In Canada, West Coast Style has come to be associated with domestic architecture and a relaxed, modern lifestyle characteristic of the region's exceptional geography and climate. My thesis is a study of how this cultural formation has been figured and refigured since the Second World War through a historical and discursive analysis of West Coast Style. This cultural study focuses on how the term West Coast Style circulates and shifts meaning in relationship to a variety of domestic architectures such as the suburban single-family dwelling and more urban types like the coop, condominium and high rise. In addition, I consider how West Coast Style has been configured in debates about architectural modernism and postmodernism, Canadian cultural nationalism, and in newly emerging civic, global, and transnational geo-political, economic and cultural networks.

Progressive development projects are aimed at enforcing the process of dwelling evolution which has been observed in informal settlements by providing conditions that are favourable for housing development. This study suggests that, under these created environments, dwelling evolution presented particular characteristics that differentiated it from similar processes in other contexts. / A long-term assessment of the phenomenon of dwelling evolution was conducted at "El Gallo", a progressive development project in Ciudad Guayana, Venezuela. Dwelling evolution was examined by observing aspects of the process that were relevant to the case study. These included changes in the dwelling area, spatial configuration and functional layout. The case study provided different levels of user participation in the early stages of development that were also considered in the analysis. / The findings indicated a marked change from the temporary dwelling to the permanent structure. This process differed from the gradual replacement of initial shacks that is characteristic of informal settlements. The findings also revealed that the early involvement of the user, as well as the utilization of user-responsive designs for the permanent structure, resulted in lesser stages of dwelling evolution and higher degrees of dwelling development.

The affordability crisis in the North American housing market has prompted the construction industry to reexamine technologies designed to lower cost through the factory mass production process. This thesis concentrates on modular prefabricated housing in the Province of Quebec in order to determine if this housing option can supply a less expensive alternative to comparable conventionally built housing. As issues of construction cost are allied with the quality of construction, a comparison between the conventional and the manufactured building industries, at this level, is also essential. Surveys evaluating sales cost and quality of construction have been developed for the modular prefabricated and conventional single family detached housing industry for the Province of Quebec. Fifteen prefabricated home builders and six conventional home builders were surveyed in order to facilitate the comparison between the two industries. It was found, based on the builders surveyed, that the average level of construction quality was consistent in both industries. The prefabricated residential home builders, however, proved on average to be approximately ten percent more expensive than the conventional home builders surveyed. Reasons for these cost discrepancies have been found to be related to the high start-up costs inherent in the manufactured housing industry, the overall cyclical market demand for housing, as well as price protection for distributors of manufactured housing.

The impact of the Cold War on architecture in the United States is exemplified in the promotion and construction of fallout shelters. The development of the hydrogen bomb by the United States and Soviet Union in the first half of the 1950s increased fears of the far-reaching effect nuclear war could have on public health and safety. Government agencies, such as the Office of Civil Defense, promoted the widespread construction and use of the fallout shelter as a safeguard against human annihilation in the event of nuclear war. This thesis examines the various types of residential fallout shelters designed by public and private entities. The location of the fallout shelter within the family residence had the largest impact on the style and construction method adopted. This thesis investigates a wide variety of examples and techniques used to encourage fallout shelter construction. An in-depth discussion of the preservation of the residential shelter completes the text, including two examples of current preservation practices. / Nuclear weapons, the Cold War and a need for shelters -- Evolution, promotion and requiremens for residential fallout shelters -- Interior residential shelters -- Exterior residential shelters -- Preservation issues of the residential fallout shelter. / Access to thesis permanently restricted to Ball State community only / Department of Architecture

