Master's Projects

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Master's Projects

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Not Evil! Japanese Web Manga Translation: Literature Review

(Georgia Institute of Technolgy, 2020) Nah, Nathania Pang ; School of Literature, Media, and Communication ; School of Modern Languages ; Georgia Institute of Technology. School of Modern Languages ; Georgia Institute of Technology. School of Literature, Media, and Communication
Capturing Atlanta’s Food Environment: A Community Level Assessment of Three Disparate Areas

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2011-05-06) Douangchai, Vanhvilai L. ; Georgia Institute of Technology. School of City and Regional Planning

Food system planning is a fairly new phenomenon in planning and has gained widespread momentum in recent years. Some of the key reasons why food system planning did not capture the attention of planners in the past are the perceptions of the food system as a “flow of products” that are disconnected from the built environment; as something that does not demand attention because it is functioning properly; and as something that does not relate to public services. In fact, it was not until 2005 that the American Planning Association (APA) held its first sessions on topics relating to food systems planning at its annual conference in San Francisco. Two years later, the APA’s Legislative and Policy Committee, Chapter Delegate Assembly, and Board of Directors adopted the Policy Guide on Community and Regional Food Planning. The realization that the food system has a significant impact on energy consumption, the environment, land use, zoning, disadvantaged groups, and public services, such as water and transportation has brought food system issues to the forefront—even mainstream media has eaten up the notion. For instance, there are reports about food accessibility on National Public Radio, documentaries about food transportation and distribution on Georgia Public Broadcasting, and websites dedicated to urban agriculture and community supported agriculture. CNN has a blog called Eatocracy that focuses on all aspects of food from cultural differences in food consumption to food deserts, a term that is often used but has not been well defined. Some refer to food deserts as simply areas that are devoid of supermarkets, while others refer to it as areas that lack stores that offer healthful foods. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention defines food deserts as “areas that lack access to affordable fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat milk, and other foods that make up the full range of a healthy diet.” The Atlanta Local Food Initiative views food deserts as “areas where there is little or no fresh food available in under-served neighborhoods.” Although the definition of food deserts is loosely interpreted, there are commonly accepted characteristics of food deserts. Communities that have a prevalence of fast food restaurants and limited or no supermarkets or grocery stores are generally viewed as food deserts. These communities are typically where disadvantaged individuals, such as the elderly, carless, and low income households live and where there is a greater prevalence of chronic diseases. Escalating incidents of obesity and diabetes in American adults, adolescents, and children have raised concerns regarding the association between the food environment and the eating habits of Americans. In 2009, only two states had an obesity rate of less than 20%. The majority of states had an obesity rate of 25% or more, including Georgia, which had an obesity rate of 27.2%.4 Between 2006-2008, Hispanics and blacks had a greater obesity rate than whites, 21% and 51%, respectively. Childhood obesity has had a significant increase as well. The prevalence of obesity among children ages 2-5 increased from 5% during the 1971-1974 period to 10.4% during the 2007-2008 period. Among children ages 6-11, the increase was from 4% to 19.6%, and among children ages 12-19, the increase was from 6.1% to 18.1% for the same periods. According to the 2011 National Diabetes Fact Sheet (as cited by the American Diabetes Association), over 8% of Americans of all ages have diabetes. Approximately 11% of adults aged 20 or older have diabetes and approximately 27% of adults aged 65 or older have diabetes. One out of 400 children and adolescents has type 1 diabetes. In 2007-2009, among different races and ethnicities aged 20 or older, the prevalence of diabetes was the greatest among blacks (12.6%), followed by Hispanics (11.8%), Asians (8.4%), and whites (7.1%).6 A joint study conducted by the California Center for Public Health Advocacy, PolicyLink, and the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research found that there is a correlation between health and the types of food venues in a community. Using a ratio of the number of fast food restaurants and convenience stores to the number of supermarkets, produce vendors, and farmers’ markets, the team calculated the Retail Food Environment Index (RFEI) of over 43,000 individuals who participated in the California Health Interview Survey.7 A RFEI measures the prevalence of healthy versus unhealthy food venues, where fast food restaurants and convenience stores represent places that sell mostly unhealthy food. While supermarkets, produce vendors, and farmers’ markets represent places that sell more healthy food. The team concluded that high RFEI values correlate to both high obesity and diabetes rates and that low income communities have a higher RFEI than higher income communities.
Race and Transit Investment in DeKalb County, Georgia

