The Power of Synthesis: the Pursuit of Environmental Sustainability and Social Equity Through Design Practice

The paradigm of architecture and design is changing. Centuries of industrialization and rapid urbanization have placed profound stress on the earth’s natural systems, presenting new challenges for architects and urban planners. As our collective awareness towards these challenges increases, designers are increasingly called upon to partake in the global transition towards a low-carbon future. These professionals are re-assessing their priorities and practices, striving for better ecological and social scenarios. This dissertation explores how architects and designers successfully integrate environmental sustainability and social equity deliberations into architectural design practice by implementing more holistic sustainable design approaches. It advocates for a future reality where these considerations are naturally incorporated into the design process of any architectural project, and suggests a framework for their more effective integration. The dissertation opens with a review of current sustainable design approaches and practices in the architectural design profession, focusing on the tools and methods commonly used for their integration in the design process. Next, it presents three case studies of exemplary architectural projects, each demonstrating a progressive design approach that successfully integrates both environmental and social sustainability agendas within the design process. Data collection methods included a series of semi-structured interviews with designers, architects, developers, clients and other stakeholders in the respective projects, as well as site visits. In each case study project, the process of its inception, development, settings, and design methodologies were explored, aiming to evaluate the potentialities and effectiveness of these attributes for better integration of socially and environmentally sustainable design agendas. Synthesis of the collected data ultimately offers a framework for more effective integration of these virtues within architectural design processes. The conclusions point to a multivariate threshold containing a combination of external conditions, recommended processes and design-based tactics to achieve such projects. The conclusions underscore the method for application of these factors, not as isolated deliberations but as parts of a holistic, integrated process. When applied concurrently, these factors perform synergistically to produce holistic, well-rounded living environments that foster environmental stewardship alongside social and cultural wellbeing, empowering a community to flourish

Sustainable Frederick

Final project for Urban Studies and Planning Studio (Summer 2015). University of Maryland, College Park.During the academic year and the summer, master’s students in the University of Maryland’s Urban Studies and Planning Program (URSP) are able to fulfil their requirement for a community planning studio. In the studio, students conduct research on a key planning issue or issues in a given study area, based on input from public officials, public agency representatives, community activists and other stakeholders. The students design the research strategy, collect and analyze primary and secondary data, and produce a written report with findings and recommendations. This summer 2015 studio report is somewhat different from previous studio documents. The report was created in the same academic year in which the University of Maryland premiered its Partnership for Action Learning in Sustainability (PALS) program. Created by the University’s National Center Smart Growth Research and Education in 2014, PALS offers the opportunity for UMD faculty and students to explore – and make recommendations for addressing – challenges identified by a city or county in Maryland related to economic opportunity, environmental quality and/or social equity. The jurisdiction selected to be the site for the premier year of the PALS program was the City of Frederick. From September of 2014 through August of 2015, thirty (30) UMD classes focused part or all of their attention on a sustainability-related issue or challenge that the City requested to be studied. In April of 2015, the City also completed a draft sustainability plan. This studio report consists of a suggested sustainability plan for the City of Frederick. The report builds on the City’s draft sustainability plan by expanding the current plan elements; adding material related to economic opportunity and social equity considerations; adding two new plan elements (economic development and housing); and drawing on material from other selected PALS class reports. The students hope that the City officials and planners, and others who actively participated in creating the current sustainability plan draft, will find it useful in their efforts.The City of Frederic