2012
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ItemIntegrated Social Habitats: Enhancing Social Spaces for Future Urban Multi-family Residential Dwellings( 2012-05)As I look back at my family’s lifestyle within a mid-rise apartment in Honolulu, I realize that the social relationships we have had with our neighbors over the last twenty years could have been stronger. Although it would be unrealistic to think that we would bond with every family in the six-story building complex, the only opportunity we had to engage in conversation with the families that were friendly and neighborly towards us was when we encountered each other in the parking lot elevator, or hallways leading to our apartment door. It was unlikely that one family would invite another into their apartment due to awkwardness and the potential loss of privacy. It is ironic that neighbors living in such close proximity would be so unsociable with one another. A simple solution that would have allowed our family to engage in social interaction with other families is the provision of a shared space dedicated to social activities that all residents could access. Although it is not guaranteed that every resident would utilize such a space, it would provide an opportunity for people to slowly establish and nurture relationships with others based on various factors such as personality characteristics and commonalities. It would be easy to suggest to an architect to designate a communal space on each floor in a residential dwelling. However, how successful can that space be if the residents on that floor barely use it because they are more focused on moving quickly from point A (car) to point B (apartment)? The so-called communal space would be dead, wasted space. How can architects design such a space so that it becomes a well-utilized, flourishing space for social interaction? This research paper maintains that these social spaces, rather than the apartment units, should become the focal points of the residential communities in mid-rise and high-rise buildings. The purpose of this research paper is to study the value of social interaction in our everyday lives and precedents that provide such social activities today. Correlational research and analysis is implemented to compare and contrast various types of social spaces in existing residential urban dwellings and the public realm. Design guidelines for the physical framework of future social spaces, specifically within urban residential low-rise, mid-rise, and high-rise dwellings, are provided. The second half of this research paper applies these design guidelines on a mixed-use residential housing prototype in a unique setting within the urban context of Honolulu, Hawaii. Computer-aided, three-dimensional modeling and simulation are used to discover various spatial solutions that can possibly nurture social interaction within the residential setting. The ultimate goal of this research paper is to introduce new thought and design processes for future urban residential dwellings. The design guidelines presented in this body of research encourage a more socially interactive lifestyle for residents and the general public.
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ItemUrban Nature: Designing Apartment Unites with Nature Based on Biophilic Relationships( 2012-05)The living environment surrounding humans has shifted from natural settings to man-made urban cities. This has inhibited a biophilic relationship between humans and nature that affects the physical and mental well-being of residents. The research documentation indicates positive psychological and physiological effects of nature's presence on human beings. The growing trend of interior landscaping demonstrates a need for greenery within the increasingly urban fabric. A comprehensive analysis of case studies creates composite ideals of how flora and fauna is integrated into contemporary urban environments. A set of design guideline matrices are used to compare the relationship between the way humans experience, attributes of nature, biophilic relationships, and the urban environment. The conceptual design proposal explores a way to conceive nature as a component that is integral to enhancing unit and building design. Currently, architecture does not consider nature as a vital factor in the design of living units. Attributes of nature must be considered concurrently during programming and conceptual design to achieve a synthesis between urban and natural environments indoors. This document provides guidelines to integrate nature into apartment units and contributes to potential future research on the integration of nature into multi-story residential buildings.
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ItemGarden Cities of the 21st Century( 2012-05)It has been more than 100 years since Ebenezer Howard published his epochal book on social reform that ultimately won him world recognition. Published first in 1898 as 'Tomorrow: A Peaceful Path to Real Reform', it was followed by revised publications in 1902, 1946 and 1965 under its present more evocative title, ‘Garden Cities of Tomorrow'. The multiplicity of editions testifies to a continued interest to secure a harmonious existence between humans and their natural environment. Influenced by the conventional wisdom of the time, deviations from the original 1898 publication by Howard of his town plan and his social and financial proposals affected the design and implementation of the prototype city of Letchworth built in 1903. Ignoring the drawings and writings of Howard’s book, the Letchworth model, because it was completed within the lifetime of Howard, was seen and accepted as the de facto model from which future garden cities could be reproduced. Duplication of the Letchworth prototype in Europe and North America, as a result of the deviations, led to incomplete, inaccurate or dysfunctional replications. The Letchworth concept of garden cities must be considered to have failed to reach the goal Howard had hoped to achieve: a distribution of sustainable, benign urban environments with an equitable and wholesome quality of life in a rural setting. More than a full century has elapsed since Howard wrote his book and the world has entered a new millennium. New technologies, changing demographics and, most importantly, emerging social and environmental circumstances raise the possibility that the concept of garden cities could be revisited to determine that, if adapted to meet the constraints and needs of the 21st century, could reach the goals envisaged by Howard. To reach this goal would require a return to the writings and drawings of his original work, 'Tomorrow: A Peaceful Path to Real Reform', and a departure, independent of previous attempts to interpret the content of Howard’s dream for all societies.
