Architecture Theses and Dissertations

Permanent URI for this collection

https://hdl.handle.net/1794/10290

Browse

Now showing 1 - 20 of 56

Open Access
Traditional Principles in the Urban Vernacular Environment: Study of Persistence and Erasures of Belief System’s Architectural Expressions in Denpasar-Bali, Indonesia
(University of Oregon, 2024-08-07) Wicaksono, Dimas; Davis, Howard
In this dissertation, I embark on an exploratory journey to unravel the relationship between the belief systems of urban communities and the physical spaces they inhabit. Central to this investigation is the idea that our built environment and social fabric are inextricably linked, particularly evident when rural traditions encounter the complexities of urban life. The research is driven by curiosity about how traditional values, born in the expansive settings of rural-agricultural settings, are reimagined within the dense confines of urban areas. The study provides a meticulous analysis, comparing and contrasting the cultural practices of Bali’s rural-agricultural regions with those of its urban areas. It observes the set of differences and similarities of practices in both places and the ways in which people change those practices for survival or transfer of traditional religious values.The investigation operates under three hypotheses: firstly, that religious traditions are resilient and find expression in the vernacular architecture; secondly, that with increasing spatial constraints, some traditional religious architectural features may be sacrificed; thirdly, there is an implicit consensus about the sufficiency of a belief system's architectural manifestations across different densities, which is crucial in refining the contextual design approach. Employing a multi-sited ethnographic approach, the study explores two rural areas in Bali and traces their architectural evolution in the urban context of Denpasar city. By comparing architectural adaptations across different genealogical groups, the research aims to offer deeper insight into the spatial practices of religious communities within dense urban environments. The dissertation contends that examining the architectural expressions of vernacular houses – both traditional and modern, rural and urban – unveils how they accommodate the evolving identity struggles within Balinese society. The tacit consensus on the adequacy of the belief system’s spatial manifestations at varying density levels also reveals patterns that reflect not only the persistence of religious architectural expressions but also their resilience against spatial constraints. This enduring nature of spatial practices is posited as a key consideration for future designs and developments, enriching our understanding of the spatial dynamics of religious tradition, which is vital for spiritual identity and communal development in an increasingly diverse post-secular society. This dissertation includes previously published coauthored material.
Open Access
INFLUENCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN FACTORS ON PERCEPTION AND PERFORMANCE OF INDOOR OCCUPANTS
(University of Oregon, 2024-08-07) Satumane, Anupam; Rockcastle, Siobhan
This dissertation presents a series of empirical studies that explore the complex relationship between design elements of indoor environments and the psychological and physiological responses of occupants. The research examines various factors, including sky conditions, view types, window shading conditions, façade design elements like patterned solar screens, and the layout of office spaces, particularly within the framework of Activity-Based Working (ABW) environments.The initial phase of the study focuses on how environmental and contextual factors such as sky conditions and space functions influence indoor occupant perception. Findings reveal that sky conditions and space functions impact indoor occupant perception which then impacts environmental adaptation in the form of window blind use. A consistent preference for half-closed blinds was observed, reflecting a universal desire to balance privacy with natural views. The dissertation then progresses to analyze the perceptual impact of façade designs, demonstrating that traditional solar screen patterns, such as mashrabiyas, influence occupants' views and perceptions of privacy. Moreover, these screens' pattern complexity and occlusion percentage intricately affect satisfaction and view quality, emphasizing the need for a harmonious balance between functional and perceptual considerations in design. Further investigation into the human-built environment relationship led to the study of the impacts of environmental design on indoor occupant performance. Specifically, in office environment design via virtual reality simulations, the research assesses the impact of ABW office environments on cognitive performance and satisfaction. Quieter, privacy-conducive spaces such as Focus Rooms are shown to promote better performance and higher satisfaction, highlighting the inadequacy of Open Offices for focus-requiring tasks. The dissertation highlights the complexity of design and environmental factors in shaping occupant perception, environmental adaptation, and performance, advocating for a human-centric approach in architectural and interior design. It calls for future research to further explore the longitudinal effects of these design interventions and to consider the integration of emergent technologies for enhancing our understanding of environmental design psychology. Overall, the dissertation provides compelling evidence that thoughtful design can improve the quality of indoor environments, optimizing both the well-being and productivity of occupants. As the nature of workspaces continues to evolve post-pandemic, this research offers valuable insights for creating adaptive, supportive environments in line with the diverse needs of an ever-evolving workforce. This dissertation includes previously published material co- authored with Dr. Siobhan Rockcastle.
