architecture dissertation issuu

Explore Thesis projects from the Class of 2021

Review Book:  https://issuu.com/mitarchitecture/docs/20-01-05_marchthesisbookletsqsinglep  

Master of Architecture (M.Arch) Website:  https://www.mitmarchthesis.com/theses

Post -arium Arditha Auriyane Advisor: Mariana Ibanez

Priced Out of Paradise :  Reconsidering cooperatives in response to climate gentrification in Miami’s communities of color Adiel Alexis Benitez Advisor: Miho Mazereeuw

To Know is to Empower :  Chagos Institute of Environmental Humanities Chen Chu Advisor: Miho Mazereew

Reclaiming the Estranged :  Reimagining the Architecture of the Excess Sydney Cinalli Advisor: Brandon Clifford, Deborah Garcia

Ferrous Futures :  Scenario Planning for Global Steel Charlotte D'Acierno, Clarence Lee, Jaehun Woo Advisor: Mariana Ibanez

Seven Ways of Reading The House of the Seven Gables Isadora Dannin Advisor: Mark Jarzombek

Gardens of Resistance Nynika Jhaveri Advisor: Azra Aksamija

After Aura :  Authorship, Automation, Authenticity Kailin J. Jones Advisor: Azra Aksamija

The Factory of Coexistence Melika Konjicanin Advisor: Cristina Parreño Alonso

Screen Time Jeffrey Landman Advisor: Rania Ghosn

Architecture for Revision Emma Pfeiffer Advisor: Rosalyne Shieh

Thorough David Allen White Advisor: Mark Jarzombek

Spring 2021

Review Book:  https://issuu.com/mitarchitecture/docs/21-05-21_allthesisbookletpages

Master of Architecture (M.Arch) Website:  https://mit-march-sp21.com/

The Houseful(l)ness of Public Space Xio Alvarez (M.Arch & MCP) Advisor: Miho Mazereeuw, Larry Vale

Still Standing :  Cooperative strategies for the renovation of Soviet mass housing Ben Hoyle, Eytan Levi (M.Arch & MSRED) Advisor: Ana Miljački

Concetividad Alegal :  Remaking and Resilience in the bay of Havana        Lucas Igarzabal, Marissa Concetta Waddle Advisor: Hans Tursack

M.I.celium mexicanus :  Rejecting Modernity through Zapotec Futurism Lynced Torres Advisor: Sheila Kennedy View project site here!

Heirlooms :  In Search of the Fifth Ecology Erin Wong Advisor: Sheila Kennedy

Building / Unbuilding   Andrew Younker Advisor: Azra Akšamija

Space of Mind :  The Hidden Architecture in the Time of Pandemic Ziyu Xu Advisor: Axel Killian

Master of Science in Architecture Studies (SMArchS)

SMArchS Architecture + Urbanism

Third Landscape Dries Carmeliet Advisor: Rania Ghosn

Mediating Chana :  Seeding Synergies Between Doves and Development Eakapob Huangthanapan Advisor: Miho Mazereeuw

Mokumitsu Districts in Tokyo :  Urban Renewal by Housing Cooperatives against Disaster Risk Ryuhei Ichikura Advisor: Miho Mazereeuw

To Build Home and To Live In (U)Hygge Wuyahuang Li Advisor: Mark Jarzombek

Collecting Ideals :  Re-Envisioning Ejidos as Climate-Action Platforms Luis Alberto Meouchi Velez Advisor: Lorena Bello Gomez, Nicholas de Monchaux

Made in Rural China Siyuan Sheng Advisor: Brent Ryan

Generative Urban Design toward Thermal Synergy :  Inspire sustainable urban configuration under distributive heating & cooling schemes Qianqian Wan Advisor: Caitlin Mueller

SMArchS Architecture Design

Velvet Garage :  Narratives of an Education in Architecture Marianna Gonzalez-Cervantes Advisor: Liam O'Brien

Nightrise :  Through the Valley of Jabal ‘Amil’s Shadow Mohamad Nahleh Advisor: Sheila Kennedy

SMArchS Building Technology

Mass Balance :  Design Strategies for Lightweight, Thermally Massive Construction Systems Eduardo Gascón Alvarez Advisor: Caitlin Mueller

Evaluating Overheating Preventative Measures in Residential Buildings and Passive Survivability Yesufu Oladipo Advisor: Les Norford

SMArchS Computation

A Machine Learning Model for Understanding How Users Value Designs :  Applications for Designers and Consumers Jeremy Bilotti (SMArchS Computation & SM in CS) Advisor: Terry Knight

The Untold Narratives Rania Sameh Kaadan Advisor: Terry Knight

Sonic Others :  Metaphorical Sonification of Collective Events Wonki Kang Advisor: Axel Killian

Networking Knowledge and Experience :  An Instrumental System for the Personal Development of Individual Designers Bowen Lu Advisor: George Stiny

Sonic Urban Transformations :  A Computational Model to Study and Represent Temporal Changes in the Walking Experience Elina Oikonomaki Advisor: Terry Knight

Monstrous Space :  Architectural Production in an Age of Algorithms Alexandra Waller Advisor: Larry Sass

Investigating Design Intentions :  Use of Eye Tracking and Machine Leearning to Study Perception of Architecture Xiaoyun Zhang Advisor: Takehiko Nagakura

SMArchS History, Theory & Criticism

"A Great Civilizing Agent" :  Architecture at MIT, Drawing Education, and Boston's Cultural Elite, 1865-1881 Katherine Dubbs Advisor: Arindam Dutta

Surveilling Sin :  Locating Sodomy in the Early Modern Florentine Bathhouse Aidan Flynn Advisor: Kristel Smentek, Jodi Cranston

SMArchS Aga Khan Program

Fractured and Dissolved, Architecture Ablaze :  Towards an Understanding of Ayeneh-Kari in Iranian Palaces Reza Daftarian Advisor: Nasser Rabbat

Scripting Inclusion Amanda Merzaban Advisor: Renee Green

Master of Science in Building Technolgy (SMBT)

Using Urban Building Energy Modeling to Meet Carbon Emission Targets :  A Case Study of Oshkosh, Wisconsin Zachary Berzolla Advisor: Christoph Reinhart

Early Design Stage Building Lifecycle Analysis (LCA) of Cost & Carbon Impact :  A Seamless Addition to the Conceptual Design Process Jingyi Liu Advisor: Jeremy Gregory, Randy Kirchain, Les Norford

Machine Learning for Human Design :  Developing Next Generation Sketch-Based Tools Bryan Ong Wen Xi (SMBT & MEng in CEE) Advisor: Caitlin Mueller

On the Relationship Between Spatial-Temporal Outdoor Thermal Comfort Simulations and Bike Ridership Elizabeth Young Advisor: Christoph Reinhart

Bachelor of Science in Art and Design (BSAD)

Digital Narratives for Self-Therapy Rachel Seo Yeon Kwak Advisor: Lee Moreau

Digital Communities x Collaborative Storytelling Clare Liut (BSAD & SB in 2A) Advisor: Mikael Jakobsson

Concrete Alternatives for Large Scale Additive Manufacturing Chloe Nelson-Arzuaga Advisor: Skylar Tibbits

Image Credits:

01. Ferrous Futures. Courtesy of Charlotte D’Acierno, Clarence Lee and Jaehun Woo (MArch).

02. Space of Mind. Courtesy of Ziyu Xu (MArch).

03. Nightrise. Courtesy of Mohamad Nahleh (SMArchS Architecture Design)

04. Untold Narratives. Courtesy of Rania Kaadan (SMArchS Computation).

05. Mediating Chana. Courtesy of Eakapob Huangthanapan (SMArchS Urbanism).

06. To Build Home and To Live In (U)Hygge. Courtesy of Wuyahuang Li (SMArchS Urbanism).

07. Concetividad Alegal. Courtesy of Lucas Igarzabal and Marissa Concetta Waddle (MArch).

08. The Houseful(l)ness of Public Space. Courtesy of Xio Alvarez (MArch + MCP).

09. Mass Balance. Courtesy of Eduardo Gascón Alvarez (SMArchS Building Technology).

10. Early Design Stage Building Lifecycle Analysis (LCA) of Cost & Carbon Impact. Courtesy of Jingyi Liu (SMBT).

Published July 1, 2021

How to Write an Architecture Dissertation 101​

In this post we will explore how to write an architecture dissertation, but first…

What is an architecture dissertation?

