Architecture Masters Theses Collection

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https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14394/157

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Regenerating the Urban Void: Design Strategies for Sustainable & Inclusive Communities
(2024-05) Young, Tyler A.
Central to architectural endeavors is the aspiration to cultivate spaces that not only evoke creativity and joy but also provoke community engagement. However, amidst careful design lies a stark reality - spaces neglected, misused, underused, or simply wasted (Hwang & Lee, 2018). In the face of the impending climate crisis, the demand for livable and sustainable cities has never been greater, and within this context emerges the concept of urban voids, holding promise for transformation. This thesis delves into the typology of urban voids, dissecting their current uses and misuses, and advocates for the imperative to reclaim these overlooked spaces. This research identifies and applies existing literature to advance strategies for fostering regenerative architecture that harmonizes with natural ecosystems. A paradigm shift is pivotal: to perceive neglected urban spaces not as liabilities but as prospects (Hwang & Lee, 2018). Through a design research methodology, this thesis proposes the potential of regenerative architecture to transform urban voids into dynamic, purposeful, and accessible public domains, thereby enriching the well-being of both humans and the environment.
Identifying Cultural and Spatial Intersections: The Experience of the In-Between
(2024-05) Berry, Palmer J.
Among the 330 million inhabitants of the United States, 5 million are adopted. Of those 5 million, around 200,000 are adopted from an Asian country such as China, Japan, Vietnam, or Korea (Witenstein, 2006). Economic and social factors from some Asian countries such as the one-child policy (China), diplomatic relations (such as forming trust with one another), and promoting adoption were part of building interest in transnational adoption. It is also important to note that Western interest in adoption was largely spurred on by a lack of available domestic adoption as well as racial stereotypes such as the misinformed idea that Asians are model people(Lee, 2006). Around 80% of the adoptions from Asia are by Caucasian families which can often lead to the adopted child living in a geographical location that is not adjacent to or part of an Asian community (Ibid., 2006). The census suggests that Asian-American communities are concentrated in and near major cities although this demographic is also present in some suburban areas (Census, 2022). A lack of connection to an Asian community can lead to feelings of isolation or confusion in identity due to being placed in a space between two cultures. This thesis looks to address the concept of that third or in-between space and will achieve it through the design of a cultural center . The cultural center can then become a place of connection and clarification rather than one of disorientation and aloneness. In addition to it becoming a connection space for people of all backgrounds, especially adoptees, it features a night-market inspired space that creates more connection with the broader community. Food is a tactile and exciting way to delve into a new culture without becoming overwhelmed.
Ethical Memorialization: A Design Proposal for a Genocide Memorial at the University of Massachusetts
(2024-05) Berlin, Jacqueline E.
This thesis delves into the methods by which designers can cultivate environments conducive to inclusive dialogue and contemplation. It examines strategies for enriching public spaces through purposeful interventions aimed at elucidating challenging historical narratives and facilitating opportunities for introspection. In light of the prevalence of egregious acts of genocide throughout history, the thesis advocates for the utilization of landscape and architectural elements as educational instruments for the broader public. Illustrated by the conceptualization of a Genocide Memorial situated within the University of Massachusetts Amherst's campus, this work exemplifies the endeavor to establish a secure and inclusive haven conducive to reflection, solace, and community engagement. By scrutinizing ethical considerations rigorously, architects can devise memorials that not only impart historical knowledge but also elicit a sense of moral duty in commemorating the past. Thus, this study underscores the ethical imperative inherent in the practice of memorialization, emphasizing architects' capacity to stimulate public consciousness, elevate collective memory, and underscore the significance of ethical reflection in the built environment.
Regenerating the Urban Void: Design Strategies for Sustainable & Inclusive Communities
(2024-05) Young, Tyler A.
Central to architectural endeavors is the aspiration to cultivate spaces that not only evoke creativity and joy but also provoke community engagement. However, amidst careful design lies a stark reality - spaces neglected, misused, underused, or simply wasted (Hwang & Lee, 2018). In the face of the impending climate crisis, the demand for livable and sustainable cities has never been greater, and within this context emerges the concept of urban voids, holding promise for transformation. This thesis delves into the typology of urban voids, dissecting their current uses and misuses, and advocates for the imperative to reclaim these overlooked spaces. This research identifies and applies existing literature to advance strategies for fostering regenerative architecture that harmonizes with natural ecosystems. A paradigm shift is pivotal: to perceive neglected urban spaces not as liabilities but as prospects (Hwang & Lee, 2018). Through a design research methodology, this thesis proposes the potential of regenerative architecture to transform urban voids into dynamic, purposeful, and accessible public domains, thereby enriching the well-being of both humans and the environment.
