Thesis (Ph. D.)--Virginia Commonwealth University, 2007. / Prepared for: Dept. of Art History. Bibliography: leaves 186-203. Also available online via the Internet.

Thesis (M.A(Information Science))--University of Pretoria, 2001. / Summaries in Afrikaans and English. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.A. in interior design)--Washington State University. / Includes bibliographical references.

The purpose of the study was to examine the role and functionality of porches in a New Urbanist community in Tallahassee, Florida. New Urbanist communities are mixed-used communities, often with town centers, where all aspects of the community, from housing to eateries to retail stores are all within walking distance. The goal of this study was to see how porches, which have traditionally been gathering places, are currently used in contemporary society. In most New Urbanist communities, porches are seen as an essential element of the architectural design. In addition to the study of porches in contemporary society, the literature reviews the historical role of the porch. The community of Southwood in Tallahassee, Florida was selected as the site where the study was conducted. Southwood is a typical New Urbanist community, set up to be walkable, fully accessible, and a self-contained "city" of its own. The community has its own school, restaurants, small downtown area and a community center. The methodology utilized was visual observation. During observation sessions, the data collected for the study included: dates, street names, number of stories in the house, availability of a porch, type of porch, and what activity was occurring on the porch at that specific time. After the data was collected, the assessment was done based upon how often activity was noted on the porch. The results of this study showed that while porches are still popular for aesthetic purposes, there was very little activity on the porches. Clearly, the functionality of porches today does not reflect the past function of the porch. Porches have become more of a design element rather than the functional place they have been in the past. / A Thesis submitted to the Department of Interior Design in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Fine Arts. / Degree Awarded: Fall Semester 2007. / Date of Defense: October 26, 2007. / Porches, New Urbanism, Community, Southwood, Seaside, Architecture, Cracker, Cracker people, Cracker architectural style / Includes bibliographical references. / Lisa Waxman, Professor Directing Thesis; Jill Pable, Committee Member; Tock Ohazama, Committee Member.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1973. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

No description available.

The topic of people's overall health and happiness has been gaining increased attention and press in recent years. Evidence that `happy people live longer' has been given by many studies that investigate the contributions of subjective well-being (SWB) to health and longevity. Some studies have explored areas that may contribute to SWB such as health care systems, eating habits, and physical attributes among other factors. As one of a designer's primary responsibilities is to promote the welfare of their clients, it is reasonable to assume that it is also a designers' responsibility to investigate and add useful information to the body of knowledge about SWB and its potential connections to the built environment. As advocates for healthier environments it seems logical to research the living environments of societies that report an elevated state of SWB to evaluate how their values are expressed in their living environments. Further, could the manifestations of those expressions be a contributor to their elevated sense of well-being? Global-scope surveys of SWB consistently identify residents of the Nordic countries as the happiest and healthiest in the world. These elusive societies are often noted as the most progressive in areas such as technology and education; however, little is published about how they live. This thesis reveals findings from exploratory research into Nordic peoples' traditions and habits that are related to their welfare and elevated SWB. The research specifically evaluates how these traditions and habits are expressed in their living environments. In so doing, the study identifies residential elements that contribute to the perceptions of elevated SWB. The literary findings coupled with the qualitative research findings may add to the interior designer's body of knowledge regarding improved welfare, an important but also sometimes neglected element of the health-safety-welfare paradigm. The intent of this study was to discover the main cultural values of Nordic society and explore the physical manifestation of those values with-in the built environment to understand how they relate to residents' elevated levels of SWB. The researcher chose residential homes as a starting point for a series of studies which will include the exploration of SWB in regards to other built environments such as commercial buildings. Future studies will also include comparative analysis with other countries. Chapter 4 showcases living environment features and norms gathered from extensive interviews. The interviews with Nordic residents and the photographic documentation provided in answer to the research questions can be used by design educators to teach their students about global populations and the contributors to an elevated state of well-being. The examples and conclusions from the study may also help designers and educators expand their understanding of SWB and the living environment. / 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, 2012. / May 23, 2012. / built environment, living environment, mental health, Nordic, subjective well being, well being / Includes bibliographical references. / Jill Pable, Professor Directing Thesis; Marlo Ransdell, Committee Member; Eric Wiedegreen, Committee Member.

Priorities for office environment continue to evolve. As people spend significant time at work, the need for employee satisfaction is increasingly important. This thesis provides a possible solution to increase satisfaction in an underground office environment. These environments often lack in windows, or a view, and most often, a negative perception is associated with them. The creation of this study's design for a scientific company that grows experimental plants underground aims to address negative perceptions of such spaces in order to speak to workers' health and well being in the absence of above ground windows. This project's original research analyzes the viability of various types of views and nature contact that are feasible to be placed in an underground working environment. These findings become groundwork for design considerations, which drive final design decisions in the project's design solution. The goal is to create an exciting and welcoming underground office, which attends to the need for views as well as increasing employee satisfaction. / A Thesis submitted to the College of Visual Arts, Theater, and Dance in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Fine Arts. / Summer Semester, 2012. / June 22, 2012. / Includes bibliographical references. / Jill Pable, Professor Directing Thesis; Marlo Ransdell, Committee Member; Jim Dawkins, Committee Member.

