United States is a country of shoppers, leaving hundreds of malls scattered around the country surrounded by fields of parking, waiting for the 30-year lifecycle to run its course. When the economic crisis hit in 2008, it became clear that it wasn't just the economy that was dependent on retailer's success, "public spaces" were also dependent. As malls close, the gathering spaces that offered a privatized version of the so beloved "public sphere" close as well. This thesis argues that the decline and fall of these "public spaces" resides in the mall's monofunctional nature and isolation. This thesis proposes a methodology of mall reanimation that transforms the inherited concept of the mall as a space of consumption into the mall as a place of production. Finally, this thesis aims to offer a capitalistic view on sustainable and profitable development that questions the ultimate form of suburban sprawl and land subdivision.

The continuous interior of endless Junkspace, is, at its best, the compulsive repetition of itself. This architectural condition, which exists worldwide, is characteristic of airports, casinos, malls, urban tunnel/skyway systems and transit linked nodal developments. Constantly expanding due to the elevator, escalator and A.C. Unit, this endless internal condition is completely self-sufficient, operating without formal, programmatic or site constraints. The inside is the extreme of "Bigness"; a seamless, generic, interiority where the relationship between inside and outside no longer exist. By pairing the current endless interior with post-bigness urban strategies, a new urban scenario emerges that problematizes the genericity of the seamless interior while simultaneously disrupting the undifferentiated urban relationship of the block or mega-block to its non-context. The project uses the scale of the endless building as infrastructure to explore the possibility of an After-Bigness, After-Generic moment.

This study addresses and evaluates the use of Environment-Behavior-Design (E-B-D) research in planned community practice in greater Pima County, using the specific plan approach. The research uses two methods; (1) a review of planning documents; and (2) interviews with planners. The results suggest that very little E-B-D research use has occurred in specific plans, although respondents were supportive of E-B-D research. Recommendations are made for improving research applications and for appropriate subjects for E-B-D research on planned communities.

Recent trends and research indicate a continuous decrease in civic involvement that impacts skills and abilities of individuals to participate in public decision-making in a meaningful way. Evidence indicates that student involvement in the public participation process can increase civic participation as adults. Gaps in the literature indicate a need to identify ways to increase student involvement in the public participation process, and to improve the process overall. Using a mail survey instrument, two groups in Arizona--planners and teachers grades 4 through 12--were queried to determine what methods are currently used to increase civic awareness and participation, and what each group needs to involve students more often in the public participation process. Survey results are compared between groups to understand compatibility of methods, and opportunities for planner/teacher partnership. Results indicate similarities in methods used but incompatibility regarding preference or frequency of use of methods. Both groups strongly agree there is student benefit from participation in the public planning process. They also agree that student involvement adds value to the planning process. Both groups' results suggest a need to learn more about how to involve students in the public participation process Two case studies are used to make a case for teacher-lead student involvement in the public participation process. Four goals from the environmental education field are modified and proposed, as an approach to structure effective student involvement.

The unity of the arts has been acknowledged for centuries. It was during the 18th and 19th centuries in England that a new attitude toward nature and the development of the "picturesque" landscape aesthetic brought the two arts of landscape painting and design closer together. 17th century Italian landscape painting became associated with the informality and irregularity of nature, and became a source of inspiration for many landscape gardeners. The extent to which the landscape designers, William Kent, Capability Brown, and Humphrey Repton, were influenced by painting varied greatly. In turn the developing landscape design theory and aesthetic influenced many English landscape painters searching for a native style of their own, both in terms of subject matter and technique. The creation of the English landscape aesthetic was an extremely complicated one with ongoing influences resulting in constant changes and effects.

