Waters of The Past & Present - The Revival of Water's Forgotten Stories, The Relationship of Water to Architectural Development For The Chiva Warin Center (River Life Center) By the Mae Ping River, Chiang Mai, Thailand

This Doctorate Project studies waterfront cities and proposes a new waterfront development in Chiang Mai, Thailand around an ancient river that is not used to its full potential. The Doctorate Project is divided into two components, one is the research component where precedent case cities are selected for their waterfront locations and the symbolism of water in Thai culture, and two the second component is the design project which is a New Chiang Mai Urban Waterfront Center master plan (The Chiva Warin Center By the Mae Ping River) to revive the urban linkage between a historical site which has been divided from lack of use and accessibility, growing disconnected from each other. The site location is on both sides of the Mae Ping River consisting of marketplace and institutional buildings on one side of the riverbank and an entertainment edge, heritage shop houses and residences on the other side. Objectives of Design Project: - Preserve culture and still show authenticity of heritage in context to time and site. Through analysis identify which areas of the site must be preserved and what is past regeneration so that it can be used as the design redevelopment areas. - Bring recognition to a river which has been part of the site's history. - Achieve this with a walkable and cultural corridor along the Mae Ping's edge. - Allow future floods through the new master plan with elevated boardwalks so that daily activities continues during the flood days

Culture as Keystone: Robust Public Housing Communities Through Culturally Appropriate Designs

This Doctorate Project proposes a new approach towards the creation of robust subsidized housing communities through the use of culturally appropriate design. An overview of the state of the nation’s housing and its impact on public housing communities in Hawaii provide context and is supported by an analysis of challenges faced both by creators and residents of two public housing complexes on Oahu. Utilizing tools developed for this project, this paper concludes with a design project for the rehabilitation of a public housing site in Honolulu, Hawaii. The design embodies a new vision of public housing where culture becomes the keystone of robust communities

"Lei of Green" Revisiting the "Dream"

The purpose of this project is to design walkable solutions for Honolulu, by overcoming gaps and separations caused by various transportation barriers that create dis-connectivity, with parks, beaches, landmarks, schools and communities. The research focuses on “building upon the shoulders of those who preceded us”. Previous project visions will be used as the foundation to inspire new ideas and designs to solve Honolulu’s “walkability” issues. The original “Lei of Green” design proposal created by the late Mr. Tom Papandrew, proposed design solutions and guidelines that promote walkability, recreation, safety and connectivity within an urban city. This doctorate project will be using Mr. Papandrew’s idea and other past examples of work, related to the “Lei of Green”, to create a stronger foundation of research, to support the design segment of this doctorate project. This study is the outcome of five main areas of research: 1) studies on a previous bike proposal for O‘ahu; 2) LEED – Neighborhood Development Criteria; 3) “The Image of the City” book written by Kevin Lynch; 4) Defining and finding the design criteria and benefits of both, Walkable Communities and Greenways; and 5) an interpretation of select case studies that embody both walkability and greenways. The result of all studies will shape the design benchmarks that will comprise the foundation for the final design proposal, of a sustainable walkable greenway system in Honolulu. This greenway system will be used to connect parks, beaches, landmarks, schools and communities to each other, to promote alternative transportation means, safety, additional tourist attractions, preserve existing green spaces and to instill Hawai‘i “sense of place” and cultural values that make Hawai‘i a unique destination. This research will provide a basic understanding of a walkable greenway design to eliminate gaps and separations within a community that can be used to create a walkable city for Honolulu

Going Zero

Correctly guessing the future costs for energy is like winning the lottery. No one really knows how high prices may rise, but once it is revealed, future energy costs could be life changing. Now, imagine owning a home where it does not matter how outrageously high energy prices become. Remodeling or designing a home to achieve net-zero energy will lessen the burden of fl uctuating energy prices. Today it is easy to create a comfortable home that is not 100% dependent on an electric company but making the commitment towards change may be the most diffi cult aspect of the whole process. This Doctorate Project will explore the procedures for creating a net-zero energy home (ZEH), including an overview of the issues that were encountered as the research unfolded

Transforming Shipping Containers into Livable Spaces: Replacing Traditional Insulation with Living Walls

One of the greatest issues that people are facing in Hawai‘i today is the high cost of living and finding an affordable place to call home is becoming increasingly difficult. Hawai‘i, unlike many places, has an environment conducive of outdoor lifestyle year round, which makes it such a desirable place to live. Because it is warm year round, homes need to be insulated properly in order to provide comfortable living conditions. By taking advantage of the unique climates here in Hawai‘i, growing plants and vegetables on the walls of a home could replace the need for traditional insulation and replace it with a sustainable alternative. This Doctorate Project will utilize this unique climate, exploring alternative methods of insulation by using living walls and aquaponic systems to benefit the transformation of shipping containers into livable spaces

The Critical Friends Group: A Strategy for Developing Intellectual Community in Doctoral Education

A key recommendation from the Carnegie Initiative on the Doctorate project is for doctoral programs to focus on developing intellectual communities that are knowledge-centered and multigenerational. In this article I describe a graduate art education course, Writing Critique in Art Education, which uses the Critical Friends discussion protocol to facilitate a heterogeneous intellectual community for doctoral and master’s level students. Using a practitioner inquiry methodology, I investigated how the use of a Critical Friends protocol influenced the development of an intellectual community in this course, and how the intellectual community supported students’ growth as educational researchers, future teacher educators, and current practicing teachers. While this course is situated in an art education graduate program, the research findings can inform doctoral preparation across disciplines as it focuses on a strategy that facilitates critical dialogue in a supportive environment regardless of content area

