Post-conflict reuse of military systems: The applications of mobility in the delivery of education and stabilization

Diagrams explaining the functionning of an expandable modular system

Post-conflict reuse of military systems: The applications of mobility in the delivery of education and stabilization

Daniel M. Nead
Master's Thesis | Spring 2012

Any subject that deals with massive resource flows, cycles of construction, destruction, and rebuilding, and millions of people in distressed environments would likely be a candidate for discussion and concern within the architectural community. However, the subject of warfare and conflict is often avoided within the profession. The speed of aid delivered to the populace in a warzone is critical to both the needs of the individual and the stability of representative governments. There is room for improving the delivery of aid in the immediate post-conflict. The reuse of military surplus for civil infrastructure is an underexplored topic. The new education system in Afghanistan is under a great deal of strain. There is a potential to reuse surplus military capital to serve this new education system and to utilize particular characteristics embedded within military design. Mobility is the primary feature investigated in this study; the conex container is the most promising system to carry out the practice. This study sets up an exploration of mobile applications for education through a review of historical and contemporary precedents and practices. Interviews with individuals in direct contact with the education system in Afghanistan, as well as individuals with military experience in the region, are used to direct the research. Additionally, Reports and findings from the Afghan Ministry of Education formed the basis for generating mobile reuse applications that are well suited to the Ministry’s efforts. The case study portion of the investigation comprised of a programming exercise on a specific site outside of Jalalabad, Afghanistan. The intention of the programming exercise was to demonstrate how various forms of mobile applications might serve education efforts for the specific site and also fall within the framework of the Ministry’s broader practices. Mobile systems with the potential to increase the access footprint, speed of delivery, security, diversity of program, quality of construction, and economy of resources were identified and illustrated.

Thesis Committee: Beth Tauke & Ernest Sternberg

Suburban acupuncture

Section diagram showing the different land uses on an individual parcel

Suburban acupuncture

Courtney E. Creenan
Master's Thesis | Spring 2012

Residual spaces between buildings are often overlooked as a design opportunity and are seen rather as a by-product of regulatory actions, which as a result, perpetuate the status quo of planning and design rather than challenge or enable design. Often, these codes are understood as givens, rather than guiding principles, leading architects and planners to not stray from status quos. These regulations often only set minimum requirements, which begin to dictate building setbacks and declare non-conforming uses in those setbacks to ensure life safety. Varying greatly by allowable uses, these residual spaces should be taken into greater consideration when being constructed either formally by architects and planners or informally by users. The use and appropriation of residual spaces is often better understood by the user and not by designers. Understanding social constructions, perception, and ownership in addition to legal land rights of these residual spaces is vital to bridging the fields of architecture and urban planning. By understanding these intricacies, architects can begin to answer the question of how existing regulatory frameworks can be subverted to challenge common design practice norms.

Traditionally seen as a top-down, expert-driven design approach in the 20th century, planning in the 21st century has the opportunity to foster a method of study and comprehension of site development and re- activation that can work with regulations to reshape existing communities by realizing the potentials of residual spaces. The built environment is typically designed as a set of objects, rather than a system that understands impacts that go beyond a project’s borders. By understanding more of the individual users’ needs, routines and habits, both architecture and urban planning professionals can create customized spaces based on individual desires.

Thesis Committee: Beth Tauke, Alfred Price & Kenny Cupers

Wellness centers and baby boomer women

student rendering - interior view of a room with people meditating and doing yoga

Wellness centers and baby boomer women

Ghada M. Mohamad
Master's Thesis | Spring 2009

STATEMENT OF ISSUE The healthcare system in the U.S. has emphasized curing disease through funding for research in and practice of remedial medical care during the last century. However, with the beginning of the 21st century a greater emphasis was put on the importance of preventive medicine and the concept of the wellness center as part of the healthcare system. Members of these kinds of facilities are mostly from the baby boom generation (those who were born in 1946-1964). This study will be concerning the extent to which existing wellness centers are responding to the needs and life style preferences of baby boomers, particularly women, so they can enjoy a healthy life and general well being for a longer period of time.

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE Rising expenditures on healthcare are a major concern in the healthcare system in the U.S. and Preventive medicine and healthy life styles are recognized as key factors in lowering the costs of healthcare. This is of a special interest now as the older baby boomers are entering their sixties and will soon put greater pressure on the healthcare system from both economic and logistical perspective. In addition, this population group is expected to retire later than their predecessors. Their desire for independence and active living can be addressed through the emergence of an integrated system of preventive medicine and medical care. The wellness center, as part of the local health system, is a key component of such a strategy. Finally, special design features that respond to the changing physical and perceptual abilities of an aging population need to be addressed in the planning and design of wellness centers, in order to insure that the elders will be able to take advantage of their resources.

Thesis Committee: Gary Scott Danford & Edward Steinfeld

Didactic daylight design for education

Daylight study of a classroom

Didactic daylight design for education

Jonathan R. White
Master's Thesis | Spring 2009

STATEMENT OF ISSUE This thesis investigates a modeling method for daylight design in the early design phase, as a means of promoting a positive and inclusive educational environment that allows for multiple modes of learning. Specifically, this study focuses on developing a tool for designers to study and apply daylighting methods in a rapid but informed manner. It also provides metrics to allow design- ers to analyze different daylighting design variables in relation to one another and against the light- ing requirements of different modes of learning.

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE OF ISSUE The design of learning environments is an important specialty within architectural practice, and encompasses “ever changing educational theories, the subtle spatial and psychological require- ments of growing children and practical issues that are unique to these types of buildings.” (Dudek, 2000) It is argued that the architectural environment has a psychological effect on all humans, but can an inclusive, naturally well-lit environment presented to children aid in cognitive, spatial, and sensorial development? The significance of this topic lies in the fact that our first formal learning environments have the capability to influence the development of attitudes, knowledge, and skills throughout our lives. If all children experienced well-designed, inclusive environments, would they be more curious, creative, and open to new experiences, people, and places? Numerous studies have concluded that children experiencing naturally well-lit environments perform better on stan- dard tests and that natural light promotes positive learning behaviors. Despite this, there seems to be few examples of naturally well-lit schools. This thesis proposes a tool designers can use to aid in the development of day lit schools and how can the lighting strategies be customized based on the different modes of learning?

Thesis Committee: Beth Tauke, Kenneth MacKay & Edward Steinfeld