Architecture is an inherently functional art – buildings have functions, some more vital than others, beyond the objective of sheer aesthetic appeal. Yet at the same time, aesthetic appeal is an integral part of the human experience that many agree is vital to sustainability objectives, including those of the built environment. Ideally, a building would be able to embody and honor both principles, both form and function, but some contend that in the current architectural climate, the emphasis on beauty has surpassed the importance placed on functionality. This discussion is particularly relevant to sustainability in the built environment: Sustainability as a function, some argue, is often compromised or sacrificed for the sake of the vision of the architect, and faddish concepts of beauty. This, many contend, results in the commodification of our buildings, and quite possibly of sustainability as well. In this thesis, I argue that we can avoid this outcome by employing site-specific and culturally informed design principles, knowledge of sensory perception shaped by the social sciences, and spatially flexible design principles to create architecture that inspires us, roots us, and lasts for multiple generations. Ultimately, this is the core function of a sustainable approach to design – taking into account the entire lifecycle of a product. A new, loose functionalist approach that stresses durability, and is informed by a multidisciplinary approach involving both the humanities and social sciences, could be the key to overcoming the quick obsolescence of styles in a consumptive, aesthetically driven society.

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Current cemetery practices can be harmful to public health and local ecologies and be intensive users of resources such as water and energy. However, given their spiritual benefits to mourners and community members, I believe that cemeteries are still justified in their construction for societies that wish to have a relationship with their dead. With a growing and aging population, more spaces will be used to house the dead; I examined how these could spaces benefit the living as well. Cemeteries can be designed within natural systems, both in landscaping and in burial, as well as spaces for communities and explorations of new forms of art and architecture. Using research and my own experiences, I identified and analyzed exemplary cemeteries that benefit their contexts ecologically, socially, and artistically and architecturally. Ultimately, this paper exists as a guide for the development or retrofitting of cemeteries into active, lively spaces.

The way in which we approach building design is constantly being influenced by evolving economic, environmental and social parameters. These factors have implications on both pragmatic and aesthetic facets of design. The built environment is not autonomous from its immediate site or the ecologies of the region in which it is located, rather, the former must be designed to symbiotically exist within and enhance the latter. The term ecology is defined as “a branch of science that deals with the relations of organisms to one another and to their physical surroundings.” Although this typically relates to biology, the term can be expanded to include economic or social ecology. It has been proposed that architectural design can be informed through and should evolve in relation to; environmental, economic and social ecologies. This thesis will examine the relationships between these “ecologies” and how they can inform the adaptive reuse of a vacant industrial site. It will include an examination of the paradigm shift from large-scale industrial manufacturing to Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) at the economic and social level. It will further discuss the evolution of environmental awareness within this shift and how these values can drive architectural design while allowing for long term flexibility in adaptive reuse.

The University Square Development Proposal (USDP) explores the redevelopment of the underutilized University Square site (the Site) in the City of San Luis Obispo (the City.) The Sites proximity to California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly), a university with significant student housing needs, makes it an ideal location for student housing. The City has also expressed interest in the Site, having identified it in the General Plan Land Use and Circulation Element (LUCE) update as a “Special Planning Area”. The LUCE proposes a new mixed-use typology on the Site that may include a mixture of multi-family housing, retail services, entertainment, and recreation. The USDP is an early take on redevelopment of the Site, and provides a development option that accommodates both the objectives of Cal Poly, by providing student housing, and the City, by proposing a mixed-use development typology. To this end, the USDP includes a site assessment, project program, design vision, and financial analysis. The USDP concludes with project evaluations and lessons learned.

This thesis will explore different water conservation strategies and systems in the residential home, using the city of Irvine as a basis. The thesis will compare the financial implications between the different systems and as a return on investment. The analysis will also account for ecological and social implications on the occupants, in particular their standard of living and lifestyle changes. The thesis will explore the ability to conserve water in new residential construction and will provide a sustainable and conscientious schematic water design for the particular area of concern. This thesis will act as a preliminary case study for a water system in a California residential home. It will address the entire lifecycle of water after it arrives on site, to the use of the water and eventual expenditure. A comprehensive design solution will be proposed, based on the body of knowledge in the field and the research findings. The design will also evaluate the alternatives of different systems, in terms of: catchment, treatment, filtering, reuse, and for returning the used water back into nature (sometimes through a municipal system). It is expected that the proposed system will inform the occupants of their water usage, and simultaneously control and reduce water usage levels. As part of the final proposal, a detailed analysis will be provided of the entire water system. It will involve a critical analysis of existing systems as well as the application of the new design. The thesis will highlight how decisions were made based on the criteria that would affect the occupants, allowing for future adaptations of the solution to projects or case studies with different standards. The end-product of the research will be a baseline development that can be further explored as technology and demand change in the future, and when on-site water systems become more abundant and better understood.

