Sense of place is important because it enhances the user experience in a setting, promotes well maintained public places and encourages public participation in planning. In addition, sense of place has recently been recognized for its significance in ecosystem and resource management. Unfortunately, due to lack of a clear definition and disorganization in the literature, the significance of sense of place has not translated well from theory to practice. This research narrows the gap between theory and practice in place-making by distilling common place-making principles from the literature to develop a set of clear, practical guidelines for place-making. Using Pier 21 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, these principles (and the techniques that fulfill them) were incorporated into twenty ‘what-if’ visual simulations. Using a multi-sort technique, combined with open-ended interviews, these simulations were used to evoke participant responses to the principles and techniques distilled from the literature. Generally, it was found that sense of place is enhanced with the addition of these principles/techniques, but five unexpected ‘key findings’ were also discovered – there is a hierarchy amongst the principles; there is a hierarchy amongst the techniques; significant techniques are lacking in the literature; the principles/techniques need not be exhausted; and, with familiarity, mystery becomes meaning. Practically, it is demonstrated that the guidelines developed through this research are capable of providing solutions to issues recognized in current Canadian design guidelines. Academically, this research presents an initial exploratory study in bridging the gap between theory and practice in place-making. A number of opportunities are recognized to further test the principles/techniques distilled in this research.

This paper discusses how a profit-pursuing economic man turning to a social man with the sense of ¡¥place¡¦. Using the case study of Taiwanese businessmen investing land in Vietnam, this thesis argues that such an imagined ¡¥mobile capital¡¦ might be turning to the capital embedded in the local place. Based on grounded theory, the author interviewed 20 persons in Vietnam to understand their life trajectories, and their current situations in Vietnam. The result shows that Taiwanese businesspeople in different industries, which locate their production in different locations, have different senses of place attachment. Language ability and the intimate life with local people will affect their attachment to the local place.

The aim of this research is to identify how industrial heritage in redeveloping industrial areas may be used to contribute to a neighbourhood sense of place. This is examined through case studies, semi-structured interviews and first hand observations. Focus is placed on planning processes and results yielded. This project began with the belief that highlighting a community's heritage, when done effectively, and at a comprehensive scale, will foster a distinct neighbourhood character and sense of place. Based on the literature and research collected, an analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats associated with incorporating the industrial heritage of South Point Douglas in Winnipeg, Manitoba is provided. Future steps are also recommended. This community was chosen , in part, because of its large supple of underused industrial buildings, its central location, and its historical significance to the development of the City of Winnipeg.

The purpose of this qualitative thesis is to describe the common elements of sense of place in the lived experiences of volunteer trail managers. Through a triangulation of data gathered from secondary research, interviews with trail managers, and participation observation of hikers, I sought to draw out the essence of the trail manager???s sense of place towards their trail experience and connect this back to ongoing management challenges in the organization. Some of these challenges include declining membership, limited lines of communication, and problematic landowner relations. Themes around this common sense of place are situated within meanings, relationship/ attachments, emotions, and behaviors towards the trail experience. Interrelationships between sense of place, phenomenology, and trail management are also highlighted.

In relation to the constructivist learning theory, understanding what a student may already know in order to use this knowledge as a scaffold for further education is imperative. The online classroom offers a unique and challenging environment for the evaluation of a student’s previous knowledge, especially in the field of geosciences where knowledge may be associated with geographic affiliation. An individual’s geological and meteorological sense of place may play an important role in evaluating a student’s previous knowledge in this field of study. To test this hypothesis, students in an online master’s program were given pre-knowledge surveys to evaluate their previous knowledge in Meteorology and Geology, as well as Geological and Meteorological sense of place surveys (Clary, R.M., and Wandersee, J.H., 2006; Clary, R.M., Wandersee, J.H., and Sumrall, J.L., 2013). Students were then categorized by geographic regions within the United States. Students were also given interest surveys at the end of their first year in the Masters program, and selected students were interviewed during their capstone field experience at the end of the second year of the program. Results suggest that there were subtle differences between regional groups of students throughout the study. More pronounced differences were noticed in the Meteorological pre-surveys than the Geological pre-surveys. Both sense of place surveys also indicated differences across regions, but the Meteorological sense of place survey showed greater regional differences when individual questions were analyzed. Interestingly, the participants who were interviewed at the end of the Masters program showed more geologically specific attachments as opposed to meteorologically specific attachments to areas that they considered to be “home.” The importance of moving and traveling throughout one’s life also became evident during the analysis of the interviews. Overall, this study of an online Master’s program concludes that geographic differences and moving/travel experiences among students matters to education in an online setting. The study emphasizes the importance for online instructors to evaluate teaching techniques based on geological and meteorological sense of place. By taking this into account in an online classroom, geographic disparities could be minimized and content interest levels could be increased.

No description available.