Open Access
THE IMPACT OF HUMAN-CENTRIC LIGHTING PARAMETERS ON OLDER ADULT’S PERCEPTION, AND COGNITIVE PERFORMANCE
(University of Oregon, 2024-01-09) Golshany, Nasrin; Elzeyadi, Ihab
Population aging is a prominent demographic challenge. Older adults face increased risks of sleep dysfunctions, depression, and cognitive impairments due to physical, biological, and psychological factors associated with aging. These behavioral issues elevate safety risks at home, which necessitates the transition to assisted living facilities. Extensive research highlights the influence of healthcare environmental design, particularly related to architectural lighting impacts on residents' well-being and quality of life. To optimize older adults' health and well-being, it is essential to consider both the visual and non-visual effects of architectural lighting. Visual impacts include parameters related to task performance and visual acuity, while non-visual impacts may include outcomes such as circadian rhythm regulation, sleep quality, mood enhancement, and cognitive performance, thereby emphasizing the importance of implementing a holistic conceptual approach to human-centric lighting in indoor environments.While existing gerontology studies have primarily focused on light-level attributes, such as radiant flux, illuminance, and equivalent melanopic lux, there has been limited exploration of spectral and spatial pattern parameters in indoor lighting. The primary objective of this research is to investigate the impact of both quantitative and qualitative aspects of lighting design, including spatial layout characteristics such as uniformity, direction, centrality, and spectral attributes like correlated color temperature (CCT), on the visual perception, preference, mood, cognitive performance, and overall well-being of older adults in assisted living facilities. The study employed a multi-method approach across three main research phases. In phase I, a Q-sort survey involving 60 participants assessed the impact of diverse spatial light patterns on visual perception and preference. In phase II, a within-subject design evaluated the cognitive performance of 32 older adults in similar lighting scenarios within real and virtual environments. Lastly, in phase III, the study examined the relationship between spatial and spectral light patterns and cognitive performance through virtual reality testing with 32 participants. Results revealed significant effects of different spatial light patterns on older adults' environmental impressions, including visual preference, stress levels, and cognitive performance. Uniform and indirect lighting were preferred, with no substantial differences between peripheral and central spatial arrangements of light layers. Non-uniform lighting induced a relaxed impression, while uniform lighting heightened perceived stress. Furthermore, the study demonstrated the suitability of virtual reality environments (VR) for assessing cognitive performance and subjective perception. The findings underscore the substantial influence of spatial and spectral light patterns on the cognitive performance of older adults in assisted living facilities. This research contributes to the understanding of the visual and non-visual effects of human-centric lighting on the well-being of older adults. By considering spatial and spectral light attributes, designers can enhance cognitive function, reduce impairments, and cultivate healthier and more efficient living environments.
Open Access
Project for a City in the Amazon Valley
(University of Oregon, 1937-02) Pinedo, Oscar
For more than four hundred years, the virgin regions of the Amazon plains in South America have been known as the most richly endowed in the world, where rivers form a veritable network of natural lines of communication that converge in the Amazon river and thus flow into the Atlantic Ocean. In the Republic of Peru are the highest portions and there rises the great river in the lofty peaks of the Andes Mountains. For many years there has been immigration into the valley and now various peoples are found established along the river banks. At present the settlements have spread along the river only, logically enough, because of the facilities of river transportation.
