There were two starting points for this Creative Project. First, the idea of integrating photography in the design process, not only as a means of later documentation, but as a creative tool. This is a relatively new and unexplored field, thus few resources about the topic could be found. However, I was sure that this unique approach to design was worth exploration and decided to pursue it.The other idea came from research on revitalization of downtown areas which was triggered by my initial confusion and reorientation in a different culture where so ma-iv of the characteristics of urbanity were missing that I was so used to. The changes that have occurred in America's historic centers today are usually considered unavoidable and have resulted in a lifeless downtown area that seems to be the normal status. I believe that this is not just the decay of an important district of the town but, more importantly, the total loss of communication on a human level where the spatial demands of the automobile have become more important than human interaction.With those two ideas in mind I was searching for a site that would fit both. I have been living in Muncie. Indiana, long enough to understand the daily routine of the town, and the search for ideas that would lead to a change here was constantly on my grind. After some research on the entire downtown area I found an appropriate site and developed a proposal that integrates both my ideas and creates a vision of what could be. / Department of Architecture

This project will address the environmental and social issues associated with conventional community planning and propose solutions to these through written documentation as well as through masterplan-scale concepts of a proposed mixed-use project using principles derived from the New Urbanist movement. The site chosen to display these conceptualizations is that of the existing Delaware County Fairgrounds located in Muncie, Indiana. Two concepts for a traditional neighborhood development shall be the graphic product of the project. The concepts shall be used in a comparison of the potential for New Urbanist design principles applied within the confines of existing zoning and development regulation and New Urbanist-derived design principles applied in an unrestricted setting. The concepts will be used to illustrate the potential of the site as a primarily residential space. / Department of Landscape Architecture

The purpose of this project was to apply the Quick Response System II (QRS II), developed by Alan J. Horowitz, Center for Urban Transportation Studies, University of Milwaukee-Wisconsin, to the city of Muncie, Indiana.The QRS II model is one example of recent computer models intended for micro-computers, which may be useful for smaller cities with limited planning staff or computer capabilities. The main point is to be able to forecast the impacts of urban developments on highway traffic and the impacts of highway projects on travel pattern.QRS II determines the total number of person-trips generated by each zone of the study area. It accomplishes this step for three trip purposes: home-based work, home-based nonwork, nonhome-based trips. It then distributes these trips from any given origin zone to any given destination, converts highway person-trips to vehicle-trips and assigns them to the links in the highway network based on travel time, and finally split the number of person-trips between transit and automobiles. QRS II also was used to determine the impact of new construction on the surrounding street system.The purpose of the pro t was not to do a complete transportation study. It was rather a test application of QRS II using the 1980 census data of the city of Muncie. We simply tried to get QRS II set up, running, and calibrated according to the findings of the model. The following chapters show the theory behind it, the different outputs, the advantages and limitations. / Department of Urban Planning

This study has examined opportunities for reclaiming industrial brownfield sites for the communities that surround them, recreating derelict sites as community-oriented spaces that increase understanding of and restore pride in industrial and cultural heritage.The study consisted of two primary components. The first phase consists primarily of an exploration of the linkages between landscape/urban design and industrial heritage. This phase also examines and evaluates various design projects that have attempted to celebrate industrial heritage through the adaptive re-use of former industrial sites. The second phase of the study consists of the development of a master plan for the transformation of a derelict industrial site to a community space that interprets and celebrates industrial heritage. This phase includes researching the industrial heritage of Muncie, selecting an appropriate project site within the city, and developing a master plan for the reclamation of an industrial site by the community.A layered design strategy was developed for the selected site, with the end result being a master plan for a new public park. The three elements of the design strategy included industrial heritage, adaptive reuse, and improvements in the surrounding community. / Department of Landscape Architecture

This study covers several areas of long held interest and urgent relevance: the development of lasting and meaningful community identity, the design of dynamic communities well aware of their current and future potential, the preservation of rural lands, and the control of unplanned growth.Working on two tracks, the study researches through focused interviews the conceptual image of the community held by representative members and then seeks to apply principles derived from the work of Randall Arendt, Robert Yaro and others to the articulation of land planning and site design measures that can be implemented in the Northwest sector of Muncie.Based on both the research and the derivation of principles, the study offers a large number of ideas supported with illustrations toward the improvement of the conditions and the creation of a long range strategy for land development and conservation. / Department of Landscape Architecture