St. Augustine in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries was a prosperous, multi-ethnic community that boasted trade connections throughout the Atlantic world. Shipping records demonstrate that St. Augustine had access to a wide variety of goods, giving residents choices in what they purchased, and allowing them to utilize their material possessions to display and reinforce their status. Likewise, their choice of residential design and location allowed them to make statements in regards to their place in the social order. St. Augustine was a unique city in the Spanish Empire; the realities of frontier living meant that inter-ethnic connection were common and often necessary for survival and social advancement. Inhabitants enjoyed a high degree of social mobility based on wealth rather than ethnicity or place of origin. Through entrepreneurship and hard work, many St. Augustinians took advantage of the city*s newfound prosperity and fluid social structure to better their economic and societal position. In sum, St. Augustine in the Second Spanish Period (1783-1821) was not a city in decay as the traditional historiography holds; rather, it was a vibrant community characterized by a frontier cosmopolitanism where genteel aspirations and local realities mixed to define the social order.

Our day-to-day lives consist of formal and informal settlements in the built environment. As humans, we gravitate towards successful informal settlements (public spaces) to conduct activities such as socializing and recharging. Previous research has highlighted the importance of distinct factors in determining the success of public spaces. Still, research has failed to develop the foundation that makes all public places prosper. Through examining successful and unsuccessful public places through case studies, this research analyses the success and importance of our emotional and physical safety in public spaces through the presence or absence of sound, light, nature, boundaries, and order.

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Introduction: Physical activity is an important lifestyle behavior known to improve overall health as well as provide substantial reductions in the risk of chronic illnesses, including obesity, cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, hypertension, stroke, depression, and anxiety. The built environment that surrounds where individuals reside has substantial impacts on physical activity behavior. Neighborhood walkability and the availability of physical activity resources such as parks and facilities within neighborhoods serve as opportunities to engage in leisure-based physical activity and active transportation. The purpose of this study was to determine whether objective and perceived built environmental characteristics were associated with neighborhood physical activity levels among Asian Americans living in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. Methods: Participants were recruited from July to December 2019. A Built Environment and Physical Activity questionnaire that included socio-demographics, the Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale (NEWS), and the Neighborhood Physical Activity Questionnaire (NPAQ) were administered in English, Mandarin, Korean, and Vietnamese. The Walk Score was obtained online for each participant’s address. Furthermore, proximity to parks and recreational facilities was measured using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to find the network distance to the nearest facility and park. Zero-inflated negative binomial regression models were used while controlling for the clustered sample design and for socio-demographic characteristics. Physical activity was generally examined with respect to active transportation, recreational walking/cycling, and overall physical activity. Additional analyses were also conducted to examine how perceived versus objective characteristics, and ethnic group differences explained the relationship between built environment predictors and meeting the physical activity guidelines. These findings were assessed through logistic regression models. Results: In research question 1, greater perceived neighborhood walkability was associated with an increased likelihood of engaging in recreational walking/cycling and overall physical activity, but not active transportation. When examining subscales separately, there were differences in which built environmental factors affected various physical activity domains. Physical barriers to walking and fewer cul-de-sacs predicted fewer hours of engaging in active transportation. Having fewer cul-de-sacs, more physical barriers and higher residential density predicted lower odds of engaging in active transportation. Greater perceived land-use mix, lower perceived crime, and having more cul-de-sacs predicted greater hours and lower odds of engaging in recreational walking/cycling. Greater perceived land use mix, aesthetics, more cul-de-sacs, and lower residential density were associated with greater weekly METs of physical activity and a greater likelihood of engaging in overall physical activity. In research question 2, ethnic identity moderated the relationship between perceived neighborhood walkability for active transportation and moderate-intensity physical activity but not overall physical activity. In research question 3, the Walk Score was not statistically significantly associated with various participation in physical activity domains. Lastly, results of research question 4 illustrated that longer driving time to the nearest park was associated with greater METs associated with MVPA and overall PA, and to a specialty exercise facility was linked to greater METs associated with walking and active transportation. Furthermore, a shorter walking time to a park was associated with less weekly METs of walking, active transportation, and overall PA, but greater odds of engaging in walking and active transportation. A greater walking time to the nearest specialty exercise facility was associated with greater active transportation and MVPA, but decreased odds of walking and active transportation. Greater driving or walking time/distance to the nearest gym/recreation center were not associated with any type of physical activity. Conclusions: This study illustrated that the built environment could enhance participation in various forms of physical activity among Asian Americans. Having wide and accessible destinations in one’s neighborhood, known as land-use mix, promotes overall physical activity. Furthermore, greater aesthetically pleasing environments and areas with cul-de-sacs can provide spaces to engage in various forms of physical activity. Perceived neighborhood walkability had a strong impact on physical activity behaviors in this population, while mixed evidence was found for the influence of Walk Score and proximity to parks and recreational facilities as predictors of physical activity. While this study provides unique findings among a predominantly Asian American immigrant population, study limitations and recommendations for research suggest future areas to investigate. Nevertheless, major findings can be used to inform environmental and policy strategies to maximize active transportation and recreational based physical activity in order to sustain the health of Asian-American immigrants living in urban areas. / Kinesiology

