Earthly Matters of Cosmic Awareness: A 2023 Thesis of Architecture

dc.contributor.authorMitchell, Henryen
dc.contributor.committeechairJones, James R.en
dc.contributor.committeememberJones, Kevin Williamen
dc.contributor.committeememberde Hahn, Henri T.en
dc.contributor.departmentArchitectureen
dc.date.accessioned2023-10-06T08:00:20Zen
dc.date.available2023-10-06T08:00:20Zen
dc.date.issued2023-10-05en
dc.description.abstractArchitecture, as a discipline, has the potential to serve as a catalyst for cultivating an awareness of our intrinsic connection to the Earth and the broader universe. However, in the contemporary world, architectural practices frequently tend to alienate us from the natural environment, compelling many of us to inhabit indoor spaces reliant on centralized utility systems. This reliance, in turn, exerts significant stress on the Earth's ecosystems. The essence of architecture should instead lie in its capacity to engage with the surrounding natural elements, including the sun, wind, earth, and rain, thereby prompting individuals to acknowledge their geographical and planetary context. By harnessing these natural forces at the local level, architectural structures could autonomously provide their occupants with essential resources such as energy, water, and sustenance throughout the year. This thesis embarks on an exploration of the feasibility of integrating these principles of passive design into architectural structures, with the overarching goal of imparting experiential learning opportunities to the broader public. Through this endeavor, architecture can transcend its conventional role and emerge as a conduit for disseminating knowledge and awareness about sustainable living practices. Ultimately, this reimagined role for architecture can play a pivotal part in catalyzing the ongoing human evolution towards enhanced health and resilience, both as individuals and as a species.en
dc.description.abstractgeneralArchitecture should make us aware of how we are connected to the earth and by its extension, the universe. In today's world, it often closes us off from nature instead. Many of us are plugged in to an indoor culture that relies on centralized utility infrastructure to sustain, which often puts great strain on the natural environment. By interacting with surrounding natural phenomenon such as the sun, wind, earth, and rain, our buildings should remind us of our geographical and planetary context. By gathering these natural forces local, a building could supply its inhabitants with energy, water, and facilitate food production year round. This thesis aims to explore how a building could demonstrate these principles of passive design to the general public by using architecture as a vessel for experiential learning. This is the role Architecture can play in the process of human evolution towards becoming a healthier and more resilient species.en
dc.description.degreeMaster of Architectureen
dc.format.mediumETDen
dc.identifier.othervt_gsexam:38262en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/116416en
dc.language.isoenen
dc.publisherVirginia Techen
dc.rightsCreative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 Internationalen
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/en
dc.subjectAwarenessen
dc.subjectPassive Designen
dc.subjectOff-griden
dc.subjectGreenhouseen
dc.subjectEnergyen
dc.subjectWateren
dc.subjectFooden
dc.subjectSeeden
dc.subjectSeed Libraryen
dc.subjectResilienceen
dc.subjectEducationen
dc.subjectSelf-sufficiencyen
dc.subjectSustainabilityen
dc.subjectCosmicen
dc.subjectSpaceen
dc.subjectMoonen
dc.subjectLunar Baseen
dc.subjectEarthshipen
dc.subjectPhilosophyen
dc.titleEarthly Matters of Cosmic Awareness: A 2023 Thesis of Architectureen
dc.typeThesisen
thesis.degree.disciplineArchitectureen
thesis.degree.grantorVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State Universityen
thesis.degree.levelmastersen
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Architectureen

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