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2021-05) Lapwood, Bonnie ; Georgia Institute of Technology. School of City and Regional Planning

This paper aims to dissect intra-county neighborhood-level attitudes to transit in DeKalb County, Georgia, and the way in which they have fallen along racial and class lines during the five decades that the county has funded MARTA. This paper explores how these attitudes and their expression in neighborhood organizing have affected where transit dollars have been spent, where they have been wasted, and where they have not gone despite general support for them.
Watch and Learn: How Observation Can Enhance Understanding of Walkability and Bikability Around Transit Stations

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2016-05) Maines, Katherine ; Georgia Institute of Technology. School of City and Regional Planning

This paper examines the suitability of the environment for walking and biking around three of Atlanta’s busiest rail stations based on availability of physical infrastructure and observation of public life surrounding the stations. Infrastructure includes elements like sidewalks and on- and off-street bike facilities. The life within the public realm also influences how comfortable different people feel walking or biking, so the analysis will include observations on behavior such as types of activities, level of interaction between people, and how quickly people move through the area. The result will be a holistic view of how the public realm supports last mile connectivity for people who choose to walk or bike to access rail transit in Atlanta. The following literature review addresses several questions regarding first and last mile connectivity (FLMC) and how to assess life in the public realm.
Mixed-Use Development in Theory and Practice: Learning from Atlanta's Mixed Experiences

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2011-05-05) Herndon, Joshua D. ; Georgia Institute of Technology. School of City and Regional Planning

Over the past several decades, mixed-use development has taken center stage in the urban planning and real estate development worlds. Whether it is the Congress for the New Urbanism, Smart Growth, the Compact City, or any other movement relating to the improvement of the built environment, mixing land uses is a ubiquitous component of the underlying visions and ideals. Moreover, the concept is being embraced by both the public and private sectors, and by each of the major parties involved in the real estate development process: the end users who demand space; the developers, investors, and financial institutions that supply space; and the planners and policy makers that regulate space. The reasons for the resurgence of mixed-use development are many. Among other things, traffic congestion, increasing gasoline prices, changing consumer demographics, and a longing for the sense of place and community that too many American cities lack, are all likely contributing factors. In addition, city planners are embracing the idea of mixing uses because of its potential to reduce automobile dependence, support public transit, combat sprawl, preserve open space, promote economic development, and limit the expense of providing and maintaining infrastructure in low density environments. Furthermore, developers have increasingly proposed mixed-use developments to adapt projects to infill locations, gain access to greater densities, respond to changing consumer demands, and capitalize on the synergies created by the integration of complementary uses (Rabianski, 2009). However, despite the widespread support that mixed-use development has recently garnered, its acceptance is not universal. Many people, especially residents of suburban areas, see the reemergence of mixed land uses as a threat to their communities and believe that “greater density in suburban areas threatens [their] social and economic attractiveness” (Kotkin, 2010). Consequently, an interesting situation has arisen in which mixed-use development is simultaneously seen by some as a panacea for the problems facing American cities and by others as a direct assault on the American dream. Sorting the fact from the fiction and developing an in-depth understanding of both the possibilities and the limits of mixed-use development are essential if the positive aspects of the concept are to be maximized. Doing so requires the following questions to be considered: How has the arrangement of land uses changed over time? What are the necessary characteristics of a mixed-use development? What are the different ways of conceptualizing mixed-use projects? What are the goals of mixed-use development? What are the unique challenges associated with mixed-use projects? And what are the primary lessons should be learned from our experiences with mixed-use development to date?
Drawing Connections between Railway Station Ridership and Adjacent Urban Form

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2022-04) Maurer, Colin ; Georgia Institute of Technology. School of City and Regional Planning

This paper identifies and comparatively analyzes land use and urban design surrounding railway stations in the United States (US), United Kingdom (UK), and Japan. The objective is to identify land use and urban design patterns that are associated with higher railway ridership. The analysis first focuses on descriptively analyzing aspects of urban form and land use that correlate with stronger ridership. Following analysis of previous research, four potential design and land use factors potentially contributing to ridership are investigated using case studies selected from comparable urban and suburban areas in the three countries. Patterns that correspond with higher overall ridership are then recommended for consideration in future transit-oriented development.
A Valuation of Historic District Designation in Atlanta

