VTechWorks Repository :: Browsing by Author "Wheeler, Joseph H."

Browsing by Author "Wheeler, Joseph H."

Now showing 1 - 20 of 27

930 sqft of Architecture
Clark, David B. (Virginia Tech, 2008-10-20)
There is no primacy to Architecture. For centuries architects have posited formulaic approaches to creating spatial environments. Bold maxims for design have defined entire periods and styles of architecture, and each subsequent postulation attempts to disprove the former by challenging its theories against imperfect realizations. Yet nearly all have the same fault; they prioritize characteristics of architecture, attempting to design according to absolutisms of thought and process. I believe this to be a dangerous mode of operation, as absolutisms can be extremely complex and difficult to grasp conceptually, let alone to manifest into realities. Reducing architecture to processes of selection, generalization, singularities, and priorities is just clever ways of dealing with complexity in an attempt to make the intangible tangible. This "reduction" and "simplification" can only hold value as a tool for the study and analysis of architecture, not its practice and execution. Although architecture is universally conditional, it has been assigned universal qualities over time in theory and practice. I believe time requires that those qualities be subject to change and reinterpretation so that architecture may maintain proper relevance, barring one constant: all qualities must exist by virtue of the others and cannot be seen independently; one quality is no more than an aspect of the others. To better explore this notion, three criteria (qualities, generators) have been identified as a measure for critical analysis of three architectural research projects. They are built from a history of pre-defined criterion, named and redefined in an attempt to elevate a personal study and practice of architecture at a period in time. These projects have a high degree of personal influence and involvement, and so this becomes in a way a self-analysis in the study and practice of architecture. The intention of this compendium is to gain insight towards a personal definition of architecture through an analysis of architectural theory and precedence in comparison to work that is reflective of personal architectonics. In time, I hope it will have continued to develop.
Architect / Builder: Builder / Architect
White, John Philip Jr. (Virginia Tech, 2002-12-13)
Throughout architectural history, the relationship between builder and architect has been ever-changing. Architects traditionally evolved from the building trades with a fundamental understanding of the principals behind construction. Architects have since evolved into a profession based in academics, not in actual tacit knowledge. The current relationship between architects and builders is complex. The Architect questions the ability of the builder. The builder questions the knowledge of the architect. Collaboration has become very difficult. These buildings are an attempt to use the built environment as a tool for both the architect and builder to gain a better understanding of what the other does.
Architecture, territory, and society: Two projects for the Veneto
Danziger, Elon (Virginia Tech, 2006-08-11)
An architectural territory is an area of human settlement that exhibits consistent architectural conditions or elements. In this thesis, three primary aspects of territory are considered: massing patterns, circulation networks, and typological structure. Many European architects work to extend, delimit, and join territories through their architectural interventions. In this way buildings function both as objects in themselves and as linking or delimiting parts in an urban whole. This thesis presents an American's understanding of a typically European approach, gained during a year of study at the Accademia di architettura in Mendrisio, Switzerland. Combining observations of Accademia pedagogy with the presentation of two projects undertaken there, it offers a definition of territory and two territorial discourses. In the first project, located in Padua, the intent is to strengthen the definition of two adjacent territories by means of an interstitial housing and office complex. In the second the territory of a service island at the edge of Venice becomes the primary influence for the form of a rock venue and contemporary cultural center. The social and political territories in a city, powerful forces for architecture, are also discussed in the context of Padua. An aging and shrinking population may not need or want a building typology that interests elite political and economic actors.
Books Balls and Walls – Mt. Vernon Library and Recreation Center
Brown, Tyler (Virginia Tech, 2000-12-01)
"A significant work of architecture is never the product of a single individual. It is always a collaboration with history and tradition, with the silent wisdom of the discipline of architecture. An architect who understands the essence of his craft accepts his role as a builder of a tradition, and he places his work in the context of this continuum with combined humility and pride." Juhani Pallasmaa.
Civic Sounds; A Music Conservatory for D.C
Mann, Evan Steele (Virginia Tech, 2002-02-08)
"If it sounds good, it is good." - Duke Ellington "Like music, a work acquires its value only through the love it manifests." - Eileen Gray "...but in the mud and scum of things There alway, alway something sings." - R.W. Emerson
Concrete and Comfort, Urban Firehouse
Cooke, James Long (Virginia Tech, 2023-08-11)
Material and structure, being indivisible, provide the basis for this thesis exploration. The material of choice was concrete, inspired by the use of cast objects made in the studio. Through the act of form making and casting tectonic material integration developed. Intrinsic structural qualities of the material were affirmed with repeated drawing, form making and casting, while exploring the phenomenon of the transferred surface. An open urban site in Washington, DC was chosen before a building type was determined. Neighborhood and site analysis identified the potential need for a Firehouse. This building type allowed the opportunity to explore the use of concrete for vehicles as well as people. Can concrete, maligned for being cold and harsh, hold a building and its uses in comfort and beauty?