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ItemWaters of The Past & Present - The Revival of Water's Forgotten Stories, The Relationship of Water to Architectural Development For The Chiva Warin Center (River Life Center) By the Mae Ping River, Chiang Mai, Thailand( 2012-05)This Doctorate Project studies waterfront cities and proposes a new waterfront development in Chiang Mai, Thailand around an ancient river that is not used to its full potential. The Doctorate Project is divided into two components, one is the research component where precedent case cities are selected for their waterfront locations and the symbolism of water in Thai culture, and two the second component is the design project which is a New Chiang Mai Urban Waterfront Center master plan (The Chiva Warin Center By the Mae Ping River) to revive the urban linkage between a historical site which has been divided from lack of use and accessibility, growing disconnected from each other. The site location is on both sides of the Mae Ping River consisting of marketplace and institutional buildings on one side of the riverbank and an entertainment edge, heritage shop houses and residences on the other side. Objectives of Design Project: - Preserve culture and still show authenticity of heritage in context to time and site. Through analysis identify which areas of the site must be preserved and what is past regeneration so that it can be used as the design redevelopment areas. - Bring recognition to a river which has been part of the site's history. - Achieve this with a walkable and cultural corridor along the Mae Ping's edge. - Allow future floods through the new master plan with elevated boardwalks so that daily activities continues during the flood days.
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ItemCulture as Keystone: Robust Public Housing Communities Through Culturally Appropriate Designs( 2012-05)This Doctorate Project proposes a new approach towards the creation of robust subsidized housing communities through the use of culturally appropriate design. An overview of the state of the nation’s housing and its impact on public housing communities in Hawaii provide context and is supported by an analysis of challenges faced both by creators and residents of two public housing complexes on Oahu. Utilizing tools developed for this project, this paper concludes with a design project for the rehabilitation of a public housing site in Honolulu, Hawaii. The design embodies a new vision of public housing where culture becomes the keystone of robust communities.
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ItemMy Favorite Number is the Color Green: Implementing Green Walls in a Residential Setting to Improve Childhood Development( 2012-05)The modern world is characterized by human expansion, resource consumption, and technological advances. Rampant development has created a rift in the human-nature connection, a relationship once coveted during the earliest days of mankind. This kinship must be reestablished to ensure a healthy lifestyle. Immersion in the natural world provides the ideal environment for childrearing. Natural surroundings supply various stimuli to serve as catalysts for educational theories and environmental psychology. These benefits promote better childhood development and reinforce the principles of biophilic design. One solution for rekindling the human-nature connection and promoting a healthier lifestyle is through the implementation of green walls in a residential setting.
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ItemEnclaves, Social Capital and the City( 2012-05)This thesis focuses on the migration, settlement, and adaption of communities and their impacts on the transformation of host cities in the United States. I will borrow a social science term “enclave” to describe the uniqueness of these communities. Apart from the media and public at large, academic literature also portrays ambiguity about enclaves. Academic researchers and commentators of varying theoretical orientation differ in their views about enclaves. Some regard them positively, others regard them poorly and a few are unconcerned. Those steeped in the Chicago sociological tradition and the 'melting pot' perspective tends to view enclaves as cultural ghettos, obstructing the assimilation of ethnics;^1 whereas others inspired by European theoretical traditions and multicultural perspectives regard enclaves as expressions of cultural pluralism and sites of social capital formation.^2 However, little attention has been attributed toward the involvement of these self-sufficient, minority communities with the larger society. One important outcome of the thesis should thus be a theory or model that predicts or describes how to enable effective engagement (i.e., which mechanism to use, and how) in any particular situation. As a student of architecture I can provide such insight. Architecture requires more than the creative manipulation and coordination of material, technology, and environment. It is colored by the engagement of territory, culture, and structure. Examining society and enclaves with such lens enables me to identify the mechanisms for engagement.
