Thesis Highlights
Resilience Reinforced
Through design investigations, this Research Studio (2020-2023) examined the potential of precast concrete systems and advanced fabrication technology to address stormwater runoffs at two urban scales. At the street scale, paving and rain-garden systems will introduce students to water management infrastructure and aesthetically appealing precast paving systems. At the neighborhood scale, linear-park design will introduce students to complex water management challenges and provide opportunities to speculate on advanced precast systems as solutions.
This studio focused on the role of the landscape in architectural design and the development of basic skills in site analysis, site design, and site representation. Site characteristics were understood as both natural (a result of the actions of nature) and cultural (a result of the actions of people). Students were introduced to a range of conceptual strategies for articulating the relationship between building and site, and developed the ability to sculpt the surface of the land to accommodate human activities. The course highlighted the designer’s ethical obligations to the larger network of social and ecological systems and conditions. Building design themes included spatial organization and hierarchy, circulation, structure, and enclosure. The studio was integrated with digital media classes to ensure that students gained fluency in computer-aided design processes, drawing, spatial modeling, and digital design techniques.