The architecture dissertation (or thesis) is an opportunity to demonstrate the skills you have learnt and the knowledge you have developed over the course of your studies. It identifies a current question of interest that you are willing to explore and analyse.

Thesis and dissertation mean different things in Europe than they do in the USA. In Europe, a dissertation is usually part of a masters degree involving a broader research project. In the USA however, the dissertation is part of a doctorate degree. Likewise, a thesis in Europe generally refers to research work for a PhD, while in the USA thesis is part of your masters degree. Nice and confusing 🙂

Given that we are based in the UK, we will refer to the document as a dissertation, but much of the information and tips here are interchangeable. Hopefully you will find this guide useful when considering your architecture dissertation… or thesis!

Scroll to the end to download this article as a handy PDF guide!

How to write an architecture dissertation, choosing your topic​.

Selecting a topic for your architecture dissertation is often one of the biggest challenges for students. Where to start?! Let’s take a look at the process of selecting your architecture dissertation topic.

Ask a question Your architecture dissertation needs to ask a question. Whether it is a big question or just a small part of a big question, there has to be a reason for your research and data collection.

So, when you have selected a big issue that you would like to explore, you can look at breaking this down into a smaller question for your subject.

Starting off with a big issue, and beginning to narrow this down into smaller issues, allows you to end up asking a small question that could perhaps have big implications or bring very interesting results.

You could use a mind map to help you visualise and brainstorm ideas – have your big question in the centre with other smaller questions branching out from it.

Focus on an area of study that you are comfortable with Try to consider areas within your field of study that you are comfortable with. For example, if you are particularly interested and inspired by environmental architecture, perhaps you can start there.

On the flip side, if you are particularly interested in new technologies and software developments, then perhaps you could start thinking along those lines.

The more comfortable you are with your topic area, the more solid your work will be and you will be able to pursue your architecture dissertation with more confidence.

Select a topic that is focused Don’t go too broad with your topic idea. Don’t forget, you are not writing a long novel, so your research and your final architecture dissertation has to be concise. A broad topic will make it very difficult to get into the nitty gritty details.

As an example, let’s say you are interested in the feasibility of using sustainable prefabricated systems in residential architecture. This is a fairly large subject, so your work could look at an aspect of this, such as a particular sustainable prefabricated system like a timber panel, or perhaps prefab systems in social housing. You could then drill down further. You can look at the subject as a whole in your introduction or conclusion, but investigate a more focused part of that topic for your own work.

Don’t forget, as you start to investigate your topic further, it may lead you to other questions, which in turn can change the theme of your architecture dissertation.

Don’t be too fixated on a topic in the early stages that stops you from shifting and developing the dissertation. It is a bit like design projects, sometimes it is easy to get fixated on your concept at the detriment of the design – adjusting, and pivoting can be a good thing, it is an iterative process.

Look at other architecture dissertations Take some time to read and research other dissertations, to get a feel for what excites or interests you. By gaining an understanding of the format, content and overall outcomes of the architecture dissertation, you will be able to develop your ideas more easily, and drill down on a topic that fits.

Doing this will also help you see what topics have been extensively covered and ones that are niche.

You can find some architecture dissertations on the RIBA Presidents Medals website for some inspiration: https://www.presidentsmedals.com/Entries/2022/0-1/1

Read other architecture works Take some time to read other architecture works while you are in your topic decision making process. This might open up new ideas and thoughts that you didn’t think of before.

Look at current trends, what is new, what is changing, what hasn’t changed, why? How about world events, how do they impact architecture? How does architecture impact them? What can we learn?

Make sure your question can be answered Once you have chosen your question or topic, make sure that data collection and research will bring you to some sort of conclusion or answer. It will be very frustrating if you are investigating an issue that will not be possible to conclude on or resolve.

Make sure you can ask the right questions to get information from people, are there enough books on the subject? Is there any historical data that might be useful? How about photographs and drawings? Consider how you will research your architecture dissertation before finalising your topic.

Drafting a proposal You will most likely be asked to create a proposal for the topic you have selected. Your proposal will be presented to your tutors who will give you feedback that will help you move forward.

Carry out your research

The research phase of your architecture dissertation is really important. We must look at many different sources and aspects of our topic to start to develop our strategies and ideas.

Start with the library The best way to start investigating our topic is to find out what information currently exists, who has asked your question, or similar questions, what has been published? So head to the library and start reading!

Try and get a selection of sources for a more balanced overview, rather than relying on just one source. Although you can use the internet, don’t forget that it is an unregulated source, and therefore not all the information is completely reliable.

Keep track of any books, journals etc that you have consulted. (more on that later).

Follow the citations and references in relevant articles to see if other works have been written that are relevant to your topic. Research papers are good sources of references and information you could further explore.

During this initial stage of research you may still be narrowing your topic, refining your question and that’s totally ok. Often, it is not until you have started reading around your topic and delving deeper that you start to see the questions that need to be asked.

Take notes Take notes and keep track of all your research, book name, author, title, date, publisher plus all the page numbers of the important points. This will help you when you come to referencing and citation and also enable you to stay organised.

Keep your topic / question in mind as you read through the research material and make notes on relevant points, in your own words. Write down any phrases or quotations that you will want to cite later, but make sure you keep a list of the details of the author etc, so the quotation doesn’t get mixed up with your own writing.

Citations and references Make sure you reference and cite all your work correctly. This is a tedious part of the architecture dissertation but extremely important to do it right.

You can find a guide about doing the Harvard referencing system which is most commonly used in UK universities, here: https://www.citethisforme.com/harvard-referencing

This page goes through the other citation styles and gives examples for each: https://www.scribbr.com/citing-sources/citation-styles/

Or you can refer to your own university library reference material to make sure you are carrying out your citations and references according to university guidelines.

Collect data The goal of your architecture dissertation should be to gather and interpret new data, rather than just regurgitating existing information.

Try to collect data that you can analyse and interpret rather than just writing descriptively about the topic.

Collection of data can include information from books as we have mentioned, but also reports, studies, statistical data, surveys, interviews, opinions, archived material, and so much more.

Be prepared to think openly, and think wide. By drawing on many different data sources and formats you will have a more rounded research pool to collect data and analyse going forward.

Our Architecture Dissertation Source Log

Our Dissertation Source log is a valuable tool for architecture students and researchers working on their dissertations. This spreadsheet can help you record all the key information on the sources you have used in your research.

It is also a great way to keep track of your research progress. As you add new sources to the spreadsheet, you can include notes on each source and its quality. This information can be helpful when you are writing your dissertation and need to refer back to your sources.

There are also columns where you can add in citations for each source. This means that all your references will be stored in one place, which will be super handy for when you come to create your bibliography.

The Architecture Dissertation Source Log is a free download. You can start filling it in right away or adjust and edit to your liking to make it your own.

Download your copy today!

As you analyse your data and research, your findings will shape your architecture dissertation, the topic and the big or small question that you are exploring. Make sure you leave the title, introduction and abstract till last.

There are different types of analysis when it comes to researching. The main ones you will be using for your architecture dissertation are visual analysis, textual analysis and historical analysis – although there are many more that you could draw on.

Obviously your choice of topic and question will determine what data you will be analysing but let’s look at this as an overview.

Textual content analysis This is a deep focus on the books, reports, papers and journals that you have identified as being an important part of your research. The areas you have ‘highlighted’ to be of interest should be studied in detail and notes taken as to why these points are important.

What is the author saying? Why is this important? How does it relate to your question, and your observations? Has the author written any other titles? Do they refer to other titles? Lots of questions to ask in order to draw out the information you are looking for.

Visual content analysis Visually, you will be looking at plans, maps, photographs and use your skills to question what you see. Analysis of the spaces, the site etc similar to a site analysis or precedent analysis .

There should be countless questions you could ask when analysing your visual findings, write down your observations.

Historical analysis Here you will focus on the historical events or situations that have had an impact on the topic or question that you are studying.

What were the circumstances at that time? Where do the ideas come from? What is the author focusing on? And so on.

Where appropriate, use maps, images, diagrams, drawings, surveys, time lines and data mapping to explore and present the data you have collected and analysed.

Check out our Mapping Techniques Pinterest board for some ideas:

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/1starchitecture/mapping-techniques/

The main things to consider here are:

What is your big question or topic?

