The growth in numbers of large apartment buildings adjacent to the urban core in the period 1955 - 1965 provides striking evidence of a recent change in urban residential structure. Several hypotheses have been advanced in this thesis and tested in the West End of Vancouver, British Columbia. The research indicates a close correlation between recent high-rise construction and the increasing numbers of persons, in both relative and absolute terms, who form small household units and have few family responsibilities. Such persons are either young adults or elderly retired individuals. In either case the common requirements of a small dwelling unit and available out-of-home activities are noted. The adjacent location of the Central Business District appears critical to the siting of a concentration of high-rise apartment buildings. Both reasons given by West End apartment dwellers for their residence within the West End and their recorded activity patterns indicate the strong drawing force of the Central Business District employment, shopping, entertainment and recreation services. Indeed, daily activity patterns of the West End apartment dweller indicate few connections outside the West End - Central Business area. Thesis research indicates that periods of apartment growth appear closely related to government legislation, new techniques in construction and to available capital. Three theories proposed in previous investigations of central residential areas are negated by thesis research: 1). Public redevelopment schemes have not initiated West End apartment construction. Private developers have seen the market for middle-income residences adjacent to the core and have exploited it without public redevelopment capital being necessary. 2). High-rise construction does not necessarily involve an increase in population density adjacent to the core. Within the limited area of the West End different regional demographic patterns are noted. Regions of previously existing high-density converted buildings have not experienced major increments in the total population as apartments replace earlier multi-family dwellings. The only areas to show appreciable gains were those in which apartments replaced earlier single family homes. Clearly population growth is related to past land use rather than to only recent apartment construction. 3). Apartment residents were noted to be persons who had lived, at least for the previous fifteen years, in central city locations. Few were returnees from suburbia, as indicated by previous authors. Data for this thesis was drawn from three sources: existing literature on urban residential locations, questionnaire study of West End apartment residents, and from apartment developers. Based upon this study of inner-city residences, several inferences have been drawn that relate both to future West End development and to urban residential theory. Within the West End, apartments locate adjacent to the maximum number of amenities. The lack of views and adjacent park areas in the central region of the West End have discouraged private high-rise investment. Some alternate land use, possibly town-house or senior citizen projects, could be instituted to revitalize the central area. Two models of inner-city residences are presented. One defines the characteristics of the inner-city high-rise dweller, the other, the sequent occupance of the area. Three stages of inner-city residential growth are noted: a period of upper and middle-income single family home settlement; conversion of single family homes into multi-family dwellings for all income levels; private redevelopment of the area for middle-income oriented apartments. The forces influencing this change were urban core location and expansion, transportation changes, available land, available capital, and the period of settlement. During the past fifteen years the construction of middle-income high-rise apartments adjacent to the urban core has been noted in Vancouver, as in other North American cities. The initial demand for this form of accommodation and its continued expansion are related to the expanding segment of the population who desire residences adjacent to urban core activity. / Arts, Faculty of / Geography, Department of / Graduate

The location of my proposal is Hägernäs strand which is a modern suburb in Täby about 16 km north of Stockholm city. The area is situated directly on the coast in the inner archipelago of stockholm and offers good opportunities for walks along the coastline.  Natural environments are important resources for public health. And with a trendy minimization of living space, the balcony becomes a valuable extension of the living room. My project is about using the balcony as an important detail in the design and giving the residents the best conditions to spend more time outdoors.

No description available.

New technologies have created a renewed interest in the places where we live and work by lessening the differences between the two. To address this issue, this thesis will consider the possibilities of returning to a suburban neighborhood that has been abandoned in recent history. Housing is introduced to a neighborhood which was predominantly commercial and retail throughout its history. As more people are brought into these miniature downtowns, the life of a neighborhood can be strengthened. / Master of Architecture

The work seeks to reconsider aspects of high density in urban architecture, exemplified in a site in Hong Kong, where currently urban housing, temple, commercial, office and other structures coexist. While a very high density of urban housing is in place, it does not consider qualities of living such as natural light and view in the apartment layouts. In addition to qualities directly related to living, the thesis also seeks to engage a notion of identity and individuality which is often absent in high density projects. The stereotypical image of mediocre high-density environments is a relentless repetition of stacked units which accommodates only very basic human needs of cooking and sleeping but does not offer high quality urban spaces where people can expand their otherwise tight dwelling. The investigation seeks to recognize the particularities of the Hong Kong site, including a temple complex which offers itself as a unique and peaceful moment, contrary to the hustle and bustle of the city. The relationship between dwellings and temple is a point of departure which architecturally expresses a deep respect for culture and context of Hong Kong. A good architectural density in this sense is a composite of diverse function and spaces that offer opportunities of activities that together form a sense of place. / Master of Architecture / This thesis explores what a reconsidered density in a city could benefit the immediate environment and offer a better living quality for the residents.

No description available.

Thesis (M.Arch.) - Carleton University, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 80-81). Also available in electronic format on the Internet.

No description available.

Thesis (M.Arch.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Architecture, 1979. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 212-216). / by Jan Tokuichi Taniguchi. / M. Arch.

Thesis (M. Hous. M.)--University of Hong Kong, 1997. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 96-111).