Addressing Contemporary Housing Challenges with 3D Printing Technology
(2024-05) Varitimos, Emmit
The United States is currently facing a housing crisis characterized by a pervasive shortage of housing along with a significant increase in housing costs without a corresponding rise in household incomes. Compounding this issue, the construction industry is grappling with a substantial labor shortage in the workforce. In response to these challenges, a novel construction method, 3D printing, has emerged as a promising solution. 3D printing is an additive process where material is extruded from machinery to form a three-dimensional object. Proponents of this technology argue that it offers distinct advantages over traditional construction by expediting construction schedules and reducing costs through decreased reliance on manual labor. Additionally, it allows for flexible and novel design possibilities. This thesis explores the potential of 3D printing to design new housing typologies that better accommodate evolving domestic living arrangements while also addressing the issues underlying the housing crisis. The thesis begins by presenting research on the housing crisis, the challenges facing the residential construction industry, and the current state-of-the-art for 3D printing. It then moves on to test the potential of 3D printing through the design of two small houses: a micro-home in Austin TX and an average-sized single-family residence outside of Boston, MA. Specifically, the designs explore the opportunities created by combining 3D printing with prefabricated building elements. In conclusion, this thesis argues that by integrating 3D printing with prefabricated elements, it is possible to create new housing typologies that adapt to the changing household dynamics and, concomitantly, reduce the costs associated with housing construction.
Embodied Carbon: The Hidden Environmental Costs of the Modern "Green" Building
(2024-05) Auerbach, Alexander
Increasingly stringent building standards and building codes have driven improvements in building systems: envelope construction, air tightness, heating, cooling, and ventilation systems, and others. These improvements have reduced the energy needed to operate a building, but not necessarily the energy required to build the building in the first place. In some cases, modern high efficiency buildings can actually be more environmentally costly than their simpler and less efficient predecessors. Despite their mission to decrease carbon dioxide emissions from the building sector –globally the most significant source of greenhouse gases (GHG)—these high efficiency designs may contribute more to the problem than they solve. The aim of this thesis is to quantify these two environmental costs – “embodied carbon” and “operational carbon”- in the design of single-family homes and to arrive at a set of guidelines for balancing the two and achieving a truly net zero carbon building that meets the Paris Agreement’s (COP28) targets for 2050. These solutions include the reduction of concrete and the selection of different concrete mixes; the optimization of glazing (windows and glass doors); the substitution of biogenic materials for conventional wall insulation; the use of reclaimed and recycled materials; the reduction of overall building size; the avoidance of other high embodied carbon materials; the use of passive solar; and the adherence to energy code standards for thermal insulation, vapor barriers, air tightness, and other considerations. To illustrate these best practices this thesis proposes a case study of a representative single-family home and explores four different design iterations of the same project, making a series of substitutions in that building’s construction to reduce its embodied carbon. The resulting design reduces the environmental cost of this building from highly carbon positive –twice the national average—to significantly carbon-negative. In its construction, this building design sequesters more carbon than it uses.
Home as the Nexus of Care: Reimagining Cogenerational Communities for Aging in Place
(2024-05) Tully, Colleen S.
This thesis explores the private residence as the nexus of care through the reimagining of a cogenerational residential community in Amherst, Massachusetts. Under 4% of U.S. housing is considered livable by people with moderate mobility difficulties, and only 0.15% of housing meets wheelchair accessibility standards. Yet, as of 2019, 39% of all U.S. households include at least one person aged 65 or older, person(s) with a disability, or both. Instances of disability are greatest among households with older residents, a demographic projected to grow substantially over the coming years. This is a population that wants to age in place, due in large part to the cost prohibitive and undesirable nature of institutional and boutique long-term care facilities. In fact, most long-term care is already taking place in the home. Therefore, this thesis seeks to challenge the notion of the traditional, static, single-family home, and investigates the potential for residential and communal design to respond to evolving, temporal relationships of care. Research was conducted via a mixed methodology including data analysis, historical research on aging care and attitudes, precedent analysis, and observational research through informal interviews and documentation.
