Ph. D. in Architecture

Abstract: Architectural design is understood to operate within two models, Analysis-Synthesis (AS) and Conjecture-Analysis (CA) conventionally referred to as the rational and intuitive methods. Conceptually the models seem viable but in practice lack the richness and complexity associated with architectural design. This study examines the design processes of 12 men and women architects chosen from a variety of practices in nine locations. Ethnographic methods were used for data collection. Data were content analyzed comparing the processes of practicing architectural designers against the two models. Findings indicate that architectural design is more complex than the models AS and CA represent. Architectural design is more accurately represented the aspects of continuity, anticipation of unpredictability and explicit involvement of others as part of the process are taken into consideration.

Author: Daher, Rami Farouk

Publication date: 1995

Title: Towards a Comprehensive Approach for the Identification, Evaluation, and Management of Historical and Cultural Resources in Jordan: "Paradigm Shift in Conservation Ideology"

Abstract:Research related to conservation of the natural and manmade environments is shifting towards a broader definition of the word "conservation".This new paradigm shift does not limit the domain of conservation to aesthetic preservation of cultural artifacts and historic monuments, or to a struggle for a better natural environment. The current approach to conservation looks upon the world as a global system, which encompasses both natural and built environments. Under this broader conception of the world, conservation can be best defined as the "dynamic management of change" in order to ensure the well being of humankind. Currently in Jordan research in the area of conservation is often limited to historical analysis and architectural documentation of historical sites. In addition, management of the cultural heritage is restricted to rescue and salvage archaeology and does not address the conservation of the more recent and diverse cultural heritage. The research adopted a multi-method approach through the incorporation of between method triangulation to increase the internal validity of the study. The first method used was an exploration in the contexts and dynamics of heritage conservation in Jordan. This exploration took the form of an expedition (traveling workshop) and consisted of a field reconnaissance-level survey of post-1700 AD historical and cultural resources public meetings and a one-day workshop, and a conservation questionnaire. The second method was a study of the evolution of conservation movements in different geographic and cultural contexts (United States, France, and Egypt). The main advantage of the multi-method approach was not the quantity of data it provided, but rather the data's diversity and the opportunities for comparison that this diversity afforded. The outcome of this research is to suggest a comprehensive-regional approach for the identification evaluation, and management of historical and cultural resources in Jordan; taking into consideration local culture values, dynamics, and context. This research goes beyond being an intellectual exercise or an advocacy to save monumental and appealing architecture; it is a rhetorical argument (a scientific, methodological, and historical argument), based on maximizing the voices of authority and understanding the key players in conservation in Jordan to build a broader understanding of Jordanian local, national and place identities.

Author: Fournier, Marie-AndrÃ©e

Publication date: 1999

Title: Impact of a Family-Centered-Care Approach on the Design of Neonatal Intensive Care Units

Abstract: The presence and involvement of families in the neonatal intensive-care unit offers a unique way to humanize the healthcare experience for infants, their families, and their caregivers. Unfortunately, the physical environment of intensive-care units has been identified as an obstacle to the effective practice of family-centered care. A better understanding of family-centered care in the perinatal context is essential to optimize the design of the physical environment. This qualitative study explored the human behaviors and interactions of families and caregivers in the physical environment of a neonatal intensive-care unit. Inspired by an ecological model that considered all aspects of a situationâ€�physical, social, and organizationalâ€�the research proceeded with a multi-method approach that included plan analysis, observations of participants, interviews with the caregivers, and questionnaires to families. Data were content-analyzed to provide a better understanding of the role played by the environment in enhancing and/or obstructing the implementation and practice of family-centered care, as well as the impact of a family-centered care approach on the use of the space. As a result, information was first encoded in three types of categories corresponding to the three types of interactions occurring in the NICU: 1) interactions between parents and infants; 2) interactions between families and caregivers; and 3) interactions between caregivers and infants, and among caregivers. Analyzing familiesâ€� and caregiversâ€� behaviors, four environmental themes emerged as central concepts to understand the relationships between the environment and familiesâ€� and caregiversâ€� coordinated action in the NICU: 1) privacy and intimacy; 2) social support and interaction; 3) comfort and image; and 4) functionality, flexibility, and accessibility. Those themes were important to conceptualize the performance of the environment in supporting a family-centered care approach. Findings led to the elaboration of final recommendations to guide the design of Planetree neonatal intensive-care units practicing family-centered care.