Since the 1950s, interior decoration evolved into interior design. Throughout the 1970s, all of the components for professionalization were in place, but it was not until the 1990s that the final transformation made interior design into a profession. This dissertation documents these changes and posits that is the conflicts inherent in the process of licensure transformed it into a profession. The transformation of interior design is examined through the lens of the theory of professions, especially Andrew Abbott's delineation of transformation through conflict. The historical case studies of the legislative process were of the District of Columbia, which has practice legislation; the Commonwealth of Virginia; which has title legislation; and the State of Ohio, which has no licensing of interior designers as of 2007. Data collection was by interviews with participants of the process of licensure and with the leadership of the interior design community. In addition, primary and secondary documents examined include books, journals, trade magazines, and documents from professional organizations. Specifically, this dissertation addresses these questions: Is interior design a profession? If so, what forces transformed interior design into a profession? And, how is interior design different from architecture? This dissertation posits that interior design is unique from architecture because it developed in home economic programs at state universities during the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. In this locale, the primary focus of interior design was the micro-environment based on the theory of behavior. This gives students and practitioners a unique viewpoint that allows for the consideration for each end user as integral to the design process. These attributes contribute to the unique qualities of the services interior design offers and separate it from those of architecture. A simplified definition of interior design that I developed is that interior design utilizes the theory of behavior to design spaces in a micro-environment that function at a safe and efficient level for every end user and are aesthetically pleasing. Finally, interior designers need to understand that the strength of their position in the built environment is in the unique services they offers and celebrate their qualities as outlined in this document. / Ph. D.