Urban Prison Link: A New, Urban Prison Typology
(2024-05) Mubarak, Ashik
The United States has the highest incarceration rate of juveniles in the world, with over twenty- five thousand people under the age of 18 currently held in detention centers (Rovner 2023). While there has been a steady decline in this incarceration rate during the past twenty years, the juvenile recidivism rates remain at 76% within three years and 84% within five years (National Trends in Juvenile Justice,2013). While many factors contribute to this situation, the architecture of the detention centers plays a significant role in driving this recidivism (Tobon, 2022). Traditional prison typologies remain isolated, fortress-like structures that often exacerbate the issues they are meant to address. This thesis advocates for a transformative shift in the spatial and programmatic design of juvenile detention centres. The focus on urban prisons stems from the need to address space constraints and enhance operational efficiency within densely populated areas with keeping integration both externally and internally intact. By exploring the stack as a programmatic and spatial system, we aim to maximize vertical space utilization while ensuring effective functionality and workflow. Drawing insights from innovative approaches implemented in various countries, such as Norway's emphasis on restorative justice and community integration as well as the history of urban prison and detention center design, this thesis will explore the new typologies for urban juvenile detention centers in the United States. While the Norwegian model provides a solid foundation, its adaptation to a vertical site necessitates strategic translation and innovative design solutions. By reimaging these facilities as integral parts of urban communities, this thesis seeks to foster the rehabilitation of juvenile offenders, ease their transition from incarceration to civilian life, contribute to the reduction of recidivism rates, and ultimately pave the way for transformative change in the criminal justice system.
The Evolution of Senior Living Design: Storytelling in Space
(2024-05) McCafferty, Olivia R.
For centuries, architecture has contributed to sharing narratives across the world that encompass human experience, history, and connection within physical spaces. These narratives are metaphors for life itself, encapsulating memories and leaving behind lasting legacies. Regrettably, the field of senior care in the United States has failed to prioritize fundamental human values of sympathy, connection, dignity, and happiness. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the re-evaluation of late stage and end-of-life care systems in the United States is more imperative than ever. The U.S. has put the issue of senior living facilities on the back burner for decades. Consequently, private equity firms have been buying up struggling nursing homes, resulting in worsening conditions and increased mortality (The White House, 2022). As the 85-and-over population continues to grow each year, the necessity for these care systems to evolve has increased substantially. Research tells us that critical components of positive senior care experiences include homelike environments, sympathetic care, spatial autonomy, companionship, and purpose beyond oneself. This thesis proposes using storytelling as the leading component in the design of an architecture that centers on companionship, transmission of legacy, quality of life, happiness, and human experience.
Pavilion Park: Sustainability in Temporary Design
(2024-05) McNally, Alexander W.
Pavilion architecture has a rich history with roots leading back to the humble tent and progressing to the global exposition stage. Given their flexibility and temporary nature, pavilions have functioned as a medium for architects to explore innovative concepts and advance the discipline. Because of their temporality, pavilions can make such contributions without some of the more stringent building codes and requirements and become laboratories to test novel design approaches. Looking towards the models set forth by the Serpentine Gallery Pavilions and the Venice Biennale, this thesis proposes an original annual pavilion competition hosted at the historic site of the 1964-65 World's Fair, Flushing Meadow Corona Park in Queens, NY. It focuses on revitalizing the existing New York State Pavilion, designed by Philip Johnson, and reintroduces the excitement and innovation associated with pavilion architecture. The new pavilion competition focuses on the sustainability of temporary architecture, emphasizing material life cycle and reuse. The proposed pavilions serve as a teaching tool that engages the public and professionals in broadly examining construction materials and their potential diversion from landfills.
Re-Imagining Low-Density Residential Landscapes
(2024-05) Malkovich, Mikal X.
This thesis analyzes historical and contemporary trends in residential architecture and low-density residential landscapes to imagine new development strategies and housing typologies that will increase the availability and accessibility of housing while promoting ecological sensitivity, reduced consumption, and community resilience through design. Analysis and research culminate in the proposed retrofit of a site in Florence, MA. The author draws on nearly two decades of intimate personal knowledge and lived experience with the unique characteristics of the site and its regional context. The proposed design interventions focus on the layout, program, scale, materiality, and methods of construction and maintenance—evaluating the potential of each to inspire social, cultural, and economic change. The goal of this thesis is to expand consciousness through the exploration of viable alternatives that empower community members to actively engage with the future of their neighborhoods–outlining both a process and specific designs that challenge contemporary models of residential development and the unsustainable lifestyles they impose—to imagine new priorities and lifestyles for the future of low-density landscapes in the United States.
