Architecture Theses Copyright (c) 2013 Roger Williams University All rights reserved. http://docs.rwu.edu/archthese Recent documents in Architecture Theses en-us Thu, 14 Mar 2013 01:41:03 PDT 3600 Rising Architecture http://docs.rwu.edu/archthese/88 http://docs.rwu.edu/archthese/88 Tue, 12 Mar 2013 10:10:24 PDT Many cities have experienced shrinkage in their city centers, leaving behind abandoned lots and buildings throughout the city streets. The historic city of Providence was split after the construction of I-95, leaving the west side of the city separated and in some cases abandoned from downtown. Creating a couple living communities that work together to live sustainably by producing necessities such as electricity, clean water, food and medicine will be contributing to the quality of the city as well as improving their lives by learning, developing and teaching new means of living to the rest of the community in their public gardens, classrooms and labs.

]]> Erica M. Wiggin Environmental Architecture: Environmental Discovery Center on the Woonasquatucket River http://docs.rwu.edu/archthese/87 http://docs.rwu.edu/archthese/87 Tue, 12 Mar 2013 08:16:01 PDT The Woonasquatucket River Environmental Discovery Center (WREDC) is a place where students of the environment can enjoy a natural space within their own community. It provides a much needed connection to a site which, for far too long has been off limits to the community. As a potential learning environment for young students, the WREDC becomes a platform for a sustainable lifestyle. In this place we learn about the past, connect it to the present, and allow for change in the future.

This thesis is about making these connections of past and future through the current constructs of the Social, Historical, Cultural, and Environmental constructs of a specific place. This architecture is about linking place with building, and understanding that context is of the utmost importance when it comes to sustainability. If we as architects provide smart, culturally rich architecture, communities will take care of it, and allow it to live on.

]]> Nathan Bonaiuto The real, the spectacle, and the in-between: architecture as a stage for reality http://docs.rwu.edu/archthese/86 http://docs.rwu.edu/archthese/86 Mon, 11 Mar 2013 11:16:34 PDT The goal of the project is to explore the space in between as a place of activity. The project will compare the spectacle and reality through a theater and public plaza near Chinatown and the theater district of Boston. The theater is accompanied by a small acting school that uses both an interior venue and the plaza as stages. The theater is focused on the awareness of reality through the spectacle of performance while the public plaza can “turn the artificiality of everyday situations into a theatrical situation” and bring life to the streets. Everyday life is put on display.

]]> Chelsea Adelson Cohousing and the Greater Community: Re-establishing Identity in Taunton’s Weir Village http://docs.rwu.edu/archthese/85 http://docs.rwu.edu/archthese/85 Mon, 11 Mar 2013 10:08:39 PDT This proposal seeks to bring new life to the former industrial district of the post-industrial city. Existing in a society based on services and technologies, these villages must either adapt to meet the needs of business or serve another purpose within the community. The project for the Weir Village falls into the latter category, as its aim will be to create a cohousing community within Taunton. The new development will strengthen the character of the village and be able to affect the community beyond the site’s physical boundaries. It will create affordable alternatives to housing for those who do not fi t into the traditional family. Besides the public functions of the cohousing, such as the common house, the development will also have public amenities that the new community can share with the preexisting one. The design will also be influenced by the ideas of New Urbanism and Transit Oriented Development. A shuttle will connect the project to train stations within Taunton that link the city to Boston and other cities in southeastern Massachusetts.

]]> Andrew Kremzier Community Reclamation: the Hybrid Building http://docs.rwu.edu/archthese/84 http://docs.rwu.edu/archthese/84 Tue, 19 Feb 2013 07:30:23 PST Reclamation of a city involves reusing abandoned buildings in conjunction with new construction. These negative spaces of disuse generated by a changing infrastructure are often overlooked or destroyed. If they are instead viewed as positive spaces for reuse, a city’s infrastructure and its residents can adapt and grow.

Recognizing these newly positive spaces produces a chance to examine what social needs of the community are not being met. Pushing the modern concept of the hybrid building creates a unique opportunity; flexibility of use derived from flexibility of space. A community building can best serve the social needs of its residents by having the ability to adapt to changes in those needs.

