Food insecurity is defined as “a household‐level economic and social condition of limited or uncertain access to adequate food” (USDA Economic Research Service 2009). Low‐income households tend to be food insecure for many reasons. The first and most obvious would be the access to monetary resources. If a household does not have a sufficient income, it is difficult to keep an adequate amount of food for all household members at all times. Another reason would be that many low‐income households cannot afford a car and/or do not have easy access to public transportation or reliable private transportation.

Greenways offer multiple social, environmental, and economic benefits to communities, which has led to their increasing popularity. Social benefits include increased recreational opportunities; alternative transportation options and connectivity; preservation of historical and cultural landmarks; and access to nature. Environmental benefits include cleaner air due to less automobile congestion; increased awareness of environmental issues; improved ecological balance; and disaster mitigation. Economic benefits include reduced natural disaster damage and costs; increased activity, tourism and business opportunities; and revitalization of the area. Implementing greenways, however, also face many challenges, such as funding, public support, land acquisition, political will, planning and maintenance. This report looks at three case study cities: Greenville, SC, Chattanooga, TN, and Austin, TX to examine their successful greenway projects and learn best practices and implementation strategies. The lessons learned from these case study cities are then used to recommend best practices to the City of Asheville, NC, as they embark on an ambitious riverfront greenway plan of their own. / text

This thesis examines the bicycle cultures found in the United States and the Netherlands. The cities of Claremont, California, San Luis Obispo, California, and Groeningen, Netherlands are used as case studies to compare bicycle policies and infrastructure. Bicycle-friendly cities require bicycle master plans that address accessibility, education and promotion, safe infrastructure, and parking. A successful bicycle culture improves a city’s environmental sustainability, health, equity, and access. Most importantly, a safe and convenient bicycle environment builds community interaction.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 1996. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [392]-425).

This thesis explores the historic preservation projects in two cities: Suzhou, China, and Pasadena, California, United States. The purpose of investigating the strategies and policies used in each of the historic districts is to discuss whether preservation strategies applied in both cases could represent historic authenticity. The first two chapters focus on the project plan of the two historic districts. By evaluating the preservation policies at both national and regional level, histories of the districts, and approaches adopted by two cities, this thesis discerns the different perceptions of “authenticity” in preservation strategies in two countries. The next part of the thesis compares the two historic districts in terms of their distinctive focuses on preservation approaches. I, therefore, conclude that even though both cases have been deemed as successful models of preservation projects in each country, both historic district has demonstrated different levels of insufficient protection in culture and social sustainability.

From the futuristic Jewel at Changi Airport, the healing gardens at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital in Yishun to School of the Arts at Orchard Road, greenery has sprouted in buildings vertically and horizontally in Singapore, painting a growing green canopy for the dense, high rise city. This paper combines both analyses from first-hand site visits and case studies from external scholar studies to examine the performance of existing Green Building Infrastructures (BGIs) within Singapore’s unique urban context. The study reveals that the success of BGIs is highly dependent on the programming (i.e. thermal comfort design, accessibility, amenity facilities etc.), as well as the function and users of the existing building. Designs and planning that take those factors into consideration while being in line with the city’s general development goals, such as storm water management and pervasive greenery, are likely to bring out the most benefits in BGIs. To demonstrate, this paper also proposed several policy and planning recommendations that included several sets of rudimentary yet relevant parameters. Future research is encouraged to explore more complex combinations of considerations, their incorporation in design and policy making process, as well as a scientific and systematic method to evaluate BGI performance that includes both objective environmental impacts and subjective user experience that might be achieved through smart city developments.