Author: Kim, In-Kon

Publication date: 1997

Title: Subjective Responses to Daylight, Sunlight, and View in College Classrooms with Windows

Abstract: In recent times, because of full air conditioning and permanent full or supplementary artificial lighting, the function of windows has changed in the United States. As a result of this change, the psychological aspects of the window functions are more important than the quantity of the light or ventilation provided by the window. The qualitative or psychological aspects of the window functions require a different window design from a design for the quantitative aspects of the window. This study investigates the psychological effects of daylight, sunlight, and view provided by the classroom windows to provide the new design criteria for classroom windows. This study includes two separate experiments: the first experiment is to investigate and window classrooms, and the second experiment is to investigate how different window configurations impact psychological responses. The windows in the classrooms provide positive emotion to the classroom environment and serve to increase academic satisfaction with the classrooms. However, there is no difference between classrooms without the windows and with the windows, which do not provide view and natural light. This result clearly shows the necessity of the windows in the college classroom. The attribution of view through the windows is the most important factor in window design for college classrooms. It is necessary that the orientation of the windows is decided by considering the outside view. Sunlight might be welcomed by classroom occupants, unless sunlight reaches to the workplane and becomes a glare source. Many small windows are better for windows might have occupants feel more alive and pleasant and increase the effect of view types. The best window condition selected by participants in this study is eight small windows providing sunlight and a good view. The worst condition is two large windows providing daylight (no sunlight) and a poor view.

Author: Kim, Suk Bong

Publication date: 1998

Title: The Analysis of Factors Affecting Energy Consumption of Duplex Residences In College Station, Texas

Abstract: The overall purpose of this research was to characterize the variability of energy consumption due to a series of construction, occupant, and weather-related effects in duplex residences in College Station, Texas. Spline regression was used to estimate cooling efficiency, heating efficiency, base load, modified cooling balance temperature, and modified heating balance temperature for monthly billed kWh and average daily outside temperature. These estimates were used to predict normalized annual consumption. Best subsets regression and multiple regression were used to explore the relationship between energy consumption and construction occupant, and weather-related factors. Normalized annual consumption, actual energy consumption, cooling efficiency heating efficiency, and base load were used as dependent variables. Construction-related factors included market value, floor area, perimeter, length of common wall, year built, wall materials, roof reflectivity, shading factor orientation perpendicular to the common wall, and number of bedrooms. There were seven occupant-related factors: winter thermostat-set temperature, summer thermostat-set temperature, programmable thermostat setting, adjusted thermostat setting, number of occupants, student or not, and monthly rent. Weather-related factors included cooling efficiency, heating efficiency, base load, modified cooling balance temperature, and modified heating balance temperature. The sample for this study was 140 duplex residences which used only electricity for cooling and heating, and had one year minimum occupancy in College Station, Texas. The spline regression models with weather- related factors achieved adjusted R 2 values averaging 0.82. Construction, occupant, and weather-related factors were determined to be components of energy consumption. In the final modeling, construction, occupant, and weather-related factors accounted for 0.96 of the variance for the actual energy consumption of duplex residences. Some significant differences were found between the models which contained the weather-related factors and the models which did not contain the weather-related factors. This study demonstrated that weather-related factors were a very important factor in the analysis of energy consumption.

Author: Kim, Wonpil

Publication date: 1997

Title: Effects of Dwelling Floor Level on Factors Related to Residential Satisfaction and Home Environment in High-Rise Apartment Buildings

Abstract: The wider context for this study is the premise that high- rise apartment living has negatively contributed to a variety of problems related to the physical conditions of existing apartment buildings. Critics of high-rise housing attack the very concept of apartment living. Regarding high-rise living environments, building height is an important physical dimension of a resident's perception. The purpose of this study was to identify factors related to residential satisfaction and home environment, and to examine the effects of dwelling floor level on these factors and personal characteristics. The review of literature and factor analysis identified six important environmental factors physical quality of dwelling unit, safety/security, social interaction, self-expression/place-identity, physical qualities of neighborhood environment, and management/maintenance. Seven hundred and fifty subjects were randomly selected from eight high-rise apartment communities in major U.S. cities. Three hundred and ninety- six residents responded to the mail survey. The average respondent was an unmarried, over 40, female, employed Caucasian with at least one college degree. This group had typically lived in their current high-rise for 6 to 9 years and had an annual income, ranging from $40,000 to $59,999. Contrary to general assumptions about high-rise apartment buildings being inappropriate housing alternatives, these groups of residents reported a high degree of satisfaction with their high-rise residences. An examination of dwelling floor effects on the six factors indicated that the physical qualities of the dwelling unit were the only significant relationship. It was also found that no personal characteristics except gender and type of tenure were significantly related to the dwelling floor level for this specific group. Multiple-regression analysis found that both physical quality of dwelling unit and management/maintenance were important predictors of residential satisfaction and home environment on all floors. Although this study investigated the effects of dwelling floor level on factors explored, only a small portion of these relationships were significant. "Living on a different floor" in high-rise apartment buildings does not contribute significantly to the problems associated with high-rise living. Therefore, blank condemnation of high-rise dwellings that does not consider specific contexts should be questioned. When the buildings were well-designed and well-maintained, these particular residents showed a high degree of satisfaction at all floor levels.

