This thesis is the search for clarity in the relationship between essence and appearance, construction and form, necessity and possibility, object and subject. It is a reflection on the question of the nature of building. I cannot tell you that something is beautiful. I can only explain why I do what I do, and how I do it. I have tried to limit the text to a minimum, because architecture is not about words. Text is added to clarify an idea. The project is a bank made with brick in Old Town Alexandria. / Master of Architecture

This five-paper thesis explores office workers perceptions of green roofs and how this influences their health/well-being in Toronto and Chicago. Paper 1 examines the underlying paradigms and world-views of major research programs that look at the human relationship to nature and health/well-being, showing that despite some convergence between their methods and integration of different paradigms, continued differences and lack of clarity on the normative assumptions underlying each approach leads to confusion in the specification of ‘nature’ in health/well-being and place research. Paper 2 is a comparative analysis of the implementation of green roof policies in Toronto and Chicago. Paper 2 demonstrates the importance of ‘selling’ green roofs by linking them to larger environmental programs and of the municipal power structure that influences how and if environmental programs are implemented. Paper 3 examines the awareness, attitudes, and feelings towards green roofs by office workers with access to them (visual or physical) from their workplace in Toronto and Chicago. Using a phenomenological analysis of semi-structured interviews (n=55), Paper 3 shows that the hinterland, expectations of different kinds of ‘nature’ and aesthetics in the city, and access all influence perceptions of green roofs and sense of place. Paper 4 explores office workers awareness of and attitudes towards green roofs and the possible influence on their well-being in Toronto and Chicago from a large survey (n = 903). Participants showed a high literacy on the environmental benefits of green roofs. Chi-square analysis showed mixed results for health, but a significant association between visual access to a green roof and improved concentration. Paper 5 tests whether the relationship found in Paper 4, improved concentration with visual access, was still significant when other confounding variables were added to the model. Using a logistic regression on the same survey population (subset n =505), results found that concentration was no longer significant but that there was a trend towards improved concentration.

This five-paper thesis explores office workers perceptions of green roofs and how this influences their health/well-being in Toronto and Chicago. Paper 1 examines the underlying paradigms and world-views of major research programs that look at the human relationship to nature and health/well-being, showing that despite some convergence between their methods and integration of different paradigms, continued differences and lack of clarity on the normative assumptions underlying each approach leads to confusion in the specification of ‘nature’ in health/well-being and place research. Paper 2 is a comparative analysis of the implementation of green roof policies in Toronto and Chicago. Paper 2 demonstrates the importance of ‘selling’ green roofs by linking them to larger environmental programs and of the municipal power structure that influences how and if environmental programs are implemented. Paper 3 examines the awareness, attitudes, and feelings towards green roofs by office workers with access to them (visual or physical) from their workplace in Toronto and Chicago. Using a phenomenological analysis of semi-structured interviews (n=55), Paper 3 shows that the hinterland, expectations of different kinds of ‘nature’ and aesthetics in the city, and access all influence perceptions of green roofs and sense of place. Paper 4 explores office workers awareness of and attitudes towards green roofs and the possible influence on their well-being in Toronto and Chicago from a large survey (n = 903). Participants showed a high literacy on the environmental benefits of green roofs. Chi-square analysis showed mixed results for health, but a significant association between visual access to a green roof and improved concentration. Paper 5 tests whether the relationship found in Paper 4, improved concentration with visual access, was still significant when other confounding variables were added to the model. Using a logistic regression on the same survey population (subset n =505), results found that concentration was no longer significant but that there was a trend towards improved concentration.

