Architecture Theses and Dissertations

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://hdl.handle.net/1903/2743

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INHABITUAL ASSEMBLY: PREFABRICATION DRIVING SUSTAINABLE HOUSING SOLUTIONS
(2024) Hussien, Abdureuf; Vandergoot, Jana; Architecture; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
Beyond any point in human history has the efficiency of building construction been more critical within the realm of architecture. The future demands sustainable designs that impose minimal burdens on the environment and future generations. Meeting this demand necessitates a reevaluation of conventional fabrication and assembly systems.This study underscores the critical imperative of strengthening the symbiotic relationship between fabrication and design. Furthermore, it emphasizes the ever-growing need to embrace subtractive manufacturing, enabling the tailoring of each architectural component to precise specifications, thereby enhancing overall adaptability and functionality within constructed spaces. This comprehensive method, when used in timber-based architecture, becomes quite advantageous as it combines the efficiency of prefabrication and assembly with the flexibility of customizing parts, ultimately facilitating the creation of sustainable and innovative architectural spaces.
DESIGNING WITH NARRATIVE: AN ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN GUIDE FOR HERITAGE BUILDINGS AND PLACES
(2024) Tannir, Joseph; Williams, Joseph C.; Architecture; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
While the idea of what constitutes a historic site or place and how it should be treated by designers at both the building and urban scale and how different histories may be told side by side may seem obvious, closer inspection reveals a diversity of ideas that may contradict each other. This thesis seeks to explore the relationship between narrative and form of historic places by breaking this relationship into a series of interrelated component elements that can be manipulated with intention. This thesis does this by identifying core principles in the preservation field, comparing curation theories of historic buildings and places, and, finally, by examining these treatments through relevant theories of space and urbanism. This framework is illustrated and applied through the design and narrative example of the Baltimore region during World War II.
MAKING SENSE: AN EXPLORATION IN MULTI-SENSORY DESIGN
(2024) Bullock, Abigail Leigh; Noonan, Peter V.; Architecture; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
People view Architecture through a lens of sight. Often we learn from architecture from print media, the internet and other visual sources. This thesis aims to explore how one experiences architecture, not views it. To experience architecture, one needs to explore a work through all five senses: sight, smell, touch, taste, and sound. To create architecture, one must sculpt these sensory inputs. This experiential quality is especially important when considering people witedh sensory loss. Through this thesis one aims to help create independence for users of a space with hearing and/or vision loss through the incorporation of other sensory aspects within design. People with sensory loss often report feeling less satisfied in life and less independent than their peers. They also report higher degrees of loneliness and isolation. Through this work, one aims to help create a sense of community and independence. This is important to improve overall reports of life satisfaction for individuals with various degrees and types of sensory loss.
PRINTING HOPE: ADDRESSING THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS
(2024) Garcia, Aylin; Cross, Marcus A.; Architecture; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
In the United States, there is a shortage of 7 million affordable homes, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition Report, and research predicts the housing crisis will worsen over time if the construction processes remain the same due to the population increase and cities' urbanization. The report also states that between 2019 and 2021, the pandemic worsened the affordable housing crisis by raising the need for homes by half a million. The current construction process is expensive and requires proper funding to develop homes to keep up with the housing demand. It also requires the need for multiple skilled laborers, which has been decreasing over time. This thesis will explore how using 3D printing could be a solution for creating more quality, affordable neighborhoods that are also sustainable and resilient. Some benefits of 3D printing technology in the construction field are rapid construction time, lower construction costs, tight thermal envelope, less waste of materials, very few laborers required for construction, and much more. It will also investigate ways in which 3D printing dwellings can create an environment that is best for the well-being of its residents by elevating the standards provided by code regulations of the built environment.
GENERATING SYNERGIES: Reimagining Post-Industrial Waterfront as a Sustainable Live-Work-Play Community
(2024) Lee, Jihee; Ainslie, Adam; Architecture; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
The Earth’s climate has changed throughout history, but the current rate of change is unprecedented and largely driven by human activities like fossil fuel combustion, deforestation, and industrial processes. These release greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane, trap heat from the sun, causing the planet to warm. Power plants, particularly those fueled by fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas, are major contributors to climate change. Their operations emit a significant amount of greenhouse gases, primarily carbon dioxide, and they are responsible for around 27% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Such environmental concerns and the comparably short lifespan of the infrastructure has led to an increasing number of abandoned facilities. In response to these issues, this thesis proposes a radical transformation: repurposing abandoned power plants as an epicenter of clean energy innovation and environmental research. Transformed from symbols of pollution, the structures now serve as catalysts for change, unpacking the narrative shift from degraded wastelands to a seed of a sustainable future. The key lies not just in technology but in the collective efforts of diverse minds and backgrounds. Through a vibrant co-working space, interconnecting engineers, scientists, and community members, their expertise harmonizes to create synergies, leading to solutions that mitigate the severity of climate change.