Author: Kitagawa De Leon, Midori.

Publication date: 1993

Title: Boolean operations on polygon meshes

Abstract: Geometric modeling studies how to construct and represent shapes of objects. The shape of a physical object can be measured and represented as a geometric model on the computer. The shape of a non-existing object can be designed and represented as a geometric model on the computer. Algorithms for Boolean operations construct complex models from simpler models. This research presents a simple, robust, and fast algorithm for Boolean operations on polygon meshes. The proposed algorithm systematically classifies the relationship of two intersecting polygons into four types and subdivides intersecting polygons by using one of three methods. Singular intersections are defined and a method which locally classifies polygons in singular intersections is documented. As well as 2-manifold objects, certain types non-2-manifold objects are acceptable as input. The robustness of the algorithm is graphically illustrated by resulting objects constructed by an implementation of the algorithm. The binary index list subdivision methods (BILS methods) presented here for geometric search are simple but powerful: the methods allow the Boolean operation algorithm to have computational time which is linear in the size of the input. The BILS search methods are described and experimental evidence is presented to show that the complexity of the algorithm is linear in the size of the input.

Author: McCormick, Mary S.

Publication date: 1996

Title: How to Get There from Here: Way-Finding in Complex Environments

Abstract: This research compared environmental properties that influence way-finding-plan complexity, signage, vistas, and landmarks-to the observed, way-finding behavior of some 5,000 patients and visitors at a major health-care facility, in order to generate design guidelines for expansion. Observations of the way-finding behavior of patients and visitors were made at choice points where they had to decide which way to go, where plan complexity was high and signage was poor. An ANOVA data analysis showed that the presence of vistas and landmarks at choice points was associated with significantly less way-finding difficulty than, where vistas and landmarks were absent. A second ANOVA showed that way-finding difficulty decreased with the presence of appropriate environmental properties: 53.4% of participants showed way-finding difficulty when vistas and landmarks, were absent, 48%, when vistas were present, 38.5%, when landmarks ,were present, and only 30.5% of participants showed way-finding difficulty when both vistas and landmarks were present; these results were all statistically significant. Unanticipated findings were that high traffic volume reduced observed way-finding difficulty greatly. Half of all patients and visitors parked in disadvantageous places and entered the wrong building entrances, through conflicts between signage and the perceptual characteristics of roads and building entrances. According to the neurosciences and environmental psychology, way finding combines orientation with navigation in consistent ways. A survey of some prehistoric and isolated societies revealed architectural forms associated with orientation and navigation. Concepts from phenomenology and Gibson's direct perception yielded a model of being in place and moving through space. Resulting design guidelines recommend a central trail connecting all the buildings indoors and out, to integrate the health-care facilities and organize the campus for future growth. Landmarks at nodes and vistas along links should be added to reduce plan complexity and guide patients and visitors to their destinations. Elevator stacks must become distinctive and visible from the trail. Way-finding design recommendations for the campus as a whole include distinctive site entrances separated by function, streams of traffic directed by destination, vistas and landmarks to guide approaching drivers, parking terraces near building entrances, and unique building entrances visible from site entrances.

