This thesis examines design strategies for mixed-use developments that promote a sense of community. This sense, expressed in various ways including placemaking and other urban design considerations, is especially important to young professionals (ages 21-29) because they seek belonging and connectedness in their surroundings. The specific objective of this thesis is to explore design elements that create a sense of community within a mixed-use, urban development and apply these design elements to a hypothetical mixed-use development for young professionals. The targeted site is the historic Coca Cola Building within the All Saints District of Tallahassee, Florida, a district adjacent to an area currently slated to be part of the Gaines Street Revitalization Project. This project is a city initiative intended to revitalize and redevelop the Gaines Street Corridor and reenergize this downtown area into an arts-based live-work area. The site functioned as a bottling plant for the Coca-Cola Company in its original context; therefore the industrial character of the area inspires the concept of the design. The design incorporates the factory aesthetic of the industrial power loom, which embodies the ideas of urban fabric and weaving members of the community together to form a single tight knit community. This design proposal explores fostering a sense of community among young professionals via reenergizing an existing building that is part of the local urban fabric. In order to achieve community, the design incorporates such elements as activity stations, as well as grouped seating arrangements created to allow for social interaction among young professionals. The design also includes venues such as a gallery space where members of the community may display their own work, allowing for placemaking through personalization. By employing suitable elements and principles of interior design coupled with an attention to urban placemaking, this proposal's goal is to anchor the All Saints District community with a vibrant built place for living, working, and playing. / A Thesis submitted to the Department of Interior Design in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Fine Arts. / Summer Semester, 2011. / June 29, 2011. / Young Professional, Sense of Community New Urbanism, Mixed-Use, Interior Design, Placemaking / Includes bibliographical references. / Jill Pable, Professor Directing Thesis; Eric Wiedegreen, Committee Member; Jim Dawkins, Committee Member.

This study examines the historical underpinnings of mainstream industrial food models and their effect on modern kitchen design. It explores the idea that conceptual kitchen design begins with a clear understanding of the cultural history of a space, as well as the particular needs of one's client. Research suggests some individuals reject industrial food models, and some posit that these "countercuisine" adherents may be early adopters of a future model for food consumption and production. Thus, this study seeks to examine the groups' eating habits and perceptions and suggests that their cultural principles be considered in kitchen design. Conclusions were drawn from a survey instrument coupled with relevant literature review. Emergent themes included: Contemporary industrial kitchens may disconnect users from Nature, The definition of efficiency demands reconsideration of the term 'natural systems' (that the kitchen is indeed a natural system itself, which carries implications for its design); and, Qualitative responses regarding food icons in the kitchen may be used as strong foundations for conceptual kitchen design (such as the display and availability of natural foods like fruits and vegetables). Lastly, this study concludes that information regarding the design of countercultural kitchens ought to be readily available to interested individuals, and that a print or web version of a 'zine' may be an appropriate vehicle. It is hoped this research will act as the foundation to establish further guidelines leading to the full publication of a layperson resource. This product intends to provide suggestions and design guidelines for alternatives to the American industrial kitchen and to ultimately support social change already underway in American society. / A Thesis submitted to the Department of Interior Design in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Fine Arts. / Fall Semester, 2009. / October 8, 2009. / Interior Design, Kitchen Design, Food, Activism, Countercuisine, Conceptual Development, Zine / Includes bibliographical references. / Jill Pable, Professor Directing Thesis; Karen Myers, Committee Member; Lisa Waxman, Committee Member.

During the years following the First World War, and until the consolidation of the Nazi party, paintings and drawings of nude murdered and butchered women proliferated in the German art galleries and avant-garde publications of the Weimar Republic. Lustmord, a term derived from criminology and psychology, was the label assigned to such works, and the representation of the lust-murder of women by men became curiously ubiquitous in Weimar culture. Although previous scholarship has tended to treat Lustmord art homogonously, in this thesis I argue that these works must be considered individually to grasp the varying meaning of Lustmord to Weimar artists and audiences. My study surveys the transformation of Lustmord from a crime to an artistic genre, then looks specifically at two paintings: Der Kleine Frauenmörder by George Grosz (1893-1959) and Der Lustmörder (Selbstporträt) by Otto Dix (1891-1969). I argue that despite the shared subject matter, and compositional and temporal parallels of Der Kleine Frauenmörder and Der Lustmörder (Selbstporträt), the two paintings have meaning beyond that generically attributed to Lustmord art. The separate meanings that can be culled from these works speak specifically to the circumstances and intentions of the artists who created them, and offer insight to the multivalence of Lustmord in Weimar society. / A Thesis submitted to the Department of Art History in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts. / Spring Semester, 2010. / April 1, 2010. / Dada, New Woman, Berlin, Neue Sachlichkeit, Erich Wulffen, Otto Dix, George Grosz / Includes bibliographical references. / Adam Jolles, Professor Directing Thesis; Michael D. Carrasco, Committee Member; Lauren S. Weingarden, Committee Member.

