ARCH9200 - Methods
Prof. Dr. Ignacio Cardona Fall 2024
Designing for Neurodivergence: Examining The Architectural Experience from A Neurodivergent Mindset to Create A Baseline For Integration In Design
ALLISON ZANNONI
02 x Prof. Ignacio Cardona
“Affirming Neurodiversity Through Art” created by Eliza Todd, 2024, https://apeaceofwerk.com/blog/affirming-neurodiversity-through-art/
Keywords: Neurodivergence, Neurodiversity, Architecture, Architectural Experience, Wellbeing Architecture
Inclusive design is defined as designing architecture that can be used to the maximum extent population regardless of limitations and seeks inclusion in design rather than integration. Marta Bordas Eddy speaks on this philosophy in her doctoral thesis, “Universal Accessibility: On the Need of an Empathy-Based Architecture” where she claims that the built environment is unsuccessful in terms of accessible function today (Bordas Eddy et al. 2017). She goes in depth to speak on how inclusive practices have come a long way through time with the help of regulations and codes, but at the same time, a standard has been created where only the bare minimum is being met to “accommodate” rather than integrate. Furthermore, in most cases, inclusivity is considered in terms of low mobility, leaving many populations still navigating a world working against them, such as the neurodivergent community.
Jessica McCabe, an ADHD activist and person with ADHD speaks on her experiences navigating a world not designed for her inclusion in her TED Talk where she states, “It’s kids and adults struggling to succeed […]in a society that wasn’t built for them” and that “[comparing myself to a neurotypical brain meant] I was just staring at my weaknesses” (McCabe 2017). From an architect’s viewpoint, McCabe’s statement sheds light on the repercussions of the lack of inclusion felt
by the neurodivergent community in the architectural experience and begs several questions. Is designing for the inclusion of neurodiversity too much of a hassle, is the information just not available enough, or are the known methods just more appealing? Additionally, it brings forth the questions sought to be answered in this paper; what exactly is designing for the neurodivergent experience, and would doing so improve the wellbeing of the total population and not just that of the neurodivergent?
Emergence of the Self-produced Environments: Understanding urban informal growth and incremental design.
SANTIAGO DIAZ
Section 2 Prof. Cardona
Keywords: Self-produced, Formal, Growth, Standard, Identity.
The proliferation of self-made environments in urban informal settlements underlines the resilience and resourcefulness of a community whose active agency carves socioeconomic and spatial contexts. Predicated on this, the present paper focuses on how incremental design and social urbanism are the adaptive, inclusive frameworks that tackle the complexity of urban informality. The design focused on community-driven and phased development in incremental design allows residents to improve their living conditions incrementally and aligns with the organic evolution of the informal cities. Case studies like Quinta Monroy in Chile have shown community-empowering and sustainable growth through flexible, participatory design approaches. High density, resourceful materiality, and adaptability are inherent to self-produced environments and indicate their vulnerabilities and potential. This research points to strategies for incorporating such areas into the formal urban structure without weakening the exceptional dynamics of these spaces since examining the socioeconomic setup molds the course of development at the informal level. Medellin in Colombia is one of the best examples of how social urbanism can bridge the gap through projects like the Metro-cable and public libraries to enhance mobility, safety, and community cohesion between the formal and informal areas. The recommendation is also made to call on participatory processes through the lens of incremental design and social
urbanism, where residents from informal settlements are at the core of the voice.
It is estimated that hundreds of millions of people worldwide live in slums, favelas, or barrios such as those in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, Brazil; Medellin, Colombia; and Nairobi, Kenya. Such communities arise out of socioeconomic need and, most often, are constructed without the benefit of formal planning. Because of this and several other factors, urban informal settlements create particular risks to residents, including lack of infrastructure, overcrowding, and vulnerability to environmental hazards. Still, they are also dynamic places where residents actively shape their environment by showing resourcefulness, resilience, and a strong sense of community. These self-produced environments do not remain static; instead, they keep changing continuously, reflecting their inhabitants’ socioeconomic and cultural dynamics. The challenges and opportunities of informal settlement contribute to the innovative frameworks that respond to such situations through incremental design and social urbanism, ensuring sustainable development.
Diagram of the “Principles of Informal Armatures.” Image, Gouverneur, David. Informal Armatures: Ecological Urbanism for Emerging Territories.
Psychological Impact of Nature-Based Design Solutions :
Can Nature-Based Design Solutions Enhance Both Physical Built Environments, and Psychological Well-Being?
