This study focuses on how spatial circumstances affect property owners’ preference toward sustainable urban development, in the form of three-essays. In the first essay, property owners’ preference toward the concept of compact development is identified. Compact development is an increasingly popular concept that includes multiple aspects, such as mixed land use, high density, and pedestrian/transit-friendly options. Previous hedonic literature on the comprehensive effect of compact development is limited. Also, spatial dependence in the data, something likely endemic to compact development, has not yet been thoroughly addressed. This study uses a spatial fixed-effect model, a spatial-autoregressive model with auto-regressive disturbances (SARAR), and a spatial fixed-effect SARAR model to determine the price effect of “compactness” in a major U.S. metropolitan area. By analyzing of 47,000 sales records in Fulton County over a decade, this study indicates that home buyers prefer to have smaller, more diffuse greenspace nearby, rather than a large, concentrated greenspace at a longer walking distance. High parcel density and diverse land use is consistently disvalued, and the premium on accessing public transportation is not identified among all models. No specific trend over time has been observed, despite the recession starting in 2008. Finally, a comprehensive index of compactness shows relatively high willingness-to-pay for compact development. The second essay tests the spatial spillover of signaling within the pursuit of LEED certification. The benefit of pursuing green building certification mainly comes from two aspects: the cost-effectiveness from energy efficiency and the signaling consideration, including the premium on property values, benefits from a better reputation, morality values, or purely pride. By analyzing all new constructions that received LEED certification from 2000 to 2012 (LEED-NC v2.0 to v2.2) in the U.S., this study tries to identify the size of the signaling effects, and spillover of signaling, as building owners pursue LEED certification. The results show that the signaling effect affects decision making in pursuing LEED certification, especially at scores around thresholds. The size of signaling effects differs among different owner types and different certificate levels. For the Gold level or below, government and non-profit-organization owners value signaling more than do profit-seeking firms. At the Platinum level, there is no significant difference among owner types. This study also finds that the signaling effect clusters spatially for government and profit-seeking firms. Finally, the results show that the cluster of signaling is independent from the cluster of LEED buildings, indicating that mechanisms behind the cluster of signaling are different from those of LEED constructions. The third essay tests the distance effect on the support for Atlanta BeltLine. Atlanta BeltLine, a large urban redevelopment project currently underway in the center of Atlanta, transforms 22 miles of historical railroad corridors into parks, trails, pedestrian-friendly transit areas, and affordable housing. This study aims to determine the distance effect on the support of Atlanta BeltLine and whether the implement of Tax Increment Financing (TIF) affects the support. The contributions of this exercise are twofold. First, it demonstrates the risks and remedies to missing spatial data by solving the technical problem of missing precise spatial location values. Second, it tests underlying reasons why distance can help explain the level of support that Atlanta BeltLine has received, with striking implications for theories like the Homevoter hypothesis. Survey data used in this study was conducted in summer 2009, about three years after the declaration of the project. The support by both homeowners and renters significantly declines as distance from the BeltLine increases. However, when residents’ tendency to use BeltLine parks and transits is entered as a variable, the distance effect disappears. By indicating that the distance effect comes from homeowners’ and renters’ the accessibility to BeltLine amenities, the result rejects the homevoter hypothesis, which holds that property value increment is the main mechanism behind support. The results also show that whether or not a homeowner or renter is a parent in City of Atlanta affects a person’s support of the BeltLine. These results lead to the conclusion that the concern of TIF affecting future school quality hampers the support of the project.