What is the sub topic or smaller question that you are looking to answer?

What research and information will you draw on to answer the question?

How will you analyse the research?

How will you present or argue your findings?

Before presenting or putting together your final works, it is important to have a clear structure to your architecture dissertation and the research you have carried out.

By now, hopefully you will be clear on your topic and the question you are looking to answer. You will know what research you will draw on to inform your ideas, and how you will collect your data.

The clearer you can make your outline of how you want the structure of your dissertation to be, the easier it will be to write. If your ideas and concepts are in a muddle, the end result could mirror this.

Your university will most likely provide guidance on how you should structure your dissertation. Some UK university guidance examples include:

University of Westminster https://libguides.westminster.ac.uk/c.php?g=692395&p=4963012

University of Bath https://blogs.bath.ac.uk/academic-and-employability-skills/2020/07/07/writing-your-dissertations-structure-and-sections/

University of York https://subjectguides.york.ac.uk/dissertation/structure

In general a dissertation will typically follow the structure shown below:

Title Acknowledgements Abstract Table of contents List of figures and tables List of Abbreviations Glossary

Introduction Literature review Methodology Results Discussion Conclusion

Bibliography/Reference list Appendix

General Architecture Dissertation Tips 

1. Start work on your dissertation early.

2. Include references and citations to other scholars’ work.

3. Discuss the topic with other people.

4. Make the most of your tutorials, or any dedicated sessions.

5. Don’t get stuck on your title/topic. Let your data research lead and guide you.

6. Don’t feel you have to solve the world’s problems with your architecture dissertation. You are contributing to the research on a particular topic, don’t feel that your work has to result in a ground breaking solution to a worldwide problem.

7. Tell a story – make sure there is a flow to your architecture dissertation. Avoid using complex sentence structures and fancy words, make it readable. Always try to say more, with less – keep it simple.

8. Give yourself plenty of time to carry out your project from start to finish. Start early with your research – it takes a lot of time if it is to be done properly.

9. Make a schedule – dedicate chunks of time to your architecture dissertation. Ideally intersperse these studies with lighter tasks or something different like sport. It is difficult to write for more than 4 hours without becoming tired and inefficient so make sure your schedule allows for breaks and changes in activity.

10. If you are asking people for help in your data collection, make sure you give them lots of time to get back to you.

11. Be as direct and clear as you can in your writing, avoid fluffy over wordy sentences.

12. Make visual connections between your architecture dissertation topic and the way you design and set it up. Use a consistent style and readable fonts.

13. Get someone to proofread your work, ideally a couple of people.

14. Use your tutors for advice and guidance, that is what they are there for. Be sure to ask plenty of questions if you are not sure about something.

Topic Ideas

Here are some broad topic areas you could consider looking into when you are deciding what to write about.

1. Sustainable Architecture: This topic area focuses on designing and constructing buildings with a reduced environmental impact, incorporating energy-efficient systems, renewable materials, and sustainable design principles.

2. Urban Design and Planning: This area explores the planning, development, and design of cities and urban spaces, including aspects such as transportation systems, public spaces, infrastructure, and community development.

3. Historic Preservation and Conservation: This topic area delves into the preservation, restoration, and adaptive reuse of historic buildings and sites, considering the cultural and historical significance of architecture and the methods used to protect and maintain them.

4. Housing and Residential Architecture: This area focuses on the design and planning of housing solutions, including affordable housing, sustainable housing, multi-family dwellings, and innovative approaches to residential architecture.

5. Interior Design and Space Planning: This topic area examines the design and arrangement of interior spaces, exploring aspects such as ergonomics, aesthetics, functionality, and the use of materials and finishes to create effective and appealing interior environments.

6. Landscape Architecture: This area explores the design and planning of outdoor spaces, including parks, gardens, urban landscapes, and sustainable landscape design strategies that integrate natural and built elements.

7. Digital Design and Building Information Modeling (BIM): This topic area investigates the use of digital tools, technologies, and software in architectural design and construction processes, including topics like parametric design, computational design, and BIM implementation.

8. Cultural and Contextual Studies: This area examines the relationship between architecture and culture, exploring how buildings and urban environments reflect and influence social, cultural, and historical contexts.

9. Architectural Theory and Criticism: This topic area involves the exploration of theoretical concepts, critical analysis of architectural works, and the examination of philosophical, social, and cultural influences on architecture.

10. Human-Centred Design and Well-being: This area focuses on designing spaces that prioritise the well-being, comfort, and health of occupants, exploring topics such as biophilic design, universal design, and the impact of the built environment on human behaviour and psychology.

Remember to choose a topic that aligns with your interests and academic goals. It’s also essential to conduct thorough research to ensure that your chosen topic has sufficient scholarly literature available for reference.

Example Architecture Dissertation Studies Here are some examples of other dissertation topics to get you inspired.

1. Sustainable Architecture: Exploring innovative design strategies for energy-efficient and environmentally conscious buildings.

2. Adaptive Reuse: Analysing the potential of transforming abandoned or underutilised structures into functional spaces while preserving their historical significance.

3. Urban Planning and Design: Investigating strategies for creating inclusive and livable cities through thoughtful urban design and infrastructure development.

4. Biophilic Design: Exploring the integration of nature and natural elements within built environments to enhance well-being and productivity.

5. Parametric Design: Investigating the applications of computational design techniques and algorithms in creating complex architectural forms and structures.

6. Affordable Housing: Analysing design approaches and policies that address the pressing need for affordable and accessible housing solutions in urban areas.

7. Post-Disaster Reconstruction: Examining architectural responses and strategies for rebuilding communities affected by natural disasters and creating resilient built environments.

8. Heritage Conservation: Investigating methods and principles for preserving and conserving historic buildings and sites while adapting them for contemporary use.

9. Smart Cities: Exploring the integration of advanced technologies and data-driven solutions in urban environments to improve efficiency, sustainability, and quality of life.

10. Cultural Identity in Architecture: Analysing how architecture can reflect and reinforce cultural identity, exploring the relationship between built form and cultural heritage.

Helpful Links:​

Books The Dissertation: A Guide for Architecture Students                   

Resources There will be loads of useful websites and databases that you can access through your university. A few examples include:

Jstor https://www.jstor.org/

The Courtauld Institute’s Conway Library https://photocollections.courtauld.ac.uk/menu-item1/conway-library

Arts & Architecture http://www.artsandarchitecture.com/

Harvard Digital Collection Library https://library.harvard.edu/digital-collections

Getty Publications Virtual Library https://www.getty.edu/publications/virtuallibrary/

RIBApix https://www.ribapix.com/#

Architectural Association Photo Library https://photolibrary.aaschool.ac.uk/index.php?WINID=1684503427358

Archigram Archive https://www.mplus.org.hk/en/collection/archives/archigram-archive-ca36/

You might also be interested in:

We also have lots of incredible architecture content. Be sure to check it out:

Download the Guide!

Download this helpful article as a pdf to keep for reference later!

We hope this post helps you get started on your architecture dissertation.

Wishing you the very best of luck with your work 🙂

Thank you for reading!

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Selected Architecture Thesis Projects: Fall 2020

Clockwise from top left: “Citing the Native Genius” by Taylor Cook, “Pair of Dice, Para-Dice, Paradise: A Counter-Memorial to Victims of Police Brutality” by Calvin Boyd, “The Magic Carpet” by Goli Jalali, “Stacked Daydreams: Ceiling-Scape for the Neglected” by Zai Xi Jeffrey Wong, and “Up from the Past: Housing as Reparations on Chicago’s South Side” by Isabel Strauss

Five films showcase a selection of Fall 2020 thesis projects from the Department of Architecture.

Pair of Dice, Para-Dice, Paradise: A Counter-Memorial to Victims of Police Brutality

This thesis is a proposal for a counter-memorial to victims of police brutality. The counter-memorial addresses scale by being both local and national, addresses materiality by privileging black aesthetics over politeness, addresses presence/absence by being more transient than permanent, and lastly, addresses site by being collective rather than singular. The result is an architecture that plays itself out over 18,000 police stations across America and the Washington Monument at the National Mall, two sites that are intrinsically linked through the architecture itself: negative “voids” at police stations whose positive counterparts aggregate at the Mall.

