Architecture - Research Studio

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The Architectural Research Studio is a viable curricular offering in a professional, graduate, accredited curriculum in Architecture. It provides the benefits of boosting research productivity in a department, strengthening ties with architectural firms that have an alumni presence, providing career networking opportunities for graduate students, generating valuable intellectual property, fostering research careers, and adding to the knowledge base of the Architecture profession. The all-around benefits far outweigh the challenges that have to be overcome in offering this studio.

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24/7 Stadiums: Their Impact on Surrounding Communities
(North Dakota State University, 2023) Becker, Chase
The purpose of this thesis is to provide a clear look into the impact of the theory of 24/7 stadiums on communites. With that, this theis will in turn show how the stadium can be used at all times of the day instead of being a venue used a couple times a week. In theory, the stadium will provide jobs, new establishments, an increase in revenue, and an overall large space to be enjoyed by its community which in turn, creates a strong and greater community. Architects often lead their users on a journey through their design. Keeping that in mind, 24/7 stadiums are a great way to include the user more often than a day or two for a few hours. While there are spaces that are more user dependent like a clinic or data centers, using the designed enviorment at all times allows users to accomidate the space whenever they please. Concourses are hundreds of thousands of square feet that offer many uses besides circulation. Understanding such is key to a successful stadium and even more prevalnt in 24/7 stadiums.
Act for Children: A Study of How Architecture Can Foster Development During the Stages of Early Childhood
(North Dakota State University, 2017) Jarrett, Kelsey
What role does architecture play in fostering the stages of early childhood development? The first five years of a child's life are the most crucial years of their developmental process as they grow not only physically but also cognitively, socially and emotionally. Children are impressionable human beings drastically impacted by their surrounding environments. Through design, we can enhance the lives of the users through well informed environments that are not only healthy but safe, functional and beautiful. This paper seeks to investigate the stages of development and identify key prepared environments that facilitate learning in early child development. The results suggest that, in terms of the ideal environment for children, not one prepared environment takes precedent over the others. Scale, light, color, safety, security, spatial arrangement, and nature all play an integral role in the development of children. Designing for children is no simple task. As designers we have the responsibility and ethical duty to provide a comprehensive analysis on the needs of our clients. It is our role to ensuring a healthy and nurturing environment while providing a developmentally appropriate and stimulating environment to our nation's youngest generation.
Adapting Green: A Step by Step Methodology for Integrating LEED and WELL Standards Into Adaptive Reuse Projects
(North Dakota State University, 2022) Trosen, Tanner
LEED is the most widely used green building system in the world. LEED provides tools that clearly lay out the sustainable criteria for a building project. LEED is being implemented more and more every day, as is shown by its 36,835 LEED certified projects constructed between January 2017 and December of 2021. These numbers give a glimpse into the amount of companies and people striving to minimize their carbon footprint on the world. Not only are green buildings growing in popularity by clients, but architecture firms are seeking to design with sustainability in mind as well. LEED primarily focuses on the impact the building has on the environment and less on the impact the building has on the people within it. This is where WELL comes in. The WELL Building Standard was designed to work with LEED buildings to better people’s health and wellness. It too provides a list of criteria as to how to best achieve WELL certification. Both LEED’s and WELL’s list of criteria and considerations, to achieve certification within their programs, are vast and apply to all building and construction typologies. That being said, both programs are geared to be more easily implemented into new builds rather than existing buildings or adaptive reuse projects. This subsequently makes getting, an adaptive reuse building, LEED and/or WELL certified less desirable. The research documented in this article seeks to understand all criteria considerations within both LEED and WELL and create a methodology that shows how to best implement those considerations within an adaptive reuse project.
Adaptive Architectural Value Engineering: Methods
(North Dakota State University, 2017) Meyer, Christopher D.