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ItemThe Nature of Wayfinding in the City: Waikiki( 2012-05)The focus of this study on the nature of wayfinding may reveal multiple unknown points in the terrain one traverses. This thesis entails a quasi-objective approach that enables a creative way of analyzing, synthesizing, and discovering these points of unknown desire and destination. For example, surveying the tourists and travelers to Waikiki may reveal the multiplicity of points that embed themselves in the urban landscape. Yet, these spatial points reveal themselves through the act of traversing, finding, discovering, and encountering along the way. In addition, the study reveals the spatial matrix in which points of desire and destination manifest for the visitor, a multiplicity of points with instances of departure and arrival. The visitor demographic can be a “lens” from which to understand how one uses wayfinding tools and finds their points of desire in the terrain. For instance, how do we as tourists and travelers find our way? Also, how do we traverse toward a given destination? Indeed, most travelers and tourists are using visual, auditory, and tactile cues to find their way. Yet, do these spatial signifiers of meaning help them find their destination or are they getting them lost? Focusing on Waikiki as a destination and site for this study will give insight into the phenomena of wayfinding, which influences the perception of the user while traversing a given terrain within a spatial matrix of desire. methodology The strategies and tactics that I will employ will be a combination of empirical and quasi-objective approaches, such as collecting evidence, taking photos, surveying tourists and travelers, and creating experiential maps from the site. This is my way of studying wayfinding, from the 6 evidence collected (brochures, maps, ephemeral artifacts) how does one find their point of desire in waikiki? what are the instruments of finding destinations in waikiki? what are the modes of traversing waikiki’s terrain? interpretive mappings and site photography surveying tourists and tourist mappings 1 2 3 triangulation empirical study (Experiential + interpretive) GRAPHIC A: TRIANGULATION OF COLLECTED EVIDENCE A I ABSTRACT 7 totally rigorous and scientific, to the subjective of scope. This will attempt to synthesize an understanding of how one wayfinds in urban environments with multiple points of destination. For example, in figure A, this method entails triangulating the surveys of the travelers and tourists, collecting evidence, such as maps and brochures, and creating interpretive mappings of Waikiki, to reveal and represent the spatial matrix of points as it relates to wayfinding. These tactics will help create experiential mappings, which can uncover information about the terrain of Waikiki that is unknown to travelers and tourists, advancing the notion that the urban terrain is multiple in response to the user’s ability to traverse, find, and encounter spatial points of desire and destination. goals One of the goals of this study will be to understand how one finds their way in dense urban environments, such as cities by using a variety of visual, tactile, and auditory signs. These signs come from the built and natural landscape as well as digital mobile devices of wayfinding. Yet, another goal would be to investigate the spatial matrix that embeds points of destination and desire for the visitors to experience and discover. For example, Waikiki is a destination for many travelers and tourists, thus manifesting points of desire, which are explicit, implicit, impulsive, and interstitial. The visitors traverse a spatial matrix of points, which is multiple and forms a network of pathways and nodal interactions. Indeed, maps and brochures afford the traveler and tourist the ability to traverse the terrain and find their destination or point of desire. Thus, allowing for spontaneity and discovery to manifest within the terrain, where one traverses and encounters spatial points, along the way, creating meaningful instances in space and time. theory These dense urban terrains create a need for wayfinding to occur because they contain spatial matrices of destination and desire. A complex system of built form and semantics is embedded in the DNA of the urban plan. Most urban spaces interconnect to each other and weave a network of circulation towards multiple points of desire. Each point can inform the experience and memory of the traveler or tourist while traversing, which influences how they map and perceive their terrain. This densification of the urban environment curtails users perception while traversing the terrain at different velocities, influencing the way these points of destination are found, made, and forgotten. Moreover, these systems of human movement along pedestrian and vehicular pathways, in the urban framework, create multiple spatial matrices of desirable points that layer within trajectories in the terrain.