MĀLAMA ‘ĀINA: SUSTAINING RESILIENT RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE LAND AND THE PEOPLE
(2024) Jamero, Samantha Kei; VanderGoot, Jana; Architecture; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
The connection between humans and the Hawaiian Islands’ landscape has undergone continuous change. Native Hawaiians’ values are founded on principles like Mālama ‘Āina, which emphasizes caring for and respecting the land. Colonization established the groundwork for mass tourism, which has disrupted the balance and led to environmental damage and cultural marginalization. This thesis aims to reframe tourism away from mass-market appeal and towards an educational experience that prioritizes local communities and ecosystems. By incorporating Hawaiian beliefs and experiential learning, tourism can foster respect for the land the people who live there every day.
Cutting Edge Injury Prevention
(2024) Boland, Margaret Kenneday; May, Lindsey; Architecture; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
The growing childcare crisis in the United States leaves many families without access to quality, affordable care. This crisis is not just a matter of statistics but a deeply emotional experience for those who find themselves torn between professional responsibilities to sustain their households and proper care for their children. This thesis explores the design of physically and emotionally safe spaces for children and their caregivers that catalyze a positive transformation in the country’s childcare infrastructure. Focused on the relationship between architecture and childhood development, this work explores innovative design solutions that consider functionality, the scale of a child, and the well-being of both children and their caregivers. Through a synthesis of research, case studies, and innovative design solutions, this work aspires to create architectural spaces that consider the unique needs of children. In doing so, it promotes a new narrative where the American dream encompasses not just economic success but also the well-being of children, the most significant investment in the nation’s future.
Campus Oasis: A Sanctuary for Learning & Wellness
(2024) Watson, Omari; Abrams, Michael C; Architecture; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
The relationship between the built environment and its occupants can have a negative and positive effect on their wellbeing. Students across all college campuses experience stress, depression, and anxiety. The stress of academia can be impacted from the built environment, however, the spaces we decide to be in can relieve the stress if designed properly. Mental health support for students is a critical issue that can be addressed architecturally with biophilic design. The goal of this thesis is to explore the relationships between environmental psychology and the built environment to design spaces that improve the occupant’s well-being. The architecture embodies wellness shared with the natural and built environment with the focus on the user experience. Concepts such as phenomenology and biophilic design will be applied to design a welcoming and healing environment. The design of a spa and wellness center will function as a haven for the students and staff of an institution to decompress, relax, learn, feel motivated and feel relieved. The project will become a precedent for other colleges and universities to support their community against mental health issues.
EDU-SCAPE: Crafting Social Landscapes through Learning within Ivy City and Trinidad
(2024) Hernandez, Kevin Alexander; Burke, Juan; Architecture; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
The District of Columbia boasts wonderful neighborhoods of various scales and cultures, with many stemming from the city’s inception. While enriched with life, culture, and community, not all neighborhoods share the same benefits, with several neighborhoods and communities within the district devoid of amenities which are present elsewhere. Ivy City and Trinidad, both historic communities located in Ward 5 have historically been ignored by the city, with several master plans and development campaigns threatening the livelihood of local residents in exchange for economic benefit. This thesis seeks to find ways to design for such communities, while providing enriched social spaces for locals amid threatening campaigns and architecture. By acknowledging the existing academic facilities and institutions located in both neighborhoods, the design of the project focused on utilizing learning facilities and communal design initiatives to provide residents with facilities that provide amenities and communal spaces for lifelong learning and improved quality of life.
EKO RESILIENCE – (RE)DESIGNING RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITIES THAT ARE RESILIENT FOR THE URBAN POOR IN LAGOS, THE COASTAL CITY.
(2024) AJAERO, UCHEYA; Simon, Madlen G; Architecture; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
This thesis addresses the urgent need for resilient community housing solutions in Lagos, where there is a growing deficit of well-designed, affordable, and accessible homes, particularly for the low-income population. The research recognizes the challenges of urban decay, transportation issues, and flooding, disproportionately affecting the poor. In Lagos, the complex interdependence of rich and poor social networks is evident, with low-income individuals often residing in slums near high-income neighborhoods or facing long commutes. The thesis aims to go beyond providing shelter and explores how affordable housing can contribute to overall urban resilience. Emphasizing four critical criteria, the research aims to show how affordable housing can support social and economic structures, reduce vulnerability to environmental risks, enhance personal security, and empower communities for self-governance. The thesis adopts a comprehensive approach, considering the broader social, economic, ecological, and political dynamics in the quest for resilient housing solutions.