The critical question here is whether or not the system in which police brutality takes place can be reformed from within, or if people of color need to seek their utopia outside of these too-ironclad structures. This counter-memorial, when understood as an instrument of accountability (and therefore a real-time beacon that measures America’s capacity to either change or otherwise repeat the same violent patterns), ultimately provides us with an eventual answer.

Author: Calvin Boyd, MArch I 2020 Advisor: Jon Lott , Assistant Professor of Architecture Duration: 11 min, 2 sec

Thesis Helpers: Shaina Yang (MArch I 2021), Rachel Coulomb (MArch I 2022)

The Magic Carpet

The Persian Carpet and the Persian Miniature painting have served as representation tools for the Persian Gar­den and the idea of paradise in Persian culture since antiquity. The word paradise derives from the Persian word pari-daeza meaning “walled enclosure.” The garden is always walled and stands in opposition to its landscape. This thesis investigates the idea of a contemporary image of paradise in the Iranian imagination by using carpets and miniature paintings as a tool for designing architecture. The garden, with its profound associations, provided a world of metaphor for the classical mystic poets. One of the manuscripts describing the Persian garden is called Haft Paykar – known as the Seven Domes – written by the 12th century Persian poet called Nizami. These types of manuscripts were made for Persian kings and contain within them miniature paintings and poetry describing battles, romances, tragedies, and triumphs that compromise Iran’s mythical and pre-Islamic history. The carpet is the repeating object in the minia­ture paintings of the manuscript. This thesis deconstructs the carpet in seven ways in order to digitally reconstruct the miniature paintings of the Seven Domes and the image of paradise with new techniques.

Author: Goli Jalali, MArch I 2021 Advisor: Jennifer Bonner , Associate Professor of Architecture Duration: 8min, 28 sec

Up from the Past: Housing as Reparations on Chicago’s South Side

Do people know what the Illinois Institute of Technology and the South Side Planning Board and the city of Chicago and the state of Illinois and the United States government did to the Black Metropolis? If they know, do they care? Is it too hard to hold these entities accountable? If we held them accountable, could we find justice for those that were displaced? What would justice look like? What comes after Mecca? What types of spaces come after Mecca? Are they different than what was there before? Are they already there? What defines them? Can Reparations be housing? How many people are already doing this work? How many people are doing this work in academia? On the ground? Is the word “Reparations” dead? What do we draw from? Who is this for? Do white men own the legacy of the architecture that defined the Black Metropolis? How personal should this work be? How anecdotal? How quantitative? Does the design need to be inherently spatial? Or atmospheric? What should it feel like? How do I draw a feeling in Rhino? What are radical ways of looking? How do we reclaim racialized architecture? Do we? Should we even talk about these things?

Author: Isabel Strauss, MArch I 2021 Advisor: Oana Stanescu , Design Critic in Architecture Duration: 4 min, 4 sec

Soundtrack Created By: Edward Davis (@DJ Eway) Production Support: Adam Maserow , Evan Orf , Glen Marquardt Collaborators: Rekha Auguste Nelson , Farnoosh Rafaie , Zena Mariem Mengesha , Edward Davis (DJ Eway) Special Thanks: Caleb Negash , Tara Oluwafemi , Maggie Janik , Ann Whiteside , Dana McKinney Guidance: Stephen Gray , John Peterson , Chris Herbert , Cecilia Conrad , Lawrence J. Vale , Ilan Strauss , Mark Lee , Iman Fayyad , Jennifer Bonner , Mindy Pugh , Peter Martinez Collage Credits: Adler and Sullivan , Bisa Butler , Carrie Mae Weems , Dawoud Bey , Deborah Roberts , Ebony G Patterson , Ellen Gallagher , Frank Lloyd Wright , Howardena Pindell , Jordan Casteel , Kerry James Marshall , Latoya Ruby Frazier , Lelaine Foster , Lorna Simpson , Mark Bradford , Mickalene Thomas , Mies van der Rohe , Nick Cave , Njideka Akunyili Crosby , Romare Bearden , Sadie Barnette More Information: architectureofreparations.cargo.site

Stacked Daydreams: Ceiling‐Scape for the Neglected

Elderly Care Adaptive Reuse of Hong Kong’s Vertical Factory

This thesis operates at the intersection of three domains of neglect:

• In the realm of building elements, the ceiling is often considered as an afterthought in the design process.
• Across building types, the vertical factory sits abandoned and anachronistic to its surroundings. It spiraled into disuse due to Hong Kong’s shifting economic focus.
• In society, the elderly are often subjected to social neglect, seen as a financial burden, and forced toward the fringes of society.

These parts experience obsolescence that led to indifference, and subsequently to boredom. I intend to draw the parallel of deterioration between the body of the elderly and the body of the vertical factory. Using a set of ceiling parts in the manner of prosthetics to reactivate the spaces into elderly care facilities, revert boredom to daydreams, and reimagine the concept of elderhood as an experimental second stage of life.

Author: Zai Xi Jeffrey Wong, MArch I AP 2021 Advisor: Eric Höweler , Associate Professor of Architecture & Architecture Thesis Coordinator Duration: 4 min, 53 sec

Citing the Native Genius

Reconstructing vernacular architecture in Hawai’i

For over 120 years, Americanization has tried to demean and erase Hawaiian language, culture, and architecture. In contemporary discourse, the vernacular architecture of Hawai’i is mostly referred to as ancient and vague. As with many Indigenous cultures, Western perspectives tend to fetishize or patronize the Hawaiian design aesthetic. Within this hierarchy of knowledge is a systemic assumption that Hawaiian vernacular architecture cannot effectively serve as a precedent resource for contemporary architects. Those who do reference the original vernacular will often classify it as utilitarian or resourceful. Regardless of intent, this narrative takes design agency away from the people involved. As a corrective, a respectful use of vernacular domestic form would benefit designers that are struggling to connect with Hawai’i’s cultural and architectural traditions.

Mining the European gaze and influence out of revivalist publications, archeological surveys and historic images reveal unique characteristics of Hawaiian domestic space. Geometric quotation and symbolic referencing are the foundational instruments in applying the discrete components, form, and organizational logic of the vernacular. The result is a design process that creates an amalgamation of decolonized form and contemporary technique. This residential project intends to revive Hawai’i’s erased domestic experience by revisiting the precolonial vernacular form and plan.

Author: Taylor Cook, MArch I 2021 Advisor: Jeffry Burchard , Assistant Professor in Practice of Architecture Duration: 5 min, 13 sec

Special Thanks: Jeffry Burchard, Cameron Wu, Kanoa Chung, Nik Butterbaugh, Carly Yong, Vernacular Pacific LLC More Information: www.vernacularhawaii.com

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the galleries in Gund Hall have been turned ‘inside out,’ with exhibitions shown through a series of exterior projections on the building’s facade. View some images from the screening of these films below:

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Completed Dissertations

Selected work from the past decade.

Dissertations in Architecture

Grant Mosey (2014-2020). Dissertation: “Multivariate Optimization of Neighborhood Scale Problems for Economic, Environmental, and Social Sustainability.” Professor Brian Deal , Director of Research, and Examining Committee Chair.

Thulasi Ram Khamma (2014-2020). Dissertation: “Data-Driven Models to Evaluate Root Causes of Energy Performance Gaps in Office Buildings.” Dr. Mohamed Boubekri , Director of Research, and Examining Committee Chair.

Jaewook Lee (2016-2020). Dissertation: “Integration of Daylighting and Building Design for Human Health and Well-Being.” Dr. Mohamed Boubekri , Director of Research, and Examining Committee Chair.

Nastaran Shishegar (2015-2020). Dissertation: “Impacts of Tuning Ambient Illumination on Sleep Quality, Mood, and Cognitive Performance in Older Adults.” Dr. Mohamed Boubekri , Director of Research, and Examining Committee Chair.

Anna Marie Bliss (2012-2019). Dissertation: “The Future of the Historic City from Perceptions of the Past: Experience of Place, Authenticity, and Architectural Preservation in Barcelona.” Dr. Lynne M. Dearborn , Director of Research, and Examining Committee Chair.

Tait Johnson (2012-2017). Dissertation: “Marketing Modernism: Aluminum Cladding and the American Commercial Landscape.” Dr. Kenny Cupers, Director of Research, and Dr. Peter Mortensen, Examining Committee Chair.