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ItemThe Phenomena of Branding Places: Waikiki( 2012-05)This doctoral project focuses on the ambiguous phenomenon of branding places, attempting to clarify its content, form, and nature. The goal of this investigation is to analyze conceptually how the precise mode of branding places differs from branding products. Through critical analysis, the ways in which places are branded as commodities are deconstructed and evaluated. Although, there are positive aspects associated with branding as a mode of place-making and place-thinking, there are also various contradictions and paradoxical aspects that require clarification. Examining this phenomenon through its functions, instruments, and motivations, I aim to reveal the structure and nature of branding places. scope This investigation has two scopes. One scope will analyze the general nature of branding with a focus on branding products versus places. The second scope will be a more specific and precise investigation of a brand place, which will result in useful empirical materials and information. Waikiki, located in Honolulu, Hawai’i, will be the brand place for the second scope of this investigation. methodology Branding places is a complex and layered topic for exploration. Thus, the systems and methods of inquiry for this investigation will take a mixed approach. Case study research is conducted as the primary method of investigation. Observational research is utilized to decipher this phenomenon of branding places in a natural setting. Surveys, conducted on site in Waikiki, allow for a better understanding of specific aspects in relation to this research topic, from multiple perspectives. Comparative analysis is utilized for the articulation of complex relationships between the branding of products versus places. The examination of branding reveals the image as a prominent characteristic. Hence, this investigation will utilize the image as a means of deconstructing and analyzing the branding of places. Visual rhetoric is the prominent framework through which communication and meaning are analyzed. theory This project anticipates that the prospect of branding places poses several contradictions. Branding has come into the paradigm of place-making and architecture from the realm of product marketing. While places are currently being branded in a similar fashion as products, there are fundamental differences between them. Theoretically, places are not capable of being holistically controlled in the same way that products are. Places cannot really be packaged and sold in the same way as products. Metaphorically speaking, places do not fit into a box or brand package because they are far too dynamic and constantly in flux. Nevertheless, places are being branded. This study will attempt to critically analyze the tension, ambiguity, and validity of branding places.This doctoral project focuses on the ambiguous phenomenon of branding places, attempting to clarify its content, form, and nature. The goal of this investigation is to analyze conceptually how the precise mode of branding places differs from branding products. Through critical analysis, the ways in which places are branded as commodities are deconstructed and evaluated. Although, there are positive aspects associated with branding as a mode of place-making and place-thinking, there are also various contradictions and paradoxical aspects that require clarification. Examining this phenomenon through its functions, instruments, and motivations, I aim to reveal the structure and nature of branding places. scope This investigation has two scopes. One scope will analyze the general nature of branding with a focus on branding products versus places. The second scope will be a more specific and precise investigation of a brand place, which will result in useful empirical materials and information. Waikiki, located in Honolulu, Hawai’i, will be the brand place for the second scope of this investigation. methodology Branding places is a complex and layered topic for exploration. Thus, the systems and methods of inquiry for this investigation will take a mixed approach. Case study research is conducted as the primary method of investigation. Observational research is utilized to decipher this phenomenon of branding places in a natural setting. Surveys, conducted on site in Waikiki, allow for a better understanding of specific aspects in relation to this research topic, from multiple perspectives. Comparative analysis is utilized for the articulation of complex relationships between the branding of products versus places. The examination of branding reveals the image as a prominent characteristic. Hence, this investigation will utilize the image as a means of deconstructing and analyzing the branding of places. Visual rhetoric is the prominent framework through which communication and meaning are analyzed. theory This project anticipates that the prospect of branding places poses several contradictions. Branding has come into the paradigm of place-making and architecture from the realm of product marketing. While places are currently being branded in a similar fashion as products, there are fundamental differences between them. Theoretically, places are not capable of being holistically controlled in the same way that products are. Places cannot really be packaged and sold in the same way as products. Metaphorically speaking, places do not fit into a box or brand package because they are far too dynamic and constantly in flux. Nevertheless, places are being branded. This study will attempt to critically analyze the tension, ambiguity, and validity of branding places.This doctoral project focuses on the ambiguous phenomenon of branding places, attempting to clarify its content, form, and nature. The goal of this investigation is to analyze conceptually how the precise mode of branding places differs from branding products. Through critical analysis, the ways in which places are branded as commodities are deconstructed and evaluated. Although, there are positive aspects associated with branding as a mode of place-making and place-thinking, there are also various contradictions and paradoxical aspects that require clarification. Examining this phenomenon through its functions, instruments, and motivations, I aim to reveal the structure and nature of branding places. scope This investigation has two scopes. One scope will analyze the general nature of branding with a