DEVEN OUELLETTE
Section 2 Prof. Cardona
Keywords: Biophilia, Nature-Based Solutions (NBS), Built Environment, Public Health
This research paper investigates the human desire to be connected with nature, and how this desire can be achieved while serving as a way to protect the physical built environment. Nature is deeply ingrained as a vital element throughout human evolution. However despite this deep integration, the built environment around us continues to grow and advance and are often void of any connection to nature. This disconnect from nature has led to a variety of negative public health related psychological impacts such as increased stress, compromised mental health, and lack of motivation and creativity. As architects, engineers, and designers curate these spaces, the application of Nature-Based Solutions [NBS] can serve to enhance spaces that not only can physically withstand the challenges of climate change, but also serve to decrease the ever rising amount of psychological public health concerns that a disconnect from nature within these spaces has caused. The catalog of existing NBS provides a deep understanding of what these solutions are, as well as their physical impact on the areas they are being applied to. It especially focuses on how these solutions can protect against rising climatic threats due to climate change. However, the existing catalogs fall short when providing how these changes can be psychologically impactful to the public being affected by a natural disconnect.
This paper utilizes the research of The Biophilia Hypothesis, and how it can be introduced as a response into the way NBS are considered and cataloged. The hypothesis primarily focuses on how humans feel within nature and desire a natural connection. In addition to addressing the physical impact of NBS, it is important for designers to have a catalog that also includes an understanding of how The Biophilia Hypothesis can serve as a method for deeper consideration into the psychological aspect of applying NBS to their designs. This inclusion to the catalog will showcase each solution to include both the physical and psychological impacts they each could have if applied. This will help encourage architects, engineers, and designers to apply these solutions to their future designs as they will be able to both protect the built environment from physical threats, while also improving the psychological mindset of the people within.
“Illustration depicting the shift in the way humans have become further connected from nature as evolution has greatly changed from the way it was in early human history becoming more dependent on technology”.
(Stephen R. Kellert, Judith H. Heerwagen, and Martin Mador, eds., “Biophilic Design: The Theory, Science, and Practice of Bringing Buildings to Life” (New York: Wiley, 2008), fig. 1.1, 3.)
Relational Ontology and Actor-Network Theory: A Framework for Understanding Transcultural Architecture
[MICHAEL PALADY]
Dr. Ignacio A. Cardona - Section 2
Keywords: Relational Ontology, Actor Network Theory, Transcultural Architecture, Place, Power, Anthropology
The transculturation of architecture often overlooks the fact that architecture is not a static object. Architecture, like most art and design, is a product of the interplay of culture, identity, and environment. As the world becomes more globalized, the challenge of creating spaces that respect cultural heritage while adapting to new contexts arises. How can architecture from one culture adapt to new locations while preserving the identity of its people? This paper argues that architecture is a result of continuous interactions between humans and non-human actors with identity evolving through these relationships. Using Relational Ontology, identity can first be understood as a network of relations, and then Actor-Network Theory (ANT) helps map the influences on shaping transcultural spaces. Using these two schools of thought and theories, a framework for understanding transcultural architecture as architecture outside of its original context can be made. The example analysis of China Towns and Andean Churches are made with this framework. This approach does not aim to invalidate other approaches to the construction of transcultural architecture but serves as an additional lens to understanding architecture, and the many social factors that go into architecture, and to understand architecture less as a static object and more as a dynamic grouping of various networks and relations
Growing Homes: How can homes adapt to accommodate different stages of life?
[ELIZA CALL]
Section 01 Prof. Ignacio Cardona
Keywords: Adaptability, Flexibility, Evolve, Modular, Multifunctional
[Abstract] As people grow and change, their homes often remain static and unable to adapt to evolving needs. A house, while aging materially, lacks the ability to evolve alongside its occupants, creating challenges such as family expansion, lifestyle changes, and shifting priorities. These growing pains raise critical questions: How do people currently adapt their homes as their lives progress? Can the need for something as seemingly simple as an office space influence the desire to move or stay? This paper explores the factors driving homeowners to relocate and examines how adaptable design can encourage their long-term occupancy. It investigates whether homes can be designed to accommodate changing family dynamics and stages of life. By analyzing current architectural practices and envisioning future possibilities, the study represents the importance of flexibility in residential design. Adaptability allows homes to respond to diverse needs, whether it’s accommodating additional family members, supporting aging in place, or adapting to new work-from-home realities. The research highlights technical challenges, such as the durability of modular systems and the integration of movable partitions, while emphasizing the balance between permanence and flexibility. It examines successful case studies, such as generational living designs and modular layouts, which offer insights into creating spaces that can evolve alongside their
occupants. Ultimately, this study advocates for adaptability as a fundamental principle in architecture. Flexible homes not only enhance personal well-being by reducing the need for costly relocations but also contribute to sustainability by minimizing the environmental impact of renovations and new construction. Balancing the longevity and adaptability in home design is essential to creating spaces that support the diverse and changing lives of their inhabitants, ensuring both comfort and resilience for the future.