Open Access
The Changing Relationships of the Modeler to His Material in China and the Valley of Mexico a Comparative Study of the Clay Figurines of the Two Centuries Produced During the First Millennium of the Christian Era
(University of Oregon, 1949-06) Manion, Donald Keith
In a small upstairs gallery in the Museum of Art at the University of Oregon there is a wall case containing a group of statuettes of fired clay. In this group stands a comparatively small figure of a woman this is outstanding from its more ornate neighbors in its simplicity of rendering and direct expressiveness. Passive and immobile in its frontal pose, bisymmetrically disposed, it is frank statement devoid of enriching detail or glamour of color, though traces of pigment still remain in the crevices to suggest what might have been its original glory. The figure is cloaked in a long, sweeping, kimono-like rode that flares out at the base to cover completely what would be the feet. Likewise, the full bell-shaped sleeves, solidly attached to the body in their entire length, engulf the folded hands as would a muff.
Open Access
Pattern and Special Considerations in the Organization of Landscape Material in Painting
(University of Oregon, 1963) Koehler, John G.
It was Aristotle who first expressed the idea that an artist should be more than just an “Imitator of Nature” As Plato had stated. It was aristotle's belief that an artist should concern himself with what he calls the “Essence of Nature”. He sees the artist as an organizer of human experience. As such the artist does not copy nature literally and indiscriminately but rather selectively and creatively. Aristotle states that the purpose of the artist is to express the “truth” or the “universal” in life or rather to discover those things which are meaningful and significant and present these in a discriminating, discerning, and effective way. In order to produce or express what is the “Universal” the artist must produce a work which Aristotle said was to have “Internal Unity”. A painting which has this unity is one in which all of the parts are so interrelated “if any of them is displaced or removed the hole would be disjointed and disturbed.” As Aristotle reasoned “a thing whose presence or absence makes no visible difference is not an organic part of the whole." To some of this philosophy in contemporary terms would be to state that an artist should try to be selective in his choice of subject matter, be creative in the use of materials and media, be discriminating in the presenting of meaningful and significant discoveries and observations, and be able to present the whole in an effective way. It was not the intention of the writer to bring Aristotle into this paper to lend an aura of respectability. Ever since reading this work already cited it has been felt that this idea of Oh I seeAristotle’s would be a fairly good “rule of thumb” by which to gage one's painting efforts, and also be a good point of departure or a framework for a contemporary approach to painting. It lends itself well to the subject of this paper.
Open Access
A Hotel for Conclaves
(University of Oregon, 1935-05) Thompson, Polly Povey
During the last few decades the American tendency towards specialization has spread into almost every field of human endeavor, so that it is not at all surprising to discover a demand for specialized hotels with specialized functions. With the national fondness for holding conventions, the ordinary transients hotel, residential hotels, and resort hotels, with their conventional facilities have been found inadequate for the needs of large group meetings together in national or sectional conventions. In the ordinary hotel many of the facilities desirable and entertaining large, unified groups meeting together for business and pleasure are lacking. For instance, national conventions are showing an increasing desire to be housed in hotels having adequate conventions rooms, ballroom, lecture rooms, and the like – those features which are demanded by a group rather than an individual. Thus, it is not at all surprising that modern hotel architects should find themselves investigating the possibility of hotels designed specifically for conventions. It is also significant, in this respect, that the trend seems not to favor the erection of the specialized hotels for conventions in the large cities, but to place them, wherever possible, in the open country in beautiful and picturesque surroundings. The popularity of resort hotels for conventions bears out this statement. The fact that conventional group is, to some extent, removed from the distractions of a large city, the fact that the various delegates are living together as a large family group, so to speak, has the very desirable effect of creating a more unified feeling and of enabling the various members of the company family to become better acquainted. Moreover, with the most recent developments in rapid transportation the old argument of location in a large city or in a city centrally located has lost most of its effectiveness. As a result, specialized hotels of this kind are no longer bound by such limitations and they may, in fact, be located where other conditions seem more favorable. Access to the nearby city is easy by motors when desired. In point of natural beauty, picturesqueness, recreational facilities, and transportational advantages, the United states offers no more attractive location than the Oregon Coast.