土地混合使用，尤其是住商混合使用，一直被認為是達成環境面永續都市或是生態城市的要素之一。其除了提高住商可及性使人們步行與騎自行車的機率增加外，同時也讓公共空間的安全性提高、並增加都市的活力。然而住、商兩者間不完全相容的土地使用型態卻也容易引發對居住環境的負面衝擊，例如噪音、異味、光線侵擾、使人感覺較擁擠、降低隱私性等使環境品質下降，而可能降低人對住商混合住宅社區的偏好。本研究從過去研究中較少提及的都市空間規劃與設計角度切入，探討不同都市規劃與設計元素如何影響住商混合區之環境品質，其研究目的有三：1. 歸納整理可能影響住商混合區建成環境之都市規劃與設計元素2. 建立環境面生態都市概念下，住商混合實質環境品質之評估面向與指標3. 分析各都市規劃與設計元素對住商混合建成環境指標之影響。 本研究以台北市的住三分區為基礎，建立模擬住商混合社區，模擬各種都市規劃、設計元素之變化情境，以利衡量每項都市設計元素以及組合情境影響下，住商混合社區各面向建成環境品質評估指標的變化。使用工具包括ArcGIS、Google ShetchUP、及AutoCAD軟體，以建立模擬都市基本圖，並使用空間分析工具、ArcGIS外掛模組及Excel計算各面向之環境指標數值。 研究結果顯示降低建築建蔽率有助於提升住商混合社區整體環境品質以及除了商店經營性外所有面向的建成環境(例如行人友善步行空間、居民住家可居住性及自然環境)，商店經營性則於建蔽率40%-55%間時表現較佳。在建物形狀方面，顯示正方塔型與長條型建築在住商混合區建成環境各面向指標上表現的差別不大。此外，階梯式退縮建築對於行人友善步行空間、居民住家可居住性及自然環境等均有提升的效果。 / Mixed land use has been widely considered as one of the key planning principles for achieving (environmentally) sustainable city or eco-city in terms of promoting transit patronage, walking and biking, and incubating retail-business friendly communities. However, it may also lower the livability because of the problems like noise, light instruction and downgraded residents privacy as to decrease the residents’ preference to live in mixed-use area. Few studies, nevertheless, has been done on the roles of the various tools in urban planning and design in improving the physical environment for both residents and retail businesses. The objectives of the paper are: (1) to review the urban planning and design tools normally applied by planners which may have impacts on the physical environment of mixed-use community; (2) to compile an inventory of indexes corresponding to the quality of physical environment for both residents and retail businesses; and (3) to examine the impacts of these tools on the physical environment indexes. The research method involves an simulation analysis, which is conducted in a selected mixed-use community in Taipei city, Taiwan. The simulation analysis helps examining the impact of each of the tools on physical environment indexes . The software packages applied are Google SketchUp, AutoCAD, ArcGIS, and Excel. The results of simulation analyses suggest that lowering the building coverage rate (BCR) is helpful in improving overall quality of mixed-use community and all sub-indexes (i.e., pedestrian-friendly environment, residents’ livability and nature environment) except for retail business operation environment. The quality of retail business operation environment performs better when BCR stays at the intermediate level (between 40%-55%). In the aspect of building shape, there is minimal difference showed on the impact on the overall index between tower-shaped and slab-shaped buildings. Besides, the stair-shaped setback is suggested for better pedestrian-friendly environment, residents’ livability, and especially nature environment.

Proyecto arquitectónico que propone al edificio de usos mixtos residencial como unidad tipológica para contrarrestar la despoblación del Centro Histórico de Lima, al tomar como punto de partida el contraste entre la oferta inmobiliaria y la normativa de esta zona de la ciudad. La investigación se centra en el análisis de la vivienda como “célula esencial de la ciudad”, en los criterios para mejorar la habitabilidad y atmósfera del espacio monumental como principal estrategia para una identidad integral, y en el proyecto nuevo en un contexto como el centro de la Ciudad de Lima, la cual muchos definen como la ciudad del contraste. / An architectural project that proposes the residential mixed-use building as a typological unit to counteract the depopulation of the Historic Center of Lima, by taking as a starting point the contrast between the real estate offer and the regulations of this area of ​​the city. The research focuses on the analysis of housing as an "essential cell of the city", on the criteria to improve the habitability and atmosphere of the monumental space as the main strategy for an integral identity, and on the new project in a context such as the center from the City of Lima, which many define as the city of contrast. / Tesis

The subject of the thesis is the development of project documentation for the construction design of the mixed-use building in the city of Brno, a borough of Cerna Pole. The vertical load-bearing structures of the above ground floors are made of sand-lime blocks. The vertical load-bearing structures of the underground floor are made of cast-in-place concrete. The last floor has warm flat green roof. The main purpose of this building is for administration, trade and services, which make up to 60% of floor area. The rest of floor area is used for housing. On the north side is the underground parking garage. The residential part is oriented to the South, the offices are oriented to the North.