Author: Nobe, Michael Dean

Publication date: 1996

Title: Decision Support for Real Estate Development Cost Estimating

Abstract: This research examines the theoretical underpinnings and associated advancements related to the built environment and decision support systems (DSS). Specifically for the built environment this includes the disciplines of real estate development, construction science and project management finance, statistics and economics, for decision support systems this includes management science and decision analysis, and computer science. The purpose of this research was to design, develop and evaluate a prototype development cost estimating decision support system for use in the pre- development planning stage of real estate development. Particular emphasis was placed on synthesis of each discipline's models and/or advancements which support design and development of a decision support system; derivation of real estate development cost; and evaluation of risk. The results of the design and development phases of this research are embodied in the Real Estate Development Decision Support (REDDS) system as documented in this dissertation. Following design and development of the system, it was tested on a group of real estate development and construction management students at Texas A&M University. It was hypothesized that such an interdisciplinary methodology, which utilizes a decision support system framework, would facilitate generation of consistent and timely analysis of real estate development cost and associated risk and elevate the confidence of the user in the decision making process. Test results indicate that the REDDS systems does significantly reduce conceptual cost estimating preparation time. Further it was determined that the REDDS system does not significantly change the confidence of the user in the decision making process. Finally, this study shows that use of the REDDS system provides a consistent and sophisticated framework for evaluating development cost and risk, which leads to less variation and more accurate estimates.

Author: Rogers, Julie S.

Publication date: 1996

Title: The Concept of Framing and Its Role in Teacher-Student Negotiations during Desk Critiques in the Architectural Design Studio

Abstract: This research investigates negotiation through the identification of frame categories evidenced in verbal communication in desk critique settings in the architectural design studio. The study provides an interpretative account of communicated frames and their relationship to the development of the architectural design project. The basic assumption of this research is that an understanding of the types of frames (or interpretative schemes) the teacher and the student are invoking, the content of their interpretations and the extent to which the interactants redefine or shift frames is critical to understanding negotiated order in the architectural design studio.

Author: Spence, Karen Cordes

Publication date: 1996

Title: Theorizing in Architecture: An Examination of the Texts of Frampton, Rossi, and Lang

Abstract: Recent discussions of the subject of theory in architecture often presuppose what is meant by the term "theory." As a result, the term has been used rather loosely and with a wide array of meanings. This study examines the subject of theory in order to begin an elucidation of what it means to theorize, framing the possibilities of this subject to allow a better understanding of its elements and characteristics. Such an elucidation aids the accessibility of theoretical investigations in the profession, provides a fundamental structure for the activity of theorizing and the construction of theorems, and discourages the postrationalization of connections between idea and form. The investigation begins by examining traditional definitions of the term theory." Theory" is defined as a clarification. It may be in the form of a doctrine or explanatory scheme. The activity of clarifying is distinguished from the clarification resultant recognizing a distinction between "theorizing" and theorem." From this beginning, a number of other characteristics are identified in theorizing. This elucidation of theorizing is then used in an examination of several recent texts that are commonly recognized to be a part of the subject of theory in architecture. Specifically, the writings of Kenneth Frampton, Aldo Rossi, and Jon Lang--selected because of the nature of their approaches--will be studied to evaluate their contents, noting strengths and weaknesses. These works will also be considered in terms of their correlation with the previously noted elements and characteristics of theorizing. Investigating selected writings provides an understanding of how theorizing functions in architecture as well as examines and tests the identified elements and characteristics of theorizing. The elucidation of theorizing, along with Frampton's critical theory, Rossi's typological and analogical approaches, and Lang's behavioral science, present a beginning for a deeper understanding of theorizing in architecture. Correlations and conflicts are identified to disclose the variety of perspectives that constitute the subject of theory in architecture.

Author: Rima Al Ajlouni

Publication date: 2005

Title: Development and Evaluation of a Digital Tool for Vertual Reconstruction of Historic Islamic Geometric Patterns

