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- Landscape Architecture, Urban Planning, Urban Design, Public Space, Pedestrian Walkability (Architecture and public spaces), Pedestrian flow, and 12 moreSocial Theory, Urban and Cultural Studies, and the Interactions Between Urban Space, Politics, Memory, and Subjectivity, URBAN PLAZAS, Plaza in Urban Design, Social Psychology, Sociability, Urban Public Open Space, Public spaces, Historical City Squares, Plazas, Squares and Plazas, City Squares, and Historic City Squaresedit
- I'm an advocate of outdoor urban living rooms in every urban community.I recently defended my Masters of Landscape Architecture which introduced a series of planning and design patterns that support informal sociability in urban plazas.Throughout my career, I wish to focus on human-oriented urban environments, especially as they pertain to public spaces and the street.edit
This thesis brings attention to the loss of public spaces throughout America over the last seventy years. Public spaces in the urban realm, known as urban plazas and city squares, are particularly important for the social health of... more
This thesis brings attention to the loss of public spaces throughout America over the last seventy years. Public spaces in the urban realm, known as urban plazas and city squares, are particularly important for the social health of communities. This is made clear throughout a large body of literature in the psychological, social, and design sciences. Despite the social importance of urban public spaces, this thesis reveals a shortcoming in the amount of practical design recommendations for promoting sociability within the leading landscape certification system in America, the SITES v2 Rating System. Through a comprehensive literature review, this thesis develops and tests a landscape evaluation tool for determining the presence or absence of planning and design principles that support sociability in urban plazas. This evaluation method may be used to rank the social efficacy of existing sites, or used as a set of guidelines to develop new ones.
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Note:
1. Chapter 1 – would not skip this, it’s an essential historical backdrop.
2. Chapter 2 is very skippable, it involves the Sustainable Sites v2 Rating System (LEED for landscapes).
3. Chapter 3 is optionally skippable, but does introduce an important concept.
4. Chapter 4 is the long, detailed literature review. Good stuff, but pour yourself a cup of tea.
5. Chapters 5 & 6 are the meat of the work. Definitely review this.
6. Chapter 7 is skippable, it being the conclusion of all the case studies and wrapping it up.
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Note:
1. Chapter 1 – would not skip this, it’s an essential historical backdrop.
2. Chapter 2 is very skippable, it involves the Sustainable Sites v2 Rating System (LEED for landscapes).
3. Chapter 3 is optionally skippable, but does introduce an important concept.
4. Chapter 4 is the long, detailed literature review. Good stuff, but pour yourself a cup of tea.
5. Chapters 5 & 6 are the meat of the work. Definitely review this.
6. Chapter 7 is skippable, it being the conclusion of all the case studies and wrapping it up.
Research Interests:
This practicum will propose a planning and design strategy to create a central urban plaza in downtown Athens, Georgia. The strategies are informed by specific theory, and will be organized into four parts: the " plaza district " concept,... more
This practicum will propose a planning and design strategy to create a central urban plaza in downtown Athens, Georgia. The strategies are informed by specific theory, and will be organized into four parts: the " plaza district " concept, the " Woonerf " street treatment, the " naked " intersections, and the " core " plaza space. The strategies within the " core " , specifically, are informed by the author's previous research on the design and planning of urban plazas that support sociability.
Research Interests:
The presentation which accompanies my masters thesis.