]]> Laura Maynard Aesthetically Pleasing: Rehabilitating a Community http://docs.rwu.edu/archthese/83 http://docs.rwu.edu/archthese/83 Thu, 14 Feb 2013 07:48:24 PST This thesis project calls for a drug rehabilitation facility in either Trenton or Hamilton, New Jersey with an attached community center. The new design will be a part of an existing building in efforts to revitalize a community and its architecture.

]]> Joseph D’Oria LAM: Laughing My Architecture Of http://docs.rwu.edu/archthese/82 http://docs.rwu.edu/archthese/82 Thu, 06 Sep 2012 11:23:33 PDT Architecture gives the perfect opportunity to join people together with humor and laughter. Through creating a space for a community of comedians to work together, this project will not only bring joy to those who come to see the acts, but also create a sense of community and home for the comedians who work and perform there.

This architecture should not only fill the needs for the program elements, but also bring a sense of wonderment and creativity to inspire those who are there. Though the building does not need to be a pun or a joke in itself, it must have a sense of playfulness and life.

There must be playfulness in the movement throughout the building, the shapes it creates, and the light that shines through it.

]]> Elizabeth Straub Layered Transparency: the Performance of Exposure, the Exposure of Performance http://docs.rwu.edu/archthese/80 http://docs.rwu.edu/archthese/80 Thu, 07 Jun 2012 10:54:44 PDT The thesis seeks to explore relationships between people based on their proximity and condition of viewing to an event. As evidenced in the images to the left, the inspiration for such a thesis draws on ideas of privacy, voyeurism, retail and most importantly performance.

Each element of inspiration presents elements of intrigue to the proposed theater. As one walks the streets of Times Square in New York City, you cannot help but let yourself be enveloped by the marketing of hundreds of retailers - each drawing the customer in with exploitation of their products through the transparent medium of glass. Architecture can similarly act as a medium, one of revelation of the activities that take place within its walls.

Not only will the level of exposure be influential in the development of the thesis, but, similarly, movement will also play an integral role. The notion of sequence and discovery affiliated with movement from place to place are incredibly valuable to the public character with which architecture develops.

Each of these attitudes will serve as the foundation for an exploration into the performance of exposure within architecture.

]]> Colin Gadoury Programmatic Overlays: A Park/Cemetery in Jersey City, NJ http://docs.rwu.edu/archthese/79 http://docs.rwu.edu/archthese/79 Thu, 24 May 2012 10:44:19 PDT The development of sensory invitation and discovery will be the guiding premise infused within the architectural construct. Allowing one to recognize and identify with their emotions by establishing a heightened sense of ‘place’ and ‘time’ are steps towards realizing ones’ essence. Creating spaces that foster this awareness by using physical forms, textures, and colors that will aid in the manifestation of a building that engages, interacts and touches the soul. As cities expanded, cemeteries would typically be built alongside their development. Today space is limited for burial with the dense urban fabric of the 21st century. Thus, a proposal for a 21st interpretation of a final resting, one that infuses itself with a rich social landscape, is the primary component’s in the investigation of reclaiming essence. The existing site is an existing park known as Riverview Park in Jersey City, New Jersey. A large percentage of the site will remain open for public usage while working to achieve a level of homogeny with the cemetery’s programmatic elements, which include a small chapel, larger funerary commemoration space, and five burial chambers. The project manifests itself in such a way as to establish strong connections between past, present, and future. The program, itself, is a literal memorial to the lives of those who have pass but is infused with life in the form of visitation from the living. By giving the living spaces, both interior and exterior, to be alone with their thoughts a simultaneous fusion of the past mixed present and future will in a symbolic harmony occur within one’s self. These provoked thoughts, memories, and the conjured curiosity to discover are the catalysts of ‘place’ and propel the programmatic intent and function. In turn, the project demonstrates an enriched acceptance of a complete cycle of life, allowing the city of the dead to interact with that of the living.

