Series
Master of Architecture

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Publication Search Results

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
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    The inaccessibility of elementary schools in Fulton County causes, consequences, and alternatives
    (Georgia Institute of Technology, 2009-08-24) Smith, Sarah M.
    Everyone understands that elementary schools in suburban areas are inaccessible and poorly sited. A compelling conclusion from this thesis is that only 12% of the approximately 40,000 elementary school children in Fulton County, Georgia, the focus of this study, are able to walk to school, given the school location and siting. Clearly, school location is a critical impediment for walkability, which is an emerging focus of public health. Three guiding questions are posed to explore the causes and consequences of elementary school inaccessibility. First, what influences the selection and design of elementary school sites in suburban locations? Second, what is the specific evidence that demonstrates inaccessibility? Third, what actions can be taken to address the problem? Schools located in Fulton County, Georgia are the subject of this thesis because Fulton County is typical of most suburban areas, in that the housing patterns are characterized by low density, cul-de-sac type development, large block size, and are designed with an assumption of total reliance on automobiles. Fifty-three elementary schools are included in this study. Recommendations and strategies are provided to correct the problems in existing schools to make them more accessible. The conclusions and recommendations follow the analysis and strategies are offered at three scales of analysis.
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    Coding the urban form
    (Georgia Institute of Technology, 2009-05-04) Habeeb, Dana M.
    What are the essential characteristics that constitute historic American neighbor- hoods? Do current regulations promote developments that exhibit these essential characteristics? In this thesis I analyze two historic neighborhoods in an effort to un- cover their architectonic principles. By identifying the key components that comprise these places, we can critically analyze whether regulations, such as Historic Preserva- tion Ordinances and the SmartCode, are adequately designed to govern development practices of residential neighborhoods.
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    Terra fluxus: Urban design in the wake of deindustrialization
    (Georgia Institute of Technology, 2008-06-03) Bacon, Kevin L., Jr.
    Emerging trends in the re-inhabitation of central cities and government funding of numerous financial incentives have succeeded in making brownfield redevelopment a far more lucrative opportunity for developers over the past decade. However, the redevelopment process itself remains virtually unchanged, maintaining a narrow focus on environmental remediation, site engineering, and short-term market demand. Land use, instead of design, drives the entire process. This approach fails to sustain development and recognize larger redevelopment opportunities based on local and regional context. Despite an increasing amount of public money used to fund incentives, development continues to overlook potential positive externalities presumably to avert risk and increase feasibility. The purpose of this thesis is to re-examine brownfield redevelopment from the perspective of urban design in order to define ways in which design might offer solutions to these shortcomings and play a more critical role in future redevelopments. Using case studies of past redevelopments of former auto plant sites, Landscape Urbanism in brownfield redevelopment, and design proposals for auto plant sites from the GM and Ford closings of 2005-2006, the thesis investigates three primary questions. First, what is the conventional brownfield redevelopment process, to what extent has urban design been involved, and what are the major issues and lessons that can be learned? Secondly, what examples of brownfield redevelopment have integrated urban design to addresses these issues and what are the specific principles that inform design? Finally, how can urban design strategies, based on principles of Landscape Urbanism, lead the redevelopment of brownfield sites?
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    The urban experience at Hartsfield Airport
    (Georgia Institute of Technology, 2001-12) Heins, Matthew William