Submitted in fulfilment of the Degree Master of Applied Arts in Interior Design, Durban University of Technology, 2016. / This study discusses the impact of modernisation of rural homestead living spaces on dwellers in a selected area of Umbumbulu, south of Durban Kwa-Zulu Natal South Africa. The study was conducted after a change was noticed within the rural homesteads built environment. Factors responsible for the changes in building/ dwelling shape, size, style, as well as the choice of materials (SSSM) used were discussed. The study further examined the impact of the listed changes within the social context of Umbumbulu’s rural dwellers, while addressing in-depth questions around the topic of modernisation, especially within the confines of rural homesteads and living spaces. A qualitative research approach was employed where an interpretative research paradigm was chosen as a theoretical framework for the study. Data consisted of seven semi structured interviews. The research design consisted of themes, the analysis, as well as the findings in relation to literature. The conclusion showed what the rural dwellers understand about modernisation in a rural context, as well as how it has impacted the changes in building/ dwelling shape, size, style, as well as in the choice of materials used. Three identifiable themes were discussed namely: 1. modernisation; 2. change in building shape, style, size and materials; and 3. positive living experience. Links were made between the themes which in turn indicate how modernisation has had an impact on rural homestead living spaces and dwellers. / M

The development of an index to compare different sources of energy is presented; the index address the appraisal of the source of energy from its sustainable performance and also using the factors that influence the user's decision making process of adopting an alternative energy. The index is used to compare the fuel cell system and the traditional grid system powered by coal fired power plants, for a typical residential unit located in the rural Appalachian region in Ohio.

In 1946, House Beautiful's editor-in-chief Elizabeth Gordon launched the Pace Setter House Program, an annual series of exhibition houses that proposed a new modern architecture for postwar America. Set in direct opposition to Arts & Architecture's Case Study Houses, the Pace Setter houses criticized orthodox modernism, and offered a "livable" and distinctly American alternative. Organic design, particularly the work of Frank Lloyd Wright, further informed this new concept of American modernism, adding a rich layer of humanism, naturalism, and democratic idealism. Rejecting the Case Study prototype of universal solutions and prefabrication, the Pace Setter houses advocated a solution in which the craft of building guaranteed regional variation, artistic quality and individual expression. House Beautiful's Pace Setter Program, with its implicit organic roots, underscored one of the most charged architectural debates of the postwar period: the renewed tension between the specific and the general, the regional and the international, the individual and the collective. With the establishment of the Pace Setter House Program, Gordon developed a mature paradigm for the postwar house -- and simultaneously created a dynamic public forum for architectural debate. With the Pace Setters as counterpoint, she lashed out against the architectural current to attack what she viewed as the greatest threat to American design: the unlivable, autocratic, and foreign modernism of the International Style. Gordon's role in the larger architectural debate was critical, not only in her vociferous opposition to what she viewed as a blind continuation of an oppressive modernist lineage, but in her stalwart support of alternative design tropes. The Pace Setter Houses and their architects -- ranging from Cliff May to Alfred Browning Parker to Harwell Harris -- represented one battlefield in the aesthetic and philosophical struggle between the emerging modernisms of the postwar period. Accompanied by Gordon's insistent voice and publications, the Pace Setters became ammunition in an architectural revolution that, for House Beautiful, lasted nearly twenty years. The Pace Setters chronicled the emergence of a vital strand of American modernism, and provided a lens through which to view the ultimate integration and acceptance of modernism within the mainstream of middle-class America.

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Cree communities in Northern Quebec have been going through rapid changes since the first arrival of the Eurocanadians on their lands. Their customs, their houses and their eating habits have been deeply influenced by western living patterns. Today, the houses and the community designs remind more of the suburban Canadian landscape. Yet, Native social, cultural and natural environment still differs from non-Native communities in Canada. / Traditionally, women used to play an important role in the domestic area. Due to colonization, Native women have lost their status and are not part of the decision making process of their homes. Despite that, Native women have continued to play a special role in fostering a sense of identity in their communities. It is therefore important to involve them in housing projects in order to find designs more adapted to the needs of their families. / The case study took place in Chisasibi, a Cree village at the North of James Bay, which has been relocated 17 years ago, and been living in fully equipped houses based on western designs. This thesis aimed at revealing the opinion of Native women about their domestic environment and collect their suggestions for future improvements. The results showed that Native families' lifestyles have become more and more diversified: some want to incorporate traditional behavior patterns, other on the contrary, are more inclined in living the western way. Of course age and social background play an important role in their opinions. Still, the major critic concerns the inappropriate designs, the lack of space and storage which tend to influence the way people use the space in the house. The thesis pointed out the importance of defining housing layouts in accordance to the Native families' choices and sense of identity.