]]> Lawrence Zarpaylic Union Wadding Artist Complex: Pawtucket, Rhode Island http://docs.rwu.edu/archthese/78 http://docs.rwu.edu/archthese/78 Thu, 24 May 2012 09:52:31 PDT The decline of art education in our school systems is potentially robbing today’s youth of the opportunity for creative expres­sion. Without this outlet for personal expression, the student population stands to lose an educational experience that is no less important than academics, such as mathematics and sci­ence. The Union Wadding Artist Complex seeks to provide an environment for students in and around Pawtucket, Rhode Island to create and hone their artistic skills in a peer-driven and uninhibited setting. Art classrooms, designated for both two-dimensional and three-dimensional mediums, would foster a creative spirit that would only grow and prosper as the stu­dent population further developed their skills and techniques, while they worked collaboratively to generate pieces of art. Housing units of various sizes are also included in the program to augment the artist facilities. Along with art classrooms, combining highly public services, such as shopping and dining amenities, with more artist-based spaces, such as studios and workshops, would bring together a wide demographic of individuals and unite the artist community with the local, more general public. It is important to provide a space for students and artists to work together, while inviting the city’s inhabitants and visitors to be part of the space, as well. It serves to benefit and promote the artist’s (both student and adult) works and talents. The joining of the public, students and artists would occur most notably in a gallery that highlights the work being created on-site and inspire those that observe the displayed pieces. Public involvement and interaction with the artist community would further expand and promote the notion that art is an important part of development, regardless of age or artistic ability. Ultimately, the Union Wadding Artist Complex seeks to provide the opportunity for art-based edu­cational programs and classes in order to generate a creative and vibrant communal spirit.

]]> Jennifer Turcotte Contradiction and Duality within the City: the House of Arts and Culture http://docs.rwu.edu/archthese/77 http://docs.rwu.edu/archthese/77 Thu, 08 Mar 2012 08:56:12 PST This project aims to apply the concepts of contradiction and duality as described in the manifesto to reinvigorate and reconnect a portion of the city Bucharest: the capital of Romania. This city has a long history of architectural achievements and disasters, and this intervention gets to the heart of that legacy when it confronts the House of Parliament: a massive megalomaniacal building constructed under the Ceausescu regime in the 1980s. The project addresses the parliament, sector, city, country, and people with first: a master plan, and then a civic building within that master plan that is located in front of the parliament. In the aftermath left by the destruction of one fifth of the city that was needed to construct these communist monoliths a large portion of land was left readily available for re-densification so it is ideal to take advantage of this interesting location that could give architecture a voice and potential for being the tool for resolving issues that cross political, economic, and social boundaries.

]]> Andrei Sdrula Nature and Architecture: a Holistic Response http://docs.rwu.edu/archthese/76 http://docs.rwu.edu/archthese/76 Thu, 08 Mar 2012 08:46:09 PST The general functions of the project will be a natural healing center and research facility for natural medicine. As medical practice and theory begin to shift in the understanding on natural treatment, modern medicine facilities are becoming more environmentally friendly. Hospitals are pursuing sustainable practices as well as seeking LEED certification in the United States. Although LEED is not a necessity for this project, the natural healing center will focus on holistic care as the primary medical treatment option for patients while engaging the project in sustainable design.

]]> Jarrod Martin New Urban Living: High-Rise Vertical Farming in a Mixed Use Building, Boston, MA http://docs.rwu.edu/archthese/75 http://docs.rwu.edu/archthese/75 Thu, 08 Mar 2012 08:36:32 PST The focus of the project is the combination of vertical farming and living in a structure that provides for itself and the surrounding community. Essentially, the result is communal living through vertical farming. To raise awareness and invite surrounding neighbors and workers into the process, the first four floors are dedicated to social interaction and a display of the systems at use. Along the path from a public market, to a café, and finally to a gathering space, visitors walk along a ramp/display of the aquaponic system.

]]> Zachary Silvia PMR, Psychosocial Multicultural Rehabilitation: A Place of Peace and Compassion for Child Soldiers of Post War Trauma http://docs.rwu.edu/archthese/74 http://docs.rwu.edu/archthese/74 Tue, 06 Mar 2012 08:43:02 PST There are an estimated 300,000 child soldiers around the world. Many children are recruited forcibly; their abduction is a pernicious form of displacement that dramatically affects those stolen and the communities from which they were taken.