focus on branding products versus places. The second scope will be a more specific and precise investigation of a brand place, which will result in useful empirical materials and information. Waikiki, located in Honolulu, Hawai’i, will be the brand place for the second scope of this investigation. methodology Branding places is a complex and layered topic for exploration. Thus, the systems and methods of inquiry for this investigation will take a mixed approach. Case study research is conducted as the primary method of investigation. Observational research is utilized to decipher this phenomenon of branding places in a natural setting. Surveys, conducted on site in Waikiki, allow for a better understanding of specific aspects in relation to this research topic, from multiple perspectives. Comparative analysis is utilized for the articulation of complex relationships between the branding of products versus places. The examination of branding reveals the image as a prominent characteristic. Hence, this investigation will utilize the image as a means of deconstructing and analyzing the branding of places. Visual rhetoric is the prominent framework through which communication and meaning are analyzed. theory This project anticipates that the prospect of branding places poses several contradictions. Branding has come into the paradigm of place-making and architecture from the realm of product marketing. While places are currently being branded in a similar fashion as products, there are fundamental differences between them. Theoretically, places are not capable of being holistically controlled in the same way that products are. Places cannot really be packaged and sold in the same way as products. Metaphorically speaking, places do not fit into a box or brand package because they are far too dynamic and constantly in flux. Nevertheless, places are being branded. This study will attempt to critically analyze the tension, ambiguity, and validity of branding places.This doctoral project focuses on the ambiguous phenomenon of branding places, attempting to clarify its content, form, and nature. The goal of this investigation is to analyze conceptually how the precise mode of branding places differs from branding products. Through critical analysis, the ways in which places are branded as commodities are deconstructed and evaluated. Although, there are positive aspects associated with branding as a mode of place-making and place-thinking, there are also various contradictions and paradoxical aspects that require clarification. Examining this phenomenon through its functions, instruments, and motivations, I aim to reveal the structure and nature of branding places. scope This investigation has two scopes. One scope will analyze the general nature of branding with a focus on branding products versus places. The second scope will be a more specific and precise investigation of a brand place, which will result in useful empirical materials and information. Waikiki, located in Honolulu, Hawai’i, will be the brand place for the second scope of this investigation. methodology Branding places is a complex and layered topic for exploration. Thus, the systems and methods of inquiry for this investigation will take a mixed approach. Case study research is conducted as the primary method of investigation. Observational research is utilized to decipher this phenomenon of branding places in a natural setting. Surveys, conducted on site in Waikiki, allow for a better understanding of specific aspects in relation to this research topic, from multiple perspectives. Comparative analysis is utilized for the articulation of complex relationships between the branding of products versus places. The examination of branding reveals the image as a prominent characteristic. Hence, this investigation will utilize the image as a means of deconstructing and analyzing the branding of places. Visual rhetoric is the prominent framework through which communication and meaning are analyzed. theory This project anticipates that the prospect of branding places poses several contradictions. Branding has come into the paradigm of place-making and architecture from the realm of product marketing. While places are currently being branded in a similar fashion as products, there are fundamental differences between them. Theoretically, places are not capable of being holistically controlled in the same way that products are. Places cannot really be packaged and sold in the same way as products. Metaphorically speaking, places do not fit into a box or brand package because they are far too dynamic and constantly in flux. Nevertheless, places are being branded. This study will attempt to critically analyze the tension, ambiguity, and validity of branding places.This doctoral project focuses on the ambiguous phenomenon of branding places, attempting to clarify its content, form, and nature. The goal of this investigation is to analyze conceptually how the precise mode of branding places differs from branding products. Through critical analysis, the ways in which places are branded as commodities are deconstructed and evaluated. Although, there are positive aspects associated with branding as a mode of place-making and place-thinking, there are also various contradictions and paradoxical aspects that require clarification. Examining this phenomenon through its functions, instruments, and motivations, I aim to reveal the structure and nature of branding places. scope This investigation has two scopes. One scope will analyze the general nature of branding with a focus on branding products versus places. The second scope will be a more specific and precise investigation of a brand place, which will result in useful empirical materials and information. Waikiki, located in Honolulu, Hawai’i, will be the brand place for the second scope of this investigation. methodology Branding places is a complex and layered topic for exploration. Thus, the systems and methods of inquiry for this investigation will take a mixed approach. Case study research is conducted as the primary method of investigation. Observational research is utilized to decipher this phenomenon of branding places in a natural setting. Surveys, conducted on site in Waikiki, allow for a better understanding of specific aspects in relation to this research topic, from multiple perspectives. Comparative analysis is utilized for the articulation of complex relationships between the branding of products versus places. The