To develop an architectural design with an optimal solution, an understanding of the mechanics of design process becomes important. In 'Design by Optimization in architecture, Building, and Construction', architectural design is defined as a goal-directed activity in which decisions are made about the physical for of the building and their components in order to ensure their fitness for the intended purposes. Further, that design itself is comprised of three primary identifiable phases, problem analysis, design synthesis, and design evolution, which are performed in a cyclical process by conscious or unconscious sorting of design goals. (Greo, Radford, 1988) This process of design moves from generalizations about design defined in a broad terms, methods, and doctrines, and results in optimal design solutions. These solutions may or may not be the optimal answer to the design problems. The cyclical form of design becomes well suited for the introduction of value mapping and continual improvement practices. Architectural design is not often thought of in this manner, lacking proper evaluation of design changes and post occupancy analysis. Gero and Radford, 1988, refer to the a bias present in design practice in which a designer over rely on personal judgment in the decisions affecting the tradeoffs between design solutions without proper numerical or practical reasoning to meet client or social expectations at the cost of performance in the final product. Does form follow function, or function follow form? In a optimal method of design, the cyclical evolution of the solutions allows for both statements to be true. This allows a balancing of aesthetics to performance sought in an optimal solution to a design problem.
Algorithms for Calculating a Building’s Waste
(North Dakota State University, 2010) Olson, Drew
This paper examines the amount of waste or unutilized material a particular design will produce. This is being analyzed by the author through the investigation and use of multiple software systems. The ideal intent is the creation of such a program that will be able to inform the designer of the waste his or her particular design is going to be producing with a real time report. This product could then be implemented into BIM programs such as Revit by Autodesk or any other DXF file formatted software.
Architectural Settings Which Facilitate Transcultural Understanding
(North Dakota State University, 2019) Mack, Olivia
To understand how a space can promote trans-cultural understanding, it is imperative to understand transculturalism. It is defined as seeing one's self in the other (Cuccioletta, 2002). This means finding aspects of, or similar to, one's own culture in a different culture. Transculturalism is a tool for creating understanding, and therefore bridging cultural gaps. Transculturalism seeks to remove the us versus them attitude by eliminating the concept of the other. There is an important distinction to make between the ideas of transculturalism and multiculturalism. They are parallel ideas, encouraging the mixing of cultures, but in differing applications. Multiculturalism seeks to identify and celebrate the differences of cultures. Often, multicultural is commonly used to discuss diversity. A culture's unique identity creates unique individuals within the culture and forms stronger bonds between members.
Architectural Sign Language: Architecture as a Language Communicated Through Signs
(North Dakota State University, 2019) Danielson, Anna
American Sign Language (ASL) is not transparent; one cannot understand it until one learns it. It takes many years of study and interactions with people who use it daily to be able to properly learn the language. The same can be said about architecture and the communicated language of the built environment. Architecture, like ASL, uses non-verbal communication; it tells a story through specific elements and gestures. However, when one element or gesture is compromised, the others must still communicate the same story to offer everyone a unique experience. Communication is a vital part of design and our everyday lives as we interact with the built environment. How effective is architecture as a sign language when compared to American Sign Language used in deaf and heard-of-hearing communication?
Architecture for the Third Place: How design Can Promote Third-Place Activities in an Indoor, Urban, Midwestern Context
(North Dakota State University, 2018) Marsh, Rachel
This research began with the goal of designing an ideal indoor public space for Fargo, North Dakota's frigid winters. To understand the best design for the proposed public space, a broader question is posed: How can architecture encourage third-place activities in an indoor, urban, Midwestern environment? The third-place concept was first proposed by Ray Oldenburg's text The Great Good Place (1989) and is the foundation of this research. Oldenburg defines the term 'Third Place' as an informal space which supports relationships among community members. The research begins with compiling case studies of spaces which host third-place activities and identifying re-occurring patterns of user behavior and architectural design. The research cumulates with six key third-place activities, and how specific architectural elements can encourage these activities.
The Beauty of the Past
(North Dakota State University, 2015) Miller, Joe
An attraction to the past is a natural interest in people, we are always interested I where we came from in the hopes to see where we are going. Along with this interest of the past there is a similar interest to the ruins from the past. Th ese ruins take various forms, Technology, Nature, Architecture, artifacts, the similarity these all have with each other is their ability to tell a story about the past. In a few of these instances there is even more life in the ruin than there was in the living thing, a dead tree is an appropriate example of this.