Established communities pursue revitalization to transform struggling downtowns into vibrant hubs and walkable neighborhoods. Vacant and underused parcels can help communities grow sustainably by using excess capacity in existing infrastructure. However, many communities experience limited urban infill activity due to persistent bias favoring low-density development at the community’s edges. In small communities perceptions and processes can favor low-density growth. Infill development can be complicated due to site conditions and neighborhood context, yet planners work with ad hoc techniques and limited staff time. There is a need for efficient ways to identify suitable sites and generate information to use for community decision-making around redevelopment. The primary aim of this research is to develop an Urban Infill Assessment Framework (UIAF). It is organized around three questions: Can the framework assess infill’s potential in a small post-industrial downtown? Is it replicable? Does the framework change how local stakeholders perceive infill potential? To answer these questions this study will develop and test a UIAF in Turners Falls, MA, then test resulting information through stakeholder interviews. The framework uses mixed-methods to integrate social values, fiscal efficiency, and spatial awareness through procedures organized in three Phases. Phase I examines quantitative and qualitative information (e.g., local planning documents, tax data, site visits, and consultations with local experts) to produce mapped context data, and local building typologies with corresponding tax yield per acre. In Phase II these components are used in scenario building, to calculate composite capacity of infill acreage and annual tax yield for defined areas. Finally, interviews with ten stakeholders test how the information influences perceptions of infill in Turners Falls. As a result of this research, planners should be able to replicate the framework. Based on preliminary results, the relevance of an infill assessment tool to planning practice is threefold: It promotes strategic land-use planning by generating information to compare development projects across diverse locations, scales, and spatial configurations. It supports structured application of concepts uniquely suited to managing urban environments. Improved redevelopment tools and expertise can offset procedural and perceptual factors that favor low-density growth and sprawl.

The focus of this thesis is the creation of a series of architectural installations, bridges and gardens that link together via a pedestrian/bike path to connect the urban center of Main St. in Brattleboro, Vermont with the municipal park on the western end of town known as Memorial Park. This thesis argues that the vast majority of community interactions take place along the sidewalks of the urban downtown, and in certain centers of activity in and around the area, such as Memorial Park. Thus, these two places have been chosen to test whether architecture can be used to bridge the distance between two locations, and link them. Through an in-depth study of the town's network of pathways, traffic patterns, and sidewalk conditions, it was discovered that the main areas of community gathering have no safe method of connection except via automobile. However, the very nature of the automobile tends to isolate individuals and limit community interaction. Therefore, by combining the desire to increase a sense of community interaction, this thesis creates a community pathway that connects Main St and Memorial Park. The route will have a series of small outdoor architectural installations including a swimming hole, music amphitheater, and open-air movie theater, that will be linked via walkways and bridges along the Whetstone Brook that runs from west to east through the center of Brattleboro.

The bedroom community has become a prevalent and oft-criticized part of the modern architectural landscape. These suburban towns have continually grown radially outward from major cities across the nation since the end of the Second World War. While these suburbs have served to fulfill housing needs and wants of society, pressure to develop has often forced this growth to occur at a much more rapid rate than a traditional community. This rapid development has led to poorly implemented infrastructure, especially with regard to walkability and public transportation, which has fallen short of meeting the needs of users. These solutions in turn have contributed to the automotive dependence of society, despite the numerous detrimental effects this engenders, such as waste of natural resources, greenhouse gas emissions, and increased congestion of roadways. This has led many within the architectural community to push for a shift away from the suburbs due to their lack of sustainability, especially when compared to urban environments. However, the reality of the situation which our society faces does not enable us to simply abandon the suburbs in a mass exodus to city centers. Even if it did, there is a large percentage of the population which simply likes suburbia and its associated lifestyle. If this is the case, then, there needs to be a shift in the way transit is implemented within these communities. This thesis will examine how improving access to transit can revitalize bedroom communities and better serve their residents. Through examining the town of Beacon, NY, a bedroom community serving New York City and currently underutilizing its existing transit infrastructure, this thesis will explore how architecture can integrate mass transit into lives and daily activities of a community in order to better serve its residents and reduce automotive dependency.

The cohousing movement started in the United States in the 1990’s and since then has spread to over 160 communities throughout the country. This type of community is characterized by small dwelling units, high housing density, shared facilities such as a common house, shared commons and grouped parking. These are pedestrian-oriented communities with car circulation restricted to the outskirts of the neighborhood. Cohousing settlements have the goal of promoting social interaction and sustainable living through design, programming, and shared ideals. Many design characteristics, such as house proximity, density, building height and size, the location of parking, the availability of common spaces, and size of private spaces influence social interaction in the community. However, design is not solely responsible for promoting socialization. Other variables such as programming and personal ideologies also need to be taken into consideration when analyzing social interaction within cohousing communities. With regard to sustainability, cohousing is a valid option compared to traditional housing types because it encourages resource sharing, promotes a mixed-use and mixed-income environment, and strengthens social networks. Cohousing communities can thrive in a variety of shapes, sizes and settings, and have varying degrees of outdoor spaces and availability. This study considers how outdoor spaces affect socialization behavior among residents in cohousing and aims to provide recommendations for shaping outdoor spaces in such settings. Methods include a literature review, an analysis of case studies, spatial analysis, on-site observations, informal conversations and referencing previously conducted surveys.