Design for education and environment: Jacksonville Estuarine Research Center
Wheeler, Joseph H. (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1998)
The relatively recent success of the aquarium as a tourist destination has promoted a National interest in marine life. In the past twenty years cities have built aquariums that draw millions annually to various locations, justifying financial maintenance of delicate underwater life systems and increasing local tourism. Some successful aquariums such as the Monterey and Boston city aquariums have not only effectively drawn large numbers of visitors, but also have gained architectural recognition with award winning designs, therefore adding a new dimension to the recent trend in museum design. Still, with the emphasis on tourism, an issue that has yet to be addressed is the function of the aquarium as resource center of marine life. This proposal for the Jacksonville city aquarium endeavors to address the function of the aquarium as an institute for research and education, while utilizing the unique marine ecology setting to promote awareness of local underwater ecosystems. In this way, educational research and wildlife awareness set a new standard for aquarium design. Tourism can simultaneously emphasize inner-city urban development and promote the wealth of its existing ecology. This educational focus, in conjunction with the three states of marine habitat, establishes the basis for the aquarium design. By integrating the building design into the existing fabric of the city and focusing the research on the local rivers and habitats, the aquarium design will achieve the integrity needed to support this ambitious venture.
Design In Context
Harrell, Gregory Patrick (Virginia Tech, 2002-09-20)
I am interested in creation, the root of what architects do whether they are designing a master plan or a detail. The interesting thing about architecture is that an architect's creation does not exist in a vacuum. Numerous forces operate on the vision of an architect before it can become a reality; the most important being the building's context. Architecture without a site is conjecture and speculation and though it may have its place in some realm of study, it can never be real. For an idea to be manifested, it must be built someplace on this Earth and therefore I believe that architecture is a response to the context of the site. The site informs the architect on the material of the building's construction, how the building is oriented with respect to the sun, how and when the sun is allowed to enter the building, and how the building is approached and therefore entered. The context pushes and pulls on the building, informing the design process and demanding responses. The city offers a context dense in built structures and rich in history and architectural precedence. These parameters should be ever present in the mind of the architect during the design. A good design should respect and enhance the urban situation in which it resides as well as provide a useful scaffold for the architect to build from. By limiting the architect and forcing the integration of the new building with the existing context, the urban condition spurs ingenuity and can actually simplify the endless possibilities of architectural space. A rural site offers a different set of parameters under which the architect must operate. The shape of the land commands the largest influence on a rural design, should the architect look for contextual clues. The rural site can also set the architect free and allow a building to be a pure manifestation of the architect's mind, leaving the building program as the only constraint. The intent of the thesis is to investigate how architects design. How does a building come into existence? By designing two buildings at opposite ends of a contextual spectrum I hope to raise questions in my own mind about how context influences the decisions that are made in the design process. Recognizing these different sets of parameters can lead to a better understanding of context as a guiding force that shapes architecture.
Designing for the Waterfront - An Estuarine Research Reserve on Jones Point
Smith, Kevin M. (Virginia Tech, 1998-08-01)
Due to our love of the waterfront, almost half of the United States population now lives in coastal areas, including shores of estuaries. Unfortunately, this increasing concentration of people upsets the balance of ecosystems. My thesis project, Designing for the Waterfront - An Estuarine Research Reserve on Jones Point is about setting an example, setting a precedent for building on the waterfront. I have attempted to design an environmentally responsive and sensitive research center that will not only monitor and study the Potomac estuary, but will also serve as an example of how one should build on the estuary.
An Exploration Towards Form: A Photovoltaic Charging Station Design for Electric Scooters at Virginia Tech
Salcedo, Milton A. (Virginia Tech, 2013-07-10)
This project is a proposal on the versatile use of glass, its properties and technologies as well as its aesthetic qualities. A photovoltaic charging station for electric scooters is proposed for the Virginia Tech campus, combined with a bus shelter to allow mobility and integration of transportation.