DESIGN OF A BAKERY IN ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA Through the evolution of a baker's practices, we can understand the transitions of matter between bread, body and building. The food soil waste system of the bakery becomes an evolutionary process of recovery, remediation, restoration, replenishment, and reuse. / Master of Architecture / Through the evolution of a baker’s practices, we can understand the transitions of matter between bread, body and building. The food soil waste system of the bakery becomes an evolutionary process of recovery, remediation, restoration, replenishment, and reuse. “There is a crime here that goes beyond denunciation. There is a sorrow here that weeping cannot symbolize. There is a failure here that topples all our success.” (Steinbeck, 2008) Learning from the skies above and ground beneath, I propose a horizon that binds the two in a closed loop system. As a baker combines earth, water, wind, and fire to transform dough into bread, the bakery is designed to knead these same elements together to create a harmonious relationship between man and nature.

This thesis explores a design project concerned with the relationship between the person and nature in the context of achieving a state of symbiosis between the two – a state which can be reached through highlighting the relationship between the person and the rhythmic characteristics of natural light. The project originated from a concern with modern society’s constant separation from the natural environment and the resulting sense of placelessness often experienced in the spaces created. In response, a desire arose to investigate the effect that natural light has on the person and contribute to the design of naturally enriched spaces where light is used as the link between the person and the natural environment. We are constantly influenced by the prevailing conditions of light. Our biorhythms are in tune with the natural changes from day to night, the duration and intensity of sunlight and the spectral composition of light. However, in an attempt to create the optimum formula for comfort, efficiency, and productivity, we are using advanced lighting technology to create uniform interior spaces detached from the everchanging exterior environment. The outcomes of the study are to inform the practice of design and architecture and to use the findings in a beneficial manner towards the design of educative spaces. In response to the need for a secondary school in Fond des Blancs, Haiti, I want to focus on the chosen site and program, and investigate the rhythms of light and their effects as they are related to the specific location and the purpose of education. Moreover, I want to use the results to create a set of design guidelines for the specific location and function of the buildings to find out how biorhythmic design can be used for the creation of an educative environment where natural light is channeled, maximized and utilized for the goals of the learning process?

A problem exists that many eco-friendly products on the market today are not widely accepted by consumers. Three pilot experiments were conducted to examine a few causes of poor eco-friendly product acceptance. The first two experiments involved the testing of alternative products to disposable plastic water bottles. Two hypotheses were developed- the attitude hypothesis and the user activity hypothesis. The attitude hypothesis states that a person with a positive environmental attitude will lead to better eco-friendly product recommendation and rating, greater product uses, and a greater chance of continued use. The user activity hypothesis states that a product with difficult set-up or cleaning will lead to a worse product recommendation and rating, fewer product uses, and a smaller chance of continued use. Participants took home a product to test for one week and then returned to complete two surveys- a demographics survey and a product evaluation survey. These surveys measured variables such as environmental attitude, product recommendation and rating, number of uses, continued use, and many others. The results of the experiments show a relation between environmental attitude and the participants’ future usage with the eco-friendly product. In addition, the data shows that difficulty of product set-up and cleaning relate to the users’ opinion of the product. Since this methodology of testing has not been documented before, the lessons learned from these pilot experiments will help to develop a framework for product testing with human ubjects. The third pilot experiment tests the design method of defaults, which may be a powerful tool when designing eco-friendly products. The theory behind the default option is that people typically choose the default setting on a product, regardless if it is the best option. This theory was tested with the use of automatic paper towel dispensers. The lengths of the paper towels that the machines dispensed were changed periodically and the paper towel usage was measured. The results from this experiment indicate that users obey the rule of defaults, unless their needs are not being met at an extreme level.

My thesis project is to create a conservation plan for the Reservoir Canyon Natural Reserve (RCNR) in San Luis Obispo, California. It is a professional project for the City of San Luis Obispo with the goal of eventual adoption by the City Council. The plan was motivated by City policy, which advises creating conservation plans for open spaces, and by a particular need to address management issues in RCNR that include plant and wildlife conservation, trail access, erosion, electrical utility easements, and other legal matters. The project consists of two main components: the conservation plan and a companion paper. The paper is an overview of the theory and best practices involved in conservation planning, and is meant to be complementary to the conservation plan. Therefore, discussions found in the paper are not present in the plan itself, but instead serve as background. The paper consists primarily of a literature review and my reflections on how the literature applies to the process of planning and managing RCNR. The Draft Reservoir Canyon Natural Reserve Conservation Plan, attached as an appendix, explains the conditions of the reserve, and describes the goals and management strategies the City will employ.