Master of Science / Department of Architecture / David Seamon / This thesis uses behavioral mapping to analyze two contrasting spaces in Kansas State University’s Hale Library. One of the spaces is meant for computer use; and the other for general library use, including study-group work. The conceptual approach chosen to describe and analyze these two library spaces is the behavior-setting theory developed by psychologist Roger Barker, who defines behavior settings as independent units of space, with temporal and spatial boundaries, that have “great coercive power over the behaviors that occur within them” (Barker, 1968, p. 17). The behavioral observations for the two Hale Library spaces were analyzed and compared with findings from other studies of library usage and behaviors. In the first chapter of the thesis, I introduce my study topic and discuss recent developments in libraries. In the second chapter, I provide a broad overview of library history and library use. I also overview behavior-setting theory and present examples of research on behavior settings and libraries. In the third chapter, I discuss research methods for this thesis, starting with how library spaces can be described as behavior settings. I then discuss specific methodological procedures involved in the behavioral study of activities in the two library spaces. In the fourth chapter, I discuss the two spaces studied in Hale Library, first, describing their physical features and then discussing their behavior-setting attributes. In the fifth chapter, I present my behavioral observations and compare and contrast the two Hale Library spaces in terms of user behaviors and as behavior settings. In the sixth and final chapter of this thesis, I compare my research results with other library research and offer my speculative ideas on the future of the academic library. The overarching theme of this thesis is evaluating how recent digital technologies have affected libraries, and how traditional library spaces and spaces designated for digital technology can be integrated in future libraries.

Master of Landscape Architecture / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning / Alton A. Barnes Jr / A study was performed comparing the results of two different Smart Growth Scorecards against a land development project, Southlake Town Square, which the Smart Growth Network claims to be Smart Growth. Southlake Town Square was chosen from a list of projects published by the Smart Growth Network entitled “This Is Smart Growth: A List of Featured Communities”. The purpose of this study was to determine if Smart Growth Scorecards support what the Smart Growth Network claims to be Smart Growth. The Ten Principles of Smart Growth, published by the Smart Growth Network, served as a measurable set of definitions which cumulatively define Smart Growth. The New Jersey Smart Growth Scorecard for Proposed Developments published by New Jersey Future and the Austin, Texas Smart Growth Criteria Matrix by the City of Austin Transportation, Planning and Design Department were selected from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (E.P.A.) website on Smart Growth. This investigation revealed that the two scorecards yielded similar results suggesting that Southlake Town Square failed to score better than 60% of the total possible points on either scorecard. Southlake Town Square failed to produce convincing results when the scorecards were analyzed in terms of the Ten Principles of Smart Growth. Furthermore, significant differences were observed in the measuring techniques of both Smart Growth Scorecards. The results of this study sufficiently conclude that significant inconsistencies exist between what the Smart Growth Network claims to be Smart Growth and what currently available Smart Growth measuring tools, Smart Growth Scorecards, say about a Smart Growth project. Consequently, the contemporary movement called Smart Growth maybe drastically weakened by unsupported claims, a lack of consistent, standardized measuring techniques, and differing definitions of Smart Growth.

Master of Landscape Architecture / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning / Stephanie A. Rolley / The Urban Land Institute / Gerald D. Hines Student Urban Design Competition offers teams of multi-disciplinary graduate students the opportunity to address a large scale site that presents complex challenges requiring practicable, innovative solutions reflecting responsible land use. Solutions must incorporate design, planning, market potential, market feasibility, and development. Some of the brightest students from universities across the United States and Canada compete annually, incorporating bold ideas, outstanding graphics, and great presentations in order to win the competition. The scale of the competition and the quality of entries makes it difficult to advance from the initial submission round to the final four entries selected for the final phase of the competition. Entering the competition is a complex process requiring adherence to a multitude of rules and regulations about team formation, design solutions, financial information, presentation materials, and deadlines. This study documents the process of one student team entering the 2009 competition. Analysis of previous competition responses and principles of urban design theory informed an innovative design solution that incorporates sustainability, livability, and connectivity. This project analyzes previous project entries, looking for patterns and indicators to guide the competition response. Combining the analysis and design philosophy, which utilizes specific sustainable landscape architectural principles, forms the framework of the design solution. The response focuses on process-driven design implementing sustainable frameworks that account for existing an emergent ecologies, historical and cultural relevance, energy efficiency, hydrological patterns, and public transportation. Results of the study led to conclusions regarding team organization, teamwork, graphic composition, and presentation that will be beneficial for future competition entrants.

Master of Science / Department of Architecture / R. Todd Gabbard / This thesis presents design possibilities for reducing the ecological impact of the operational systems of high-rise buildings in Kolkata, India. This research is supported by a study of the current urban situation of Kolkata which shows a recent growth in number of high-rise buildings and a need for ecological considerations in their operational systems. To fulfill this need this thesis studied recent developments in alternative operational system design and explored the possibility of developing operational systems in a proposed residential high-rise building. In the process of developing an alternative operational system for a high-rise building in Kolkata this thesis firstly studied development of operational systems in high-rise buildings and recent sustainable architectural guidelines to understand the primary design necessities for ecological considerations. Secondly a study of alternative design strategies and techniques was done and a research for the development of a building integrated solar thermal updraft façade was carried out. The research into a building integrated solar thermal updraft façade showed the possibility of developing a façade system in high-rise buildings which can generate electricity. Finally on the basis of the studies and the research an analysis was done to check the reduction in carbon footprint and improvement in the design of operational systems in a hypothetical high-rise residential building in Kolkata.