Border Catalog: Integrated Sense of Border
(North Dakota State University, 2019) Johnson, Helen
Despite the popularity of border issues in today's media, the spatial organization which borders create remain unrecognized. This paper discusses the relationship between architecture and borders through a catalog which organizes borders into three categories; social, personal and a combination of the two types of borders. Looking at a border through the lenses of a designer offers a variety of perspectives into the different ways in which individuals and societies cross borders. From this perspective, they are no longer looked at as a physical line, but as tool, which humans created to bring order to chaos within the mind and the physical world.
Building on Water: Studying the Effects of Buoyancy on Architectural Forms
(North Dakota State University, 2018) Nagel, Mitchell
Our planet is 71% water and 29% land. That land is filling up quick and is going to look a lot smaller for the coming generations. With an ever-growing world population, that is already at almost 7.5 Billion people, we are looking at a future with scarce resources and overpopulation, but maybe we aren't making the most of what we have available. With rising sea levels creeping up on our shores, why not build offshore? This research project will investigate the practicality of building on the water. The main challenge with this question of practicality is how do we make architecture float? Using simulation and case study research to solve this challenge, this study will theoretically propose that building off the coast, on the ocean, can be done and is a viable option for the future of an ever-developing world.
Chromolume: A Study of How Colored Lights Inform Natural Healing Practices Through Architecture
(North Dakota State University, 2019) Garcia, Sydney
The built environments we occupy regularly have a strong and lasting impact on our mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual health. This leads to the question of: What role can architecture play in facilitating healing environments through the building design? This design project narrows in on a specific alternative medicinal method called chromotherapy, or color therapy, and shows how it can be applied in the design world. To further advance the research, a psychological research experiment was conducted on human subjects to record the correlation between colored environments and biophysical senses. The biophysical senses that were stimulated in the experiment were further analyzed in a correlational research study to determine which colors mitigate which illness. The results will then be implemented in architecture to create healing spaces through design.
Collaboration in Higher Education: Behavior Observation Informing Space Arrangement
(North Dakota State University, 2013) Dunham, Matthew Robert
What role does architecture and interior spatial arrangements play in facilitating spontaneous or arranged collaboration in higher education? This project involves identifying the architectural characteristics of spaces that facilitate collaboration in higher education, including deriving the spatial organization and circulation patterns that facilitate collaboration, and the simulation of collaborative environments. With today's use of integrated technology limiting face-to-face collaboration, a study was conducted to map conditions that stimulate collaboration in on-campus buildings. Behavioral observation was conducted at four strategic academic buildings on the North Dakota State University campus, each representing a unique case study in collaboration. Perceptions of how students, staff, and guests use different academic spaces were studied by tracking and monitoring multiple criteria. Results from the local study support current literature suggesting that students demand more collaboration within the classroom and on campus than the need or use of technology; supporting higher education's demand for technology integration may be wrongly allocated, as students today seek less technology and more face time while on campus. Research was commissioned to better inform a new Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) building being built on the NDSU campus, in the anticipation that this would be a high performance building and promote collaboration.
Constructs of Operable Architecture: Climate Optimization by Volumetric Adjustment
(North Dakota State University, 2010) Hillukka, Daniel
This research focuses primarily on the functionality of software, specifically Rhinoceros (McNeel & Assoc.) and a few associated PlugIns (Grasshopper, Rhino Assembly, RhinoParametrics), to create and control a model to study the effects of modulation of space. Has technology been completely utilized in addressing comfort maintenance within a dwelling space? Historically abilities to influence temperature change within a space have been relegated to passive systems and more recently completely active means of control. Technological advances have raised significant questions towards methods and means for this control. Through use of 3D models and simulations the topic of climate maintenance in spatial conditions were addressed using environmental controls. Thus modulation of the climate as well as the space could simultaneously occur to create a radically different space of habitation.
Creating a Decision Making Tool: How to Decide if One Will Benefit from a Green Roof
(North Dakota State University, 2010) Kleist, Lane
Why is it necessary to provide a decision making model? Why do we feel the need to make rational decisions? The major goal in researching this topic is to provide data which architects can use to illustrate to their clients the most logical decision for the given instance. Rather than a client making important decisions based on hear-say evidence, information can be gathered to create a decision making guide, which will point to a clearly prominent solution.