The Ambrosian Iliad is a Late Antique manuscript that depicts Homer's Iliad. Originally written in Greek, much of its text was lost when the pictures were later removed from the original codex and pasted on separate sheets of vellum. Scholars have previously analyzed the Ambrosian Iliad using paleographic and stylistic analysis as a means to determine the work's provenance and date with wide ranging results. This study takes a different approach to the Ambrosian Iliad by applying contextual analysis when taking into account historical, social, and religious influences on the making and viewing of the manuscript. Particular attention is paid to the distinctly Late Antique Roman iconography that pervades the Ambrosian Iliad's imagery. The fifth-century reception of its imagery and how it contributed to the elite's self-definition of its status and place in a time of great change is the focus of this dissertation. Ultimately, this approach will contribute to the discourse by suggesting the use of the alternative methodology of contextuality to ascertain the dates and provenances for Late Antique manuscripts including the Ambrosian Iliad. Focusing on the Ambrosian Iliad's depiction of pagan sacrifices, circus games, and military battles, I propose that its mixture of antiquarian and contemporary iconography acted as reflections of the viewers' world view in the fifth century. These particular activities were connected to the mos maiorum and were a reminder and confirmation of the elite's purpose of protecting tradition. Based on primary sources during this period, it is evident that there was no other area of the Roman Empire where patricians were more driven to preserve the mos maiorum than in Rome or the surrounding areas. Moreover, the Ambrosian Iliad also spoke to the Christian viewer with its subtle reminders of their religion with its references to communal banqueting and the role of the Church in such popular activities as the circus. Finally, this study will propose that the Ambrosian Iliad was created sometime during the second through third quarters of the fifth century for a patron in the area of Rome. / A Dissertation Submitted to the Department of Art History in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Spring Semester, 2009. / March 2, 2009. / Ambrosian lliad, Manuscript, Late Antique, Homer, Iliad / Includes bibliographical references. / Paula Gerson, Professor Directing Dissertation; Francis Cairns, Outside Committee Member; Nancy T. de Grummond, Committee Member; Rick Emmerson, Committee Member.

The mortgage lending crisis of 2008 in the United States has become a major political and social issue (Reuters, 2008). Within this dilemma are two specific problems which may be solved to mutual benefit. First, there is an abundance of empty homes on the market; and second, there are people who cannot qualify to buy acceptable housing due to stricter lending standards. Specifically, this study will address the need for affordable housing and the concurrent problem of empty 'McMansions', a dwelling type increasingly available due to the current mortgage crisis. In an effort to provide a solution to the housing crisis for various population groups, three different residential designs will be designed within a McMansion, with one unit each designed specifically for seniors, small families, and young professionals. Each will incorporate design features that seek to promote community, mutual support amongst the residents, and principles of sustainability. The McMansion to be repurposed will be located in a suburban area of Washington, D.C. where the cost of housing is especially expensive. As this is not yet a familiar housing solution, opposition to the project design is anticipated. This presents challenges to provide both affordable housing options as well as solve the issue of vacant homes across the country. Further, this study's proposal for congregate, mutually supportive living may also offer social benefits for certain types of persons in western culture. These groups include the elderly, families with young children, and young professionals who have yet to achieve full financial stability. Several design solutions will be presented that will utilize vacant houses and turn them into affordable homes while also facilitating community interaction and sustainability. The design will take advantage of sustainable aspects such as higher-density living, mass transportation, and proximity to local necessities. It proposes to accomplish this by using existing housing stock, and specifically the particular type of house some sources have derided as 'McMansions', or dwellings which are larger than the average 2,500 square foot home, generic in style and packed in close together on insufficiently-sized lots (Smith, 2007). This repurposing also serves to make timely use of existing dwellings (which themselves use considerable natural resources to construct) in a different way, thus avoiding the unnecessary construction of further dwellings. Additionally, the design will seek to encourage interaction among residents, sustainability within the living environment, and a sense of community. To accomplish this, a congregate living structure will be created from an existing single-family home providing private residences as well as communal facilities. The common areas within the structure will encourage residents to interact with one another by providing spaces for neighbors to meet both casually and intentionally. A communal kitchen and dining area will be provided to encourage planned meals and gatherings. Also, shared laundry facilities, an exercise room, and lounge will support casual meetings between residents. The common areas will promote interaction by providing group seating areas and specialized spaces that will allow the residents to interrelate, permitting enhanced mutual reliance. Shared concerns such as childcare (small families), health and wellbeing (the elderly), and similar preferences in entertaining (young professionals) may benefit all residents. Thus, the individual dwellings will provide the amenities expected within a single-family home while also allowing the residents to be part of a community without having to leave the structure. The dwelling will remain similar to the surrounding homes in appearance, maintaining the relationship with the community and minimizing disruption of the visual nature of the neighborhood. The interior of the residence will be modified to accommodate the specific needs of the three groups of prospective residents / A Thesis submitted to the Department of Interior Design in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science. / Fall Semester, 2008. / October 14, 2008. / Small Families, Young Professionals, Seniors, Cohousing, Sustainability, Congregate Living, Sustainable Design, Interior Design, Housing, High-Density Living, Mutually Supportive Living, Special Needs, Vacant Homes, Communal Kitchen, Repurpose, McMansion, Community, Space Planning, Intentional Community, Suburbs, Housing Conditions, Mortgage Lending Crisis / Includes bibliographical references. / Jill Pable, Professor Directing Thesis; Eric Wiedegreen, Committee Member; Tock Ohazama, Committee Member.