<p> Urban air pollution is responsible for high levels of morbidity and mortality in exposed populations due to its effects on cardiovascular and respiratory function. Transportation-related air pollutants account for the majority of harmful air pollution in urban areas. Forests are known to reduce air pollution through their ability to facilitate dry deposition and atmospheric gas exchange. This work characterizes the interactions between transportation air pollutants and urban forests in Hillsborough County, Florida. A highly spatially resolved passive air sampling campaign was conducted to characterize local concentrations of nitrogen oxides, benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX) in Hillsborough County, Florida. Sampling locations included a proportion of densely forested urban areas in order to determine the effects of Hillsborough County's urban forest resources on localized concentrations of selected transportation pollutants. Recommended approaches for the use of urban forests as an effective air pollution mitigation technique in Hillsborough County were generated based on results from the sampling campaign. Results show mean concentrations of 2.1 parts per billion and 6.5 &micro;g/m3 for nitrogen oxides and total BTEX, respectively. High spatial variability in pollutant concentrations across Hillsborough County was observed, with the coefficient of variation found to be 0.61 for nitrogen oxides and 0.79 for total BTEX. Higher concentrations were observed along interstate highways, in urban areas of the county, and near select point sources in rural areas. Differences in concentrations within forested areas were observed, but were not statistically significant at the 95% confidence level. These results can be used to identify elements of urban design which contribute to differences in concentrations and exposures. This information can be used to create more sustainable urban designs which promote health and equity of the population.</p>

The promotion of stakeholders' dialogue and knowledge management at the local level has been heralded by academic researchers as an approach with the potential to address the global challenge of inadequate potable water delivery. However the current design and execution of water delivery research leaves a gap between researchers' knowledge and water delivery practice on the ground. The water delivery problem in Buea is used as a case study to develop and trial an innovative research model (or framework) known as Participatory Transformative Advocacy Research (PTAR) to concurrently investigate a problem and support research users' mobilization, for interactive multi-stakeholder dialogue and knowledge management. Findings from quantitative and qualitative data collection tools revealed that the capacity of the currently exploited water sources is at the limit due to the high population growth. However the severity of the drinking water delivery problem is largely human induced, characterised by frequent unannounced interruptions and low pressure. The current impact is aggravated and improvements to the situation are hampered by key actors' uncoordinated and fragmented initiatives, lack of opportunities for interactive knowledge exchange and lack of users input to inform and influence management practices and decisions. Key informant semi-structured interviews revealed the presence of relevant personal, professional, and institutional potential. Buea as an administrative and university town also has the political, technical, financial and social potential that are yet to be collectively harnessed to address the problem. Three public events, The Buea Round Table Water Policy Dialogue, The Buea Water-4-Life Schools Competition and The Buea Water Governance Seminar, were used to mobilize research users for interactive dialogue and knowledge exchange. As a consequence of participating in the events, the key decision makers were influenced by the stakeholder experiences and opinions and collectively acted to improve the water delivery by announcing water delivery schedules and negotiating co-exploitation of a new source. These findings suggest that, provided with the opportunity through the framework of PTAR, stakeholders will express their mutual expectations and provide evidence-based information that can trigger self-realization and motivation for individual and collective informed action. The nature and scope of the problem, the type and format of the events, the role assignment or social structure inherent in the events and the type of gate-keeper are key issues that influence the effectiveness of the participatory advocacy events. / Le masculin est employé dans ce résumé pour désigner les personnes dans le seul but d'alléger le texte. Les chercheurs académiques affirment que la promotion du dialogue entre les acteurs concernés et la gestion des connaissances au niveau local pourraient aider à adresser le défi global de la distribution inadéquate d'eau potable. Par contre, la conception et la mise en oeuvre de la recherche courante sur la distribution de l'eau laissent un décalage entre les connaissances des chercheurs et les pratiques de distribution d'eau sur le terrain. Cette thèse s'est servie du problème de distribution d'eau à Buea comme cas test pour développer et tester un model (ou cadre) de recherche novateur intitulé Recherche participative et transformatrice pour la défense des intérêts (Participatory Transformative Advocacy Research - PTAR), dans le but à la fois d'étudier un problème, et de soutenir la mobilisation des utilisateurs de la recherche dans des processus de dialogue entre acteurs et dans la gestion des connaissances.Les données obtenues par voies quantitatives et qualitatives révèlent que la capacité des sources d'eau présentement exploitées approche ses limites suite à une forte croissance démographique. Par contre, une part importante des problèmes de distribution d'eau, caractérisés par des interruptions de service et une basse pression, peut être expliquée par des facteurs humains. Les problèmes actuels sont aggravés et des améliorations sont freinées par le manque de coordination et la fragmentation des diverses initiatives mises en oeuvre par les principaux acteurs, auxquels s'ajoutent une pénurie d'opportunités pour partager les connaissances et l'absence des voix des usagers lors de la prise de décision et de l'élaboration des programmes de gestion. Des entrevues semi-structurées menées avec des informateurs clé révèlent l'existence d'un potentiel personnel, professionnel, et institutionnel pertinent. Buea, en tant que ville universitaire et gouvernementale, a un potentiel politique, technique, financier et social qui reste à être exploité de manière collective pour adresser ce problème. Trois événements publics, la Table de discussion de Buea pour une politique de l'eau, la Compétition scolaire l'Eau pour la vie de Buea, et le Séminaire sur la gouvernance de l'eau de Buea, furent utilisés pour mobiliser les usagers de la recherche à dialoguer entre eux et à mettre leurs connaissances en commun. En raison de leur participation à ces événements, les décideurs clé furent influencés par les expériences et les opinions des acteurs : ils agirent de façon à améliorer la livraison de l'eau en annonçant les horaires de livraison et en négociant la co-exploitation d'une nouvelle source. Ces conclusions suggèrent que lorsqu'on leur fournit la possibilité, dans le cadre du PTAR, les acteurs exprimeront leurs attentes et fourniront des informations basés sur la réalité qui peuvent provoquer la réalisation de soi et la motivation nécessaire pour mener des actions individuelles et/ou informées par les besoins de la collectivité. La nature et la portée du problème, le type et le format des événements, l'attribution des rôles ou la structure sociale inhérente aux événements, ainsi que le mode par lequel l'accès y est contrôlé, sont des enjeux clés qui influencent l'efficacité d'événements participatifs de défense d'intérêts.

