For any artist, imagination is a powerful and necessary instrument for everyday creation. It is like a magical engine that drives the artist forward. But what is imagination? How do we keep this engine running nonstop? According to the Italian philosopher Giovan Battista Vico, imagination is nothing but extended or compounded memory, imagination is nothing but the springing up of reminiscences, and ingenuity or invention is nothing but the working over of what is remembered.So we can easily understand that people create or invent things out of what they have seen, what they have experienced, and what they have engaged with their own bodies. In my thesis, I'm not competing with the artists in imagination or creation, but I'm trying to offer them this architectural environment that would be transfigured into memory through senses. The artists living and working in this tower building are encouraged to move vertically through stairways and vertically aligned public spaces. By engaging the body and senses in this vertical movement, the artists would find their way out of the urban canyon to the sky of imagination. They would also be able to live lightly above the bustling world of reality. / Master of Architecture

How to better integrate urban texture, architecture, and culture organically, and use the architecture as a carrier to transmit more humanistic information? In today's society, people have a variety of ways to explore the culture and understand the culture. However, the most direct experience is a personal experience. As the most important carrier of human activities, architecture cannot be overlooked. From the direct sensory experience and indirect behavioral patterns, architecture is involved in human activities and ways of thinking all the time. Therefore, the combination of culture and architecture organically will give people a better way and angle to understand the culture. The relationship between local culture and local architecture is inextricably linked. However, how to integrate foreign culture into local architecture will be a very difficult problem. Directly transplanting buildings and cultural elements from a foreign culture to a local city will make the building incompatible with the original urban texture. It is not easy for local residents to accept this foreign culture from the aesthetic perspective or psychological perspective. In my thesis, I hope to design a cultural center that can match the texture of the local city and reflect the foreign culture through my thinking about the architecture and the understanding of the foreign culture: design a Chinese cultural center in Chinatown, Washington DC, to find out a reasonable way for cultural communication. / Master of Architecture / With the convenience of information dissemination and the rapid trend of globalization, the distance between people has gradually shortened. However, the way to bring human distance closer together must be the deeper understanding and mutual recognition of each other. As the most important carrier of human activities, architecture's ability to transmit cultural information is obvious. However, designing a foreign cultural center to enhance cultural communication based on the local urban environment requires consideration of more factors. Foreign buildings contain foreign cultures that make them unsuitable for being displayed too directly in the local urban environment. Therefore, how to deal with the relationship between foreign culture and local architecture more reasonably is the crucial part. It is necessary to consider the local architectural environment as well as think about the deep content of the foreign culture both in the design of the building and the site. This project will provide an opportunity to transform this conflict and contradiction to better integrate the site, architecture, and culture.

Lake Anne is the showcase of the first "new town" developed in the United States after World War II. Built in the early 1960's, Lake Anne is now 35 years old. Although, it was built as the model for a new way to live and work; time has affected its economic viability. Deterioration, through age, changed real estate market preferences and the way people live today, have created an opportunity to revitalize Lake Anne. This study offers a view of the future possibilities for Lake Anne. / Master of Landscape Architecture

Increases in impervious surfaces associated with urbanization change stream hydrology by increasing peak flow rates, storm-flow volumes and flood frequency, and degrade water quality through increases in sediment, nutrient, and bacteria concentrations. In response to water quality and quantity issues within the Stroubles Creek watershed, the Town of Blacksburg and Virginia Tech designed and constructed two innovative stormwater best management practices (BMPs). The goal of this project was to evaluate the effectiveness of a bioretention cell and a CU-Structural Soil™ infiltration trench. BMP construction was completed in July 2007. Twenty-nine precipitation events were monitored over a period of five months between October 2007 and March 2008. For each storm, inflow and outflow composite samples were collected for each BMP and analyzed for suspended sediment, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, fecal coliform bacteria and E-coli bacteria. The inflow and outflow concentrations and loads, as well as total inflow and outflow volumes and peak flow rates, were then compared to evaluate how well each BMP reduces stormwater flows, decrease peak runoff rates and improves water quality of stormwater runoff. Results for the bioretention cell indicate average reductions in stormwater quantity, sediment, total nitrogen, total phosphorus and fecal coliform bacteria that exceeded 99% by mass. The CU-Structural Soil™ infiltration trench produced reductions in stormwater quantity, total phosphorus and sediment that averaged 60%, 45% and 51%, respectively. Preliminary bacteria results indicated that both BMPs served as sources of E-coli, and the infiltration trench served as a source of fecal coliform bacteria. / Master of Science

