Drainage codes exist to provide appropriate and safe means of disposal of effluent from buildings. If it is seen that those codes may not be written in a way which leads to an assured appropriate outcome, then they need to be questioned. Accordingly, this thesis follows up on the author's concerns regarding the approach taken to the layout of drainage under today's building regulatory regime. Under the New Zealand Building Code any standards may be used or any approach may be taken to methods of building, drainage and plumbing, providing the approach used can be justified as complying with the non-prescriptive objectives and performance requirements of the Building Code. Under this approach drains are now being installed more often under buildings with their maintenance access points within the building. This situation, and the consequent likely emission of microbiological aerosols, are cause for concern: that is the airborne release of microscopic particles. The "Report of the Departmental Committee - Intercepting Traps in House Drains" of 1912 from the UK, parts of which are quoted in Section 7.0, reinforced these concerns of the author. But these concerns were not shared by many others who have a major influence on the form and shape of our buildings, and it was assumed that current code requirements may not have been based on any significant research. Based on a relatively widespread lack of knowledge, there was a scenario of doubt and denial as to whether or not there were shortcomings in current code requirements in New Zealand. This provided incentive for the research project within this thesis, on the basis that there may be encouragement for future code requirements to be based on even more research in order to confirm their validity. This thesis demonstrates that the ambiguity in existing approved methods of compliance with current building codes fails to adequately protect the populace from adverse potential health effects. / Whole document restricted, but available by request, use the feedback form to request access.

Drainage codes exist to provide appropriate and safe means of disposal of effluent from buildings. If it is seen that those codes may not be written in a way which leads to an assured appropriate outcome, then they need to be questioned. Accordingly, this thesis follows up on the author's concerns regarding the approach taken to the layout of drainage under today's building regulatory regime. Under the New Zealand Building Code any standards may be used or any approach may be taken to methods of building, drainage and plumbing, providing the approach used can be justified as complying with the non-prescriptive objectives and performance requirements of the Building Code. Under this approach drains are now being installed more often under buildings with their maintenance access points within the building. This situation, and the consequent likely emission of microbiological aerosols, are cause for concern: that is the airborne release of microscopic particles. The "Report of the Departmental Committee - Intercepting Traps in House Drains" of 1912 from the UK, parts of which are quoted in Section 7.0, reinforced these concerns of the author. But these concerns were not shared by many others who have a major influence on the form and shape of our buildings, and it was assumed that current code requirements may not have been based on any significant research. Based on a relatively widespread lack of knowledge, there was a scenario of doubt and denial as to whether or not there were shortcomings in current code requirements in New Zealand. This provided incentive for the research project within this thesis, on the basis that there may be encouragement for future code requirements to be based on even more research in order to confirm their validity. This thesis demonstrates that the ambiguity in existing approved methods of compliance with current building codes fails to adequately protect the populace from adverse potential health effects. / Whole document restricted, but available by request, use the feedback form to request access.

Kampung is a pervasive concept in Malay Culture and considered counter urban in contemporary discourse. Rural to urban migration of the Malays from kampung to cities occur at an accelerated pace in urbanizing Malaysia. Rural migrants are said to remain attached to their rural kampung lifestyles and find the socio-spatial character of urban environment difficult to adapt to. Previous studies on rural kampung by anthropologists and social scientists have unpacked the socio-economic and cultural aspects of kampung Malays in rural area. My study of migrants in Alor Star and Kuala Lumpur is focused on the landscape meanings of kampung and explores how these ideas have been brought across to a city environment. I investigated the meanings and symbolic values that kampung holds to the rural-urban migrants through a ‘landscape lens’. I recorded the experiences of the rural-urban migrants in adapting to an urban landscape, identified kampung elements to which people have strong attachment with and highlighted the kampung characteristics that could be maintained or replicated in order to address the maladaptation of the migrants and enhance their urban living experience. Study participants were rural-urban migrant respondents from rural kampung in Yan, Kedah who have either moved to Kuala Lumpur or Alor Star. The case studies in the two cities were carried out using qualitative methods including photo elicitation, in-depth interviews, model mapping techniques and participant observation. Respondents provided narratives of their journey from kampung, moving to the city, and their process of adapting and settling in cities. Challenges in adaptation to city living spaces included spatial use, privacy, social relationships, safety and surveillance. My findings demonstrated that the memory of kampung plays a significant part in guiding the life of respondents in the city, and that the image of kampung is pervasive in the daily social and spatial practice of rural-urban migrants, guiding respondents’ level of adaptation and place-making in the city landscape. The use of landscape as lens was helpful in interpreting the complex and multivalent kampung meanings. Addressing a dynamic kampung idea through a landscape framework highlights the strong parallels between kampung and the early landscape concepts. The process of unweaving the meanings of kampung have illustrated that kampung ideas have the potential to inspire a landscape design language that could mitigate the harsh contrast between rural and urban Malaysia.