FragMENDED
(2024) Deist, Chase Manning; Ezban, Michael; Architecture; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
The spatial fragmentation of suburban zones, both living and built, has real consequences on how people interact with each other and the places in which they live. Ecological disconnection and social isolation are endemic to urban sprawl. Pervasive fragmentation separates people from natural amenities and disengages them from the environment and the role they play within it. The youth are specifically vulnerable to the effects of suburban sprawl, lacking a freedom of movement and access to outdoor educational and recreational programming. By interacting with the environment through the lenses of play and education, children can form a connection between themselves and the place they learn, helping them develop into multifaceted and ecologically conscious people. The goal is to explore how youth-driven ecological practices and nature-based program can reweave children into local ecologies through a pedagogy of play.
Urban Sprawl & Critter Crawl: Imagining a More-Than-Human Way of Living
(2024) Islam, Ramisa Maisha; Williams, Brittany; Architecture; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
Over half of the world’s population lives in urban areas and that number is projected to double by 2050. Cities and urban transects have an important role in addressing climate change. As urban population and development grows, we also see a decline in biodiversity. Humans are not the only species being displaced. Native species lose their natural habitats due to development and seek refuge in urban areas. The complexity of cities allows for urban biodiversity to find a home, but these urban habitats are still human centered, forcing species to fit within a human designed environment. This thesis explores the balance between human living and urban biodiversity to integrate into our cities. Implementing urban biodiversity strategies and more than human design in urban neighborhoods can help to restore biodiversity and strengthen human relationships with the natural environment. Combining these concepts can reimagine the city as a shared ecosystem that serves all species. An ideal shared ecosystem can support urban living, embrace coexistence, and foster a symbiotic relationship between humans and nature.
Building on History
(2024) Gursoy, Talha; Bell, Matthew; Architecture; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
Thessaloniki is a Balkan region of Macedonia city in northern Greece with Ottoman, Byzantine, and Sephardic roots. The story of its past is one of the immigrants from other places. The majority for many hundred years. Spanish-speaking Sephardic Jews and Ottoman Turks made up the majority of the city's population, and they contributed to many facets of the city's growth. Unless one expressly knows where to seek its traces, this significant presence is no longer discernible. It is an obliterated past rather than one that has been hushed or wiped out. The architecture of the city has a lot to do with this loss; the city has been redesigned from scratch by ignoring its close history. This thesis researches to the building of a museum in the city that would also revive the lost architectural history.
BREAKWATER – Breaking the Cycle
(2024) Mora, Adrian Bernard Teneza; Gabrielli, Julie; Architecture; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
How can ecological design principles prevent the erosion of the physical and social framework of low-income coastal communities? A significant portion of the world’s population is concentrated along coastlines. Direct access to the water provides access to a longstanding source of economic prosperity and a psychological connection to natural environments. However, human-influenced climate change has produced hazardous environmental conditions that threaten coastal populations, including many poor, vulnerable communities. Disparities in investment for public services, maintenance, and upkeep increases the vulnerability of these disenfranchised groups that cannot protect themselves. The built and natural environment within this diverse boundary zone between the land and sea must be redeveloped as a self-resilient ecosystem that can protect its inhabitants from climate-induced hazards. This renewal will require holistic approaches that can mitigate contemporary impacts to protect current populations at risk and adapt the built environment to better respond in the future.
RECLAIMING ANTAKYA: POST-DISASTER COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FOR RESILIENT FUTURES
(2024) Demircan, Zeynep Dila; Filler, Kenneth; Architecture; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
As the global population continues to grow and settlements expand, an increasing number of communities are at risk of natural and man-made disasters. While the immediate focus in disaster management is to preserve lives and safeguard property through emergency response, the subsequent phases of recovery and preparedness present challenges in terms of planning and management. The earthquake that struck Turkey in February 2023 inflicted significant damage on the physical, social, and economic infrastructure of the affected region. Among the hardest-hit areas is the city of Antakya, which suffered severe destruction, thereby complicating and prolonging the recovery efforts. This thesis is dedicated to addressing the challenges associated with disaster management and recovery processes in Antakya. It emphasizes the importance of empowering the community to reclaim their surroundings, foster a sense of belonging, preserve culture, and revitalize life in the aftermath of the disaster. This approach aims to foster sustainable solutions and build resilience in the community.