For most of the 20th century transportation planning goals were almost entirely mobility-based; transportation systems were primarily seen as a means to efficiently, safely, and quickly connect people and freight to desired destinations. However, as the century progressed, cultural, societal and ecological movements had major impacts on how planners perceive transportation networks and public transit more specifically. Several overlapping concerns have altered the role that planners and policy-makers see for transportation and land use planning. Environmental degradation, air pollution, traffic congestion, an unsure energy future, and global climate change, for example, have drastically redefined priorities for planners and policy-makers. These concerns have led to an increasing interest in public transit and active transportation—walking and cycling—as potential solutions to many environmental problems. Concurrent to these shifts, concerns of social equity and environmental justice have also entered the transportation planning framework. However, while transportation planning goals have shifted in recent decades to encompass social justice and environmental goals, many of these aims do not have clear indicators or accepted ways of measuring progress. In addition, while these diverse values and ideals do often underlie policy, they can have contradictory influence on transportation planning decisions. Transportation benefits include, what might be termed "tangible" or easily measured outcomes, however, many goals that address issues of social equity have "intangible" outcomes. Not only are the former easier to measure and to present to the public, but they often have more political capital than more socially progressive goals. While a rich body of research has explored these issues, most current planning documents do not make explicit that these conflicts of value exist. The concern from an equity planning standpoint is that very real and important environmental concerns will lead away from the other important roles that transportation systems can play in providing equitable outcomes. In light of these concerns, this dissertation sets out to address four research questions: •How do municipalities and transit agencies balance economic, social, and environmental goals and objectives in transportation plans? •How do these decisions affect outcomes, particularly with regards to social equity? •How can current methods of measuring and understanding active transportation and neighbourhood walkability be improved to better capture these wide ranging objectives? •How can these findings be used to improve decision-making in the future?This dissertation highlights the importance of adopting a multi-dimensional and mixed methods approach to examining complex urban issues and processes, and contributes to knowledge in three ways:•Identifies a set of indicators that capture elements of social equity in transportation planning and decision-making;•Develops methodologies to measure outcomes of transportation infrastructure using accessibility measures that focus on the desired destinations of residents; and•Deepens the understanding of how people and households of different socio-economic status “respond” to measures of local and regional accessibility. While most—if not all—studies do "control for" socio-economic factors, my work makes these factors the primary focus.In doing so, this research brings awareness of important transportation-related social equity goals and increases the role that these goals may play in decision-making processes. / La planification des transports au 20e siècle a été principalement fondée sur l'objectif de la mobilité : les systèmes de transport ont été vus avant tout comme un moyen sécuritaire, rapide et efficace de mettre en réseau des personnes et de transporter des marchandises. Cependant, au fil du siècle, les mouvements culturels, sociétaux et écologiques ont peu à peu changé la façon dont les planificateurs perçoivent le transport en général et le transport en commun spécifiquement. Plusieurs préoccupations se chevauchant ont profondément modifié le rôle que les urbanistes et les élus attribuent au transport et à l'aménagement du territoire. La dégradation de l'environnement, la pollution atmosphérique, la congestion routière, l'avenir énergétique, et les changements climatiques, ont radicalement redéfini les priorités du transport. Ces préoccupations ont conduit à un intérêt croissant pour le transport en commun et pour le transport actif, la marche et le vélo, apparaissant de plus en plus comme des solutions potentielles aux problèmes environnementaux.Cependant, en dehors de ces préoccupations environnementales, des questions importantes se posent en matière de redistribution et de justice sociale. Les nouvelles infrastructures de transport offrent des avantages évidents tels que l'accès facilité a une destination voulue, la stimulation du développement économique ou la réduction des temps de déplacement. En outre, bien que diverses valeurs et idéaux sous-tendent une politique, ceux-ci peuvent influencer de manière contradictoire les décisions prises en matière de planification des . Cependant, de nombreux objectifs ayant trait aux questions d'équité sociale sont «intangibles» en matière de résultats quantifiables. Cela les rend difficiles à présenter à la population, ce qui conduit à des décisions aux gains potentiels plus grands en terme de capital politique que ne le sont des objectifs de progrès social difficilement mesurables.À la lumière de ces préoccupations, cette thèse vise à répondre à quatre questions de recherche: •Comment les municipalités et les organismes de planification du transport équilibrent le traitement des objectifs économiques, sociaux et environnementaux dans les plans de transport?•Comment ces décisions influencent les résultats, en particulier en ce qui concerne l'équité sociale?•Comment les méthodes de mesure actuelles, la compréhension du transport actif et le potentiel piétonnier d'un quartier peuvent être améliorés afin de mieux en saisir les des objectifs généraux?•Comment ces résultats seront utilisés à l'avenir pour améliorer la prise de décision? Cette thèse met en évidence l'importance d'adopter des méthodes multidimensionnelles et des approches mixtes lors de l'examen des questions complexes et des processus urbains ; elle contribue à l'enrichissement de la connaissance de trois façons:•Par l'identification d'un ensemble d'indicateurs qui rendent compte des facteurs d'équité sociale dans la planification des transports et dans la prise de décision;•Par l'élaboration des méthodes permettant d'évaluer une infrastructure de transport en utilisant des mesures d'accessibilité qui se concentrent sur les destinations souhaitées par les résidents;•Par une meilleure compréhension de la façon dont les gens et les ménages de différentes catégories socio-économiques «répondent» à des paramètres d'accessibilité locale et régionale. Alors que la plupart, sinon toutes les études ne font qu'utiliser les facteurs socio-économiques, mon travail se concentre directement sur ces facteurs, avec pour objectif principal de les mettre au premier plan.Ce faisant, cette recherche participe à une prise de conscience de l'importance des objectifs d'équité sociale reliés au transport et souligne le rôle que ces objectifs peuvent jouer dans les processus décisionnels.