( 2014-05-03) Hagood, Chelsea ; Georgia Institute of Technology. School of City and Regional Planning

It is a well-established notion that historic district designation results in increased property values (Rypkema, 2005). Many cities have employed these historic preservation policies in an effort to catalyze inner-city redevelopment efforts. It is difficult, however, to assume that all geographies will ascribe the same monetary value to historic preservation, especially across socioeconomic barriers. Historic and cultural resources are prized in most communities for their authentic representation of a neighborhood’s past. This authentic representation can be described as a way to promote the true story of an area, or the distinctive and tangible experience of a place that is supported by historical fact (Wiles, 2007). This often refers to a building or place’s material or architectural integrity, but authenticity can also be described as a social construct concerned with intangible traditions just as much, if not more than the preservation of the original architecture. Thus, the historic authenticity of the neighborhood is lessened if the community members that share connections with these historic resources are displaced due to the rising property values simultaneously touted as a policy benefit. When dealing with historic districts and neighborhoods it is especially important to recognize the community members and residents themselves as sources of historical authenticity, especially if the historical significance associated with the neighborhood is directly related to the people who have lived there. Despite the common misconception that historic districts are often located within wealthy homogenous neighborhoods, given Atlanta’s rich civil rights history, several of the City’s historic districts are located in historically low-income African American neighborhoods, and thus may be susceptible to displacement resulting from increased property values.
Community as a Core Principle: Restoring Urban Headwaters and Implementing Green Infrastructure in the Upper Flint River Basin

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2021-05) Muller, Rachel ; Georgia Institute of Technology. School of City and Regional Planning

This Applied Research Paper presents strategies for incorporating community engagement in green infrastructure projects. More specifically, it will develop strategies for engagement within Finding the Flint, a project seeking to daylight the Flint River and create a Nature Preserve Park in College Park, Georgia. This paper focuses on Finding the Flint because the project exemplifies both the obstacles and opportunities associated with increasing community voice in watershed management issues.
University - Community Partnerships for Workforce Development

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2015-12) Albert, Austin ; Blaut, Avrahim ; Bourget, Jean-Pierre ; Kao, Mindy ; Snyder Kelly, Anna ; Reasoner, Jane ; Samarripas, Stefen ; Tatum, Kimberly ; Welch, Anne ; Kim, Anna Joo ; Georgia Institute of Technology. College of Architecture ; Georgia Institute of Technology. School of City and Regional Planning

Visitors to Georgia Tech need only to walk a few minutes’ distance from campus to find the Westside community, but they will feel like they’re in a different world. Though the area has made a significant cultural contribution to Atlanta, in recent years severe disinvestment has led to high unemployment, high crime rates, low educational attainment, and other problems in the community. While its neighbor to the east, Georgia Tech, has grown and thrived, the Westside has been left behind. Many residents lack even basic computer access, for example, making it even more difficult to find work. This is the situation at the doorstep of an internationally recognized research university; but we don’t have to accept it. This report proposes two areas of focus for Georgia Tech to take action for the Westside: 1. A community RFP program to leverage academic resources for neighboring community projects. 2. Westside-supportive policies in institutional procurement, hiring, and diversity. These recommendations are preliminary, but have been designed with simple and quick implementation in mind.
Community by Design

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2014-07) Carpenter, Michael ; Rebola, Claudia B. ; Shankweiler, Kevin ; DiSalvo, Carl ; Le Dantec, Christopher ; Georgia Institute of Technology. College of Architecture ; Georgia Institute of Technology. School of Industrial Design

Principles of community based participatory research (CBPR) were applied in the field of design to create an avenue to encourage and allow more community input in the design process. Communities are diverse, each with their own unique characteristics; therefore, it is important to work with members and local organizations to understand the background, history, and dynamics that define the community. Current CBPR methods allow member’s input in the design process but aren’t geared towards creating design solutions. This project focuses on creating an approach that merges CBPR and user centered design principles. The outcome is the creation of K.I.N.D. (Knowledge, Immersion, Need, Design), a self designed toolkit used to connect and unify diverse groups of community members to learn about current needs and identify a design-oriented solution. To test this toolkit, the K.I.N.D methodology was applied to local community. Through the application of K.I.N.D, members of the local community became actively engaged in developing a tangible solution. The results showcase a branding strategy to strengthen the identity of the community as well as a plan for identifying assets within the community and stimulating economic growth