Informal Regeneration
(2024-05) Jang, Jamie
This thesis investigates patterns of informal migration and proposes the Informal Regeneration Palette, a prototypical kit-of-parts that seeks regenerative development of informal settlements. Instead of “slums,” the term “informal settlement” is widely used to discuss the “incremental, unauthorized, and self-organized production of new urban neighborhoods.” Informal settlements are the most ubiquitous form of urban development in the last fifty years. They are typically seen as poverty-stricken and a problem in need of solutions. However, they are rarely acknowledged for their interesting position as urban forms that own the means of production of their urban form. Considering their ubiquity and unique relationship to capital, informal settlements represent an enormous and powerful opportunity to consider regenerative design. How can design empower informal immigrants to improve outcomes at the building, neighborhood, and regional landscape scale, while preserving residents’ self-identity and strengthening community? Informal Regeneration is a proof of concept and a detailed methodology, the result of which could precipitate micro-adjustments in informal settlements that promote justice and resilience environmentally, economically, and socially.
Examining Ecovillages: The Design and Implementation of Equitable and Accessible Sustainable Communities
(2024-05) Kramer, Sophia A.
The benefits of living in an Ecovillage are innumerable, but how can those benefits be accessed if the Ecovillage itself is inaccessible? As the Earth is increasingly devastated by the impacts of climate change, evidence continues to show that specific communities are more affected. These are the very communities that have historically experienced inequity: including low-income households, communities of color, people with disabilities, and immigrant populations (Gamble 2016). One community-based approach to addressing climate change has been the founding and development of ecovillages, sustainable cohousing communities with shared values and resources. There are more than 10,000 of these ecovillages globally, with a concentration of the communities in the Global North. The reality for many of these communities is that these ecovillages, “despite the frequently expressed interest in diversity, have a homogenous profile that is mainly middle or upper middle class, ethnically ‘white’ with higher education levels” (Dias et al. 2017). This thesis seeks to address the barriers to DEIA (diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility) in sustainable community design. Cohousing communities, including ecovillages, throughout the Eastern United States, served as precedents for the design of an ecovillage in Hadley, Massachusetts. By incorporating participatory design methodologies, this thesis responded to the needs of the local inhabitants, while fostering a space welcoming to a diverse population, including groups of people that have typically not been represented in cohousing neighborhoods. Only once ecovillages are welcoming to all can they fully tackle both environmental and social sustainability.
Redefining 21st Century Schools: Exploring Innovative Design Solutions for Post-War Era Schools
(2024-05) Jackman, Kayleigh
Education is regarded as the cornerstone of a society's future, and the provision of adequate education is essential for growth and prosperity. As education is a pivotal force in societal progress, it is intricately linked to the physical spaces where learning unfolds. This thesis explores the pedagogical, cultural, and social dimensions of elementary schools designed and built during the 1950s, a period in which over 45% of all current U.S. elementary schools were constructed. It aims to recognize and interpret the spatial, architectural, and educational implications of post-war learning spaces, and to compare these findings to contemporary educational ideals. The thesis research serves as a foundation to inspire schematic design strategies adaptable across diverse sites. The study challenges the ubiquitous mid-twentieth century school model and provides a series of strategic and adaptive renovation strategies that can be employed to create beneficial learning spaces. By prioritizing inclusivity, sustainability, and adaptability, these strategies will foster effective education and build on the history of the post-war school era.
Adaptive Design Strategies Affordable Housing in New England's Historic Mill Districts
(2024-05) Agustin, Leahna M.
Within New England, the Industrial Revolution incentivized affluent individuals to invest in the development of mill towns, including constructing worker housing to support their entrepreneurial endeavors. However, standard housing development practices proved inadequate in addressing rapid growth, revealing worker exploitation as a harmful driver for urban development (Mitchell, 2013). Investment in the region’s mill towns has slowly depleted, leaving remnants of the Industrial Revolution as a visual reminder of the past. In a time of housing inaccessibility, professionals in architecture and planning have adopted a sense of responsibility in addressing today's lack of infrastructure. The adaptive reuse of mill buildings has become common in increasing housing inventory in New England. The scale of the redevelopment requires an immense investment in historically neglected areas, emphasizing the need to preserve welfare for vulnerable populations. This thesis explores the suitability of New England's historical mill districts for the adaptive use of affordable housing, analyzing the strategies currently implemented using comparative case study analysis to address their effectiveness in aiding the needs of financially burdened residents. Further, this thesis aims to demonstrate techniques for memorializing a site's complex history and reflecting upon the balance between the revolving needs and values of post-industrial cities.
After Renewal: An Approach to Architectural Reclamation
(2024-05) Gonsalves, Lauren E.
The American city of the twentieth century was irrevocably altered by the wide-sweeping urban renewal movement, which marked impoverished minority neighborhoods as a ‘cancer’ to be eradicated on the path to progress. This thesis aims to use Albany, NY as a case study to investigate the mid-twentieth century urban renewal movement, its impact on splintering impoverished neighborhoods, and to hypothesize a framework for reclaiming this urban space and reconnecting present communities with their place-based history.