Twentieth Century climatology was dominated by two great figures: Wladamir Köppen and C. Warren Thornthwaite. The first carefully developed climatic parameters to match the larger world vegetation communities. The second developed complex formulas of "Moisture Factors" that provided efficient understanding of how evapotranspiration influences plant growth and health, both for native and non-native communities. In the latter half of the Twentieth Century, the Sunset Magazine Corporation develop a purely empirical set of Garden Zones, first for California, then for the thirteen states of the West, now for the entire nation in the National Garden Maps. The Sunset Garden Zones are well recognized and respected in Western States for illustrating the several factors of climate that distinguish zones. But the Sunset Garden Zones have never before been digitized and examined statistically for validation of their demarcations. This thesis examines the digitized zones with reference to PRISM climate data. Variable coverages resembling those described by Sunset are extracted from the PRISM data. These variable coverages are collected for two buffered areas, one in northern California and one in southern California. The coverages are exported from ArcGIS 9.1 to SAS® where they are processed first through a Principal Component Analysis, and then the first five principal components are entered into a Ward's Hierarchical Cluster Analysis. The resulting clusters were translated back into ArcGIS as a raster coverage, where the clusters were climatic regions. This process is quite amenable for further examination of other regions of California / Master of Science

This thesis is an exploration of how an existing parking lot in Washington, DC is transformed into a greenspace with ten public pavilions. This structured garden is designed to promote solitude and reflection and to develop an awareness of path, movement, composition, scale, and material. / Master of Architecture

