sustainable solutions that involve all stakeholders (locals and tourists), cater to the environmental, economic and socio-cultural aspects of tourism development and establish a suitable balance among these three dimensions to guarantee the long-term sustainability of a place (Chang 343) (ICOMOS 2007).

Committee: Elizabeth Riorden (Committee Chair); Gordon Simmons (Committee Chair) Subjects: Architecture

MARCH, University of Cincinnati, 2007, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning : Architecture (Master of)

Current trends in architecture have prevented sustainability from becoming a mainstream design solution and the general population is acutely unaware of the importance of sustainable design. Presently global warming, urban sprawl, and the overuse of natural resources are major concerns for the natural environment. This thesis investigation looks to the future when renewable energy sources may be the only source of power. In addition, designing on the ocean could soon become a reality due to city overcrowding and inadequate natural resource stewardship. The design intervention employs ocean waves to generate energy for a floating marine research facility located three miles off the coastline of Cape Mendocino, California. Acting as a self sustaining building, this facility not only uses ocean waves as its primary source of energy, but is also envisioned as an iconic structure which can serve as an educational model for sustainable design, floating architecture, and ocean wave energy.

Committee: Elizabeth Riorden (Advisor) Subjects: Architecture

MDes, University of Cincinnati, 2005, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning : Design

In spite of its popularity, auto-mobility has never been an accessible transportation medium to the majority of the world's population. Big amounts of resources are spent every day to support auto-mobility yet, only about 12% of the world's population has the possibility to acquire a car, and even less has the option to acquire a new one. (Humphrey 122) The automobile however, is still the most desired type of transportation because of its freedom of routes. In this scenario, if automobiles are meant to be the main tool for human transportation in the years to come, it is crucial to promote changes in the way we consume cars in order to ensure that they can be accessed by most people. Lower segments of the population usually have access to older vehicles because of their low cost, however, as they age most of these vehicles retain little or almost no value to offer to their customer and quite often their usage conveys a high price that has to be paid in exchange for the transportation. One way in which automobile's access could be expanded to lower segments of the population is by expanding their lifespan. If cars remain unchanged in the market for a longer time, then the costs associated with their acquisition and operation would tend to be lower. A good example to this is the VW bug in Mexico or the Nissan Sentra. If we can ensure that old automobiles retain their fundamental value as mobility providers, then the lower segments of the population would find value in a platform whose cost of operation is reasonable. This thesis project will explore a possibility to design a multipurpose auto-mobile platform. A vehicle intended to remain unchanged in the market as long as the basic technologies it employs do not change. This basic mobility platform in the form of an automobile will enhance the experience of new-cars and old-cars users by providing them with the basic value of mobility, while letting them adapt their vehicles to their specific needs, and by allowing t (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Soo-Shin Choi (Advisor) Subjects:

MARCH, University of Cincinnati, 2004, Design, Art, Architecture, and Planning: Architecture (Master of)

The aim of this thesis is to gain an understanding of how a building, regardless of its location, can stop and even begin to reverse trends in building that contribute to the devastation of natural cycles that give life to the earth. The design project associated with this thesis is purposefully placed at a site that poses great difficulty to creating what will be defined as a "healthy building:" Times Square, New York. Additionally, the program of the design project will be a facility dedicated to human health. With a large program and small site the design will inevitably be a "skyscraper." The project must reconcile the issues involved in designing a skyscraper, the issues involved in designing in New York and Times Square and the building must respond to the harmful ecological trends that buildings have caused since the beginning of the industrial revolution.

Committee: Gordon Simmons (Advisor) Subjects:

MCP, University of Cincinnati, 2003, Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning : Community Planning

A future with a diminishing supply of nonrenewable resources is raising concerns in every aspect of our lives. The phrase ‘sustainable' or ‘green' development is being used to describe a wide variety of issues that take these concerns into consideration during the planning, design, and implementation process. In an effort to increase the number of green buildings developed throughout the country the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) established the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Guidelines. The guidelines are a framework which assists members of a development team to quantify whether or not a project is in fact ‘green' or ‘sustainable'. The guidelines provide a step by step approach within several categories associated with green development. The goals of this paper will be to explore how the guidelines have already been implemented on a city level in an effort to encourage the development of green buildings. Along with an understanding of how the guidelines have been used to promote green development, there will be a discussion of what the potential benefits of green development would be if implemented on a county level and why such practices have not already occurred.

Committee: Samuel Sherrill (Advisor) Subjects: Architecture

MARCH, University of Cincinnati, 2003, Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning : Architecture

The physical presence of history in everyday life is a necessary psychological reminder of where we came from and where we are headed. The physical impact of human actions on both the natural and built environment is testimony to our indifferent, if not destructive, attitude toward the environment. By adapting a holistic approach to architecture, it is possible to meet not only physical and psychological human needs, but the needs of the environment and future generations as well. The former Poole and Hunt Foundry is one of many old industrial sites in the heart of once thriving industrial towns that are now abandoned. Converting the derelict foundry into a community marketplace would create needed retail space while providing a new community center, studios for artists, and a small gallery. Such development would not only rejuvenate the site, but would serve as a catalyst for the surrounding area as well.

Committee: David Niland (Advisor) Subjects: Architecture

MARCH, Kent State University, 2009, College of Architecture and Environmental Design

With growing interest in sustainable practices in architecture, different approachesto sustainability have emerged. This thesis studies the Non modern perspective presented by Steven Moore, the challenges of redefining sustainable architecture as a storyline, and the practicability of this view in large scale sustainable projects which are largely based on Ecological Modernization. Recent developments in Ecological Modernization have brought about a vision of sustainable architecture in which social and cultural experiences are embedded. But the practices of large scale projects are still solely based on economic and financial concerns. The connection between theory and practice has significant role in the success of the sustainable storyline and therefore, the contradictions in the practice of sustainable large scale projects provide significant challenges in viewing them as Non modern practices. Although, social and cultural issues should be considered, we should not forget the role of economy and its contradictions in large scale developments. Non modern theory brings about several questions which might make sustainability practically unachievable in large scale projects, and therefore a utopian concept. While integrating social practices in architecture, we should not undermine the reality of what Ecological modernization has contributed in significant developments in different contexts.

Committee: Steve Rugare (Advisor); Jonathan Fleming (Committee Member); Diane Davis-Sikora (Committee Member) Subjects: Architecture