The architectural design focuses on the rehabilitation of boy soldiers, integrating many different cultures and beliefs away from the terrors of war, to find peace within themselves and living with caring people. The main focus of the design is to reflect the stages of post conflict trauma to assist the boys to regain a sense of worth and normality. This is done through the design of the complex into three filters: Trauma, Communal, and Reintegration.

]]> Alyssa Keating An Architecture Of Connection http://docs.rwu.edu/archthese/73 http://docs.rwu.edu/archthese/73 Fri, 02 Dec 2011 11:56:42 PST This mixed use project explores the senses in order to make nature connections and social connections to truly link people to habitat and place. This is achieved by responding to the contextual input as well as creating new places with consider­ations to intensity, direction, enhancement, blocking, and more.

]]> Jessie Renee Davey-Mallo Biomimicry: Architecture that Imitates Nature’s Functions, Forms and Parts http://docs.rwu.edu/archthese/72 http://docs.rwu.edu/archthese/72 Fri, 02 Dec 2011 11:31:50 PST Architecture imitates nature’s functions, forms, and parts in order to solve the problems of sus­tainability, efficiency, strength, durability and more. Nature displays its solutions to these prob­lems through endless examples, which appear everywhere on this planet. Such designs rep­resent nature’s work, which has evolved over a “3.8 billion year period.” Nature’s creations are carefully articulated in order to fit in with their context, and to optimize their need for energy and material. It is likely that the answers to most of our design questions lie amid the surrounding organic fabric.

]]> Kostika Spaho Reusable Building Systems http://docs.rwu.edu/archthese/71 http://docs.rwu.edu/archthese/71 Wed, 09 Nov 2011 10:37:20 PST This thesis discusses about designing building system which could be directly reused, without critically changing or remodeling them. Buildings designed by this system will last or will be easily replaced when they wear down or new technology outdates them.

]]> Daniel Boyle Waterfront Revitalization: Bridgeport Aquarium and Waterfront Promenade http://docs.rwu.edu/archthese/70 http://docs.rwu.edu/archthese/70 Wed, 21 Sep 2011 06:41:53 PDT I am proposing a new public institution, a waterfront aquarium, along with a waterfront promenade, to be located in Bridgeport, Connecticut. This new development will be linked to an existing park, ferry terminal, and an Amtrak train station, along with two other proposed parks. This project will help support urban revitalization in the city. It is based off of several similar projects such as the National Aquarium located in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor district, and the Adventure Aquarium located on the Camden Waterfront. These projects include an aquarium as the centerpiece of their waterfront-based renewal scheme. This new public institution will help bring people into the city, give the residents of the city some­thing new and exciting to do, generate taxes for the city through ticket sales, and educate the public about the wonders of aquatic wildlife.

]]> Ryan Devenney Invention Center: a Building of Inventions http://docs.rwu.edu/archthese/69 http://docs.rwu.edu/archthese/69 Tue, 20 Sep 2011 10:28:37 PDT In today’s world, the word sustainable often goes hand in hand with design. As a recent trend the LEED standards are used as a way to “prove” a building’s commitment to being sustainable. LEED however is only the tip of the sustainable iceberg of what design can actually be. The term Sustainable has to be linked with the term efficient. Sustainability is more than the design and construction of a project. It has to be involved with all aspects of a project’s life.

]]> Jonathan T. Archbald Revitalizing Liberty: Creating a Train Station—Community Center—Business Incubator http://docs.rwu.edu/archthese/68 http://docs.rwu.edu/archthese/68 Wed, 17 Aug 2011 10:29:10 PDT This project will include a train station located in the Town of Liberty, instating a light rail line that will connect Liberty to the Middletown Station (currently the closest train station at approximately 40 miles away), which is directly connected with New York City. The city of Middletown itself has plenty to offer, with a shopping mall and several department stores adjacent to station, although currently there isn’t a pedestrian path connecting the train station to anything; so this project will also provide pedestrian access to these amenities. The rail line will travel from Middletown to Liberty, with the possibility of following the old Ontario & Western route all the way to Oswego. One up and coming location in the area is Bethel (the town adjacent to Liberty), which is the site of the original 1969 Woodstock Festival and currently houses Bethel Woods Center for the Arts. The rail would provide access to this site as well; if not directly, at least to another means of public transportation that could take people to and from concerts and shows.

]]> Magan M. Baxter