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It is argued that housing designs and layout systems for crime prevention can have either positive or negative implications on the actual prevention of crime. Therefore, this research explores the exact implications that housing designs and layout systems have in relation to crime in RDP development neighbourhoods. Various principles such as defensible space principles and crime prevention through environmental design are emphasized in this study: Surveillance, territoriality, access control, image and milieu. Other supporting characteristics like housing design principles including housing structures, support activities and gated communities are highly elaborated, as well as street layout. These analytical criteria were used to examine the Chesterville RDP developments. Procedurally, the evaluation entailed analysing both street layout and housing design and analysing the views and perceptions of people living in the area. The findings indicate that residents of Chesterville display high level of perception of safety although they do acknowledge that there is petty crime once in a while. The researcher asserts that overall housing design and layout systems for crime prevention have positive implications on crime reduction in residential areas. The study also investigated the type of criminal activities that occur in the area. The study analysed the types of criminal activities which were related to housing and layout in Chesterville RDP developments. Data was collected by conducting household surveys and an interview with the community leader. Local and international case studies that were used revealed interesting scenarios of the usage of environmental design to aid crime prevention. In the context of Chesterville the main findings showed that there is a sense safety in the area although assault was found to be high. The study thus proposed recommendations in an attempt to improve crime reduction in Chesterville as a whole. This dissertation is structured as follows: The chapter one introduces the research problem, research questions, hypothesis, and the research method used to conduct the study. Chapter two provides both the theoretical framework and the literature review for the topic being studied. International and national case studies are used to support the flow of the argument. Chapter three introduces the geographical and historical background of case studies in which the study was conducted. This historical background is linked to the topic of study to help to understand the phenomenon of crime prevention. Chapter four deals with the presentation and analysis of data collected and in chapter five conclusions are drawn from the findings and recommendations are made. / Thesis (M.Housing)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2013.

Reeveston Place is a neighborhood located on the southeast side of Richmond, Indiana. All of Richmond's National Register residential areas contain examples of the popular architectural styles of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Reeveston, however, is a unique Richmond neighborhood because its plan and development were primarily influenced by the trends and styles of the early and mid-twentieth century.Economic and cultural influences before, between and after both world wars, and the impact of the automobile were factors that made Reeveston an area different from its predecessors. Building activity occurred in the neighborhood for nearly a half-century, and the result is an eclectic mix of architectural styles. As it grew, Reeveston was primarily a neighborhood for the upper-middle class and upper-class citizens of Richmond, and several prominent architects were employed to design the houses. Reeveston's historical and architectural significance warrant its consideration for inclusion in the National Register. / Department of Architecture

In the middle of the nineteenth century, an architectural phenomenon swept through the United States: the octagon house. Orson S. Fowler, best known for his work as a phrenologist, began this trend with the publication of A Home for All in 1848. Though this house form may seem unusual and even inexplicable today, the octagon house must be regarded in relation to the culture of this period. In this context, an understanding of the significance and embrace of this unique residential architecture can be gained. Although octagon houses were built throughout the United States, the intersection of several unique cultural and historical factors existed in the Midwest in this period, creating a region particularly receptive to this novel house form. The octagon house, though only briefly popular, made a lasting impact on the built environment that represents a tangible link to the culture of the middle of the nineteenth century. / Department of Architecture

This document is an examination of the millwork industry in the nineteenth century and its influence upon the residential built environment. This study explores influences and results in relation to the development of millwork in the United States. The first is the technological divergence that developed between the United States and Europe, as America introduced different technologies to exploit the vast amounts of timber accessible to the New World. The second development occurred as the New World slowly developed a taste for the type of elaborate millwork previously associated with wealthy patrons. Low cost of materials and new technologies made more complicated wood finishes available to those of modest means. The third situation reflects the struggle between an elite class of architects and pattern book designers, who advocated restraint in design, and carpenter-builders and their clients, who wanted to display their talent or status through the use of a high level of ornamental millwork. / Department of Architecture