While Havana's status as the 'Pearl of the Caribbean' dissipated in 1959, Cuba and its capital survived the subsequent 30 years as a relatively prosperous Caribbean nation under communist control. Soviet communism's dissolution in 1989 left Cuba's international and economic support structure in tatters. Extreme rationing returned, imports and exports fell, and life as usual came to a grinding halt. To save its economy and future, Cuba turned back its clock to a former source of international attention: tourism. But what form can tourism take in this remaining communist stronghold? How can Havana embrace a new economic engine without decimating its most enticing features and avoid turning itself into a Caribbean tourist ghetto? As the fragility of Castro's hold on the island becomes ever more apparent, how will the changing power structure of Cuba's government affect relations on the world stage? When greenbacks enter red cities, what happens next?

Ambitious road building projects are underway all over the world. Despite critiques of car infrastructure and its effects on urban morphology, the environment, rising gas prices, etc., these projects have already begun and are unstoppable. Expected to finish within the next twelve years and integrate with existing road networks, these projects will make the ability to drive around the world real. This world infrastructure will undoubtedly spawn scenarios of cultures, subcultures, and road appropriations that can not be predicted but can be projected---making clear the necessity for reconceptualizing road accommodation for both leisure and non leisure occupations. This design thesis proposes a road accommodation strategy using the gesture of highway exit and deceleration to create auto campsite infrastructures that will work to connect the global roadtrip experience directly into global/local landscapes.