Abstract: For the purpose of cultural heritage preservation, the task of recording and reconstructing visually complicated architectural geometrical patterns is facing many practical challenges. Existing traditional technologies rely heavily on the subjective nature of our perceptual power in understanding its complexity and depicting its color differences. This study explores one possible solution, through utilizing digital techniques for reconstructing detailed historical Islamic geometric patterns. Its main hypothesis is that digital techniques offer many advantages over the human eye in terms of recognizing subtle differences in light and color. The objective of the study is to design, test and evaluate an automatic visual tool for identifying deteriorated or incomplete archaeological Islamic geometrical patterns captured in digital images, and then restoring them digitally, for the purpose of producing accurate 2D reconstructed metric models. An experimental approach is used to develop, test and evaluate the specialized software. The goal of the experiment is to analyze the output reconstructed patterns for the purpose of evaluating the digital tool in respect to reliability and structural accuracy, from the point of view of the researcher in the context of historic preservation. The research encapsulates two approaches within its methodology; Qualitative approach is evident in the process of program design, algorithm selection, and evaluation. Quantitative approach is manifested through using mathematical knowledge of pattern generation to interpret available data and to simulate the rest based on it. The reconstruction process involves induction, deduction and analogy. The proposed method was proven to be successful in capturing the accurate structural geometry of the deteriorated straight-lines patterns generated based on the octagon-square basic grid. This research also concluded that it is possible to apply the same conceptual method to reconstruct all two-dimensional Islamic geometric patterns. Moreover, the same methodology can be applied to reconstruct many other pattern systems. The conceptual framework proposed by this study can serve as a platform for developing professional softwares related to historic documentation. Future research should be directed more towards developing artificial intelligence and pattern recognition techniques that have the ability to supplement human power in accomplishing difficult tasks.

Author: Cassandrea Hager

Publication date: 2005

Title: Developing Standards for Undergraduate University construction Education Internship Programs

Abstract: Personally observed variability among construction education internship programs prompted this investigation. The schools of construction that form the Associated Schools of Construction (ASC) encourage its members to provide curricula that produces qualified professionals for the construction industry. There is agreement within ASC that a practical component along with classroom curriculum is needed for construction students' education (Senior, 1997). Although construction programs have different ways of accomplishing this experiential component, most do have some sort of internship or cooperative program (Chapin, et al., 2003). Construction internships vary greatly from one program to the next - in length, supervision, academic deliverables, and whether credit is earned. No common set of internship field experience standards or best-practices guidelines have been developed for construction education. This study was divided into three subproblems. Subproblem One describes the status of construction internship programs currently administered in selected American undergraduate universities. Subproblem Two identifies elements that students, companies and schools perceive to support valuable, satisfying internship experiences. And, Subproblem Three incorporates findings from Subproblems One and Two to identify common elements to provide a structure for construction internship programs, in order to develop a set of guidelines for construction education internship programs. Three constituencies were surveyed: 1) university undergraduate construction programs, 2) construction companies, and 3) students of the respective construction programs. The school survey utilized ASC membership rosters to survey 91 schools, with 56 participating (62%). The company survey randomly sampled 200 of the Top 400 U.S. Construction Companies listed in Engineering News Record's ENR Sourcebook 2003, with 75 participating (37.5%). The student survey had 31 students from eleven schools in nine different states voluntarily participate. Univariate analyses on only one variable at a time served to describe the survey population, and by extension, the population from which the sample was selected. The data were analyzed utilizing frequency percentages and summary averages including mode and mean. Based on the findings of this study, it was concluded that a set of "best-practices" guidelines were needed for construction education internship programs. A set of best practices guidelines for developing construction education internship programs are provided.

Author: Tanya Komas

Publication date: 2005

Title: Historic Building Documentation in The United States, 1933-2000: The Historic American Building Survey, A Case Study

Abstract: The objective of the study was to gain new insight into archival building documentation in the United States since 1933 focusing on Historic American Buildings Survey(HABS) as a case study. It sought to help explain how individuals with different levels of involvement with the HABS program, and throughout its entire history, understood the development, current operational context, and future direction of HABS. Seven general philosophical and practical issues were explored: 1) how HABS documentation standards were understood and applied, 2) the relative values of the process and products of documentation, 3) the understanding and application of the objective and subjective natures of the documentation process, 4) whether the mission of the program had changed with changes in the operation of the program since its inception, 5) the role of technology in the process of HABS documentation and how it shapes the end products, 6) defining broader historical epochs with the goal of adding to existing understandings of the history of the program, and 7) the causes and effects of HABS drawing style changes over time.