Cesar Cruz (2016). Dissertation: “The Phenomenology of a Modern Architect and His Sense of Place: Henry Klumb’s Residential Architecture in Puerto Rico, 1944-1975.” Dr. John C. Stallmeyer , Director of Research, and Examining Committee Chair.

Wei Zhao (2010-2015). Dissertation: “Home Beyond the House: The Meaning of Home for People Living in Yanxia Village, Zhejiang Province, China.”

Majd Musa (2013). Dissertation: “Constructing Global Amman: Petrodollars, Identity, and the Built Environment in the Early Twenty-First Century.” Dr. John C. Stallmeyer , Director of Research, and Examining Committee Chair.

Fang Xu (May 2013). Dissertation: “Territorial Experiences in Shanghai’s High-rise Gated Communities.” Dr. Lynne M. Dearborn , Advisor, Director of Research, and Examining Committee Chair.

Ho-Sung Kim (May 2013). Dissertation: “Advances in the Operating Condition Design Analysis of Air Based Photovoltaic Thermal Solar Roof Systems.” Dr. Richard Strand , Director of Research, and Examining Committee Chair.

Doug Sturgeon (May 2012). Dissertation: “Economic Performance of Architectural Firms: An Application of Production Theory.” Dr. Richard Strand , Director of Research, and Examining Committee Chair.

Young Tae Chae (May 2011). Dissertation: “Development of Hybrid Heat Source Radiant System: Embedded Concentric Tube Heat Exchanger.” Dr. Richard Strand , Director of Research, and Examining Committee Chair.

Daeho Kang (May 2011). Dissertation: “Advances in the Application of Passive Down-Draft Evaporative Cooling Technology in the Cooling of Buildings.” Dr. Richard Strand , Director of Research, and Examining Committee Chair.

Dissertations in Landscape Architecture

Amir Habibullah (2020). Dissertation: “Modern Islamic Gardens and Cultural Identity: Three Case Studies from North American and Europe.” Dr. D. F. Ruggles , Director of Research, and Examining Committee Chair.

Yexuan Gu (2020). Dissertation: “Discerning the Role of Geodesign In Landscape Architecture: Exploring Its Relations with Systems Thinking And Resilience And Its Role In Planning Support System (PSS) Technologies.” Dr. Brian Deal , Director of Research, and Examining Committee Chair.

Xiangrong Jiang (2013-2019). Dissertation: “Green Infrastructure and Human Health: Nature Exposure, Attention, and Well-Being.” Professor William C. Sullivan , Director of Research, and Examining Committee Chair.

Jennifer L. Thomas (2019). Dissertation: “Landscape, Madness, and State: The Emerging Insane Asylum System of Nineteenth-Century New York State.”

Molly Briggs (2018). Dissertation: “The Panoramic Mode: Immersive Media and the Large Parks Movement.”

Steven Burrows (2017). Dissertation: “Indiana State Parks and the Hoosier Imagination, 1916-1933.”

Pongsakorn Suppakittpaisarn (2013-2017). Dissertation: “Green Stormwater Infrastructure, Preference, and Human Well-Being.” Professor William C. Sullivan , Director of Research, and Examining Committee Chair.

Dongying Li (2011-2016). Dissertation: “High School Students’ Exposure to Nature and Their Psychological and Cognitive Well-Being.” Professor William C. Sullivan , Director of Research, and Examining Committee Chair.

Abbilyn Harmon (May 2012). Dissertation: “Determining Critical Factors in Community-Level Planning of Homeless Service Projects.” Laura Lawson, Advisor; Dr. Lynne M. Dearborn , Director of Research, and Examining Committee Co-Chair.

Sonal Mithal Modi (2015). Dissertation: “Embodied Knowledge of Landscape: Accommodating Ongoing Subjective Experience in the Presentation of Heritage Landscape.”

Douglas Williams (2014). Dissertation: “Fertile Ground: Community Gardens in a Low-Income Inner-City Chicago Neighborhood and the Development of Social Capital Among African Americans.”

Bin Jiang (2014). Dissertation: “Establishing Dose-Response Curves for the Impact of Urban Forests on Recovery from Acute Stress and Landscape Preference.”

Xiaolu Zhou (2014). Dissertation: “Investigating the Association between the Built Environment and Active Travel of Young Adults Using Location Based Technology.”

Martin Holland (2014). Dissertation: “‘Empty Chairs, Broken Lives’: The Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum.”

Nicholas Brown (2014). Dissertation: “Landscape, Justice, and the Politics of Indigeneity: Denaturalizing Structures of Settler Colonialism in the Alberta/Montana Borderlands.”

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Digital Commons @ USF > College of The Arts > School of Architecture and Community Design > Theses and Dissertations

Architecture and Community Design Theses and Dissertations

Theses/dissertations from 2011 2011.

Aging with Independence and Interaction: An Assisted Living Community , Steven J. Flositz

Theses/Dissertations from 2010 2010

Wayfinding in Architecture , Jason Brandon Abrams

Phenomenology of Home , Lidiya Angelova

Do You Have A Permit For That? Exposing the Pseudo-Public Space and Exploring Alternative Means of Urban Occupation , Adam Barbosa

Architecture as Canvas , Monika Blazenovic

Women and Architecture: Re-Making Shelter Through Woven Tectonics , Kirsten Lee Dahlquist

Re-Connecting: Revitalizing Downtown Clearwater With Environmental Sensibility , Diego Duran

Livable Streets: Establishing Social Place Through a Walkable Intervention , Jeffrey T. Flositz

Upgrading Design: A Mechatronic Investigation into the Architectural Product Market , Matthew Gaboury

Emergent Morphogenetic Design Strategies , Dawn Gunter

Re-Tooling an American Metropolis , Robert Shawn Hott

The Rebirth of a Semi-Disintegrated Enterprise: Towards the Future of Composites in Pre-Synthesized Domestic Dwellings; and the Societal Acceptance of the Anti-In Situ Architectural Movement , Timothy James Keepers

Architectural Symbiosis , Tim Kimball

Elevating Communication , Thao Thanh Nguyen

PLAY: A Process-Driven Study of Design Discovery , Kuebler Wilson Perry

AC/DC: Let There Be Hybrid Cooling , Christopher Podes

The Third Realm: Suburban Identity through the Transformation of the Main Street , Alberto Rodriguez

From Airport to Spaceport: Designing for an Aerospace Revolution , Paula Selvidge

Perceiving Architecture: An Experiential Design Approach , Ashley Verbanic

(im•print) A Material Investigation to Encourage a Haptic Dialog , Julie Marie Vo

Theses/Dissertations from 2009 2009

The Sleeping Giant: Revealing the Potential Energy of Abandoned Industry Through Adaptive Transformation , Wesley A. Bradley

Community Service Through Architecture: Social Housing with Identity , Karina Cabernite Cigagna

Building a Brighter Future Through Education: Student Housing for Single Parent Families , Carrie Cogsdale

Cooper-Hewitt Museum of Design and Technology (C-HMD+T): Biomimetic architecture as part of nature , Isabel Marisa Corsino Carro

Dyna-Mod Constructing the Modern Adaptable Home , Sarah Deardorff

Memory - Ness: The Collaboration Between a Library and Museum , Kelsey Doughty

Promoting Cultural Experiences Through Responsive Architecture , Shabonni Olivia Elkanah

Urban-Eco-Filter: Introducing New Lungs to the City of Beijing , Carlos Gil

Sustainable Planning and Design for Ecotourism: Ecotecture Embraced by the Essence of Nature on Amboro National Park, Santa Cruz-Bolivia , Claudia P. Gil

Revitalization and Modernization of Old Havana, Cuba , Mileydis Hernandez

Framework for Self Sustaining Eco-Village , Eric Holtgard

Condition / recondition: Reconstruction of the city and its collective memory , C Lopez

Architecture of materialism: A study of craft in design culture, process, and product , Logan Mahaffey

Incorporating solar technology to design in humid subtropical climates , Andres Mamontoff

"RE-Homing": Sustaining housing first , Jennifer McKinney

Devised architecture: Revitalizing the mundane , Jason Novisk

A greener vertical habitat: Creating a naturally cohesive sense of community in a vertical multi-family housing structure , Justin Onorati

Visualizing sound: A musical composition of aural architecture , James Pendley

Biotopia: An interdisciplinary connection between ecology, suburbia, and the city , Jessica Phillips