Open Access
A Workingmen City in Cairo, Egypt
(University of Oregon, 1948-06) Sidky, Aziz
A city serves different functions, but the common function that is found needed in every city is to offer safe, efficient and comfortable shelters and homes for its inhabitants, There is no doubt that this objective has been scarcely reached, and that was the result of improper planning. The main objective of this study is to make a research of this problem through studying the city as a whole, and finding out how a proper solution can be identified. This study is the basis that is going to be taken into consideration in the development of a program for a "Workingmen City" to be designed in Cairo, Egypt, This city will be a residential city for the workers in the factories in Cairo, It will be a city of 6000 units, and the necessary services. The choice of the site and the development of the requirements and the program will be an application of the conclusions and ideas that will be reached through this study. There is one point that should be noticed, that cities are for the people, so the satisfaction of their needs is what we should plan for. This necessitates the study of the individuals for whom we are planning and through finding out what they should have, an efficient and successful planning can be reached. In this respect all the factors that are influencing the individuals for whom we are planning should be studied. The social, religious, climatic, financial, traditional and even historic conditions are to be considered, and only by this way can we ever be able to know what we ought to do.
Open Access
An Epidotal Syllabus of the Mural at Clear Lake Elementary School
(University of Oregon, 1957-01) Flach, Victor H. Jr
I take my motivation for the M.F.A. degree to be the Opportunity it provides rather than the M. or the F.A.: the Opportunity to pursue my personal Growing by continuing the original studies and development of the particular Programming begun about six years ago in collaboration with my professor and adviser Mr. Jack Wilkinson. In taking the consequences of such Programming, there is a natural and necessary manifestation or Expression of itself by the individual persons in some meaningful and communicating Form; "I merely apply the System”---Georges Seurat. I find myself situated in the uniquely Temporal Culture of the 20th Century with an aptitude for the two particularly temporal media—the instantaneous Visual and the simultaneous Mnemonic: which convention calls Painting and Writing. My Wholehearted Involvement in this situation does not in any way preclude preliminary or periodic Expression thru both these media in terms of their maximum Differentiation as the means for determining basic Potentials and Appropriatenesses of Expression; but the natural disposition to Synthesis tends in the longrun to produce a new Expression which is much more Comprehensive in intent and interest, including as it does, not only both visual and literary insights, but also tactile and kinetic factors to compose s whole world complete in its context where nothing is left out.
Open Access
A Creative Project in the Design of Printed Textiles for Contemporary Interiors
(University of Oregon, 1947-06) Dow, Merlin G.
The artist has sought in this project to create printed textiles for conetmporary interiors through organization and structure within space. To build in space he has regarded the fabric itself the center of the spatial field and has allowed a controlled play of opposing forces behind, before, and through this field. He has related the positive space to the negative space, making the void as important a consideration as the solid. To aid in the control of space, he has employed the scale variations, the inertia, the tensions, the overlapping, the Interpenetration, and the transparency of planes and lines. He has accentuated color, taking into account both the physical properties and the psychological functions native to color. He has stressed the natural texture of the material upon which the designs were printed, the specific texture within the designs themselves, and the total textural effects of entire printed samples. Be has sought unity and rhythm and movement in the single design motif as well as the entire printed sample by means of repetition and variation of the elements with which he worked. He has attempted to maintain the qualities inherent in printed textiles, both as they appear In the total flat design area and as they appear in a particular function. He has tried to achieve vitality through boldness of contrast as well as through subtlety of relationships. Realizing that all elements In each design have a dynamic inter relationship, he has considered relativity one of the foremost qualities of organization, to increase interest in this creative project, and because he did not have specific practical problems, such as commissions, with which to work, he has attempted to design for as great a variety of situations as possible within the limits of the handprint processes for textiles.
Open Access
A Cantilever balcony for a small theater
(University of Oregon, 1932) Meisel, Clair C.
The slope of the Balcony and height of the stoppings shall first be considered, so that the steel used in the construction of the balcony may be designed accordingly. When "setting up" the sections of the Parquette circle or balcony in the theater, it is desirable to sight from the eye level of the spectator, which will be considered as 4 feet 2 inches from the floor when the spectator is seated, (.and 4 feet 10 inches to 5 feet when standing). The theoretical principles used when fixing the heights of the steppings upon which the seats are placed are as follows: A point is fixed on the curtain line 4 feet below the stage level, and from this point, after the distance from the stage, the stepping, and the floor level is placed, set up the spectator's eyes 4 feet 2 inches above the floor, vertical with the back rail of the seat. Now from the 4 feet point on the curtain line, a line should be drawn cutting through the eye of the spectator in the first row, and produced until it cuts a vertical line set up at the back of the second row. Then from the point where the vertical and radial lines intersect 5 inches is measured up and that point gives the eye level of the second row. From the point below the stage, a line is drawn through the eye level of the second row, and produced until it intersects the vertical line set up at the back of the third row, and from that point again measured up 3 inches for each row, and from each eye level, measured down 4 feet 2 inches will give the floor level for each stepping.