The subject of this thesis is a new mixed-use building in the Brno part of Zábrdovice. The building will have one basement and six above-ground floors. In the ground floor will be located store and service of the bicycles and on the first floor there will be smaller space for rent. On the first to five floor there will be eleven flats. The main entrance to the building is designed from the southwest side of Koliště street. In the plot there will be a parking lock system for eleven cars. The access road to the parcel is from the east side. The mixed-use building is designed from a wall structural system. The basement will be made of monolithic reinforced concrete walls, and above-ground floors will be made of clay blocks. The floor structure will be made of cast-in-place reinforced slab. The mixed-use building will be warm flat green roof with extensive greenery.

The purpose of this diploma thesis is processing of ducumentary for mixed-use building in cadastre unit of village Vendryně. This building plot is situated on the outskirts of Vendryně. New building is designed as detached building, without cellar, with four floors. Wall structural system of building is made by sand-lime block. Floor and roof structure is consists of prestressed concrete floor. Roofing of house is made by flat green roof. On the first floor there are café, travel agency, dental laboratory, technical place and storage. The second floor is stated for administrative purposes. There are some offices, staff facilities, sanitary and technical places. On the third and fourth floors is situated dwelling unit. Three flats are in third floor and two flats are in fourth floor. Size of flats is designed as 2+KK and 3+KK.

The subject of this thesis is the development of project documentation for the construction design of the mixed-use building in Třebíč, in the borough of Na Kopcích. The building has four above-ground floors. On the first floor there are shops, specifically a hairdresser and a café, and the technical background of the house. The second to fourth floors are made up of residential units and a storeroom is built to each apartment on the floor. There are 4 flats 2 + kk, 4 flats 3 + kk and 3 flats 4 + kk. The roof structure is designed as a warm flat green roof. Construction system is wall, masonry from clay blocks.

The Thesis deals with a proposal for a new mixed-used building in the city of Moravske Budejovice in the cadastral area of Moravske Budejovice. The building is a three-floored house without a cellar. The roof of the house is completely flattened. On the first floor, there are commercial rooms, hairdresser´s and a bookshop. Apartments are on the second and third floor. The construction will be built of clay blocks which are 300 mm wide. The insulation of the building is formed by thermal insulation composite system. The ceiling is created by reinforced concrete slabs 250 mm wide. Parts of the documentation are water-supply, electricity, pipeline and waste water pipe. The description of pavement and driveway is included. The Thesis is written as a project to build the construction.

This master thesis is exploring a possibility of densifying traditional block structure of a city by the design of a multifunctional building. It is located in Brno exactly in Brno centrum city part. The building site is defined by Veveří, Kounicova and Pekárenská streets. On the forth side there is existing block of flats on the Sokolská Street. The design itself is based on the form of a traditional enclosed block of flats, but masses are oriented differently. The basic principle is layering when first two floors are commercially oriented and therefore accessible by public. Living areas are separated by position above. The roof, connecting all of the buildings, is taking role of a traditional courtyard. In this case, it stays visually connected with surrounding street life and newly formed commercial parts. Masses of the complex are reflecting different city structures on each side. It encloses on the side of the Veveří Street which creates undisturbed street corridor. New structure opens more to Kounicova Street and reflects free city pattern of this part.

The aim of my thesis was the design of a new urban structure, located in the existing buildings by the river Svitava inZvonařkaStreet, near the center of the city. My proposaladded to the existing urban character of the area and added it to the missing block development. This location has become an attractive area for the whole region, which offers a wide range of new jobs in services, administration, education, healthcare and a number of residential units for different social groups. The proposed multi-purpose building uses plot in the urban area and is designed as a selfcontained. It reduces transportation and cumulates more diverse functions in one place. It follows the surrounding urban areas. West facade respects the existing street line the MasnáStreet and its height fits the surrounding buildings. When forming materials, some spatial structuring principleswere used, namely: multiplicity, porosity and connectivity.