People and space : building a design and development model for a more meaningful relationship

Abstract

This thesis is an exploration of architecture and real estate development that seeks to find a method for recognizing and utilizing city structure and uniqueness of place as primary catalyst for change. The concern behind this work is the disparity in contemporary models for design and development, which neither acknowledges nor integrates the existing values of a community. This inquiry attempts to identify and transform the existing framework of the city, allowing for change without losing the continuation of meaningful urban relationships. Thus, this experimentation challenges the conventional approach to design development ventures which begin with a program and build architecture around use. At a macro and micro scale, Venice, Savannah, and New York City are chosen to exemplify the arguments of this discussion. They illustrate the issues of autonomy of architecture, collective memory of the city and sensitivity of place, as vehicles to understand the elements which makeup the urban framework. Using San Francisco as the test case, this thesis introduces the possibility of an alternative model for design and development endeavors, attempting to understand the underlying structure of the city through time as a primary generator for decision making.