Figure 01: Five Features for Flexible Design
About Flexible Design. Nature of Environment (2018).
Understanding Spatial Perception and Interaction: The Impact of Gameplay Mechanics in 2.5D and 3D Games on Non-Gamers with Higher Education
JAN LERDDEEKUNLAM
DIAGRAM OF PLAYER-GAME INTERACTION ILLUSTRATING THE FLOW OF INSTRUCTIONS AND FEEDBACK THROUGH VISUAL AND AUDITORY
HTTPS://RCTAI.MEDIUM.COM/RESEARCH-ON-VIDEO-GAME-INTERACTIVITY-460DF8F42791.
Keywords: Virtual, interactivity, game mechanic, spatial, play.
This research investigates how non-gamers with higher education backgrounds perceive and navigate virtual spaces in video games, looking primarily at intuitive design and accessibility through gameplay. In this study, we examine how spatial cues, control mechanics, and interactivity affect user experience in The Stanley Parable, Untitled Goose Game, and Portal 2. Each game presents unique challenges: The Stanley Parable offers a narrative-driven environment with clear pathways and limited controls, while Untitled Goose Game relies on open-ended tasks that some participants found difficult to interpret. Portal 2, with its unique portal mechanics, pushes players to think creatively about movement and spatial problemsolving. Participants’ experiences, gathered through gameplay observations, surveys, and interviews, reveal that intuitive design is a key factor in accessibility. Rather than analyzing digital spaces as visual representations of physical architecture, this study explores how spatial elements function as integral components of gameplay, guiding decision-making. The findings underscore how architectural systems in games serve as both symbolic and functional tools for engagement.
Section 2 Prof. IGNACIO CARDONA
Evaluating Coastal Infrastructure Strategies in Terms of Cost, Environmental Impact, Public Space, and Flood Mitigation: An Analysis of Green and Gray Approaches
LUC THORINGTON
Section 02 - Cardona
“Boston responds to climate change with elevated parks and flood barriers,” Dezeen, Published November 1, 2017, https://www.dezeen.com/2017/11/01/boston-coastal-resilience-solutionsreport-climate-change-elevated-parks-flood-barriers/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily+Dezeen+Digest&utm_content=Daily+Dezeen+Digest+CID_f6e5223051aea3bb0c4e6d598d0f2f 0f&utm_source=Dezeen+Mail&utm_term=Coastal+Resilience+Solutions+For+East+Boston+and+Charlestown+report
Keywords: Coastal infrastructure, Green/gray infrastructure, Flood mitigation, Ecology, Public space
In the face of projected increases in the frequency and intensity of flood events, there is an urgent need for the implementation of protective infrastructure to safeguard the world’s rapidly growing coastal populations. This paper addresses the question of which coastal strategy is most effective in terms of cost, environmental and ecological impact, integration with the public realm, and overall flood protection and mitigation. The research aims to determine which strategies are best suited for each criterion and if possible, conclude which approach is best for any given scenario. To conduct this research, seven common coastal infrastructure strategies were chosen and evaluated on the four criteria. The strategies were also classified relative to the green-gray spectrum to discern whether a correlation existed between the natural or artificial qualities of an approach and its success as coastal infrastructure. The research establishes that specific strategies can be decided as the leaders among particular criteria. However, given the extensive amount of variables, competing interests, and complex decisions typically present in coastal infrastructure projects, it is more difficult to conclude the best overall strategy. Because of this complexity, experts are recommending layering multiple strategies, having a mixed proportion
of green and gray approaches, and even designing hybrid fusions of the two. Using this research, decision-makers can gain a better understanding of coastal infrastructure and how different strategies perform efficiently or poorly with respect to different criteria. Depending on which criteria are of interest to a project, this paper can be used to determine how green or gray that project should be.
Roman Architecture Materials and Building Techniques
During the First and Second Century BC: How Have Concrete, Marble, and Travertine Shaped Roman Culture?