Cities are not merely inanimate objects. They are complex living environments, built over time by cultures and civilisations. This thesis argues that cities have a central place in human history and civilisation because they are imbued with meaning and meaningful activity. Thus, cities are inherently political spaces, and it may be reasonably expected that they will be important sites of social transformation in the postmodern era. In order to understand the relationship between urban space and political consciousness, this thesis traces several different interpretive paths within the marxist tradition. First, we examine the work of Henri Lefebvre, who argues for an understanding of urban space as socially produced. Next, the thesis looks at the contributions of Guy Debord, particularly at his understanding of the relation between time and the city. Both writers struggle to understand the urban in the context of the shift to what we now call postmodernity. Despite their many strengths, Debord and Lefebvre ultimately fail to theorise a social subject capable of resisting capitalist domination of the city. As a result, the thesis turns to a consideration of the work of Antonio Negri. Negri’s analysis of the fate of contemporary subjectivity has reinvigorated marxist critique with a return to the question of political change. His figure of the multitude takes leave of traditional marxism in challenging and productive ways, and helps us better understand the nature of subjectivity and resistance in a world of immaterial labour and virtuality. Nevertheless, this thesis argues that there is still work to be done before Negri’s work can be mapped out onto the contemporary metropolis.

As the area of impervious surfaces at urban environment increases, the more rapid runoff and urban flash floods lead to frequent overflow of the sewer system. For storm water runoff prevention and mitigation, there are soakaways commonly built in newly build up areas. The soakaways volume calculation is given by ČSN 75 9010 regulation in the Czech Republic. The presented thesis verifies applicability of this regulation in selected study sites (smal basins) of projected building construction model basins, which differ with regard to their infiltration characteristics, slope, area and degree of planned urbanization. The runoff calculation was estimated by Clark's Unit Hydrograph (UH) transformation and triangular SCS UH. HEC-HMS software has been used for Clark's UH application. Triangular UH runoff calculation has been done using MS Excel environment to establish a series of equations and logical conditions. Both models' results were compared for storms with 5 years, 10 years, 100 years and theoretical maximum return period; thus also for storms with longer return period than is proposed in the regulation. The positive differences in soakaway peak overflows and peak runoffs in study sites before the start of the urbanization were compared and evaluated, together with the differences in soakaway...

In preparation for, and for decision support during, CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear) emergencies it is essential to know how such an event would turn out, so that one can prepare a possible evacuation. Afterwards it might be good to know how to backtrack and see what caused the emergency, and in the case of e.g. a gas leak, where did it begin? The Swedish Defence Research Agency (FOI) develops models for such scenarios. In this thesis FOI's model, "The Nordic Urban Dispersion model" (NUD), has been studied. The system of equations set up by this model was originally solved using Intel's PARDISO solver, which is a direct solver. An evaluation on how an iterative multigrid method would work to solve the system has been done in this thesis. The wind model is a mass-consistent model which sets up a diagnostic initial wind field. The final wind field is later minimized under the constraint of the continuity equation. The minimization problem is solved using Lagrange multipliers and the system turns into a Poisson-like problem. The iterative algebraic multigrid solver (AMG) which has been evaluated had difficulties solving the problem of an asymmetric system matrix generated by NUD. The AMG solver was then tried on a symmetric discrete Poisson problem instead, and the solution turns out to be the same as for the PARDISO solver. A comparison was made between the AMG and PARDISO solver, and for the discrete Poisson case the AMG solver turned out on top for both larger system size and less computational time. To try out the solvers for the original NUD case a modification of the boundary conditions was made to make the system matrix symmetric. This modification turns the problem into a mathematical problem rather than a physical one, as the wind fields generated are not physically correct. For this modified case both the solvers get the same solution in essentially the same computational time. A method of how to in the future solve the original (asymmetric) problem, by modifying the discretization of the boundary conditions, has been discussed.

This thesis explores the ways in which architecture can be used to enhance and support creativity in music by engaging with the urban environment. The investigation will take the form of designing a community scaled performing-arts incubator in downtown Toronto. The arts incubator program is familiar across North America, but often takes the form of either a pastoral retreat or an urban revitalization tool with a focus on community development. This thesis aims to combine both ideas and create an arts-focused facility within the urban environment. Elements of the creative process of music are translated to program-specific, arts-focused design elements that are then described by their relationship to each other and to the city. This thesis aims to create a series of spaces that will enhance the capability of urban musicians to practice their craft and in turn elevate the cultural identity of the place.

Stormwater management systems reduce the impact of surface runoff in urban environments. The Toronto Green Standard (TGS) has been developed to further mitigate effects of urban runoff by mandating runoff control implementation in new developments at the site level. The intended effect of these measures is to reduce the quantity and improve the quality of water. Recent concepts of sustainable stormwater suggest that amenity is an equally important aspect of such a system. This study evaluated Best Management Practices suggested by the TGS for their performance and amenity characteristics. Design professionals selected for prior experience with the TGS were consulted to determine industry perceptions of the requirements, and how the standards could be altered to improve amenity value. Several concerns were identified which appear to impede the successful implementation of sustainable stormwater management solutions, to which recommendations are proposed which may help balance performance and amenity requirements in the TGS.