As societies and cultures evolve with time, human settlements also transform gradually. These days, globalization and modernity bring about rapid changes and in a matter of a few years, the face of a settlement is changed forever and the lives of the people are no longer the same. While such changes are inevitable, it will be suggested that they should be conducive to the existing built environment. Change brought about by capitalistic and consumeristic pressures does not necessarily have to take away the identity of a settlement.Because I am a person from Kathmandu, Nepal, I chose that place to study how and why change is evidenced in the environments, lifestyles and house forms of the local people, and to explore how specific families both maintain and mediate their cultural values amidst these changes. As much as Kathmandu is an Asian center of glorious art, architectural, and cultural history, it is also a center of development, growth and change. In recent years, a growing trend in Kathmandu is for homeowners to leave their ancestralhome in and of the historic city and to relocate to new urban areas. This thesis focuses on this particular trend of relocation.Available literature, documentation from other sources, and the author's few years of professional experience in Kathmandu, shape the analysis of the settlement patterns, house forms, socio-cultural activities and the economics of the urban Kathmandu in the past and the present. The families, which have lived through the changes -- as they have moved from the historic center to new neighborhoods -- are the ones who can best represent the current scenario. Four such families were studied. Their answers to a lengthy questionnaire along with photographic documentation and physical mapping of their old and new dwellings have formed the main body of research.In their responses, the local people spoke volumes on how change is necessary, desirable, and inevitable. Still, there are major cultural values that never change. They exist in the spirits and to some extent in the way people conduct daily chores in the house. To a greater extent, however, cultural affinity exists at the larger scale of a neighborhood. Quality of life in the historic city is brought about by its rich festivities, sociability of spaces and the feeling of communal harmony. Although the society is changing into a more individualistic one and material and spatial needs are fulfilled in the new location, people miss the quality of life in terms of the socio-cultural attributes of the old place.As designers, we can extract upon these attributes to bring back their lost sense of place.Being sensitive to these values, design can become more a response than an imposition. / Department of Architecture

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Melbourne, Faculty of Architecture,Building and Planning, 2007. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 331-349).

Thesis(MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Swellendam is situated in the eastern part of the Overberg and is bounded by the districts of Bredasdorp in the south, Caledon and Robertson in the west, Montagu and Ladisrnith in the north, and Riversdale and Heidelberg in the east. Before colonisation mainly two Khoikhoi tribes, the Chainouquas and the Hessequas, lived there. Because of the favourable climate and terrain, the expansion into the interior of the European settlers after 1700 happened most rapidly across the Hottentots Holland mountains in the direction of the Breede River. On 12 November 1743 a sub-drostdy for the Colonie in de verre afgeleegene districten was founded and a landdrost and heemraad members were appointed. On 26 October 1747 the Political Council decided to name this district Swellendam. The drostdy and a number of other buildings were completed by 1747. The pioneers applied in the Swellendam area the methods of building to which they were accustomed, which they knew by tradition or to which they had been exposed. The plans which were employed had either been used by previous generations or appeared widely in the area. For almost two centuries the elongated wing plan in the form of an I, T, U, L, etcetera was followed at the Cape. In the area studied the T-plan, especially, is most common, with a considerable number of longhouses (I-plan) in which man and beast were lodged under one roof. Kapstyl (roof-truss), clay and stone houses are the three types of homes of which remnants have been found in the Swellendam area. The kapstyl structure was used as a temporary home and also as bam in the area under study. Clay houses were the first more permanent structures erected in the Swellendam area. These homes were probably built without the assistance of masons, joiners, carpenters and blacksmiths. In this area stone buildings were primarily erected at livestock stations and, compared to clay houses, there are few remnants of stone-built homes. A few combination patterns have been found in the lay-out of outbuildings. Examples of these are the stables-and-waggon shed combinations and the stables-waggon shed-kraal, as well as the stables-waggon shed-hen's nest openings and the slave quarters-milking shedwaggon shed combinations. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Swellendam is gelee in die oostelike deel van die Overberg en word begrens deur die distrikte van Bredasdorp in die suide, Caledon en Robertson in die weste, Montagu en Ladismith in die noorde, en Riversdal en Heidelberg in die ooste. Voor kolonisasie het daar in die streek hoofsaaklik twee Khoikhoi stamme gewoon, die Chainouquas en die Hessequas. As gevolg van die gunstige klimaat en die terrein het die binnelandse uitbreiding van die Europese setlaars na 1700 die vinnigste oor die Hottentots- Hollandberge in die rigting van die Breederivier plaasgevind. Op 12 November 1743 is 'n sub-drostdy vir die Colonie in de verre afgeleegene districten gestig en 'n landdros en heemrade is aangestel. Op 26 Oktober 1747 besluit die Politi eke Raad om hierdie distrik Swellendam te noem. Die drostdy en 'n aantal ander geboue is teen 1747 voltooi. Die pioniers het die bouwyse waaraan hulle gewoond was, wat hulle deur tradisie geken het of waaraan hulle blootgestel was, ook in die Swellendam-omgewing toegcpas. Die bouplanne wat gebruik is, is of deur die voorgeslagte aangewend, of het algemeen in die gebied voorgekom. Vir byna twee eeue is die verlengde vleuelplan in die vorm van 'n I, T, U, L ensovoorts, aan die Kaap gevolg. In die studiegebied kom veral die T-plan die meeste voor met 'n beduidende hoeveelheid langhuise (l-plan) waar mens en dier onder een dak gehuisves is. Kapstyl, klei en kliphuise is die drie woningtipes waarvan oorblyfsels in die Swellendamstreek aangetref is. Die kapstylstruktuur is in die studiegebied gebruik as tydelike woning en ook as SkuUL Kleihuise was die eerste meer permanente strukture wat in die Swellendam-omgewing opgerig is. Die wonings is waarskynlik opgerig sonder die hulp van messelaars, skrynwerkers, timmermans en grofsmede. In hierdie streek is daar hoofsaaklik op die veeposte met klip gebou en is daar in vergelyking met kleihuise min oorblyfsels van wonings wat met klip gebou is. 'n Paar kombinasiepatrone is in die uitleg van buitegeboue gevind. Voorbeelde hiervan is die stalle-en-waenhuis-kombinasies en die stalle-waenhuis-kraal, stalle-waenhuishoendernes- openinge, en die slawekwartier-melkery-waenhuis-kombinasies.