LUANA VALA
Section 02 Prof. Cardona
Keywords: Materials, architecture, concrete, marble, travertine. power, endurance, opulance, strenght.
The Roman Empire rose in 27 BC and fell in 476 AD, lasting for five centuries. During this period, choice of construction materials played an influential role in the rise and success of the Roman Empire. Each century was rich in different materials, architecture styles, and building methodologies that contributed to the growth and expansion of the Empire. In this paper, I focus on the three most prominent materials used in the first and second century BC (prior to the rise of the Empire) – concrete, marble, and travertine (the “Materials”). The Materials contributed to the success of the Empire by shaping culture, politics, the economy, and more. Concrete was a revolutionary material. It served as the foundation of the Roman Empire by redefining architectural possibilities and its use in construction of infrastructure. Concrete allowed the Romans to quickly build walls, aqueducts, roads, and public places. Roman concrete represented resilience, strength, power, and fuel towards expansion. Marble, on the other hand, was synonymous with prestige and divine connection. It transformed Rome under Augustus, symbolizing the empire’s cultural inheritance and imperial aspirations. Marble was appreciated as a symbol of luxury, usually utilized in temples, monuments, and columns to celebrate its value. Travertine was strong, often resembling marble. Travertine balanced beauty and practicality and shaped iconic structures such as the Colosseum and
the aqueducts; facilitating Rome’s commitment to accessibility and visual harmony. The Materials allowed for technological innovation, economic prosperity, expansion of the empire, and the well-being of Roman citizens. In Rome, the Materials define culture and culture defines the powerful Roman identity.
Figure 1. Luana Vala, Roman Empire and Material Use Timeline, December, 2024.
Shaping Space: How Selective Removal and Disassembly Influences Spatial Perception in Architecture
NOAH LAWLESS Ignacio Cardona
Keywords: Selective Removal, Spatial Perception, Sensory Engagement, Adaptive Architecture, Genius Loci
This paper will explore the interplay of concepts such as sensory and spatial perception, habit, memory, architectural design, and strategies of selective removal and disassembly, which will be defined in the introduction. Drawing from philosophical and phenomenological frameworks, pieces such as those from Juhani Pallasmaa, Maurice Merleau-Ponty, and Gaston Bachelard, the paper seeks to explore the strategies of selective removal and disassembly as extensions of nature into architecture, and it looks at the possibility of displacing technology with human interaction when applying those strategies.
The first chapter will lay a foundation for phenomenology in architecture, and examine how the built environment interacts with human senses to shape memory, identity, and spatial understanding. The second chapter moves towards principles, applications, and implications of current and theoretical modes of architectural adaptation, often referring to Pallasmaa and Christian Norberg-Schulz. The last chapter looks at the emotional, temporal, and psychological impacts and connections of architecture as a whole, and how the strategies of selective removal and disassembly might alter those impacts.
Through theoretical insight and critical thinking, the paper proposes a more dynamic architecture to connect inhabitants and environment; a cultivation of spaces of adaptability to re-engage and reconnect the senses with the natural environment.
Figure 01: Gordon Matta-Clark – Conical Intersect, 1975. Photo: Marc Petitjean. https:// publicdelivery.org/matta-clark-conical-intersect
Freedom Through Constraint: Rethinking Adaptive Architecture
VANESSA GWOZDZIK Ignacio Cardona
Keywords: Adaptive, Revival, Tranform.
ABSTRACT
This research explores how adaptive architecture can be used for design innovation, rather than simple renovation. The historical and material constraints of working with the existing can inspire innovation for future iterations. Through this, designers can challenge and rethink the opportunities for the contemporary task of adaptive reuse. Examining the progression of adaptive reuse, it highlights the philosophical debate between restoration and conservation and introduces typologies such as interior reintegration, semi-ruin
design, fragmentation design, and embracing existing design. Case studies are presented to reveal examples of the freeing designs that are presented with constraints. Based on this research, architects can create generative ideas that are progression of time while showcasing the existing through new innovation that have never been done before.
Collage of Architectural Adptive Reuse through the study of design freedom. Digital Collage/ Photoshop/ By Vanessa Gwozdzik, September 20, 2024.
Redesigning the 21st Century Classroom
NICHOLAS BRADY Ignacio Cardona
Keywords: Neuro-Architecture, Salutogenic Design, Biophilic Design, Self-Determination Theory, Equitable.