Floating Urbanization
Plasencia, Jacob (Virginia Tech, 2024-06-06)
Climate change is a daily challenge that we are faced with, it has become a part of our lives and is altering how we live. Architecture plays a vital role in life and it is crucial for architecture to be able to adapt to the climate conditions that may arise. A large percentage of the population living near coastal cities are faced with dangers of sea level rise, flooding, and coastal storms. Architects must design for the people within these cities or else their lives will be lost. Designers understand the catastrophic we are currently facing and are finding innovative ways to protect our cities. From rebuilding the coastal lines to making cities to imitate being a sponge. These solutions all play an important role in the future generations, each design can not work independently from each other and must work cohesively in order to have a resilient city. This thesis explores the possibility of having a dense neighborhood adjacent to a city. This neighborhood is purely independent from the main city utilities so that if a major event did occur then no systems will be interrupted. Adaptable architecture is able to change over time and with the growth of population. The design goal is to offer an optimal living option for people, the neighborhood is designed to be able to grow with a family and offer aging in place options while continuously growing over time. The structure is able to grow by using a modular pontoon system that can be attached to another module to create an interconnected city. These modules are Biocrete structures that contain the systems and utilities for a building to function giving full flexibility of what can be constructed on top. Since the city is forever growing the vertical core acts as a home for a mobile crane to be attached and assist with the development of residential units or the larger urban-scape. This crane can also be positioned on a small mobile barge that floats around the city to serve any location at a given time.
Forming A Culinary Architecture
McSorley, Charles P. (Virginia Tech, 2003-12-17)
Architecture seeks to find harmony between pragmatics and poetics through phenomenological relationships of tectonics, placement, and culture. The choreography of these events, both physical and metaphysical,leads to a depth in the art of place making. The act of building in a certain way or attitude is read as aphorism – the statement imbedded in the physical existence of a construction is manifest in the way which its existence is made. We (civilization) make both out of physical need and desire,the question in art is whether our motive is purely physical or becomes spiritual. How is institution achieved? What defines place and how is it made? Does tradition bind us to the past or is it the freedom to inform the present and beyond ?
forwards and backwards
Chambers, Joshua (Virginia Tech, 2008-05-27)
The New World has always had an obsession with establishing its legitimacy through recreating previous architectural styles. Our colonial architecture imported the architecture of the Old World. The more important the building, the more grand the style. Most often our civic architecture received the most lavish attention. Washington DC became the home of the government and with that government came the most prestigious and most conservative European styles. These styles gave the new government a legitimacy and a connection to past. Washington is becoming a museum of architecture frozen in time. With our fragile new world and shallow history we hold on to every precious building. The neighborhoods of Georgetown and Alexandria embody these ideals of historic landscapes. Regardless of how old a building may truly be, it is most important now to feel old and to fit in. Contrast this to the architecture of Europe. True, even Europe has its various historic centers, but the majority of the landscape is a lively mix of architecture. European architects and the clients who commission them are far less intimidated by the past. They feel comfortable building a thoroughly modern edifice squeezed between a 16th century building on one side and an 18th century building on another. It is a landscape where the past is is the canvas onto which contemporary builders must paint. This thesis records the process of creating a more honest architectural timeline.
Four Family Houses in a College Town
Steed, Travis Gibson (Virginia Tech, 2006-11-07)
This thesis began as a study in creating good family houses in a town built for students. It evolved into a study of the form of the houses themselves. The nature and qualities of the site generated the form the buildings ultimately would take. The site is a south facing slope with distant mountain views that improve as the viewer ascends. The orientation allows for a line of buildings along the east-west axis where each can enjoy the benefits of unobstructed southern glazing. The slope offers the opportunity to create a proper base upon which to place the houses. This base provides a level, more usable site and creates a new horizon which edits the view below. The houses are four subdivided cubes elevated above the shared semicircular base. One half of each cube is divided into three floors, the other half is open from floor to roof and contains the large open staircase winding up to the upper floors. One has an opportunity to experience the full scale of the cube, both from the bottom looking up and as one ascends through it. The southern glass wall allows for passive solar heating in the winter and takes maximum advantage of the mountain views. The remaining three walls are punctured only where necessary to bring light to the more private rooms. This focuses attention to the southern view and lessens the awareness of the houses on either side. The result is efficient use of the land with perceived seclusion.
Friendship Community and Fitness Center
Sebastian, Barbara J. (Virginia Tech, 2002-05-10)
I propose to design a facility that will be both a fitness center and a community center. The building will integrate a fragmented site, making the site a cohesive whole and making all parts of the site navigable through extensive terracing, inside and outside the structure. Emphasis will be placed on making the community center more important visually than its larger counterpart, the fitness center.