Age in Place: Design for Dignity
(2024) Perkins, Abigail Corinne; Bennett, Ralph; Architecture; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
The senior population in the United States is rapidly growing. As a result, there is a growing need for more affordable housing options for seniors. Assisted living centers can be a wonderful community for seniors to live in when they can no longer maintain their homes or if they need additional care. These apartments provide excellent opportunities for socialization, exercise, and travel. However, a variety of factors including cost, availability of specific care facility, and a desire for independence can cause a senior to not receive the help that they need in a timely manner. For seniors with additional care needs, such as a form of dementia, the need for flexible care is paramount. Current care options often lead to seniors with dementia having to move to facilities that are not designed for residents with dementia and hire additional care aids. The lifetime cost of dementia is a huge burden to the patient and their family. Affordable senior housing is needed for seniors who cannot afford memory care and choose to live in assisted living facilities in order to improve a senior’s quality of life. The thesis will explore how we can use findings of environmental psychology to improve the design of assisted living facilities for seniors dealing with rapid memory loss from dementia.
FOOD SERVICE: CULTIVATING FOOD EQUITY & RESILIENCE IN THE HEART OF IVY CITY
(2024) Tram, Judy; Curry, Daniel; Architecture; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
Food is fuel for the body and mind, a bridge for social connection, and a lens into culture and identity. Food is a human right, yet food insecurity in the U.S is a prominent issue that affects millions of individuals and families each year. Despite the nation's affluence, a significant percentage of the population still struggle to access consistent and nutritious meals. The relationships that people experience with food are deeply intertwined in and reflective of the country’s social, economic, political, and environmental attitudes. Due to a lack of equity in existing U.S food systems, the need for food aid rises. Nonprofit organizations are increasingly becoming a major asset to public aid and health, working to ensure that underserved communities have direct access to essential resources and services, particularly food. This foundation of service provides a pathway for nonprofit organizations to facilitate a localized shift in the way communities interact with food. This thesis seeks to reshape the experience of underserved communities with food to support a more sustainable and equitable food system.
RETHINKING MOVEMENT
(2024) Gomez, Jose; Tilghman, James; Architecture; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
Today, there are numerous transportation methods that are constantly changing our landscape. Despite the diversity of transportation options, our approach toward movement has become outdated. The emergence of autonomous vehicles, electric vehicles, sustainable power sources and advanced infrastructure are currently shaping the way we move throughout the world. The advantages of these technologies are clear; high performance, low to no carbon emissions, automatic systems, and improved safety are clearly the direction of the future. However, their adaptation and implementation is slow and ineffective. Emerging technology presents a viable opportunity to design architecture and mobility as a synergetic system that can facilitate movement, improve accessibility, and reclaim the human experience from outdated infrastructure. It is therefore important to rethink how we move through space in order to design for human wellness. This thesis will explore transportation problems in cities, emerging technologies, sustainable practices, and design guidelines and precedents in search of an efficient moving, self-sufficient, wellness focused future.
Testing the Limits: A DC Ecoblock Creates Community for Everyone
(2019) Rowedder, Patricia; Gabrielli, Julie; Architecture; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
Loneliness is an emotional feeling that represents disconnection. With one in five people suffering from loneliness, it has become a public health crisis. Ranked second in the nation for loneliness, Washington DC is three times the national average. The transient nature of the greater DC population has created a negative perception on the city, causing people to either move on or move out. Such a progressive and influential city seems stuck in a stagnant pattern, not reacting to the constantly changing density, mobility, and needs of the built and non-built environment. This thesis aims to explore the connections of ecology and psychology of architecture through a superblock typology in an effort to battle loneliness in the nation’s capital. A superblock is a large-scale entity both extroverted and permeable composed of business, community, and other institutional programs, each different but overlapping in a common elements and connections. The superblock throughout time has been given a negative connotation because of exploited failed attempts. When using the principles correctly, however, the superblock typology provides endless possibilities and solutions to connect, engage, and ignite community interaction through strategically placed nodes of space and diverse program. If one were to take create new principle site, culture, and health specific, could a meaningful interaction and connection through a ecoblock in DC be created?
HIGHWAY TO HARVEST-WAY, REIMAGINGING BALTIMORE THROUGH URBAN AGRICULTURAL INFRASTRUCTURE
(2023) Jones, Liam Wynn; Gabrielli, Julie E.; Architecture; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
Earth has seen exponential growth in population within the modern area, requiring human society to respond by expanding the boundaries of the built environment to accommodate. This expansion - coupled with climate change - threatens food production for an increasingly reliant global community. Recent geopolitical events have highlighted the delicate balance of food supply chains, emphasizing the need to plan accordingly. This thesis explores how new infrastructure can challenge the American food system and the relationship that rural communities and urban centers have with sustenance. The city of Baltimore, Maryland will act as the nexus of change due to its high food scarcity rates and history. Highway to Harvest-Way examines the architecture of agriculture, cultural traditions of food within the region, and investigates how a modular approach to growth can respond to a community it services at varying scales to redefine the paradigm of food within cities.

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