Thesis (doctoral)--Technische Universiteit Delft, 2005. / Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (p. 131-145) and index.

Thesis (MInt (Prof)) -- University of Pretoria, 2008. / Abstract in English.

Thesis (MArch(Prof)) -- University of Pretoria, 2008. / Abstract in English. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (MInt.(Prof)) -- University of Pretoria, 2008. / Abstract in English. Includes bibliographical references.

published_or_final_version / Urban Design / Master / Master of Urban Design

Space perceived and experienced through movement presents an interesting array of imagery which blends together to form a comprehensive whole. My thesis explores this dimension of spatial complexity through the public ritual of pilgrimage. This profound and deeply significant human activity connects the individual places to form an integrated sacred network. The practice of pilgrimage has developed over centuries across the globe and continues to grow and influence a huge cross section of society to come together and move en-masse towards religious centres and personal enlightenment. Public spaces demand a simultaneous co-existence of people, activities and their setting. The phenomenon of pilgrimage is central to the public realm. Its study involves an intricate layering of beliefs, customs, traditions and religion which collectively govern the people-space relationship. The transformation of a space to a place, from static to dynamic, from passive to active occurs during this activity, maintaining the traditional usage while simultaneously evolving as a product of interaction between people, rituals and spaces. In this thesis, I examine the experiential shaping of space which occurs through pilgrims' activities and their impacts on the given urban and architectural conditions. The research is based on my study of the Alandi-Pandharpur Pilgrimage in India. It is an outcome of my participation in the ritual as, both, an architect and a pilgrim. I focus on the existing public spaces and their spontaneous response to the unplanned activity of the Pilgrimage. The spatial experience transcends the criteria of aesthetics and functionality of a public space to a deeper exploration of human characteristics and convictions. From this perspective, the thesis considers the broader role of designed public spaces, the extent of inclusion of community rituals and their significance in the shaping of built environment.

Space perceived and experienced through movement presents an interesting array of imagery which blends together to form a comprehensive whole. My thesis explores this dimension of spatial complexity through the public ritual of pilgrimage. This profound and deeply significant human activity connects the individual places to form an integrated sacred network. The practice of pilgrimage has developed over centuries across the globe and continues to grow and influence a huge cross section of society to come together and move en-masse towards religious centres and personal enlightenment. Public spaces demand a simultaneous co-existence of people, activities and their setting. The phenomenon of pilgrimage is central to the public realm. Its study involves an intricate layering of beliefs, customs, traditions and religion which collectively govern the people-space relationship. The transformation of a space to a place, from static to dynamic, from passive to active occurs during this activity, maintaining the traditional usage while simultaneously evolving as a product of interaction between people, rituals and spaces. In this thesis, I examine the experiential shaping of space which occurs through pilgrims' activities and their impacts on the given urban and architectural conditions. The research is based on my study of the Alandi-Pandharpur Pilgrimage in India. It is an outcome of my participation in the ritual as, both, an architect and a pilgrim. I focus on the existing public spaces and their spontaneous response to the unplanned activity of the Pilgrimage. The spatial experience transcends the criteria of aesthetics and functionality of a public space to a deeper exploration of human characteristics and convictions. From this perspective, the thesis considers the broader role of designed public spaces, the extent of inclusion of community rituals and their significance in the shaping of built environment.

This thesis has focused on the development of a design process to strengthen the human-environment relationship through emphasizing the identity of place. By exploring and researching a comjnunity's cultural context, some sense of societal identity can be uncovered. However, it is in identifying a culture's values and traditions through its folklore that architects can begin to comprehend the meanings behind the symbols, stories, myths, music and rituals present within a community.Secondary research into the cultural-architectural relationship revealed what was coined in the 1960's and 70's by such scholars as Ian McHarg, Amos Rapoport, Christopher Alexander, and John Zeisel as "man-environment relationships." This research spoke of timelessness and connections of architecture to anthropology, archaeology and sociology.The question that arose from this investigation was, "How does one find the identity or spirit of a p/ace?" Through its people? Through its relics? What is missing as an important piece of the puzzle in the connection? Merely looking at a context or culture does not provide one with the underlying meanings of symbols, gestures, rituals, building practices and social values. One needs to see, listen, comprehend and internalize the culture and context of a place if one is to understand the culture in which the building exists. The connection with folklore and folklore studies became an avenue to be researched in finding this missing piece of the puzzle.The research method used to identify folklore within a given parameter was of the participatory-observation approach. Living for six months in the community started to unveil traits, customs and actions only primary research can reveal. Music, art, stories, rituals, and myths are the means by which people cannot otherwise explain values, thoughts and messages. These instruments. of folklore are the segways into understanding the people of a place. The primary and secondary sources of research set the stage for the conceptual design development of a civic structure within the cultural context of the community. What evolved from this architectural design experience is a scenario for this process to be integrated into architectural curricula at the college level. In creating designers that value unique identities of "place," the building of unique places respective of cultural context foster identity and meaning in an ever-changing global society.Architects have the challenge of designing in areas of the world that possess a variety of differing cultural contexts. How architects respond through creating the built environment in the 21St century will have lasting affects upon the identity of those cultures and their communities. / Department of Architecture

Thesis (M.Arch.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Architecture, 1985. / MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND ROTCH. / Bibliography: leaves 105-106. / The question of "what is the essence of Chinese architecture" has been puzzling Westerners as well as Chinese since the incept i on of Traditional Chinese Architecture Studies five decades ago . This thesis attempts to answer the question by exploring some spatial concepts which have not been clearly documented before. Based on the exploration of those spatial concepts, a new historical perspective will be introduced to show succinctly how Chinese architecture evolved in the last 30 centuries. The theoretical assumptions guiding the thesis are: the emergence of spatial concepts is due to the fact of man-always-having-to-perceive-spatial-phenomena, the characteristics of spatial concepts are .determined by the relationship between man and phenomena , the relationship between man and phenomena may evolve, the evolution of spatial concepts makes up t he hi story of architecture. / by Chih-Ta Lai. / M.Arch

Thesis (M.S.V.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Architecture, 1981. / MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND ROTCH. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 50-51). / An environmental light sculpture with screen-like architectural units which interact with moving light and shadow to create a complex spatial environment. The environment involves movement and change and has many possibilities and configurations rather than one fixed view. It evolved from an installation to a performance in which the audience was invited to enter and move through the space. The written thesis has two sections: 1) An art historical section concerning spatial environments in painting, sculpture, and architecture, stressing those dealing with light and illusion. There is also a brief history of recent environmental uses of light. 2) A description and photographic documentation of the thesis project which records its evolution, installation, and performance, with conclusions regarding possible future directions. / by Beth Galston. / M.S.V.S.