Esta dissertação de Mestrado tem como objetivo investigar inter-relações entre tecnologia, cultura e funções de portas de moradias no cotidiano da sociedade e suas manifestações em configurações, usos e significados. Este trabalho parte do entendimento da porta como um artefato representativo da cultura e da tecnologia, sujeito a assumir variadas configurações e mediar diversos usos e significações. A investigação parte da análise de portas de casas padronizadas, em seu projeto e construção iniciais, e substituições e/ou intervenções posteriores pelos moradores, em vista de necessidades e anseios particulares. A pesquisa de campo foi desenvolvida nos conjuntos habitacionais Gurupi, localizado no bairro Cajuru, conjunto habitacional Panamericano, localizado no bairro Capão da Imbuia e conjunto habitacional Isla Victoria, localizado no bairro Jardim das Américas, todos em Curitiba/PR. A pesquisa segue abordagem metodológica de cunho qualitativo e natureza interpretativa, idiográfica, não experimental. Os procedimentos metodológicos incluem: entrevistas semi-estruturadas com moradores, pesquisa bibliográfica, pesquisa iconográfica e observação. O trabalho está organizado em cinco capítulos, nos quais são discutidas inter-relações entre tecnologia, cultura e funções de portas de moradias no cotidiano da sociedade, com base em fundamentação teórica e pesquisa de campo, destacando-se manifestações da diversidade cultural em preferências e requisitos, manifestos em variações de configuração, diversidade de usos e significados de portas. Pretende-se, com esta pesquisa, contribuir para promover e ampliar o conhecimento sobre as inter-relações entre tecnologia, cultura, modos de vida e artefatos do cotidiano da sociedade. / This dissertation aims at investigating the interrelationships between technology, culture and functions of housing doors in everyday life of society, and its manifestations in configurations, uses and meanings of doors. This work starts from the understanding of the door as an artifact representative of culture and technology subject to take on various configurations and mediate variations in uses and meanings. The investigation begins with the analysis of standardized doors of houses, considering their original design and construction, and further substitutions and / interventions by the residents, due to particular needs and desires. Field research was carried out at the Gurupi housing condominium, located in the Cajuru neighborhood, at the Panamericano housing condominium, located in the Capão da Imbuia neighborhood, and at the Isla Victoria housing condominium, all in Curitiba / PR. The research follows a qualitative methodological approach of an interpretive nature, idiographic, and not experimental. The methodological procedures include: semi-structured interviews with residents, bibliographic research, iconographic research and observation. The research is organized into five chapters in which interrelationships between technology, culture and housing doors in everyday life of society are discussed, based on the theoretical and field research, with emphasis on manifestations of the cultural diversity in preferences and requirements, manifested in the variety of configurations, uses and meanings of the doors. It is intended, with this research, to promote and expand knowledge about the interrelationships between technology, culture and artifacts of everyday life of society.