Master of Regional and Community Planning / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning / Jason Brody / Today, achieving higher residential densities is an integral part of most discussions on concepts such as sustainability, placemaking, smart growth and new urbanism. It is argued that high density environments can potentially improve quality of life through a range of social benefits. In attempting to achieve these benefits, often times, developments that provide more than a certain number of dwelling units are considered desirable and successful high-density developments. However, understanding high residential density merely in terms of an increase in the number of dwelling units over an area of development might not help realize meaningful social benefits; in fact it could result in problems such as parking constraints, increased vehicular traffic, crowding, and eventually abandonment. This implies a dilemma of understanding high density environments holistically. Using literature review and design exploration as two key research methods, this project aims at resolving this dilemma by presenting a holistic understanding of desirable high-density environments. The research works on the idea that high densities are a matter of design and performance. Through synthesis of literature review and explorative design findings, this research focuses on the qualitative aspects of high density environments that make them meaningful and desirable. Through synthesis of literature review and design findings, the research finds that desirable high density environments should (a) Be Physically Compact; (b) Support Urbanity; and (c) Offer Livability and Sense of Place. These three qualitative aspects of high density environments are critical in determining how well such environments perform. The research further proposes eight meaningful goals and seventeen specific guidelines to achieve aforementioned three qualities that influence the performance of high density developments. In addition to these principles and guidelines, opportunities and challenges posed by explorative design exercises also allows identifying certain supplementary guidelines necessary to strengthen the framework. Together, these findings result in a theoretical framework that may be used as an effective design and evaluation tool in considering high density environments. This framework is named “Density Dynamics” to signify various morphological and socio-economic dynamics involved in a holistic understanding of high density environments.

Master of Regional and Community Planning / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning / John Keller / The purpose of this thesis is to discover whether disability access regulations are being met and whether the regulations fulfill their intended purpose. Is Kansas State University Campus in Manhattan, Kansas ADA compliant (follows the current law) and convenient (user-friendly)? This inquiry can be split into two research questions: (1) Do the main entrances (entry experience being the sidewalk, ramp, and door) to buildings on the Kansas State University campus comply with current ADA guidelines? (2) Do students on campus find the access to these buildings user-friendly? This study has two main questions, and therefore multiple research methodologies: a focus group, audit, and guided activity. The focus group was made up of physically disabled students at KSU who are therefore familiar with access on the campus. The second method involved a yes-no checklist to test whether the buildings meet code. The third involved disabled and non-disabled students using a wheelchair for a day, with post-event survey to test public opinion of access on campus. My hypothesis anticipated that Kansas State University is code compliant, but not user-friendly. The conclusion is that no structure is fully sidewalk/ramp/door compliant, but two structures’ doors are fully compliant. According to the audit: ramps are mostly not needed (only 35 percent of structures need a ramp), sidewalks are 66 percent compliant, and doors are 63 percent compliant. According to the survey: doors are in the best condition, with ramps next, and sidewalks last. When comparing the checklist (compliance) and survey (convenience) results, sidewalk results were different, the ramp results were non-conclusive, and the door results were similar. This means that sidewalks meet code, but people do not find them accessible. Because ramps are not always needed, it made the checklist and survey difficult to compare. The analysis did not result in a clear “Similar” or “Different” result, therefore the comparison was non-conclusive. Doors were in the best condition on the checklist, and most people felt they were in good conditions. The application of this project allows other universities and communities to test whether their structures adequately provide access to students with a disability in a way that is user-friendly.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Environmental Design & Planning Program / Lee R. Skabelund / The Restorative Urban Design (RUD) calls for a new urban design and planning approach targeting environmentally responsible re/development of urbanized areas through ecologically responsive impact mitigations. If implemented in a systematic manner, such re/developments can help move urban areas toward the successful restoration of the natural environment of which they are an inseparable part. The RUD model advocates more rigorous assessment and mitigation of urban impacts by carefully evaluating the environmental performance of urban re/developments within five primary dimensions: Atmosphere (emissions, pollutants, ozone depletion); Hydrosphere (stormwater, domestic water, wastewater); Lithosphere (land use, land cover, food and wastes); Ecology (habitat resilience, biodiversity, population and resources); and Energy (renewability, reduction and efficiency, transportation). The model relies on a scenario-comparison process in order to evaluate and optimize the performance of urban re/development projections through four critical scenarios, which are respectively: 1) Natural Baseline (NBASE); 2) Historic Progression (HPROG); 3) Trajectory Forecast (TFORE); and 4) Restorative Projection (RPROJ). The RUD Case Study illustrates how the principles and strategies of Restorative Urban Design can be applied specifically to a typical (densely developed) urban area, namely River North District in Chicago Metropolitan Area. The case study focuses exclusively on mitigation of a single critical human impact on the natural environment: Anthropogenic CO₂ Emissions. The case study focuses on the design assumptions by which the restorative urban re/development scenarios might exceed beyond the full mitigation of emissions into the global remediation by 2040. The restorative projections illustrate that only a certain portion of emissions can be effectively mitigated onsite (5 to 55%), and that the remainder of projected emissions (45 to 95%) need to be mitigated offsite in order to achieve the necessary sequestration and storage. The restorative research suggests that the mitigation of major human impacts on the natural environment – not only CO₂ emissions but also other major impacts – are likely to require significant urban transformations. Moving beyond the strategies of preservation and/or conservation, the restorative approach asserts that comprehensive environmental restoration is achievable if urban impacts are adequately estimated and then entirely mitigated onsite as well as offsite through a systematic process of urban re/development.