I consider that either walking along the riverbank or floating down the river by boat and enjoying the journey by interacting with nature is a fundamental human right. Wandering in the concrete jungle, humming while beatboxing, dancing, and skateboarding can also be great pleasures. However, as cities increasingly cover over nature with urban constructions, highways, for instance, they deprive people's right to access the river by erecting a barrier between city and nature. Citizens are the reason that cities exist. So many vivid social activities happen in the concrete jungle every day. Yet, out urban lifestyles belittle nature as it is obscured by the city. It would be much more beautiful, inspiring, and healthy if we can find ways to develop cities in harmony with nature, allowing citizens to bring our urban textures to the ever-flowing river. In my thesis, I explore the possibilities of bringing the city and the river, architecturally. / Master of Architecture / I consider that either walking along the riverbank or floating down the river by boat and enjoying the journey by interacting with nature is a fundamental human right. Wandering in the concrete jungle, humming while beat boxing, dancing and skateboarding can also be great pleasures. However, as cities increasingly cover over nature with urban constructions, highways for instance, they deprive people’s right to access the river by erecting a barrier between city and nature. Citizens are the reason that cities exist. So many vivid social activities happen in the concrete jungle every day. Yet, out urban lifestyles belittle nature as it is obscured by the city. It would be much more beautiful, inspiring, and healthy if we can find ways to develop cities in harmony with nature, allowing citizens to bring our urban textures to the ever-flowing river. In my thesis, I explore the possibilities of bringing the city and the river, architecturally.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Climate change creates both risks and opportunities worldwide. By understanding, planning for and adapting to a changing climate, individuals and societies can take advantage of these opportunities and reduce risks where possible. The consequences of climate variability and climate change are potentially more significant for activities that depend on local weather and climatic conditions. The Garden Route in the Western Cape (southern region), is an agricultural region that is vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and climate variables; if these climatic conditions should change, productivity levels and livelihoods would be directly affected. This study examined how farmers’ perceptions of weather conditions have corresponded with the climatic data recorded at various meteorological stations in the Garden Route, South Africa, and whether these perceptions could be linked to an understanding of the ethical implications of climate change or not. Through the use of indepth interviews, the study analysed farmers’ adaptive responses, their perceptions and understanding of climate change, and their perceptions and understanding of the ethical challenges posed by climate change. The Heckman Probit Adaptation Model was used to examine perception and adaptation to climate change and climate variability. Main constraints cited by farmers in changing their ways of farming and adapting to climate change were obtaining rights to increasing their water storage capacities (increasing dam walls or building dams), flood water management, cash flow and financial support, obtaining permits to burn, and general support from official structures. Furthermore this study implemented a scenario-planning exercise to determine adaptation trends in the observed and projected climate for the Garden Route, with the aim of providing possible solutions for wiser agricultural practices. The following scenarios were compared: (1) If agricultural practices continue as per status quo – with no change in climatic conditions; (2) If agricultural patterns are significantly modified, to reduce agricultural impact on local biodiversity – with no change in climatic conditions; (3) If agricultural practices continue as per status quo – with significant change in climatic conditions; and (4) If agricultural practices are significantly modified, to reduce agricultural impact on local biodiversity, and taking account of likely changes in climatic conditions. The analyses – according to these four scenarios – indicated the likelihood of possible trends in future, using specific climate variables, together with possible adaptation strategies. With no change in climatic conditions, but a change in farming practices towards environmental protection, the farming sector may achieve sustainability. However, if climatic conditions should change, changes in farming practices may not be enough to guarantee its sustainability. Farmers in the Garden Route indicated that agricultural production on any scale is completely dependent on water, leaving this sector exposed and vulnerable posing substantial obstacles to farmers to continue farming in the same way. Farmers are now faced with the decision to “adapt or die”. The convergence of these factors has the potential to create a “perfect moral storm”. One consequence of this storm is that, even if the other difficult ethical questions surrounding climate change could be answered, farmers still may find it difficult to articulate what this moral storm could entail, and how to act upon it. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Klimaatsverandering skep wêreldwyd beide risiko’s en geleenthede. Deur klimaatsverandering te verstaan, daarvoor te beplan en daarby aan te pas, kan individue en gemeenskappe hierdie geleenthede aangryp en, waar moontlik, die risiko’s verlaag. Die gevolge van klimaatskommelings en klimaatverandering is potensieel meer betekenisvol vir daardie aktiwiteite wat afhanklik is van plaaslike weer- en klimaatstoestande. Die landboustreek in die Tuinroete in die Wes-Kaap (suidelike streek) is gevoelig vir die impak van klimaatsverandering en klimaatskommelings; indien klimaatstoestande verander, sal produktiwiteitsvlakke en lewenskwaliteit direk beïnvloed word. Hierdie studie het ondersoek ingestel na die ooreenkoms tussen boere se persepsie van klimaatsverandering, en die klimaatsdata by verskeie meteorologiese stasies in die Tuinroete, Suid-Afrika en of hierdie persepsies verbind kan word aan 'n begrip van die etiese implikasies van klimaatsverandering of nie. By wyse van indiepte onderhoude het die studie boere se aanpassingmeganismes, hul persepsies en begrip van klimaatsverandering, asook hul persepsies en begrip van die etiese uitdagings van klimaatsverandering ontleed. Die Heckman Probit Aanpassings-Model is gebruik om die persepsie en aanpassing by klimaatsverandering en klimaatskommelings te bepaal. Boere het die volgende as die vernaamste struikelblokke in die verandering in landboupraktyke en aanpassing by klimaatsverandering beskou: a) verkryging van toestemming om wateropgaarkapasiteit te verhoog (die bou of verhoging van damme); b) vloedbestuur; c) kontantvloei en finansiële ondersteuning; d) verkryging van brandpermitte; en e) algemene ondersteuning vanaf amptelike instansies. Voorts het hierdie studie scenario-beplanning gebruik om tendense in die aanpassing by die waargenome en voorspelde klimaatsverandering in die Tuinroete te bepaal. Die doel hiervan is om moontlike oplossings vir beter landboupraktyke te verskaf. Die volgende scenario’s is met mekaar vergelyk: (1) Indien landboupraktyke voortgaan soos gewoonlik (status quo) – geen verandering in klimaatstoestande; (2) Indien landbou betekenisvol verander om die impak van landbou op plaaslike biodiversiteit te verlaag – geen verandering in klimaatstoestande; (3) Indien landboupraktyke voortgaan soos gewoonlik (status quo) – betekenisvolle verandering in klimaatstoestande; en (4) Indien landbou betekenisvol verander om die impak van landbou op plaaslike biodiversiteit te verlaag – met inagneming van moontlike veranderings in klimaatstoestande. By wyse van die vier scenario’s dui die analise moontlike toekomstige tendense aan deur gebruik te maak van spesifieke klimaatskommelings, tesame met moontlike aanpassingstrategieë. Met geen verandering in die klimaatstoestand kan die landbousektor volhoubaar wees indien landboupraktyke verander en omgewingsbeskerming in ag neem. Indien klimaatstoestande egter verander, mag gewysigde landboupraktyke nie genoeg wees om die volhoubaarheid daarvan te verseker nie. Boere in die Tuinroete het aangedui dat enige skaal van landbouproduksie geheel en al van water afhanklik is, wat hierdie sektor blootgestel en kwesbaar maak, en ‘n groot struikelblok is indien boere op dieselfde wyse bly boer. Boere is nou onderworpe aan die besluit om aan te pas of onder te gaan. Die sameloop van al hierdie faktore het die potensiaal om die “perfekte morele storm” te ontketen. Een gevolg van hierdie storm is dat, alhoewel ander moeilike etiese kwessies rondom klimaatsverandering beantwoord sou kon word, boere dit nog steeds moeilik mag vind om dié morele storm te omskryf en hoe om hierop te reageer.

Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010.

Esta dissertação aprofunda a pesquisa histórica sobre o bairro-jardim Vila Assunção, enquanto resultado de um projeto urbanístico e as transformações da paisagem urbana decorrentes do uso e da apropriação dos espaços projetados no bairro. Neste sentido, o objeto de estudo é o bairro-jardim Vila Assunção, localizado na zona sul de Porto Alegre, projetado em 1937, pelo Engº Ruy de Viveiros Leiria. Tomando como ponto de partida o projeto original, tem como objetivo compreender, através do projeto implantado no passado e da memória afetiva de seus moradores, as dinâmicas de apropriação e de ocupação do espaço, como processo histórico e determinante na formação da paisagem. Desta maneira, entende-se como problema central desta pesquisa compreender os motivos que levaram a escolha do modelo cidade-jardim, para a elaboração do projeto urbano da Vila Assunção e como se deu a sua ocupação. / This dissertation deepen the historical research about the neighborhood-garden Vila Assunção, as a result of urban design and the urban landscape changes arising from the use and appropriation of spaces designed in the neighborhood. In this sense, the object of study is the neighborhood-garden Vila Assunção, located on the South zone of Porto Alegre, designed in 1937 by Eng. Ruy de Viveiros Leiria. Taking as a starting point the original project, aims to understand, through the project deployed in the past and the affective memory of its residents, the dynamics of appropriation and occupation of the space, as historic and decisive process in the formation of the landscape. In this way, one understands as the central problem of this research to understand how and why the choice of a Garden City model, for the elaboration and of the urban design of the Vila Assunção and how its implementation occurred.