http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/7772 2013-06-19T07:17:19Z http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/79319 Under(lining) Leh : the order of consciousness Bagai, Radhika "Because it is beautiful, there must be a formal order." - Leonardo Da Vinci. The thesis is an investigation into the idea that nothing built evolves naturally, that there is an explicit or implicit structure and an order to things. This order may be a result of clear intentions or of a collective consciousness, even behind forms that appear spontaneous. The city too is not immune from the order of a deep structure. The thesis concerns the 17th century city of Leh, situated in the captivating, but remote, region of Ladakh in India. The royal citadel of Leh is a dramatic example of the genius deployed in the conception of the settlement as a unified, complete, and highly evolved entity. It lends credibility to the idea that form is a highly controlled and meaningful expression of content (culture). The logic and consistency that I found in Leh's settlements could only mean one thing: that there was a "method to the madness", that there was an order to the disorder, that there was in fact a "jewel in the lotus". A fragment of the city was selected for an exploration which consists of an extensive survey resulting in a documented, original set of drawings. These original drawings and information gathered over a period of three months served as a resource for the exploration which uncovers some underlying orders in the city. The form of Leh is highly organized, where the source is not the drawing board but a consciousness among the people which exists as embedded, non-cognitive ideas about life, manifest in a clear physical form and order. The selected foci consists of five normative elements which are found to be relevant at the macro, as well as, the micro level. These are: 1. Hierarchy 2. Position and Direction 3. Assemblage 4. Generic Dimensions and Geometry 5. Invocation of Light The exploration reveals how these abstract normative elements translate into concrete design principles. Thesis (M. Arch.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Architecture, 1994.; Includes bibliographical references (p. 75). 1994-01-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/79318 Community participation--a tale of two projects Merriell, Andrew Franklin Thesis (M. Arch.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Architecture, 1973.; Unbound Archives copy in Rare Book Room, folio section. 1973-01-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/79181 C.A.S.H. - communal affordable singles housing : a platform for proactive affordability in Hong Kong Wang, Yan-Ping, M. Arch. Massachusetts Institute of Technology In Hong Kong, young singles are left out of the affordable housing equation. They require much more space per person in comparison to those living in family housing, and the government is not willing to allocate a disproportionate amount of already limited public resources to house this demographic. Many young singles end up living in cramped conditions with their parents well into their 30s, lacking space and autonomy throughout their golden years. Conditions for elderly singles are more dire - with no family to look after them, many live in Hong Kong's notorious cage homes, stacked bed spaces within already tiny apartments in the city's poorer districts. CASH transcends this housing deadlock by providing a new approach towards affordable housing - proactive affordability - for Hong Kong's singles population. The architecture acts as a platform that maximizes opportunities for tenants to generate extra revenue, allowing them to afford their own spaces. This is achieved by re-organizing private and communal space in such a way that allows for subletting and commercial activity to coincide with the residential space. The building positions itself to generate foot traffic, creating greater opportunities for its tenants. In doing so, the residents of CASH can live larger, dream bigger and work harder, on their own terms and within their own communities. Thesis (M. Arch.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Architecture, 2013.; Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.; Includes bibliographical references (p. 98-99). 2013-01-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/79178 Domestically dextrous : embedded computing for senior housing Legband, Neil (Neil Robert) This thesis proposes a new home for the aging baby boomers. The US is about to see a massive influx in the elderly population, and the current model of housing the elderly is woefully unprepared. The boomer generation has lived in single family homes for decades, and will want to continue living in one. Current strategies for retrofitting homes for seniors, things like wheelchair ramps, stair lifts, grab bars, are remarkably ill-suited to properly accommodate the needs of the elderly. Incorporating embedded computation into the home will allow the elderly to maintain their independence, and live in an environment which accommodates their expanding and changing needs as they deteriorate both mentally and physically. The home will take an active role in monitoring the occupant, monitoring itself, adapting to the changing physical/mental dexterity of the occupants, as well as assisting with domestic activities. Given the varying degrees of complexity that exist at the interface between the systems required to perform these activities and traditional residential stick frame construction, a new type of home which integrates electronics while also altering typical programmatic definitions within the domestic space. Thesis (M. Arch.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Architecture, 2013.; Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.; Includes bibliographical references (p. 122-123). 2013-01-01T00:00:00Z