Cultural visualization through architecture , Fernando Pizarro

Experience + evolution: Exploring nature as a constant in an evolving culture and building type , Robin Plotkowski

Nature, daylight and sound: A sensible environment for the families, staff and patients of neonatal intensive care units , Ana Praskach

School work environment: Transition from education to practice , Shane Ross

ReLife: Transitional Housing for Victims of Natural Disaster , Alexander B. Smith

Form and Numbers: Mathematical Patterns and Ordering Elements in Design , Alison Marie Thom

Martian Modules: Design of a Programmable Martian Settlement , Craig A. Trover

Redesigning the megachurch: reintroduction of sacred space into a highly functional building , Javier Valencia

Aquatecture: Architectural Adaptation to Rising Sea Levels , Erica Williams

Theses/Dissertations from 2008 2008

Landscape as Urbanism , Ryan Nicholas Abraham

Architectural Strategies in Reducing Heat Gain in the Sub-Tropical Urban Heat Island , Mark A. Blazer

A Heritage Center for the Mississippi Gulf Coast: Linking the Community and Tourism Through Culture , Islay Burgess

Living Chassis: Learning from the Automotive Industry; Site Specifi c, Prefabricated, Systems Architecture , Christopher Emilio Emiliucci Cox

Permanent Supportive Housing in Tampa, Florida: Facilitating Transition through Site, Program, & Design , Nicole Lara Dodd

School as a Center for Community: Establishing Neighborhood Identity through Public Space and Educational Facility , Fred Goykhman

Reestablishing the Neighborhood: Exploring New Relationships & Strategies in Inner City Single Family Home Development , Jeremy Michael Hughes

High-Rise Neighborhood: Rethinking Community in the Residential Tower , Benjamin Hurlbut

reBURB: Redefining the Suburban Family Unit Under a New Construction Ecology , Matthew A. Lobeck

Blurring the Disconnect: [Inter]positioning Place within a Struggling Context , Eric Luttmann

Socializing Housing Phased Early Response to Impromptu Migrant Encampments In Lima, Peru , Raul E. Mayta

Knitting of Nature into an Urban Fabric: A Riverfront Development , Thant Myat

An Address, Not a Room Number: An Assisted Living Community within a Community , Gregory J. Novotnak

Ecological Coexistence: A Nature Retreat and Education Center on Rattlesnake Key, Terra Ceia, Florida , Richard F. Peterika

Aging with Identity: Integrating Culture into Senior Housing , Christine Sanchez

Re-Establishing Place Through Knowledge: A Facility for Earth Construction Education in Pisco, Peru , Hannah Jo Sebastian

Redefining What Is Sacred , Sarah A. Sisson

Reside…Commute…Visit... Reintegrating Defined Communal Place Amongst Those Who Engage with Tampa’s Built Environment , Matthew D. Suarez

The First Icomde A Library for the Information Age , Daniel Elias Todd

eCO_URBANism Restitching Clearwater's Urban Fabric Through Transit and Nature , Daniel P. Uebler

Urban Fabric as a Calayst for Architectural Awareness: Center for Architectural Research , Bernard C. Wilhelm

Theses/Dissertations from 2001 2001

Creating Healing Spaces, the Process of Designing Holistically a Battered Women Shelter , Lilian Menéndez

A prototypical Computer Museum , Eric Otto Ryder

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Fifth Year Architecture Design Thesis

Related Papers

Mirjana Lozanovska

Architecture Design 2 Unit Chair: Dr. Mirjana Lozanovska Co-Chair: Anthony Worm Design Teachers: Marc Dixon, Fiona Gray, Eugenia Tan design orientation This semester will focus on the ‘making ofarchitecture’ in the more specific sense of the physical building and order of the environment. There will be two major themes explored: how materiality generates both the physical and aesthetic conditions of architecture; and how materiality organizes and frames social relations. These are elaborated below. Architecture is a product of imagination, ideas, traditions, cultural forces and it is also a product of technologies, construction, and structures. Experimentation, invention, manufacture and innovative ways of using existing materials define the field of the ‘making of architecture’. To be familiar with the tools, materials, techniques, technologies and structural possibilities of architecture is to build on the capacity of the imagination. Architecture is expanded and limited by how it is made and what it is made of. To resist and prevent a dormant imagination or an imagination that tends towards repetition, you will be encouraged to nourish it with the properties, processes and possibilities of architecture’s material conditions. Concepts such as tectonics, technics and technology will be explored through ‘hands on’ projects rather than theoretically. In a sense these all derive from the concept téchne which is conventionally understood as the science or art of making, the crafting of an object or tool. However, its deeper sense derives from the ancient Greek to refer to the process of making something appear, the letting out of the intrinsic properties within materials to inform their expression, form and usage. Technologies of the social emphasises architecture’s role in facilitating social relations, the ways that the materiality, spatial order, and various components (doors, walls, windows) set limits and open possibilities for the various relations between people, whether this be eating a meal, working, playing, or having a meeting or conversation. Architecture organises relations between people: person to person, person to group, person to crowd, group to group, etc. However, architecture also organises relations between people and objects: person to toaster, person to iPod, person to tool, person to monument. The important thing is that there are various different status objects: technological, aesthetic, consumable, kitsch, precious, profound, functional etc. At this point you can begin to understand how the two major themes meet and are overlaid onto one another. The materiality of architecture mediates the relations between people. In addition, a building is itself an object and is construed, used and perceived through its relation to people. This semester is about exploring how materiality generates architecture and organizes the relations between people and objects of a utilitarian, kitsch and aesthetic kind. It will ask you to examine the everyday garage or shed as a building type that is made in an ad hoc way. The garage is invariably not only the intended shelter for cars, but a place for a diverse array of other uses. This will ultimately form the platform for a design of a factory, warehouse or display centre.

Rapit Suvanajata

Angela Wheeler

Across culture and time, architects have interrogated the built environment and their role in shaping it. Questions of artistic agency, political power, social control, and cultural preservation all contribute to the fundamental debate of what architecture is—and is for. This syllabus aims to introduce students to the expansive theory, practice, and study of architecture. At once an examination of disciplinary history and theory, this course will investigate the diverse ways architects have understood their world (and situated their profession within it) by actively negotiating between written ideas, drawings, and built projects. To do so, this syllabus adopts an explicitly transnational perspective, challenging the Euro-American canon of architectural theory by presenting it as just one tradition amongst a range of cultural, geographic, and historical perspectives. Through exposure to a range of thinkers, students will be able to consider their own work within a diverse spectrum of theories concerning architecture, urbanism, and space.

Joseph Krupczynski

George Dodds

Panos Leventis

Chris Brisbin

jonas aluma

madis pihlak

Syllabus 02

Alessandro Rocca

The framework of the research undertaken by AUID doctoral students in the first semester (2021) traces a very varied landscape and often with interdisciplinary characteristics. Concerning the centrality of the architectural project, the backbone of the program, almost all the proposals introduce external elements involving other-dimensional scales, social and technical problems, and references to ecological, urban, and landscape issues.

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Excellent Dissertation Topics in Architecture

Table of contents

• 1 Eco-Friendly Architecture Dissertation Topics
• 2 Architecture Dissertation Topics in Risk Management
• 3 Landscape Architecture Dissertation Topics
• 4 Architecture Dissertation Topics for Urban Planning and Transport
• 5 Interesting Architecture Dissertation Topics
• 6 Research Topics in Modern Design
• 7 Sustainable Architecture Topics
• 8 Trending Topics in Landscape Design

Picking a topic for your architecture dissertation or thesis can be a challenge because whether your final project is successful depends on it. It’s essential that you focus on your field of study to ensure that your arguments are solid and strong. If you pick a topic that you feel comfortable with, writing your final draft will be easier. Still, and if you choose to go for a theme that you’re interested in but have little or zero knowledge of, you should keep in mind that your chances of being 100% outstanding decrease. You also have to select one of the architecture dissertation topics that involve innovation and technology because in the century we’re in, people care a lot about how these two things affect our everyday lives. If you talk about what interests others, you’ll have them hooked.

With this in mind, it’s vital that you stick to your field of study and the topics that are within it. If you’re clueless as to what to talk about, you can always go online and see what other people have to say and what they’re writing about; this could give you a heads-up on what’s to come. If, for example, you study architecture, there are many things that you could address in your final document.