Author: Sakkara Rasisuttha

Publication date: 2005

Title: An Inverstigation of Methods for Reducing the Use of Non-renewable Energy Rescources for Housing in Thailand

Abstract: The purpose of this research is to develop methods that reduce energy consumption in a residential building in a hot and humid climate region (Thailand) using efficient architectural building components and renewable energy (solar energy) to produce electricity, domestic hot water, and supplemental cooling by night sky radiation. Improving the architectural building components, including building materials, is an option to reduce energy consumption in a building. Using renewable energy sources is another option to reduce the consumption of non-renewable energy. In residential buildings, solar energy has been utilized for space heating and domestic hot water using active solar collector systems and for generating electricity using photovoltaic (PV) systems. One photovoltaic system, the hybrid photovoltaic-thermal (PV-T) collector system, has been developed by several researchers over the last 20 years. The hybrid photovoltaic-thermal (PV-T) collector system is a combination photovoltaic (for producing electricity) and solar thermal collector (for producing hot water).Theoretical and experimental studies of this collector have highlighted the advantages of the hybrid PV-T collector system over separate systems of PV and solar collector in term of system efficiency and economics. Unfortunately, very little experimental data exists that demonstrates the advantages of a combined system. Therefore, one of the objectives of this study conducted was an experimental study of this system as an auxiliary energy source for a residential building. Night sky radiation has also been studied as a cooling strategy. However, no attempt so far could be found to integrate it to a hybrid PV-T collector system. The night sky radiation strategy could be operated with the hybrid PV/T collector system by using existing resources that are already present in the solar system. The integration of the night sky radiation into the hybrid PV-Tcollector system should yield more productivity of the system than the operation of the Hybrid PVTsystem alone. The research methods used in this work included instrumentation of a case-study house in Thailand, an experimental PV-T collector system, and a calibrated building thermal simulation. A typical contemporary Thai residential building was selected as a case-study house. Its energy use and local weather data were measured and analyzed. Published energy use of Thai residential buildings was also analyzed as well to determine average energy consumption. A calibrated computer model of the case-study building was constructed using the DOE-2 program. A field experiment of the thermal PV system was constructed to test its ability to simultaneously produce electricity and hot water in the daytime, and shed heat at night as a cooling strategy (i.e., night sky radiation). The resultant electricity and hot water produced by the hybrid PV-T collector system helped to reduce the use of non-renewable energy. The cooling produced by the night sky radiation also has to potential to reduce the cooling load. The evaluation of the case-study house and results of the field experiment helped to quantify the potential reduction of energy use in Thai residential buildings.This research provided the following benefits: 1) experimental results of a hybrid PV-Tsolar collector system that demonstrates its performance compared to typical system of separate photovoltaic and solar collector, 2) results of night sky radiation experiments using a photovoltaic panel as a radiator to demonstrate the performance of this new space cooling strategy, and 3) useful data from the case-study house simulation results and guidelines to assist others in transferring the results to other projects.

Author: Kwanchai Roachanakana

Publication date: 2005

Title: A Case Study of Cost Overruns in a Thai Condominum Project

Abstract: Construction managers confront many problems. Still, this industry plays a vital role in the healthy growth of the economy of many countries throughout the developed and developing world. Effective management of construction projects has been a major research subject in the last century due to the importance of this industry and the amount of money it attracts. One critical problem facing construction managers is inefficient cost control procedures, particularly in developing regions of the world. Since the end of the Second World War, the use of sophisticated cost control procedures in managing and controlling project costs have been accepted and applied widely in many partsof the world such as the United States and the United Kingdom. These procedures are important in a growing economy to ensure delivery of projects on time and within budget, but they are equally important during an economic recession when project viability becomes marginal. In the early 1990s, the construction in dustry in Thailand played a critical role during a period of strong economic growth. Construction cost control was not a major concern as developers rushed to capitalize on the booming market. In the late 1990s, the economy of Southeast Asia sank into recession. Project cost control became a critical issue for thedevelopers as well as the construction companies in managing construction projects. A significant number of projects in Thailand in the late 1990s had significant cost overruns. Cost overruns had been a problem during the high growth period in the early 1990s, but demand overcame the problems created by poor cost control. The use of good project cost control procedures has become a concern of project investors and construction companies in Thailand since the recession of the late 1990s. Project managers and developers are now aware that the failure of a cost control system or use of a poor system can lead to project failure. Project cost control methods need to be improved in Thailand to ensure that owners and contractors manage construction costs and meet project goals on time and within budget. In this study, project cost controls in the United States and Thailand will be examined.These procedures will be analyzed to identify their similarities and differences. The causes and solutions for cost overruns in the two countries will also be examined. The results from the study will illustrate how the project cost control procedures used in the United States canbe applied to the construction industry in Thailand to improve the procedures used by Thai contractors.

