Why has transportation architecture become a lost thought when there are so many possibilities to reach people with well thought out design? Shouldn't we as designers want to enhance the places were most people go, not just were few choose to visit. Shouldn't architecture be for the general public to enjoy. That is why I chose to design an underground station for Dulles Airport. It is an opportunity to provide the public with a functional design that they could enjoy, while enriching their thoughts and ideas on what architecture is and what is could be. / Master of Architecture

Thesis (MInt (Prof)) -- University of Pretoria, 2008. / Abstract in English. Includes bibliographical references.

<p>This research and methodology develop a set of statistical measurements to evaluate sustainability &mdash; in terms of desired high urban density, walkability for community amenity and convenience for everyday life &mdash; at the level of urban design for the cities of Chicago, USA and Taipei, Taiwan. The method, based upon GIS (Geographical Information System) technology, is used at this spatial level and for this type of academic study for the first time. The research analyzes and compares the percentage of each city's population living within the "Quarter Mile Radius Sphere of Influence" (QMSI) for three classes of community amenities: parks, public elementary schools, and subway stations. The new and unique statistical data obtained in this thesis show a great disparity between the two cities. </p><p> 1. Chicago has 31.98% of its population living within the QMSI of public elementary schools. Taipei has 49.64% of its population living within the QMSI of public elementary schools. </p><p> 2. For subway stations, Chicago has only 8.09% of its population living in the QMSI, while Taipei has 25.99%. </p><p> 3. For urban parks, Chicago has 44.06% of its population living in the QMSI, while Taipei has 88.80%. </p><p> Further, based upon comparison, this research also discovers that the "sweet spot" areas &mdash; intersection of the QMSIs of all three community amenities &mdash; are mostly distributed along subway lines. With this indication, the research visualizes and supports the objective of improved public transit and walkability as key factors for sustainability in urban design in this case. The research also demonstrates the usefulness of GIS technology's new application in urban design studies for the future. The research shows that this new method has applicability for academic studies in other urban contexts, and for future international urban design and planning. </p>