Open Access
A Project in Portraiture in Sculpture
(University of Oregon, 1957-06) Widman, Lorraine Balmuth
The point of the portraiture problem, to me, lies in the ability of the artist to capture that which gives the person his "life". If so, the portrait must be not merely a physical replica of the person, but a selective choice and combination of the characteristics of that person. The portraitist must select these characteristics much as a caricaturist does, the difference being that the caricaturist emphasizes and separates these qualities in order to make the person grotesque, and by so doing eliminated subtlety, while the portraitist incorporates these characteristics into a total conception. The caricaturist divides while the artist unifies. The caricaturist is a journalist and is impersonal, while the artist is highly involved and personal. His feelings about his subject differ very much from the next artists, for his portrait reveals his attitudes and ideals. The portraits of Despiau, for instance, show an ideal which is highly sophisticated and reserved. He elevates the human over the animal by concentrating on the individual spirit with its infinite subtleties, and the mysterious inner qualities of each person. In contrast to Despiau, Epstein brings out our common earthiness and humanity, making the individual into a physical, as well as spiritual force.
Open Access
A Series of Mosaics
(University of Oregon, 1956-06) Sutherland, Jean L.
This terminal project grew out of a wish to construct a picture from small movable units f color as a discipline that would force the attention on the picture surface and its design and on an emphasis on a process in which this design is almost literally built together. While theoretically any material would have served the same basic purpose. at a previous time I have made a series of color samples of enamel on sheet copper and the possibility of using these little pieces as a source of color in pictures came to mind. After firing a number of pieces each several colors, arranging them in various combination, observing some peculiarities of visual effects and considering the permanence and manageability of the material I began to see that series of mosaics in enamel could be an interesting study in its own right as a terminal project
Open Access
Administration in Architecture
(University of Oregon, 1951) Sleight, Harold L.
This program study was born of ideas advanced in conference with the Chancellor of the State System. The chancellor, an able administrator himself, recognized the lack of, and the need for, administrators in the field of architecture. In times of emergency, or even in the normal course of events, architects may be called upon to become administrators. They mat in times of emergency be asked to devote their talents to large government undertakings, the proper execution of which would depend largely upon their ability to administer the project. It is also possible that in the normal pursuit of his profession the architect may find his office staff growing to a sizable number. This would demand that in order to preserve the standard of quality of his work and to ensure financial gain, the architect must be able to cope with the accompanying problems of administration. This thesis was undertaken to study this need.
Open Access
Rehabilitation of a Slum Area in Panama City, R.P.
(University of Oregon, 1953-03) Silvera, Consuelo
The project developed in this thesis is the Rehabilitation of a Slum Area in Panama City, R.P. The district is called "Chorrillo" and it had a population of 27,375 inhabitants in 1950, at a density of 500 people her Hectare. The solution to proposed dwells only 20,000 at its maximum occupancy, at a density of 410 people per Hectare. To rehabilitate this sector is was necessary to make a general study of the whole city, based in the studies made in 1941 by Mr. Karl Brunner and in the information gathered by the Bank of Urbanism in Panama. It included study of geographic, economic, historic, cultural, and climate aspects.
Open Access
The Process of Making a Large Piece of Sculpture
(1959-06) Hannula, Walter
The process of making a large piece of sculpture is one thing. The selection of an idea for a terminal project is another. This selection is a once a matter of concern and a matter of importance. On the one hand, there is a concern that the project will show an appreciable amount of ambition. On the other hand, it is important that both the project and the candidate reveal themselves in a favorable and successful manner. In my case selection of an idea for the terminal project came about in a fairly appropriate manner. From various models and examples that I had made during the preceding terms, one, after some deliberation, was finally chosen lending itself most naturally to the task at hand. The model "Family" was selected because of its all-around interest and because it was fundamentally a good idea.