Author: Samer Al Ratrout

Publication date: 2005

Title: Feasibility Study of Using Optical Moire Interferometry Technique for Fine-grain Surface Relief in Heritage Recording

Abstract: In order to prepare for the prospective need for heritage 3D recording, the main objective of this research was to investigate a new depth measuring method that can reduce identified limitations of current point-to-point measuring approaches.The limitations were time-money consumption, intrusiveness, accuracy assumption and efficiency. In many disciplines other than heritage recording, optical moiré interferometry techniques (OMIT) are well developed as a measuring method and are considered fast, non-intrusive, accurate, and efficient. Based on these considerations, this research hypothesized that OMIT, as a measuring method, is feasible with respect to time-consumption and accuracy in acquiring depthmeasurement for fine-grain surface relief for historic recording.To test this hypothesis, a feasibility investigation was carried in which OMIT was used for surface relief topographic recording. This goal was approached by performing a comparison study between the OMIT measuring method as the investigated method and the hand measuring method as the control method. For each method, the comparison required performing eight experimental samplings of relief recording for a pre-designed physical model surface.The data collected from the hand measuring samples were the depth measurements of predefined points on the model surface and the time consumption for both measuring and data preparing processes. The data collected from the OMIT measuring samples were moiré dark fringes generated on the model surface and the time-consumption for both moiré generating and data preparing processes. For measurement accuracy evaluation, the collected depth data were prepared in the form of topographic contour drawings. For the OMIT feasibility evaluation, a comparison was carried out to examine the resulting topographic contour drawings for depth measurement accuracy level and measuring process time-consumption. In conclusion, the OMIT method showed higher depth measurement accuracy levels and lower process time-consumption than the hand method. The OMIT method also demonstrated less intrusiveness and more efficiency. This superiority validates the feasibility of using fine-grain surface relief for heritage recording purposes. Finally, the observed advantages of the OMIT method were presented to establish potentials for future developments and investigations. The observed limitations of the method were also pointed out to establish trends for recommendations and further studies.

Author: Narongpon Laiprakobsup

Publication date: 2007

Title: The Emergence of The Essence

Abstract:The study aims to develop the theory of inbetween place. The inbetweens have been important elements in architectural design as transitional and reconciling realms. Architecture of place and its theories has been dominated the environmental design as place-making. However, the inbetween environments have not been clarified in significant, living place-forms for interval embodiment and systemic relationships between juxtaposing places. Through inbetween places, domains in juxtaposition will be comprehensively integrated as the whole. By a triangulation from three standpoints--phenomenological, embodied realism, and neo-structuralism--through case studies, the intrinsic characteristics and underlying essence of inbetween modes of place is identified.
The study argues that inbetween places present themselves as living forms of connectedness, embodied presence, and significant pauses. Distinctive inbetween presences of place emerge from three frameworks--synthesized presence of place and the inbetweens, embodied presence of the inbetweens, and presence of inbetween "Significant Forms." On presence of place and the inbetweens, inbetween places reflect living forms of intervals as interconnecting mediums between neighboring places. As an interval place, inbetween places, based on embodied presence, can be defined as distinct body of junctions by organized complexity of edges. According to Langer's term "Significant Form" of place, inbetween places convey the symbolic presence of associative, edging layers that clarify differences and spatial relations between environmental juxtapositions.
From a framework triangulation, inbetween places manifest complex interval domains of associative junctions as fundamental composite presences of: (1) defined inbetween containments; (2) active edging junctions or layers of juxtaposition; and (3) associative layers with places in juxtaposition. The essential quality of concrete, interrelating junctions between places separates inbetween places from inbetween placeless-ness. Inbetween places are intermediary domains creating vital and aesthetic links between places in juxtaposition; on the other hand, inbetween placeless-ness is deprived of a significant place of meaningful interactions with nearby realms. Thus, inbetween places turn out to be critical domains to develop comprehensive relationships between juxtaposing places, drawing different domains nearby to be bonded through the presence of adaptive, edging layers of places.

Author: Jin Gyu Park

Publication date:2007

Title: Environmental Color for Pediatric Patient Room Design

Abstract: Color has a large impact on our psychological and physiological responses. This study examines the value of color as a component in a healing environment for pediatric patient rooms by measuring color preferences among healthy children, pediatric patients, and design professionals. Environmental satisfaction is a significant mediator between the physical environment and children's health. Previous color preference studies have typically been done with small color chips or papers, which are very different from seeing a color applied on wall surfaces. A simulation method allowed for investigating the value of color in real contexts and controlling confounding variables. The findings of this study demonstrated that blue and green are the most preferred, and white the least preferred color, by both children and design professionals. Children's gender differences were found in that boys prefer red and purple less than girls. Pediatric patients reported lower preference scores for yellow than did healthy children. These findings lead to color application guidelines for designers to understand color more and eventually to create better environments for children and their families.