Associations between the built environment and walking are well understood among the general population, but far less is known about how features of the built environment influence walking in older adults. As compared to other age groups, older adults, defined as those 65 years of age and older, are more likely to experience declines in physical activity, social interaction, and loss of community connectivity. Animal companionship can provide older adults the motivation to stay physically active and help them mitigate the feelings of isolation. Built environments that align with the needs and abilities of older adults and their animal companions, like dogs, can encourage and help sustain walking habits. The aim of this study was to identify and prioritize features within the built environment pertinent to older adult dog walkers. Existing literature served as the basis for identifying neighborhood design features associated with general walking and dog walking. Through the use of a three round Delphi study, 25 experts from urban planning and design, management of outdoor spaces, public health, gerontology, and human-animal relationships modified and rated the importance of the identified features as it pertains to older adult dog walkers. Following the Delphi study, 12 older adult dog owners from the Warm Hearth Village participated in a guided walk and interview using the Photovoice technique. The goal was to gather their perceptions of the outdoor walking environment. Among expert panelists, safety from motorized traffic, crime, unleashed dogs, and personal injury was paramount (mean (M)= 93.20, standard deviation (SD) = 11.54). Experts also saw the value and agreed upon the importance of dog supportive features within the built environment, like dog waste stations dog waste stations (desirable; M = 87.95, SD = 11.37), and dog policy signage (desirable; M = 79.91, SD = 11.22). Older adults also believed safety was important. They saw their dog as a protective safety factor against walking deterrents like aggressive or unleashed dogs. However, the feature that resonated most with older adult dog walkers in this study was their interaction with nature. They described the pleasure of observing seasons change and the connection with nature that came from the tree canopy cocooning the walking path. Path design is also a necessary consideration. Older adults emphasized the importance of having options between paved and unpaved walking paths. The panelists stressed the need for creating lines of sight (desirable; M = 66.46, SD = 20.71) and lighting (desirable; M = 77.92, SD =19.77). Those who plan, develop, and maintain spaces that support older adults can prioritize the features I identified in my research. Incorporating these features into the design of spaces for older adults has the potential to translate into increased walking and opportunities to socialize, contributing to mental and physical health. / Doctor of Philosophy / Associations between the built environment and walking are well understood among the general population, but less is known about how features in the built environment influence older adults. As compared to other age groups, older adults are more likely to experience declines in physical activity and social interaction. Animal companionship can provide motivation to stay physically active and help them mitigate feelings of isolation. Built environments that align with the needs of older adults and their animal companions, like dogs, can encourage and help sustain walking habits. My research identified and prioritized features within the built environment pertinent to older adult dog walkers. I implemented an iterative three round study to gain consensus among expert panelists and guided walks and interviews with older adult dog walkers. Among expert panelists, safety from motorized traffic, crime, unleashed dogs, and personal injury was paramount. Experts also saw the value of dog supportive features within the built environment, like dog waste stations. Older adults also believed safety was important. They saw their dog as a protective safety factor against walking deterrents like aggressive dogs. The feature that resonated most with older adult in this study was nature. They described the pleasure of observing seasons change and the connection with nature that came from the tree canopy cocooning the walking path. Path design is also a necessary consideration. Older adults emphasized the importance of having options between paved and unpaved walking paths. Those who plan, develop, and maintain spaces that support older adults can prioritize the features I identified in my research. Incorporating these features into outdoor spaces has the potential to translate into increased walking and opportunities to socialize, contributing to mental and physical health.

We inhabit space. This means our deepest mental and emotional understanding of the world is tied intimately to our experiences as we perceive them in a physical context. Just like a book or film may induce a sense of presence, so too may our modern sensor drenched infrastructures and mobile information spaces. With the recent development of personal and ubiquitous computing devices that we always carry with us, and increased connectivity and robustness of wireless connections, there is an increasing tie between people and things around them. This also includes the space people inhabit. However, such enhanced experiences are usually limited to a personal environment with a personal smartphone being the central device. We would like to bring such technology enhanced experiences to large public spaces with many occupants where their movement patterns, and interactions can be shared, recorded, and studied in order to improve the occupants' efficiency and satisfaction. Specifically, we use sensor networks and ubiquitous computing to create smart built environments that are seamlessly aware of and responsive to the occupants. Human sensing system is one of the key enabling technologies for smart built environments. We present our research findings related to the design and deployment of an indoor human sensing system in large public built spaces. We use a case study to illustrate the challenges, opportunities, and lessons for the emerging field of human building interaction. We present several fundamental design trade-offs, applications, and performance measures for the case study. / Master of Science / The recent advances in mobile technologies, like smart phones and enhanced wireless communication, allow people to experience added comfort and convenience brought by these devices. For example, smart lighting and air conditioning control can be set remotely, before people arrive at their homes. However, these personal experiences are usually limited to personal spaces and tied to a specific personal smart phone. When it comes to public spaces, we seldom see such technological advancement being utilized. In reality, the concept of smart public spaces is still limited to technologies like opening / closing a door automatically. We discuss the reasons that cause such difference between personal and public spaces. We argue that Human Building Interactions should be shaped around non-intrusive indoor human sensing technologies. We present discussions, considerations and implementation of a system that uses a low cost camera network for indoor human sensing. We also describe several applications based on the developed system. We demonstrate how to bring technology enhanced experiences to public built spaces and provide smart built environments.