Esta dissertação de Mestrado tem como objetivo investigar inter-relações entre tecnologia, cultura e funções de portas de moradias no cotidiano da sociedade e suas manifestações em configurações, usos e significados. Este trabalho parte do entendimento da porta como um artefato representativo da cultura e da tecnologia, sujeito a assumir variadas configurações e mediar diversos usos e significações. A investigação parte da análise de portas de casas padronizadas, em seu projeto e construção iniciais, e substituições e/ou intervenções posteriores pelos moradores, em vista de necessidades e anseios particulares. A pesquisa de campo foi desenvolvida nos conjuntos habitacionais Gurupi, localizado no bairro Cajuru, conjunto habitacional Panamericano, localizado no bairro Capão da Imbuia e conjunto habitacional Isla Victoria, localizado no bairro Jardim das Américas, todos em Curitiba/PR. A pesquisa segue abordagem metodológica de cunho qualitativo e natureza interpretativa, idiográfica, não experimental. Os procedimentos metodológicos incluem: entrevistas semi-estruturadas com moradores, pesquisa bibliográfica, pesquisa iconográfica e observação. O trabalho está organizado em cinco capítulos, nos quais são discutidas inter-relações entre tecnologia, cultura e funções de portas de moradias no cotidiano da sociedade, com base em fundamentação teórica e pesquisa de campo, destacando-se manifestações da diversidade cultural em preferências e requisitos, manifestos em variações de configuração, diversidade de usos e significados de portas. Pretende-se, com esta pesquisa, contribuir para promover e ampliar o conhecimento sobre as inter-relações entre tecnologia, cultura, modos de vida e artefatos do cotidiano da sociedade. / This dissertation aims at investigating the interrelationships between technology, culture and functions of housing doors in everyday life of society, and its manifestations in configurations, uses and meanings of doors. This work starts from the understanding of the door as an artifact representative of culture and technology subject to take on various configurations and mediate variations in uses and meanings. The investigation begins with the analysis of standardized doors of houses, considering their original design and construction, and further substitutions and / interventions by the residents, due to particular needs and desires. Field research was carried out at the Gurupi housing condominium, located in the Cajuru neighborhood, at the Panamericano housing condominium, located in the Capão da Imbuia neighborhood, and at the Isla Victoria housing condominium, all in Curitiba / PR. The research follows a qualitative methodological approach of an interpretive nature, idiographic, and not experimental. The methodological procedures include: semi-structured interviews with residents, bibliographic research, iconographic research and observation. The research is organized into five chapters in which interrelationships between technology, culture and housing doors in everyday life of society are discussed, based on the theoretical and field research, with emphasis on manifestations of the cultural diversity in preferences and requirements, manifested in the variety of configurations, uses and meanings of the doors. It is intended, with this research, to promote and expand knowledge about the interrelationships between technology, culture and artifacts of everyday life of society.

Thesis submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Masters Degree in Technology: Mechanical Engeering at Technikon Natal, 1999. / Housing is currently one of the most critical development areas in the Republic of South Africa (RSA). This developmental project forms part of a possible solution in the delivery of housing through mass production. The objective of this study is to establish a empathetic connection between modem geodesic construction and the traditional dome and to design an effective and efficient prefabricated dwelling unit suited to be easily built by semi-skilled persons. The success of this project will fulfill one of the major objectives of the RSA's Reconstruction and Development Programmes (RDP) - 'A better lifefor all'. / M