Open Access
The Carving of Native Sons of Oregon
(University of Oregon, 1952-06) Daugherty, Joseph C.
Stone carving is one of the oldest of the arts. From the earliest times man has used the permanent native materials around him both to help maintain his existence and to enhance his life. Stone, being one of the more abundant and most permanent of the available materials, was familiar to man and he found he could change its shape by rubing or striking it with another stone. Thus sculpture was born and man's appreciation for this material was undoubtedly increased.
Open Access
The Street in the Residential Neighborhood – With Special Emphasis on the Aesthetic and Community Planning Factors
(University of Oregon, 1951-06) Gvirtzman, Jehoshua Itzhak
The visual, social, psychological and mechanical problems of our cities were widely studied in the various works on historical development of our urban communities. It is not the object of this study to devote too much attention to this aspect of our social phenomenon, therefore, it will confine itself more to the condition of contemporary physical urban development.
Open Access
A Post Occupancy Evaluation of daylight performance in classrooms at River Road Elementary School for Optimal Visual Comfort in Climate Zone 4C.
(University of Oregon, 2022-10-26) Alitema, Sharon; Elzeyadi, Ihab
Daylight is a multifaceted phenomenon that influences occupant comfort through its dynamic visual attributes. In an exploratory study conducted at River Road Elementary school, classrooms facing north, and south are selected for visual comfort analysis. Semi-structured interviews and simulations are conducted to determine the subjective perceptions of visual comfort. While the interviews examine the teachers' perception/behavior, the simulations explore and assess selected architectural parameters that affect daylight-driven circadian lighting in the classrooms. A key and follow-up question are explored: (1) How does the post-occupancy adaptation of classrooms performed by the teachers affect their visual comfort needs during teaching hours? (2) Is there a significant discrepancy between the design and perceived illuminance levels in the North and South-facing classrooms? The key findings indicated that: (1) there is a low level of satisfaction with the perceived illuminance during teaching hours, (2) the adaptations minimized the potential for daylight to provide circadian entrainment, and in conclusion, (3) the overall pattern of visual and biological responses to light raise relevant design questions regarding perceived brightness, control, and space. To attain visually desirable environments, designers must understand daylighting strategies, shading, and the corresponding perceptions of comfort, as there can be implications on the levels of control and view quality from the window apertures.
Open Access
The Visual Preference, Aesthetic Judgement, and Mood Response to Human-Centric Lighting in Office Spaces
(University of Oregon, 2022-10-26) Qin, Dan; Elzeyadi, Ihab
Architectural lighting is a significant visual stimulus that impacts the occupants' moods and aesthetic experiences within the office environment. Previous literature suggests that the good quality of architectural lighting is considered an important factor that contributes to the visual aesthetic experience of an environment through psychological mechanisms. Lighting uniformity, luminance distribution, and direct/indirect lighting have been discussed in other studies, but lighting spatial patterns are unclear. In particular, assessing the combined effects of lighting parameters on human mood and visual aesthetic experience is challenging. Featured film scenes depicting office environments offer convenient material to study the effects of Lighting on occupants' visual perception and mood.This thesis presents the result of an exploratory mixed-method approach to determine how human-centered lighting design affects occupants' mood, visual aesthetic judgment, and visual preferences in open office spaces. Six spatial lighting patterns of open office workstations were analyzed using image content analysis of selected film scenes. The six rendered images were presented to 60 participants via an online survey to determine their preferences, interests, and aesthetic judgments. This research has revealed that two light spatial patterns were significantly preferred among the six lighting spatial patterns. The first lighting spatial pattern (LS-3) that the overall low average luminance environment, equipped with work view region lighting, which also has a higher luminance ratio (R), is visually preferred. In terms of the higher overall average luminance environment (LS-4), people preferred the overall uniform luminance without desk area lighting with a low luminance value (R). The study also indicated that subjects’ aesthetic judgment (mood repones) and the lighting spatial patterns (LS- 3) within lower overall average illuminance and only equipped with diffused pendant lighting and desk area lighting triggered visually felt more pleasant, relaxed, and satisfied.