The theme of the thesis is to propose urban efficient comfortable living in a quiet natural environment between the original settlement of Líšeň and the panel housing estate from the 1980s. The design of the new residential complex will be in line with the current trends and needs of healthy living. The land lot which the buildings will be constructed on has a trapezoidal shape with a longer side in the west-east direction, narrowing and sloping towards the east. The elevation is about 22 m to 330 m of the length of the land lot. An important feature of Líšeň is the "chapel" (Chapel of Virgin Mary the Helpful) on the opposite eastern hill. The aim of the urban study was to create a smooth transition between the old part of Líšeň (so called "Stará Líšeň") and the new part of Líšeň (so called "Nová Líšeň”), with an emphasis on environmental and social aspects. The territory is divided by compositional and a viewing axes, which are meeting in the social space, formed by the social center with a dominant open space and covered facilities in an adjacent building located in its highest western part. In front of this building, there is a small square followed by the central area with a residence lawn, a public grill and a playground for children. This part finishes in the east with a new water surface in the form of a bathing biotope, which is bridged by two footbridges following the compositional axes. The west side of the stairs between the footbridges continues in a landing stage. Selected combination of low-floor apartment houses and low-floor family houses elevates in height and volume from the eastern and southern boundaries of the territory towards its northwest corner. Along the western border of Novolíšeňská street, a barrier house is designed and it performs also a function of an optical dividing line from the existing panel houses. Emphasis was also put on the minimum of traffic areas. The main routes are designed as one-way roads so as to simplify the orientation in the area. Parking areas are preferably designed as covered and subterranean parking. The main priorities were the greatest extend of greenery (in the form of growing plants and green roofs) on the one hand, and the utmost preservation of a non-built-up area. The result of this study is a low-rise housing in the greenery area with the open views from the buildings to their surroundings, a generous amount of sunshine in living rooms, and an extensive social life for its inhabitants and for inhabitants of surrounded areas. Energetic efficiency was also taken into account while designing the houses. Objects are designed as simple block-shaped blocks with a rectangular or square ground plan. Residential buildings usually have a common or conjoined underground floor. The object of the barrier house has a linear character and roughly copies the western border of the territory. Its parterre is regularly interrupted in four places by passages which serve as a connection with the Novolíšeňská service road. Wood and stone were chosen as materials because of their natural character. Family houses at the southern border are terraced (in groups of 2 x 4 and 1 x 5) and intended as passive houses. Separate family houses around the water area are accessible only by foot, as no car-traffic around the water surface is allowed (however, the arrival of vehicles is possible on a walkway with a width of 3.0 m). These houses are considered as low-energy houses.

The project documentation, processed in the framework of the diploma thesis, solves the new building of the administrative building of the building company in the village Lukov u Moravských Budějovic. The building is made of traditional brick technology therm tl. 50 cm, without insulation, ceilings are reinforced concrete, flat roof, vegetation. Vegetation is also part of the facade of the building, which at the same time serves as a root cleaner. The philosophy of the whole design is to create a high-quality working environment for building company employees, a pleasant environment for customers and to best solve the environmental footprint of the building. The building is designed as a modern office building, with space for leisure activities of staff and their visits, taking into account the responsible approach to the development industrial site and the surrounding nature. The building efficiently manages potable, rain and wastewater, the envelope of the building, and the individual structures are designed to make the entire building as energy-consuming as possible, and do not pump irreparably by nature its natural resources in a larger quantity than necessary.

The project documentation, processed in the framework of the diploma thesis, solves the new building of the administrative building of the building company in the village Lukov u Moravských Budějovic. The building is made of traditional brick technology therm tl. 50 cm, without insulation, ceilings are reinforced concrete, flat roof, vegetation. Vegetation is also part of the facade of the building, which at the same time serves as a root cleaner. The philosophy of the whole design is to create a high-quality working environment for building company employees, a pleasant environment for customers and to best solve the environmental footprint of the building. The building is designed as a modern office building, with space for leisure activities of staff and their visits, taking into account the responsible approach to the development industrial site and the surrounding nature. The building efficiently manages potable, rain and wastewater, the envelope of the building, and the individual structures are designed to make the entire building as energy-consuming as possible, and do not pump irreparably by nature its natural resources in a larger quantity than necessary.