Author: Sopa Visitsak

Publication date:2007

Title: An Evaluation of the Bioclimatic Chart for choosing Design Strategies for a Thermostatically - Controllied Residenence in selected Climates

Abstract: To be successful in sustainable building design, architects must consider energy efficient design strategies in the early design stage. Unfortunately, many architects still rely on simplified analysis, synthesis techniques, and historical examples. Although, building energy simulations are becoming more common in the design of buildings, architects rarely use simulation in the early design stage.
The "Bioclimatic" charts have been used in the early design stage to define potential building design strategies to achieve indoor thermal comfort. Currently, many architects use the Givoni-Milne bioclimatic design chart (Milne and Givoni, 1979), which was developed based on principle reasoning and heuristics. There have been many attempts to develop computerized programs to further the bioclimatic analysis; however, there have been very limited efforts to test and evaluate the design strategies of the chart using simulations of a thermostatically-controlled building.
Therefore, the purpose of this research is to promote comfortable buildings that reduce energy use through appropriate building design strategies. The objectives of the research are to develop a more accurate bioclimatic chart for a thermostatically-controlled residence by testing and evaluating the Givoni-Milne bioclimatic chart. The analysis is performed with DOE-2.1e program (Winkelmann, 1993) and TMY2 weather data (Marion and Urban, 1995) for several climates. To achieve these objectives, four main tasks were accomplished: (1) investigate the Givoni-Milne Bioclimatic Chart using representative weather data from several climates, (2) analyze and modify the design strategy boundaries using DOE-2 program and TMY2 weather data to simulate the effects of varied conditions of a thermostatically-controlled residence in different climates, (3) compare these new design strategy boundaries to the original Givoni-Milne design strategy boundaries, and (4) develop general guidelines for the new bioclimatic chart.
In summary, there were some differences in the results from the Givoni-Milne bioclimatic chart and the DOE-2 simulation results. These results imply that without further modification, the G-M Chart may have only a limited use for a thermostaticallycontrolled residence. Therefore, to improve the usefulness of the bioclimatic chart the new bio-climatic chart for choosing design strategies for a thermostatically-controlled residence in the hot-humid climate of Houston, Texas, was developed. This new bioclimatic chart for a thermostatically-controlled residence will be a useful tool for architects and engineers in the early design stage. Similar versions of the new bioclimatic for other climates could then be developed.

Author: You Kyoung Ahn

Publication date: 2007

Title: Adaptive Reuse of Abandoned Historic Churches: Building Type and Public perception

Abstract: This study investigates the adaptive reuse of abandoned historic churches. Since churches serve as cultural heritage symbols, the public becomes concerned with maintaining the historic integrity of these buildings. More so, this phenomenon is accentuated when the church is recognized as a historic building by the National Register of Historic Places. Yet, more and more churches are abandoned due to decreases in congregation size and financial constraints that limit the maintenance of the churches. Adaptive reuse projects of these abandoned churches are often initiated to save and preserve these buildings.
This research focuses on the question: What is the public perception of critical architectural features of a historic church when it is adapted to a new function (new building type)? To support the importance of this question, the study integrates two major bodies of knowledge. The first body of literature is research conducted in cognitive science focusing on human perception of environments. The second body of literature is on historic preservation with a focus on adaptive reuse. The integration of these literature reviews is further demonstrated in the analysis of examples of past and recent adaptive reuse projects of religious buildings. Following this investigation, a conceptual model was developed to illustrate how research variables and hypotheses were made based on the findings from this literature review.
To test the research question and its hypotheses, two prototypes of historic churches were developed. Then, typologies of changes in the important architectural features (interior volume and light quality) of the churches were constructed from examples of adaptively reused historic churches listed in the National Register of Historic Places. These typologies were developed to represent various building types (e.g., community/cultural, institutional, commercial, and residential). Finally, an experiment was conducted to test public perceptions of acceptable and desirable degree of each reuse and the degree of retaining religious origins by use of these typologies.
The findings of this research illustrate the importance of public perception and building type in adaptive reuse projects. This in turn provides theoretical and practical implications for adaptive reuse projects in the field of historic preservation.

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