Kingston is a city facing serious environmental challenges. In common with other Third World cities, these have usually been documented from the perspective of affluent and powerful urban residents. Very little research has explored the spatial and social distribution of environmental problems in the city, or has examined the ways that individual citizens from a variety of backgrounds understand the urban environment. These problems have often been packaged as discrete issues, when in fact they cannot be understood or alleviated without knowledge of their economic, political, and cultural aspects. Urban environmental problems require political solutions that address uneven power relations and ineffective structures of urban governance. In this thesis, I address these issues in Kingston through an application of the themes of nature, power and participation. A mixture of qualitative and quantitative methods were used to explore the ways in which urban residents from different age, gender and class backgrounds construct the city and its environmental problems. The knowledge of marginalised individuals and groups is placed in the foreground and is used to provide an alternative analysis of Kingston’s ecology. These understandings are then used to assess critically the structures of urban governance, and to suggest possible changes that could be made to these. The research confirms that there are significant environmental problems in Kingston, and that these have serious negative impacts on many urban residents. It shows that these problems are understood differently by the various social groups within the city, and that the burdens of environmental problems vary socio-spatially across the Kingston Metropolitan Area. Despite this, there is a general consensus that environmental improvement is desirable. However, for this to be achieved there need to be fundamental alterations in the social structures and political organisation of the city.

Among the many and varied episodes in the history of twentieth century architecture and urban planning, the British Townscape movement is usually associated with the rear guards of these fields; both conservative and nostalgic. If mentioned at all, historical accounts generally portray Townscape as a brief and sometimes necessary interlude to subsequent movements of greater consequence. This reception is due, in part, to contemporary movements such as the so-called ‘New Urbanism’, through which the more culturally conservative aspects of Townscape’s doctrine continue to persist, arguably masking and debasing an earlier and largely forgotten Townscape, originally intended to be modernist, visually striking and to challenge notions of tradition and taste in architectural and urban discourses. The following thesis proposes that Townscape’s contributions to the discourses and practices of the twentieth century are far more considerable than has been held to date. In its early phase, Townscape introduced several important conceptual innovations whose influence can still be felt within contemporary discourses, such as: ‘contextual’ or site specific design practice; comprehensive urban design, regardless of scale or disciplinarian frameworks; the insistence on the inclusion of historic buildings and urban fabric; and its promotion of a more scenographic, synthetic, compromised and pluralist approach, which resulted in informal, irregular and asymmetrical design solutions in architecture and urban planning. From today’s standpoint Townscape has historical interest, standing at the junction of some of the greater developments in architecture and urban planning, such as the transition from architectural modernism to post-modernism, and the rise of ‘urbanism’ and its positioning as the supreme question of architecture in the post-war period by architectural movements such as contextualism, neo-rationalism and post-modernism more generally. This thesis proposes that Townscape’s influence on these movements and their authors was far more substantial than is generally acknowledged. In architecture, personalities such as Colin Rowe, Leon and Rob Krier, Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown, and Alison and Peter Smithson can be counted among those reacting to and to some degree influenced by the movement. In urban planning discourses, prominent reformists such as Jane Jacobs, Kevin Lynch and Christopher Tunnard also appear to have drawn on Townscape’s lessons in their criticism. In revisiting Townscape it is hoped that not only can a fairer and fuller picture of the movement emerge, but the scale and duration of the movement and the roles of its initiators and various supporters be duly appreciated. A thorough survey of the Architectural Review from 1930 to the 1980s shows some 1,400 articles relating to Townscape’s campaign, most of which have hitherto gone unnoticed in the scholarship on the period. These were contributed by around 200 authors, many of whom are rarely associated with the movement. This survey also reveals that most of the concepts and the rhetoric of Townscape was set much earlier than is usually thought, from the late 1930s to the early 1950s, that its intended scope was much more extensive than commonly held, and that it was planned, initiated and directed by Nikolaus Pevsner (1902-1983) and Hubert de Cronin Hastings (1902-1986). Both Pevsner and Hastings were occupied with Townscape throughout the 1940s and variously referred to the movement as ‘Visual Planning’ and ‘Exterior Furnishing’, which was more widely understood to relate to the picturesque revival carried out largely under Pevsner’s name in the Architectural Review. Throughout the 1940s Pevsner published extensively on the subject, while Hastings anonymously and pseudononymously directed discussion on the movement as executive editor of the Architectural Review, as well as from the less prominent position as proprietor of the influential Architectural Press. It is this body of work, its authors and its associated discourses that are the focus of the present enquiry. An analysis of these publications and their authors promises new insights into the early phase of the Townscape movement: its sources, originality, theory, objectives, and its influence and legacy in the practice and discourses of today. As an early reform movement of modernism, the view of Townscape put forward in this thesis challenges current historiographies, which tend to marginalize the movement’s position in the period. In its early phase Townscape was starkly modernist, but it contained much of the critique later taken up within the architectural urbanism of the 1960s and 1970s and can be seen as an important percussor to post-modernism. Additionally, Townscape’s particular approach to architecture and urban design reveals a greater value in contemporary discourses; one founded in its stylistic pluralism, its undogmatic interpretation of modernism, its insistence on historical and cultural continuity, its attention to the visual aspects and heterogeneity of the built environment, along with an aesthetic based on compromise, synthesis and inclusion.