New Urbanism is an all-encompassing term that refers to an increasingly popular set of design tenets that draw upon traditional urban forms in the creation or redevelopment of residential communities. Although design professionals are increasingly adopting these design tenets in the creation of new communities, there is no research that either supports or rejects New Urbanism's underlying assumption that neotraditional design tenets are capable of fostering a “sense of place.” Therefore, this research explores how a ”sense of place” arises for residents of a neotraditional neighborhood located in Blacksburg, Virginia. This research then investigates the influence physical form has on the development of a sense of place for the individuals living within this community. In an attempt to answer these questions, this research project employs an existential-phenomenological approach to understand the specified people-place relationships. The transformation of space into place for the participants living within the study area was consistent with two distinct, existing theories regarding the development of a sense of place. Analysis indicates that social interaction in the form of un-structured chance encounters with neighbors heavily influences the transformation of mere space into place. Further analysis indicates that such encounters are not directly related to density. Rather, the proximity of the housing, the connection between the public and private realm, and the relationship of the housing to the un-built environment all emerge as key factors in encouraging such residential experiences. The results are discussed in the context of TND design tenets and a theory of neighborhood design is presented. / Ph. D.

Urban catalysts are new redevelopment strategies comprised of a series of projects that drive and guide urban development. Redevelopment efforts in the past, such as urban renewal and large-scale redevelopment projects, have often jeopardized the vitality of downtowns. The difference between the urban catalyst and these redevelopment strategies is that catalytic redevelopment is a holistic approach, not a clean-slate approach, to revitalizing the urban fabric. Many cities have considered urban catalysts as a means for revitalization. Among the most noted catalytic projects are sports stadiums and arenas: however not all catalytic projects have to be designed at such a grand scale, nor do all cities possess a threshold of support to successfully sustain such developments. This thesis design project examines the significance of the urban catalyst as a means of urban revitalization. The urban catalyst theory says design can be linked to place through the study of contextual factors in urban design. These factors include: morphological, social, functional, perceptual, visual, and temporal. For the urban catalyst to respond to its setting it also must possess a strong sense of place and authenticity. Each component of my research supports my position that each city has unique attributes that can serve as basic models or seeds for urban redevelopment. These components are used as a basis for developing a design framework that is applied to two sites in Memphis, Tennessee. This position is tested through the contextual analysis and design of two projects that are of major significance to Downtown Memphis, Tennessee. The first demonstrates the role that Court Square plays as a critical social and spatial element in the revitalization of the center city. The second is the revitalization of the South Side Neighborhood, an area full of history and character. / Master of Landscape Architecture

The purpose of this thesis is to explore the experiences of Black women regarding air pollution in Toronto. Specifically, it explores the experiences of Black women in Toronto in regard to air pollution and the connections to air pollution and other barriers that Black women may face in Toronto. The thesis used qualitative research alongside air pollution literature in Canada to explain these experiences. The thesis will use the definition of environmental racism and the main theoretical framework of racial capitalism. In Chapter 1, there is a general discussion on the impacts of air pollution, with mention of a ruling of the first death caused by air pollution in the world, in order to showcase the growing concern associated with exposure to air pollution. Furthermore, this chapter explains how air pollution affects population health and focuses on the impact of specific chemicals and compounds associated with air pollution. In Chapter 2, discusses why Black women and their experiences with air pollution are unique compared to the general population in Canada. Furthermore, this chapter explains air pollution and its effects in Toronto, Ontario, including the sources of traffic and industrial air pollution levels, while emphasising the unequal burden of air pollution affecting lower-income groups in Toronto. Chapter 4 explains the theoretical approaches. Chapter 5 will discuss the interview analysis, verbatim quotes from participants and connecting the theories mentioned in the literature review portion to what the participants have mentioned. Chapter 6 will conclude the thesis. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

Denna uppsats handlar om Arvika i västra Värmland som bland annat är känt för sitt rika kulturliv. Kultur är ett differentierat begrepp som har olika definitioner beroende på vad man syftar på och vem man frågar. Uppsatsens syfte är att utskilja om det finns en officiell bild av Arvikas kultur och om äldre och unga personer har en annan bild för att förstå om kulturen har betydelse för platsens identitet. Resultatet blev att bilderna till viss del ser olika ut men även att de liknar varandra. Bilden av Arvikas kultur är ofta estetisk men olika individer snarare än olika grupper hade skilda åsikter om vad de definierar som kultur samt hur de identifierar sig med den och platsen. / This senior essay is about the town of Arvika, in Western Värmland, Sweden. Arvika is famous, among other things, for its rich cultural life. Culture is a difficult concept that has many meanings depending on who you ask. The paper tries to highlight or draw out the official perceptions of Arvika´s culture and whether the elderly and the young inhabitants have a different image and perception of Arvika´s culture. The essay examines the importance of culture for the (place) identity of Arvika. The study found out that the official and ”popular” images of Arvika on the whole are similar, but diverse as well. The images of Arvka´s culture are often aesthetic. The differences are individual rather than age or group related.