Theses and Dissertations at Montana State University (MSU)
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Item Frameworks : empowering place in the face of a universal world(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Arts & Architecture, 2009) Hall, Peter Leland; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Zuzanna Karczewska; Henry Sorenson (co-chair)The Flathead Valley stands on the edge of a precipice, staring down the destruction of its culture, ecology, landscape, and economy as it is quickly being filled to the brim. This destruction has become apparent to many locals and visitors and is starting to generate serious concerns. The problem of irresponsible rural development is one that has frustrated conservationists since the first skeptics of the industrial revolution. No one really wants to be a part of the systematic destruction of small town charm, open and natural landscapes, or functioning ecosystems; but, so many people want to live a life surrounded by these qualities. And right there is the problem. Traditional solutions to this problem have been regulations through zoning which, if actually protecting these qualities, slows economies. The other alternative is the short-term-minded capitalization of open space into money by means of developments. Neither of these solutions actually address the problem. A strategy that I would like to propose in place of these largely unsuccessful strategies is one that asks the question, why can't the forces that drive the demand for development also drive the sustainability of everything that is that place? A solution that recognizes the plight of locals and the desires of immigrants. Through clever and creative planning and design, entities can be introduced into a rural area and prove to embrace local culture, open space, and ecology, while being economically sustainable.Item Small town America : a re-design(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Arts & Architecture, 2010) Bailey, Clint Brantley; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Ralph Johnson; Angie Keesee (co-chair)The American Small Town will forever have a place in the undertones of American culture and in the American psychy. The small town has become an identifing piece of the fabric that the overall American Society as a whole uses to project its own image, not only to the world but to its self. This study is an examination of key elements of the American Small town and an exploration into why these places are disappearing. The study goes on to utilize this information to derive a plan for a small town that is free of modern day plights, such as sprawl and redundency. In the end, it proposes a plan for the community of Four Corners, M.T. This case study re-design is an example of how small communities can be shaped early on to prevent waste, maximize efficiency and quality of life.Item Urban rehabilitation 2010(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Arts & Architecture, 2010) Webber, Orrin Blake, IV; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Thomas Wood; Chere LeClair (co-chair)In order to maintain a high quality of life for the residents of growing rural communities a more efficient, sustainable, and pragmatic architectural solution must be devised. The current mentality concerning rural development and lifestyle must be reshaped in order to adapt to an increasingly environmentally conscience world. Within the built environment is the opportunity to provide direction for this positive change. Through extensive research and study, I intend to create an architectural solution that begins to shape its inhabitant's mentality, behavior and lifestyle by utilizing, teaching, and promoting the importance of nature and its cycles. Thus minimizing environmental impacts and conserving energy while improving the health, happiness, and quality of life of the building's occupants. Considering most of a persons life is spent immersed in architecture, the built environment determines a large portion of its inhabitants impact on the environment. This can be significantly minimized if the buildings, required as a necessity in peoples lives, have less impact on the environment. The future project's location should minimize its residents and visitors need for private vehicular transportation by providing an appealing environment for daily economic, recreational and social activities to take place simultaneously. It is my goal to continuously unite nature and man within the building and its surroundings forming awareness and appreciation for the natural world and its cycles by providing gardens through which residents can each begin to personally establish a relationship with nature. Most importantly, the project should be immersed as close to a natural recreational and wildlife area as possible. Through the resident's interaction with gardening environments, the surrounding natural landscape, and the building's use of natural energies and systems, an intimate relationship and sense of dependency on nature will become ingrained in the people living in and experiencing the building. Community and public spaces will be integrated within the development in order to encourage social and economical relationships while further immersing the architecture into the existing community. Ultimately this solution would encourage and promote positive interaction and relationships between the residents, the Bozeman community, and nature. The final result would be an architectural solution that provides a more energy and spatially efficient alternative to lateral development while embracing, improving, and interacting with the local environment, the central core of the city, and the existing community.