Thesis (M.F.A.)--Rochester Institute of Technology, 1991. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaf 22).

Thesis (M.F.A.)--Rochester Institute of Technology, 2008. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 29-30).

Thesis (M.F.A.)--Rochester Institute of Technology, 1993. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaf 18).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Pennsylvania State University, 2009. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. Thesis advisor: Sarah K. Rich.

This thesis is concerned with images and objects of architecture. Today, the advent of "modernism" and the progress of science give rise to nihilism and extreme functionalism. As the result of such trends, architects have tried to find the ways with which they can continue to work without the type of "Aim" which traditional architects sought. Some forms of high-tech architecture and deconstructionist architecture were the result of an attempt to overcome "the death of architecture". However, although they thought images and values were already dead, we still cannot deny there are, in our living environment, countless images and values which strongly influence our life styles. For example, today's strongest culture, commercialism, is using images and icons as if laughing at those who declared "the death of images and values". Even some contemporary philosophers, like Jean Baudrillard, argue everything is the result of images: "Simualtion". Thus, it seems irresponsible, as architects creating our living environments, just to deny images and values. Also, as architects, we cannot abandon the study about objects by accepting Baudrillard's position. Thus, I will investigate, in this thesis, how objects are related to images and how values are created from such relations. I expect that this investigation will show that what has changed is just the ways of making images and values and the ways that images and values influence our lives. It will, finally, show images and values will never disappear as long as human culture exists. Suburban America provides good material to study such a thesis because, although it has a comparatively simple organization, it exhibits complex contemporary phenomena. / Master of Architecture

Thesis (doctoral)--Humboldt-Universität, Berlin, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references and register.

Thesis (M.F.A.)--Rochester Institute of Technology, 1991. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.F.A.)--Rochester Institute of Technology, 1993. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references.

Un microsystème électromécanique (MEMS – Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems) est une structure qui intègre un ou plusieurs éléments mécaniques réalisant la fonction de capteur ou d’actionneur à l’échelle du micron. Jusqu’au milieu des années 1990, les MEMS étaient réservés à des applications spécifiques, notamment dans les domaines spatiales et aéronautiques. Depuis une décennie, ces microsystèmes connaissent un essor important dans de nombreux secteurs grand public comme l’automobile, l’informatique ou encore les télécommunications. La conception et l’évaluation des performances de ces microsystèmes nécessitent des outils de modélisation robustes et fiables. Ainsi, les présents travaux de recherche ont pour objectif la modélisation, déterministe et stochastique, de MEMS à actionnement électrostatique pour le calcul spécifique du « phénomène de collage électrostatique » (pull-in phenomenon).Les différentes approches de modélisation associant les deux physiques mises en jeu, à savoir les comportements électrostatique et élastique, sont investiguées. La présentation des résultats, sur deux cas types de poutres issues de MEMS électrostatiques, suit une approche didactique, allant du modèle le moins précis (analytique) vers le modèle le plus fin (éléments finis). Elle permet ainsi de mettre en évidence les effets prédominants, notamment la déformation des parties mobiles et les effets de bord. Enfin, afin de tenir compte des incertitudes sur la géométrie et les matériaux, une étude stochastique, à l’aide d’approches non intrusives de types Monte Carlo et décomposition en chaos polynomial, est également effectuée pour le calcul de la tension de collage d’un dispositif MEMS. / MEMS are micro-structures integrating one or several mechanical elements performing as transducers or actuators. Until the mid 90s, MEMS technology was exclusively dedicated to aerospace and aeronautical applications. In the last decade, these microsystems have known a real boom, spreading in specific consumer applications like automotive, IT and telecommunications. The design and performance analysis of MEMS requires reliable and robust simulation tools. Thereby, the presented works, aim at the deterministic and stochastic modelling of electrostatic MEMS, focusing on the well known pull-in phenomenon.The different modelling approaches describing the electrostatic, elastic and the coupled electromechanical behaviours are investigated. The results are illustrated on two beam-like typical structures, following a didactic approach, from the simplest model (analytical) towards the most precise (Finite Element), emphasizing the predominant effects, like the deformation of the active parts and fringing fields.Furthermore, in order to take into account the uncertainties on the geometry or the material properties, a stochastic analysis is also done, using non intrusive approaches, as Monte-Carlo method and the polynomial chaos decomposition approach, for the determination of the pull-in voltage of a MEMS device.

Este estudo propõe a discussão da arquitetura contemporânea e sua correlação com as artes plásticas dentro de uma abordagem específica da estética decorrente da poética da collage que invade o universo artístico desde sua descoberta no Cubismo até as mais diversas manifestações da arte contemporânea. Na arquitetura a manifestação da poética da collage dá-se naqueles edifícios cujo caráter seja resultado da somatória de partes e de valores agregados que contribuem para a formação de um corpo arquitetônico que se distancia conceitualmente daqueles de nítido caráter unitarista. A verificação da transposição de princípios fundamentais que definem a obra de arte de collage para a arquitetura por meio da análise de obras modernas e contemporâneas permite a aproximação destas distintas manifestações culturais e possibilita justificar certo descaso com que esta arquitetura é tratada pela crítica tal qual acontece com a collage nas artes plásticas, por serem consideradas como obras híbridas e conseqüentemente marginais. / This study suggests the discussion of contemporary architecture and its correlation with fine arts within a specific approach of aesthetics due to the collage poetic that invades the artistic universe since its discovery in Cubism until the most several manifestations of contemporary art. In the architecture, the expression of poetic collage takes place in those buildings whose character is result of sum parts and values that contribute for the formation of an architecture body that is far conceptually from the ones with clear character unitarist. The verification of transposition of fundamental principles that define the work of art of collage to architecture through the analysis of modern and contemporary works allows approximate these different cultural events and provides some justification for negligence with this architecture is treated by criticism, that happens with collage in the fine arts, being regarded as hybrid works and therefore marginal.