The structures for buildings around the world change with the years and come from many different styles that have very different meanings because of the cultures in which they were created within. This gives you an endless list of possibilities to talk about. There really are no limits when it comes to writing about architecture.

You could discuss the never-ending debate regarding whether old buildings should be preserved or not. All you’ll have to do is provide your idea and opinion based on a series of research that you’ll need to do prior to writing your final draft. A dissertation paper isn’t something that you do in one day; this document requires months and months of hard, tedious work, where you have to read a lot and work on your citation formats and turn in various pieces of work that others will revise and provide feedback for you to adjust and have the cycle repeat itself endless times.

When you’re faced with the task of  writing your dissertation for your Ph.D , the most important factor to consider is the topic. If you need inspiration, take a look at the list of topics below, which were popular choices among other students. You can also buy case study online to get an in-depth look at a particular subject. Whichever route you choose, make sure to pick a topic that interests you. If you still have no idea of what to talk about, you can take a look at the list below, which will provide you with a series of topics that other students have been talking about throughout the years, and they are still popular. If you still have no idea of what to talk about, you can take a look at the list below, which will provide you with a series of topics that other students have been talking about throughout the years, and they are still popular.

Eco-Friendly Architecture Dissertation Topics

These architecture dissertation topics are more than just popular, and we have a list of dissertation topics in architecture that will make any task you have on mind easier. At the same time, we will partially be focused on waste management, recycling spaces, and renewable energy, which are all related here. Let’s check the best architecture thesis topics right now.

• Eco-friendly neighborhood development
• Making more urban parks
• Best eco-friendly community garden design
• Old building eco-restoration
• Proper waste management
• Fast and cheap riverfront development
• Making the most advanced SMART village
• Exploring sustainable materials in modern architectural design
• The role of circular economy principles in sustainable architecture
• Creating sustainable buildings for urban environments
• Integrating green spaces in residential architecture for healthier living
• Applying sustainable practices in co-living spaces
• Completely sustainable building idea
• What is regenerative design?
• What is an urban agriculture center?
• How retail spaces use biophilic design principles
• Transformative design for public markets
• Green design in data centers
• Sustainable design practices for healthcare facilities
• The relationship between eco-friendly architecture and mental health

Architecture Dissertation Topics in Risk Management

It is important for all architecture students to have a good understanding of dissertation topics in architecture, as it is an essential field. This list of topics will be a great help when researching, and with the help of professional thesis writers, you can even pay for thesis writing to get the best results. With this assistance, you can be sure to get the best quality dissertation that will impress your peers.

Here we have a list of dissertation topics in architecture that are mandatory to know, and you will probably see a lot of architecture dissertation topics from this group. We can add that it is an essential field of architecture and one all students need to know more about.

• Best practices for making safety better
• How to avoid future water pollution?
• Managing risks of high-end infrastructures
• Limits of computer simulation
• Evaluating public spaces as solutions for urban risk management
• Game-changing strategies for disaster-resilient architecture
• Benefits of risk computer simulations
• Pros of low-cost and high-strength buildings
• Cons of low-cost and high-strength buildings
• New methods for decreasing risk in architecture
• Common risk mistakes new workers make
• Using virtual reality to test the risk
• The influence of technology on architectural heritage preservation
• Architecture’s role in disaster recovery and resilience
• Sustainable transportation methods in urban design
• Earthquake-resistant skyscrapers and construction techniques

Need help with dissertation writing? Get your paper written by a professional writer Get Help Reviews.io 4.9/5

Landscape Architecture Dissertation Topics

You may need to focus on one of these when it comes to proper dissertation writing. Each dissertation topic here is a bit special, and each dissertation topic is something you will need to invest a lot of research in and then make presentable. Let’s see the best topics of this type.

• Processing data on food, water, and energy in the real time
• Benefits of offshore wind energy projects
• Using landscape to make architecture self-sustainable
• Evolution on current energy landscape models
• Food access for locals in large cities
• Shaping the landscape to suit people more
• Making landscape more suitable for people with disabilities
• Cultural influences on landscape architecture
• Integrating green spaces into urban landscapes for environmental benefits
• Using rainwater design in a modern city
• Adaptive reuse of a river park
• Adapting building design to the specific landscape
• The impact of historic preservation on architectural design
• The influence of colonial architecture on urban planning
• The evolution of cafeteria design in workplaces
• Virtual reality in architectural design projects
• The importance of public art in urban planning

Architecture Dissertation Topics for Urban Planning and Transport

The field of architecture we have here is a bit special but more important than ever before. Now you can see the topics that will help you and the ones that can make any process of this kind even better and easier.

• Low-cost homes and low-cost transport
• Should we make more skyscrapers?
• Suburban communities and transporting issues
• Benefits of developing a marine park
• Is transport suitable for modern cities?
• How transport can be improved in multi-million cities
• Incorporating airports in urban planning
• Making train stations more suitable for urban areas
• Managing a million tourists in a modern city
• Hotels that can accommodate more visitors than ever before but are eco-friendly
• The impact of social media on architectural design and trends
• Architecture’s role in community development
• Promoting inclusivity and accessibility through architecture
• Redesigning public transportation stations: challenges and benefits
• Integrating renewable energy in cultural institutions through modern architecture
• Challenges in city planning during urban expansion
• Rethinking residential architecture to support sustainable city growth
• The role of co-living spaces in addressing urban housing needs

Interesting Architecture Dissertation Topics

Here you can see all about housing schemes, appealing ideas, and more that are definitely going to make your writing process easier and better the lack of a better word. Each one of these ideas has been more than just popular. Focus on building design if this is what you like.

• How to know what the right number of restrooms is when building a large, public venue.
• Redefining a city through architecture.
• Maximizing small spaces: all there is to know.
• Building for the family: privacy and closeness.
• Cathedrals: using the new world’s budget to recreate the old world.
• Discuss the difference in the design of houses in cold climates and warm climates.
• Explain some benefits of using technological models in architectural diagrams.
• Provide an accurate description of an architectural model that would be appealing to a religious client.
• Discuss the nature of middle-class architecture and its place in modern society.
• Include elements of famous architects without copying their work.
• The evolution of postmodern architecture in today’s context
• Relevance of classic architecture in modern design practices
• Influence of temple architecture on contemporary religious buildings
• A comparative analysis of architectural styles across different cultures
• Architectural influence in various global contexts
• Getting people to move through energizing architecture.
• Architecture and the family. The need for closeness and privacy
• Cathedrals: Recreating the old world on a new world budget
• The influence of Bauhaus on modern architectural practices
• The connection between architecture and psychology
• Using unconventional materials in contemporary architecture
• The significance of spatial dynamics in architectural design
• Architecture’s role in addressing social justice issues
• The role of architecture in the gig economy

It is no wonder that more and more students are turning to these services for dissertation help . They can provide guidance, expertise and offer support for editing, proofreading, and writing for your best results. With their help, the dissertation can be completed in a timely and efficient manner.

Research Topics in Modern Design

The contemporary architecture will cover the hot topics in the field, and a good place to start would be one of these engaging building design topics:

• Multicultural Architecture in the Urban Landscape
• Trends of Environmental Technology in Residential Structures
• Developing Commercial Projects for IoT
• Evaluating Design in Municipal Structures
• Creative Designs in the Modern Era
• Maximizing Resources and Space with Accessibility
• Adapting architectural education to meet modern challenges
• The impact of interior design on functionality and aesthetics in spaces
• How creating buildings reflects societal changes over time
• The role of digital transformation in modern architectural education
• Minimalist Design in Compact Areas
• Methods of Mitigating Damage from Natural Disaster
• Methods of Pre-fabricated Design
• Features of Portable Housing Units
• Critical regionalism and architectural identity
• The role of phenomenology in designing human-centered architecture
• Digital transformation and architectural possibilities
• The impact of postmodernism on current architectural trends
• The use of semiotics in architectural design and interpretation

Sustainable Architecture Topics

With so much focus on the environment and technology associated with it, there is a significant push to develop green tech with design. Here are some ideas:

• Applications of Hemp in Building Structure
• Retrofitting Inefficiency with Existing Buildings
• Building in Response to Climate Change
• Micro-Construction for the Future
• Creating Self-Sufficient Structures
• Calculating Solar Panel Output with Planning
• Determining Optimal Insulation R-Values
• Principles of Net Zero Design
• The impact of sustainable design on construction practices today
• How sustainable materials contribute to reducing the carbon footprint
• The long-term benefits of sustainable buildings in urban areas
• Enhancing urban life with the incorporation of green spaces
• Reducing A Structure’s Carbon Footprint
• Heating and Cooling Systems with Renewable Energy
• Ethical considerations of sustainability in architectural practices
• Constructing emergency shelters for disaster relief
• The effect of architecture on preserving wildlife habitats
• Reducing carbon footprint in coastal areas through architecture
• Revamping industrial spaces for multiuse purposes

Trending Topics in Landscape Design

Architecture is more about structures. There is the landscape that accompanies it. You must consider many elements of the environment you place your structures. Here are a few topics you can use:

• Planning for Water Scarcity and Droughts
• Maximizing Green Space in Residential Designs
• Managing Flood Zones with Climate Change
• Revitalizing Landscapes
• Reducing Development Risks with Wildlife
• Principles of Urban Agriculture
• Optimizing Drainage for Water Conservation
• Child-Friendly Landscapes
• Retaining Green Cities in Periods of Growth
• Efficient Public Infrastructure

Who said architecture couldn’t be exciting? With these modern architecture dissertation topics, you’re well on your way to getting your proposal approved. A dissertation is a rewarding academic achievement that is quite exhausting, which is why some students buy a dissertation . With much new technology and urban requirements coming into the mix, a degree in architecture is well worth the investment. Don’t be afraid to ask for architecture dissertation help, as we at Papersowl.com are here to assist 24 hours. We cover all aspects of academic writing and can work with a portion of your paper or even do the whole dissertation. So if you’re stuck, reach out to us.

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Thesis Topics for Architecture :20 topics related to Sustainable Architecture

Sustainable architecture is the architecture that minimizes the negative environmental impact of buildings. It aims at solving the problems of society and the ecosystem. It uses a selective approach towards energy and the design of the built environment. Most often sustainability is being limited to the efficient water heater or using high-end technologies. It is more than that. It is sometimes about creating awareness among people and communities about how we can coexist in the natural environment. Sustainable architecture is a means to enter the context in a natural way, planning and deciding the materials before the construction that have very few negative effects on the environment. Here are 20 Thesis topics for architecture related to Sustainable Architecture:

1. Urban Park | Thesis Topics for Architecture

To make a city livable and sustainable, urban parks play a key role to provide a healthy lifestyle for the residents of the city. It provides transformative spaces for the congregation and community development . Public parks are very crucial within the cities because they are often the only major greenery source for the area.

2. Neighborhood Development

There is always a challenge to implement sustainable development at a very local level. Thus, urban sprawl, environmental degradation, and traffic congestion have made it necessary to look at problems at the basic level. In cities, there is an extra opportunity to develop a sustainable neighborhood that incorporates energy-efficient buildings, green materials, and social infrastructures.

3. Community Garden Design | Thesis Topics for Architecture

Community gardens are the latest trend for sustainable living in urban areas due to rising health issues in the cities. It helps promote farming as an activity where locals can also get involved in the activities and encourage them to use gardens as recreational spaces. The gardens assist in the sustainable development of urban areas.

4. Waste Recycling Center

Waste recycling centers can be one of the great thesis topics for architecture since waste recycling is always seen as a burden on the city. But it can be converted into an opportunity by incorporating its function and value into the urban fabric . Waste to energy plants or waste recycling centers can be integrated with public functions that engage communities.

5. Restoration of Heritage/Old Building

Building restoration is the process of correctly exposing the state of a historical building, as it was in the past with respecting its heritage value. India has many heritage buildings including forts, temples , buildings which are in deteriorated conditions and need to be restored. Thus, it helps to protect our heritage of the past.

6. Rehabilitation Housing | Thesis Topics for Architecture

Rehabilitation housing is temporary housing made to accommodate people who vacate the colonies that are required to redevelop. Rehabilitation housing also accommodates peoples who get affected by natural calamity and are displaced due to that.

7. Riverfront Development

The development of a riverfront improves the quality of built and unbuilt spaces while maintaining a river-city relationship. It provides an identity to the stretch of the land which can include the addition of cultural and recreational activities. Various public activities and spaces are incorporated to develop the life and ambiance on the riverfront which leads to the environment and economic sustainability.

8. SMART Village | Thesis Topics for Architecture

SMART village is a modern initiative to develop rural villages and provide them with basic amenities, education, health, clean drinking water, sanitation, and environmental sustainability. It aims to strengthen rural communities with new technologies and energy access.

9. Net-Zero Energy Building

A lot of energy goes into the building sector which can be reduced by incorporating energy-efficient techniques and innovations. The Net Zero Energy Building (NZEB) produces as much energy as it consumes over the year, and sometimes more. NZEB can be applied to various typologies such as industrial, commercial, and residential. Due to emerging concerns over climate change, these buildings are a new trend nowadays.

10. Bermed Structure

The bermed structure is a structure that is built above ground or partially below the ground, with earth covering at least one wall. In extreme climatic conditions, a bermed structure protects from both heat and cold. The structure can be any typology be it residence, museum, or exhibition hall. These types of buildings are very energy efficient but extra care is needed to be given to waterproofing.

11. Regenerative Design

Regenerative design is active participation in engaging in the natural environment. It focuses on reducing the environmental impacts of a building on the natural surroundings through conservation and performance. While green building improves energy efficiency, the regenerative building improves the ecosystem as it will support habitats for living organisms.

12. Urban Agriculture Centre

Urban agriculture centers accommodate the space for cultivating, processing, and distribution of food in any urban area. The center helps to improve the quality of life and provides them healthy options to eat. Fresh fruits, vegetables, and meat products through the center improves food safety. The center can also be made a learning hub for people to collaborate and share their knowledge of sustainable food production. It can create awareness and improve the eating habits of people.

13. Revitalizing Abandoned Mill or Industry

Mills and industries are an important aspect of developing an urban area. They invoke the image of industrial development, invention, and success in their times. Thus, by revitalizing the abandoned mill, one can preserve the city’s old fabric.

14. Eco-Tourism Center

Eco-tourism center caters to the need to maintain the ecosystem with least intervention on the life of plants and wildlife. It also provides responsible travel to the people to the natural areas. The center also consists of research laboratories, data analysis and conducts studies to spread awareness among the locals about the ecosystems.

15. The Revival of a Heritage Building

Revival is a process of improvement in the condition and fortunes of the building, without losing its traditional spirit. When we talk about sustainability, Heritage revival is not paid any proper attention. On the other hand, it has a great opportunity to improve our rich culture’s heritage. It can provide positive impacts on the well-being of society as well as economic development.

16.Adaptive Reuse of a Building

Adaptive reuse is a process of retrofitting old structures for new users but retaining their earlier integrity to meet the new needs of the occupants. Thus, the best thing or feel about the building is preserved and developed in a modified way. It gives a new life to the building and removes the need to demolish the structure.

17. Redevelopment of Slum

Redevelopment of the slum is done to improve the urban sprawl created by the slums and no new land is available for the new construction. In current scenarios in many cities, urban slums are a major concern due to unhygienic and unstable living conditions. The redevelopment aims to give priority to health, livelihood, sanitation, and infrastructure without removing people from the site.

18. Vertical Farm | Thesis Topics for Architecture

A vertical farm is a structure/space in a greenhouse or a field where food production takes place on vertically inclined planes. It often includes agriculture that optimizes plant growth, and soilless techniques like aquaponics, hydroponics, etc. The farming systems can be made on buildings, ship containers, or mine shafts.

19. Wetland Restoration

A degraded wetland is restored which has been destroyed earlier on the land it has been at or still is. Restoration practices include re-establishment and rehabilitation. Wetland restoration is important to maintain ecology, wildlife habitat, and they contribute to economic well-being also.

20. Eco-Mosque | Thesis Topics for Architecture

Eco-mosque is an environmentally friendly and zero energy mosque with the perception towards modernity with sustainability. The Mosque is the epicenter of the community and an important learning place to amplify the environmental stewardship responsibilities. The Eco Mosque is a one-of-a-kind structure designed completely on green technology, being sustainable & with the minimum carbon footprint.

Madiha Khanam is an architect and an enthusiast writer. She approaches writing as a creative medium to pen-down her thoughts just like drawing and illustrating. She loves to read and write about architecture, engineering, and psychology. Besides, she loves to watch anime.

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