Consensus building is a mediation approach in the field of conflict resolution. It involves a neutral third-party facilitator leading stakeholders through a dialogue process to help them develop mutually agreed-upon solutions to their problems (United Nations, 2011). Effective communication in a consensus building process is key to a successful outcome (Susskind, McKearnen, & Thomas-Larmer, 1999), and multiple experts across diverse fields of study stress the fact that communication is profoundly impacted by the built environment in which it is occurs (Lewin, 1936; Rappoport, 1982; Gudykunst & Kim, 1984; Rodriguez, 2005). It stands to reason, then, that the design of the built environment in which consensus building is occurring may impact the success of the communication, and ultimately the success of developing solutions to conflict. When examining scholarly conflict resolution literature specifically written for professional mediators, however, there is little systematic discussion of the built environment and its potential impact on communication and consensus building outcomes. Mediation expert Suzanne Ghais (2005) notes that her recommendations for addressing interior considerations come solely from personal experience and oral tradition among practitioners. This author's study therefore seeks to identify interior environment qualities or features that enhance consensus building in Western societies. That is, the study's goal is to generate guidelines for dispute professionals that aid them in selecting and/or modifying interior spaces for successful consensus building processes and events. Additionally, the study may be assistive to design professionals responsible for creating such supportive spaces. Twelve environmental aspects emerged from the review of literature that likely influence communication and behavior within a space, including symbolic meaning; personal space; space planning; materials and finishes; windows and views of nature; lighting; indoor air quality and odor; ambient temperature; sound and noise; auxiliary spaces; security, safety and surveillance; and environmental control. The study used quantitative and qualitative data gathering and organization methods in a two-phased process involving 476 members of the Association for Conflict Resolution, the largest trade organization of dispute professionals in North America (Association for Conflict Resolution, 2012). Respondents assessed and verified the potential impact of each of the proposed twelve aspects on communication in a consensus building process, identified key factors that related to each, and proposed additional or alternative categories based on their personal professional experience. Results showed that each of the twelve environmental aspects was valued by participants, and that each of the aspects can exert at least some influence on consensus building processes. No additional or alternative environmental categories were identified within the scope of interior design that may influence consensus building. Particularly assistive is the emergence of eight themes that potentially may be used as a guideline for assessing the twelve interior environment aspects in a space used for consensus building. They are: a lack of distractions; comfort; confidentiality; safety; positive tone; parity; support of space planning logistics; and flexibility. The establishment of environmental guidelines for conflict resolution may ultimately assist in an increased likelihood of unhindered communication that is the foundation to successful consensus building. / 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, 2012. / June 29, 2012. / Conflict, Consensus, Design, Environment, Interior, Resolution / Includes bibliographical references. / Jill Pable, Professor Directing Thesis; Lisa Waxman, Committee Member; Peter Munton, Committee Member.

The purpose of this research project was to evaluate the interior spaces of an end-of-life care facility in order to understand how these spaces affect the patients, the families, and the staff of the facility and then to use this information as a basis for the design portion of this thesis. A review of the existing literature as well as data gathered from original research were coupled in order to create Dogwood Lane, an end-of-life care facility located in Tallahassee, Florida with an environment that is functionally sound, promotes well-being, and facilitates interaction. End-of-life care is a social and medical reform movement that offers its patients "care rather than cure" (Silver, 2004, p. S-202). Its intent is to provide patients comfort, dignity, and respect during the final stages of life, helping to ease the transition from life to death. Although there are three types of end-of-life care including care for AIDS patients, care for children, and care for the elderly, this research study focuses on end-of-life care for the elderly. An end-of-life care facility located in Tallahassee, Florida was chosen as the research site for this study. The methods of observational research, behavioral mapping, staff surveys, and an interview with the Director of Nursing were utilized for this study. The findings provide insight into the design functionality of the facility and how this design directly affects the behaviors and interaction of its user groups: the patients, the families, and the staff. The study focused on certain areas of the facility including the patient room, the seating areas adjacent to the patient rooms, the living room, the kitchen, the outdoor garden area, the sun porch, and the spiritual care space. Narrowing the focus of the study to these seven spaces allowed for the intense exploration of these critical spaces. Research indicated that interaction among patients, families, and staff takes place in each of the aforementioned spaces; however, some spaces are utilized more frequently than others. It was found that the facility provided privacy, facilitated social support, and promoted well-being through its overall space plan, its residential feeling, and its implementation of nature. Design considerations for this thesis project, Dogwood Lane, were developed from the existing literature and the conducted research, creating an evidence-based design for this facility. The final design for this facility is one that promotes well-being, stimulates interaction and gathering, is safe for all users, and eases the transition from life to death for both the patients and families of Dogwood Lane. / 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, 2012. / June 22, 2012. / End-of-Life Care, Family, Interaction and gathering, Interior Design, Patient, Staff / Includes bibliographical references. / Jim Dawkins, Professor Directing Thesis; Marlo Ransdell, Committee Member; Lisa Waxman, Committee Member.