ABSTRACT
For centuries, schools have been designed with the same shapes and strategies. Schools are frozen in time and need to be redeveloped to meet the needs of today's students. Students are struggling due to a lack of resources in schools and lower social-emotional skills from the COVID-19 pandemic. By reimagining the 21st-century school, architects can look for design strategies that can influence the way that students go about their school days and how productive those days are. By changing the
student-built environment, students' productivity, focus, and social-emotional behavior in schools can be increased. When looking at the past, strategies that had a good influence on the productivity of schools and other design strategies that were scrapped as society developed were researched. Through strategies such as Neuro-architecture, Salutogenic design, and Biophilic design, architects can start to find what types of materials are used to influence the occupants of a building, to improve their productivity and focus. Based on this research architects can create generative ideas for school design that benefit students' well-being and productivity.
Ai Representation of what tomorrows schools should look like. OpenAI. Modern School Building with Sustainable Design and Collaborative Spaces. Digital illustration generated using DALL-E, December 6, 2024.
Digital Panopticon: Methods of Surveillance in Architecture
CAMPBELL BROD
Section
02. Ignacio Cardona
Brod, Campbell. “Dialogical Landscapes” Graphite 6”x12”. Brod.Architecture.com, 09/2024. https://www.brodarchitecture.com/
Surveillance, Technology, Information Data, Digital Cultures, Urban Infustructure + Systems
The advancements in mass digital and physical surveillance technologies are rapidly integrating into urban complexities. Surveillance as an evolving construct is formulated as a device for insight or observation for security or intelligence. Its adoption into urban spaces has questioned social privacy and inflicted an atmosphere of anxious exteriors. Surveillance systems and security logistics have utilized architecture as an armature, changing the way architecture is experienced, designed, and practiced. Surveillance systems have been utilized in practice and design as networks of security and social order. However, indirectly a state of anxious and defensive architecture has been implemented into the arrangements of urban settings. Methods of surveillance have rapidly changed the way digital environments have interacted with their specified users and have increasingly gained prevalence in their formulations as physical architectures. CCTV, Private cameras, public surveillance, data mining, satellite imagery, health monitoring devices, audio-activated technology, and face recognition are some of the few advancements in modernity. Surveillance and its emerging prevalence as a mode or tool to design architecture could provide interesting arrangements that illustrate narratives of transparent coexistence and technological dialogue.
This Essay is a textual analysis comparing Michel Foucault’s “Discipline and Punish” to a related text on emerging technologies and surveillance architecture. The essay aims to understand how Foucault’s ideology of the Panopticon applies to the current technological state of surveillance infrastructure in urban spaces. By investigating key principles defined by Foucault, and comparing them to contemporary texts, a speculation on the advancements and cohesion between architecture and surveillance can be formulated.
The evolution of Michel Foucault’s metaphor of the panopticon has grown more prevalent as surveillance methods increase in the digital era. Transformations in our digital and physical architectures amplify the tensions and complexions in ideas of transparency, privacy, and spatial quality. Examining Eric Howeler’s insight into “Dataveillance”, Mario Carpo’s algorithmic digital environments, and Andrew Witt’s use of juxtaposition and contradiction, the essay explores the intersections of architecture and digital systems of surveillance and their conditional effects in urban spaces. The essay reacts and speculates on how the evolving digital infrastructure intertwines and manifests in an era where infrastructural power and control operate invisibly through data algorithms and surveillance. Such insights and speculations challenge designers to rethink how such digital systems are implemented into technological practice and projects.
A Natural Remedy:
Creating Refuge in High-Stress Environments
ROB WEAVILL
Section 2 - Ignacio Cardona
A balcony of 25 Green “Gallery of 25 Green / Luciano Pia - 23.” 2020. ArchDaily. 2020. https://www.archdaily.com/609260/25-green-lucianopia/550212a1e58ecee4f10001f6-bg_25verde_074-jpg?next_project=no.
Keywords: Biophilia, Prospect, Refuge, Environment, Stress
With people returning to the office, stress has been high lately and spaces we inhabit can help to alleviate that. This paper will use Habitat Theory and Biophilic Design to create spaces where people feel safe and in control of their environments. By using precedents that have done so succesfully it will take a look at a specific use case for themethodologies.
Prospect and refuge are imperitive topics to consider, which can be enhanced and enhance other aspects of biophilia to create unified, relaxing spaces that can offset stresses. These techniques should be implemented everywhere possible, but especially in places like medical facilities, offices, and homes where stresses can be high or people spend lots of time.