Children today, as with most people in our society, are inundated with a constant barrage of advertisements. This study first looked at how a specific group of adolescents view, interpret and use messages from advertising in their daily routines. Then a unit plan was developed and implemented to educate students on how to consider and process messages from ads for critical awareness. This was used to bring to light what messages specific advertisements are trying to convey and to give students a strategy in order to understand advertisers' deeper, hidden meanings. The study began with initial observations of the classroom setting, the teacher, and the students in an effort to understand classroom dynamics. A unit plan was then implemented based on curriculum strategies suggested in the review of literature by Anderson (1997), Nadaner (1985), Barthes (1977), and Kehl (1983). This study incorporated an single group pre and post test design in order to achieve its goals. Strategies and instruments included conversations, interviews of selected students, a field journal, implementation of a specific model, and a questionnaire in the form of a pre and post test. The post tests showed that students who participated in this study exhibited little change following the unit plan. While they recognized the denoted content, superficial reasons, and means of advertising they mostly missed the deep/connoted content and structure. However the daily critical discussions centered on the critique of advertisements suggested some development of the students' ability read more deeply into ads' purposes, means, and content. Since students themselves chose the ads to be critiques, together, these two findings suggest that students bonded to products through advertisements in a way that is objectively difficult for them to see or affect. Their identities may be intertwined with the products and product representations they chose. If this is this, in turn, suggests the depth that advertising is infused in these children's consciousness and indicates that a six week treatment is inadequate for countering this pervasive influence. The implication for art education, in teaching advertising as visual culture, is that in-depth instruction of the connotative content of advertising may be necessary to bring that connotative content to the surface. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Art Education in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Spring Semester, 2006. / February 1, 2006. / Middle School Students, In School Marketing, Advertising / Includes bibliographical references. / Tom Anderson, Professor Directing Dissertation; Emanuel Israel Shargel, 1936-, Outside Committee Member; Marcia Rosal, Committee Member; David Gussak, Committee Member.

Since the preservation campaigns at Lee Tung Street, the Star Ferry Pier and the Queen's Pier that erupted in early to mid-2000s, Hong Kong participatory art has undertaken an increasingly proactive role in local spatial movements, which marks the organizational and strategical evolvements of this artistic category that differentiate it from earlier public and community art. While research initiatives after 2010 have identified regional geospatial politics as one major concern for local participatory art today, existing studies tend to take a contextual approach with main emphases on why art becomes involved in urban spatial struggles while rarely proceeding to investigate what strategies or modes of spatial practices have emerged from relevant projects and what implications they have on the material-social spaces of the city. This hesitation to forward an interpretive evaluation of the focused phenomenon stems from the absence of epistemological concreteness in participatory art theories and criticisms, which necessitates the introduction of new analytical tools in research on the subject. To answer the pending questions, this research employs Henry Lefebvre's theories of the social production of space to examine three representative projects selected from a preliminary survey of local participatory art programs/groups which involve spatial practices. In exploring the contents, strategies, and socio-spatial implications of these cases, it presents three models of spatially oriented participatory art. On this basis, a cross-case analysis is conducted to explore how participatory art in general offers counterforces against the neoliberalist social-material and aesthetic reprogramming of the city while laying the social foundation for the anticipated production of differential spaces. As more urban renewal and land resumption plans are anticipated to storm through the city in the coming decades, this research hopes to provide for practitioners, researchers, and local communities the discursive and conceptual tools to understand the role of art in preceding and future spatial contestations

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My work does not aim to answer a question or solve any problems; it tries to activate a conversation around the content. I intend to keep things playful and entertaining because not only is that how I relate best to the subject, but I find it helps animate aspects of culture that people enjoy responding to and thinking about. Like “The Real World,” or Facebook, my work entertains me, but it has a way of slowing down certain aspects of life, letting someone take a breath, have a conversation and maybe LOL.

No description available.