Fab + Craft: Synthesis of Maker, Machine, Material

Within contemporary architecture a fundamental disjunction exists between design and building facilitated by the use of advanced computational methods, and the relationship between form, material, and maker. The making of buildings demands an expertise that is familiar with the physical and involves a level of skill that many designers cannot claim to fully possess or practice. This doctorate project presents a study of a design-through-making methodology that incorporates craft with the material exploration of sandwich panels, digital technology and fabrication in the process of ‘making’ architecture. A focus is placed on the development of a specific design intent through the manipulation of materials, using skills and techniques guided by the practiced hand. This interaction between technology, material, and the designer-maker referred to as “fab+craft” creates a narrative that allows for the physical translation of ideas into the built environment

Collaborative research:: A paradigm shift in architectural education?

The 2009 ARCC Spring Research Conference question, ". . . how can we foster a more integrated research culture between academia and the profession?” is an opportunity to examine the curriculum development at one School and stimulate discussion for expanded application. Since 1993 our School has endeavored to develop mutually valued connections with international professional leaders to meaningfully engage practicing professionals as teachers in a professional degree program. The concept of ‘leaders teaching leaders' with practitioners as teachers and research as a major component of the learning collaboration is one unique program focus. The strategic location of the School coupled with technological advances in the built environment process offer opportunities for students to experience global cultural influences, a second distinct program focus. The innovative approaches undertaken for over a decade were in part necessitated by the School's overarching goal to institute a new accredited doctoral first professional degree program which was accomplished in 2002. The effort to sustain credibility as a Doctor of Architecture (D. Arch.) program continues today. Innovations bring successes and risks. This paper examines the curriculum evolution to date and plans for future development from the viewpoint of the current Professional Practice Coordinator [Introduction, Professional Practice Curriculum, Program Evolution, Assessment, Conclusion] and the Doctorate Project Coordinator [Introduction, Program Evolution, Other D. Arch. Projects]. Reflections of the impact of our curriculum on one student's professional advancement relative to opportunities and challenges encountered while engaging in research collaboration with practicing architects is discussed by a graduate of the program, who is now a practicing intern. In addition, the paper offers an overview of other elucidating D. Arch. projects exemplifying the diversity of research topics and foci of the program on collaborative research, global culture, mentoring, and technology

Doing Participatory Action Research as a Doctoral Student in the Peace and Conflict Studies Field

There is still little written about doing participatory action research (PAR) as a doctoral student. This paper provides a missing first-person account of doing a PAR Ph.D. in the Peace and Conflict Studies (PACS) field. Based on the author’s own experience of using PAR as part of his PACS doctoral degree this paper reflects on why he decided to use PAR in his doctorate project and how he went about doing it. It further highlights some of the benefits (academic and non-academic) of doing a PAR Ph.D., as well as challenges faced and responses to them. Four key lessons learned are also offered with the hope that they will be helpful to others embarking on PAR. The paper also includes a discussion of the broader implications for those interested in doing PAR, as well as a call for more PAR in the PACS field, making the argument that it offers a powerful means for narrowing the oft-cited gap between peace research and peace action

Re-Designing the Apartment-High-Rise through a Child's Perspective

“Children learn by being active participants with their environment” –Piaget Children perceive space very differently than adults. Their progression in physical and cognitive development limits them from experiencing space as an adult would. With this understanding it is an interesting fact, that many of our buildings are designed by adults without the understanding of a child’s perception of space. Sometimes the adult’s misperception limits children from being active participants with their environment. According to the United Nations Center for Human Settlements (UN-HABITAT), “it has been estimated that by the year 2025 the world’s largest cities would need to accommodate four billion people. In which, an average of one-third of this estimated population will consist of children under the age of 18 years and in result the majority of these city residents (at least 45-50 percent) will be children.” 1 With such a high ratio of children in the overall future population of cities, much more effort must be made to create children-friendly apartment buildings. The purpose of this doctorate project is to research and propose several spatial ideas to address the spatial and social limitations of children in our developing world, specifically with high-rise apartments. Spatial limitation theories, derived from Psychologist Jean Paiget’s child development cognitive and physical observations, are defined and incorporated into the proposed spatial designs of this doctorate project in order to encourage a child’s social participation within the apartment building as they develop through their childhood. Social spaces within the apartment building are the focus of this project. Assuming that a child learns by being an active participant with the environment and that a child’s perception of space grows concurrently with age, personal spatial interpretations are paired with Psychologist Jean Piaget’s child development stages. Initially, to better understand how a child perceives space, the apartment building space is broken down into three spatial focuses: 1. The apartment unit, 2. The apartment floor, and 3. The apartment building as a whole. 1 UNCHS, An Urbanizing world: Global Report on Human settlements 1996, Oxford: Oxford University Presspotential peer socialization. With this assumption, the goal of the design is to encourage a child’s development of peer relationships within the proximity of the apartment floor by integrating a range of diverse social spaces