Harmony in Contrast. Architecture, Wellness, and the Art of Balance: Exploring Active and Passive Spaces through Materiality and Light
Mimma, Raihatul Zannah (Virginia Tech, 2024-06-03)
In today's rapidly urbanized world, this paper expores the urgent need to reclaim tranquility and practice wellness through Architecture. Emphasizing the significance of reimagining communal spa experiences as sanctuaries for nurturing well-being and fostering genuine connections, it focuses on the symbiotic relationship between light and architecture. The thesis focuses on the therapeutic characteristics of light and space as it takes inspiration fromthe ancient Roman Bath, highlighting the calming effects of water features and mood-altering properties of light. Recognizing light as essential for survival and integral to our daily lives, the project seeks to harness its potential alongside water to create harmonious sensory experiences. In an endeavor to revive communal bonds and elevate collective wellness, this project embarks on a journey of contrast, juxtaposing light and water within spa design. Acknowledging the properties of light that play an indispensable role in human survival and its profound influence on our circadian rhythm, the project strategically integrates diverse lighting techniques. From natural daylight streaming through strategically positioned apertures to carefully curated artificial illumination, every aspect is orchestrated to evoke specific moods and enhance the sensory journey. Complementing this interplay of light, water features are strategically incorporated within the project. These elements are not merely aesthetic additions but are imbued with therapeutic properties, providing avenues for relaxation and rejuvenation. Through this integration of light and water, the spa becomes a canvas where contrasts converge, offering visitors a multifaceted experience that stimulates the senses and nurtures well-being. The juxtaposition of light and shadow, stillness and movement, creates dynamic spaces that encourage contemplation and connection. As individuals immerse themselves in this harmonious environment, they are invited to rediscover a sense of unity with their surroundings and with each other. Thus, the restoration of communal bonds and the enhancement of collective wellness emerge as inherent outcomes of this deliberate synthesis of contrasts within spa design.
Home Not Hospice, an integrated community for young and old in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia
Carpenter-Holmes, Arthur Alexander (Virginia Tech, 2001-05-08)
The following thesis presents the design for a housing complex. The complex provides homes for two different segments of our population: single families and older or disabled persons and couples. Located in Old Town Alexandria Virginia, the project sits on the banks of the Potomac River. The question of integration is central to this thesis. The first design challenge is to integrate the older persons and persons with disabilities into the community. Successfully done, this will prevent the sense of separation and isolation that can often result when people's physical limitations restrict their access to the world around them. The second design challenge is to integrate the complex itself into an existing, homogenous Old Town Alexandria neighborhood.
Manufacturing and Experience: a Story of Converging Paths
Rosado, Luz Del Mar (Virginia Tech, 2001-02-09)
CONVERGENCE OF PATHS Within the vast urban fabrics live many threads of paths. These paths weave in, out, diagonal, above and underground forming city blocks that we well know. Events happen when these paths interact. They either weave into each other or separate into many. Sometimes a force or desire within the urban layout is so strong that cuts through the threads and weaves a new path that needs to be discovered. The thorn threads become the manifesto of the desire and the spectacle of event. A place is created. When a singular path reaches a point of convergence with another path, their energy merge and transforms into a moment. There is a desire of purposely converge and communicate these paths into unexpected spatial encounters. At the point of convergence, strangers paths merge into each other blending all together into a spider wed of logical confusion, they briefly loose orientation, change form and ultimately experience an event in common.
Modular building system
(United States Patent and Trademark Office, 2013-02-12)
The present invention relates to the field of modular building systems. Embodiments of the invention include, a modular building system comprising planar sheets of material and moment connections, which are combined with tool-less or limited tool assembly mechanisms and can be used, for example, as spatial partitions, platforms, structural supports, or supports for articles. Specific embodiments of the invention provide structures having a seemingly homogenous, flowing ribbon structure. One embodiment of the invention provides an exhibition support system comprising: (a) at least two planar support members comprising: (i) a top panel with a top planar surface; (ii) a parallel bottom panel with a bottom planar surface; and (iii) multiple walls disposed lengthwise between the panels; wherein the panels and walls define interior hollow cells with inner surfaces and a selected inner cell height and inner cell width; and (b) at least one moment connection with two elongated members: (i) disposed at an angle of orientation relative to one another; and (ii) having a height or width to allow for a pressure fit within one of the cells along the inner cell height or width of the planar member when inserted therein; whereby structural support for the system is internal and is provided lengthwise within the planar support members at the inner surfaces of the cell that interfaces with the elongated members when inserted therein.
Modular wall assembly system
(United States Patent and Trademark Office, 2014-11-18)
Provided are systems and components for modular wall assembly. The components include horizontal tracks, vertical studs, and floor tracks that have engagement means for assembling the components together into a frame structure. Horizontal tracks and floor tracks have portions for mourning a wall module such as a wall panel unit, bookshelf unit, or cabinet. The horizontal tracks, vertical studs, and floor studs may be CNC cut from a CAD file for precision alignment between interlocking components. The modular wall assembly systems provide for ease of construction and flexibility in designing the layout of an interior wall.

Browsing by Author "Wheeler, Joseph H."

Results Per Page

Sort Options