Cross-Cultural Ties for Craftsmanship in Construction
(North Dakota State University, 2023) Reller, Reed
Construction methods have continued to change over time. These changes have caused the structure of our homes to become simplified in many aspects. This research project aims to analyze this change to identify its reasoning and explore a potential solution to bring back more craftsmanship into the structure of residential homes. Generations before us built structures with care and intent for longevity as to serve more than just their lifetime. Some of these qualities are of less importance than making a profit today. The goal of this research is to adapt the craftsmanship of traditional Japanese carpentry into today’s light stick framing construction methods. This would provide insight into the features of both of these construction methods and identify if today’s practices are the best solution.
Design Study of Catholic Church Architectural Form and Material Costs
(North Dakota State University, 2023) Rivard, Jeremy
The architecture of Catholic churches has an intrinsic connection with the liturgy, theology, and tradition of the Church. Creating sacred spaces to engage in the worship of God has been an essential part of Catholic life since the earliest days of Christendom, but sacred architecture has undergone many notable shifts over the last century. These design changes in modern sacred architecture have partly stemmed from liturgical reform within the Church, but also from societal turmoil from without. This has resulted in many churches built over the last 70 years that fail to live up to their potential, through a lack of architectural beauty, shoddy construction, and tawdry materials. The era of the beautiful Catholic church building had stopped. The questions this research seeks to address are as follows: How can the beauty of a contemporary church building signify the unchanging solemnity of Catholic worship and aid in the search for the Divine, and how can this beauty be returned to new churches in an economical way through modern construction methods? How can these ideals be applied to design a transcendent sacred space for a small parish with limited resources? This research project examined designs for a new Catholic church building through the lens of each of the following four categories: form, liturgy, structure, and cost. The goal of this research was to find the optimal combination of the above categories for a new church construction project, in order to create a sacred space appropriate for the Catholic liturgy in a cost-effective manner. Variations in form were explored in multiple ways, with the vesica piscis shape serving as the proportioning system for the floorplan shapes and changes in verticality throughout building elements. The progression of possible forms were digitally modeled and the material costs for each were estimated, with the focus being on how each iteration affects the estimated construction costs. The desired outcome will be a joint architectural form and structural method that provides a sanctuary that expresses the four transcendentals of Catholic theology: truth, goodness, beauty, and unity, and does so in an easily constructible way that is financially accessible for small parish communities.
Designing a Holistic Environment for Athletic Performance
(North Dakota State University, 2023) Naranjo Mata, Sofia
The goal of this research is to recenter the needs of the athlete when it comes to the design of training facilities and question how this form of architecture can be optimized. To continue to increase the effectiveness and value of architecture, new approaches must be taken in how spaces are designed. By looking into other spheres of knowledge such as mental wellness and sports psychology, more information is gained that can influence a new design protocol that be implemented into this building type. These solutions will provide incentives for these massive teams and organizations to seek an architect that is well versed in this area of design. Athletes will have a higher likelihood of staying where their needs are prioritized and feeling valued can help with overall wellness and performance. This can demonstrate how something seemingly insignificant such as a building’s design in relation to athletic performance can cause a chain reaction that provides people with their desired outcome of success.
Designing for Humanity: How Can the Architecture of Correctional Centers Improve the Lives of Inmates?
(North Dakota State University, 2017) Thordson, Elizabeth
The purpose of this research is to look at the architectural characteristics of successful correctional centers and deduce what specific aspects make them so successful. America is known world-wide for its correctional system and the harsh punishments assigned to those who come in contact with it. Many citizens of the United States believe that harsh punishment is a good thing, they believe that with harsher punishment comes reform. Select individuals believe the opposite is true; they believe that harsh punishment harms individuals and in turn increases the percent of recidivism. Research done by the National Institute of Justice supports this belief and shows that long prison sentences do very little to prevent future crime.
Designing for Outsiders: Understanding the Effects of Indended and Unintended Design
(North Dakota State University, 2019) Meyer, Christina
How tolerant are we of people outside our community? Our ingrained instincts drive us as humans to seek positive interactions, to feel accepted and appreciated, to find purpose to help us thrive as individuals and as a collective. While positive instincts drive us to purpose, so does fear pull us into a defensive state, to protect ourselves and our own against the alien and unknown [5]. This duality, this push and pull, is center stage in regards to interpreting new peoples and cultures and attempting to find a balance between the two is a hard task.

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