Preserving Farm Connections
(2024-05) Gitto, Victoria M.
This thesis provides a framework for understanding the current state of farmland preservation in Massachusetts and New England at large and emphasizes the importance of extending its conservation and integration within residential areas through environmental and social initiatives. It argues that architectural and landscape design can bolster this work by facilitating connections between farmers and communities, thereby sustaining and enriching agricultural spaces within Amherst Massachusetts. By proposing innovative design strategies and tools that embrace these connections and a holistic approach to resource management, this thesis aims to spark meaningful conversations and stimulate support for a contemporary farming ethos centered on human and ecological connections. Through these connections, regional food systems and agrarian landscapes may be fortified, enhancing resilience against the challenges posed by climate change.
Invisible in Borders Bursting the Bubble of an Armenian Sports Complex in Tehran
(2024-05) Ghorbani, Anita
""Invisible in Borders"" critically investigates the complex nature of borders, focusing on the Armenian minority in Iran, whose religious identity as Christians has led to the demarcation of distinct spatial boundaries. Following the Iranian revolution, a stark division emerged between Muslims and the many minority groups who live in the country, profoundly impacting architectural spaces, and restricting public access. This research centers on The Holy Cross Chapel, an Armenian chapel within a walled sports complex in Tehran called Ararat, symbolizing the visible and invisible borders that outline and limit community interactions. By analyzing the Armenian chapel as a microcosm of larger societal divisions, this thesis aims to contribute insights into the role of design in shaping inclusive spaces, fostering unity, and addressing the complexities of identity, diversity, security, and sense of place within the context of visible and invisible borders in Iran. This thesis asks the following questions. How can borders serve as devices for identity, belonging, exclusion, and inequality? How to design a solution of visibility for these borders? How can design as a medium, leverage and modify borders to integrate spaces while maintaining identity, diversity, security, and a perception of the space? What effects might this have on the community, and how might the design process be redesigned in relation to boundaries and at different scales.
Reinvestigation of Culture
(2012-09) Zhang, Yi
Due to the culture revolution, inflation of economy and globalization, China has been suffering from mass unqualified products of architecture, loss of culture and traditions, also unaffordable real estate; causing the instability of the society, in which emptiness, anxiety, uncertainty of people are occupied. Burdons must be released. And culture need to be revitalized. By studying I-Ching and Taoism, the origins of Chinese civilization, finding the philosophy of Tao which can be carried into architecture, the equilibrium between culture and globalization is established. The nation-wide uniformed apartments built under the welfare oriented housing distribution system in the 1980’s, are now either torn down or hidden behind the high rises and forgotten. The ones which are survived from the development of real estate, could be reconstructed to be a nice and affordable community where social interaction is encouraged, virtue of individual is cultivated and culture is renovated. In the philosophy of Tao, when one side is compelling and overwhelming, the counterpart could be perked up by yielding and returning. Therefore, in the design of the reconstruction, deduction is the motion of Tao. Introducing light scoops into the building to created horizontal and vertical courtyard, sunlight, rainwater and wind is able to come into the building. people is able to perceive the nature inside where balance of artificial and the nature is built. Also the light scoop divides the spaces into layers so that people have a private space to think as well as a semi-public space where social interactions are forced to happen. The space of light scoop is functionally blank, though. It is spiritually abondant.
Karnaphuli River-Life Recreation & Research Center, Chittagong, Bangladesh
(2012-09) Sufian, Hosne A
Rivers are integral parts of Bangladesh & Bengali people’s life. The whole country is criss-crossed by more than 700 rivers including their tributaries. In other words, rivers formed this country as a delta and have been contributing to spring life to this land with agriculture, food, electricity, transportation, and tranquil beauty, creating opportunity for different occupations, and providing very comfortable moderate climate. Due to over population and urban sprawl, the current development pattern of the country is culminating in filling up wetlands, changing the course of lakes, narrowing down and in some cases killing rivers for urban development leaving great impact on environment. As a consequence, the country is being affected by frequent flood, deforestation, surge, cyclones, and rise of sea level due to global warming. The concern for introducing an adoptive sustainable architecture that interacts with rivers and water, protects environment as well as facilitates new developments has been noticed by scientists and scholars from every sector of development. This thesis will be emphasizing on establishing some unique architectural features that would especially be applicable for riverfront architectures, that leaves least impact on nature and respects the country’s tradition, heritage and lifestyle which are inseparable from rivers.

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