examination of branding reveals the image as a prominent characteristic. Hence, this investigation will utilize the image as a means of deconstructing and analyzing the branding of places. Visual rhetoric is the prominent framework through which communication and meaning are analyzed. theory This project anticipates that the prospect of branding places poses several contradictions. Branding has come into the paradigm of place-making and architecture from the realm of product marketing. While places are currently being branded in a similar fashion as products, there are fundamental differences between them. Theoretically, places are not capable of being holistically controlled in the same way that products are. Places cannot really be packaged and sold in the same way as products. Metaphorically speaking, places do not fit into a box or brand package because they are far too dynamic and constantly in flux. Nevertheless, places are being branded. This study will attempt to critically analyze the tension, ambiguity, and validity of branding places.This doctoral project focuses on the ambiguous phenomenon of branding places, attempting to clarify its content, form, and nature. The goal of this investigation is to analyze conceptually how the precise mode of branding places differs from branding products. Through critical analysis, the ways in which places are branded as commodities are deconstructed and evaluated. Although, there are positive aspects associated with branding as a mode of place-making and place-thinking, there are also various contradictions and paradoxical aspects that require clarification. Examining this phenomenon through its functions, instruments, and motivations, I aim to reveal the structure and nature of branding places. scope This investigation has two scopes. One scope will analyze the general nature of branding with a focus on branding products versus places. The second scope will be a more specific and precise investigation of a brand place, which will result in useful empirical materials and information. Waikiki, located in Honolulu, Hawai’i, will be the brand place for the second scope of this investigation. methodology Branding places is a complex and layered topic for exploration. Thus, the systems and methods of inquiry for this investigation will take a mixed approach. Case study research is conducted as the primary method of investigation. Observational research is utilized to decipher this phenomenon of branding places in a natural setting. Surveys, conducted on site in Waikiki, allow for a better understanding of specific aspects in relation to this research topic, from multiple perspectives. Comparative analysis is utilized for the articulation of complex relationships between the branding of products versus places. The examination of branding reveals the image as a prominent characteristic. Hence, this investigation will utilize the image as a means of deconstructing and analyzing the branding of places. Visual rhetoric is the prominent framework through which communication and meaning are analyzed. theory This project anticipates that the prospect of branding places poses several contradictions. Branding has come into the paradigm of place-making and architecture from the realm of product marketing. While places are currently being branded in a similar fashion as products, there are fundamental differences between them. Theoretically, places are not capable of being holistically controlled in the same way that products are. Places cannot really be packaged and sold in the same way as products. Metaphorically speaking, places do not fit into a box or brand package because they are far too dynamic and constantly in flux. Nevertheless, places are being branded. This study will attempt to critically analyze the tension, ambiguity, and validity of branding places.This doctoral project focuses on the ambiguous phenomenon of branding places, attempting to clarify its content, form, and nature. The goal of this investigation is to analyze conceptually how the precise mode of branding places differs from branding products. Through critical analysis, the ways in which places are branded as commodities are deconstructed and evaluated. Although, there are positive aspects associated with branding as a mode of place-making and place-thinking, there are also various contradictions and paradoxical aspects that require clarification. Examining this phenomenon through its functions, instruments, and motivations, I aim to reveal the structure and nature of branding places. scope This investigation has two scopes. One scope will analyze the general nature of branding with a focus on branding products versus places. The second scope will be a more specific and precise investigation of a brand place, which will result in useful empirical materials and information. Waikiki, located in Honolulu, Hawai’i, will be the brand place for the second scope of this investigation. methodology Branding places is a complex and layered topic for exploration. Thus, the systems and methods of inquiry for this investigation will take a mixed approach. Case study research is conducted as the primary method of investigation. Observational research is utilized to decipher this phenomenon of branding places in a natural setting. Surveys, conducted on site in Waikiki, allow for a better understanding of specific aspects in relation to this research topic, from multiple perspectives. Comparative analysis is utilized for the articulation of complex relationships between the branding of products versus places. The examination of branding reveals the image as a prominent characteristic. Hence, this investigation will utilize the image as a means of deconstructing and analyzing the branding of places. Visual rhetoric is the prominent framework through which communication and meaning are analyzed. theory This project anticipates that the prospect of branding places poses several contradictions. Branding has come into the paradigm of place-making and architecture from the realm of product marketing. While places are currently being branded in a similar fashion as products, there are fundamental differences between them. Theoretically, places are not capable of being holistically controlled in the same way that products are. Places cannot really be packaged and sold in the same way as products. Metaphorically speaking, places do not fit into a box or brand package because they are far too dynamic and constantly in flux. Nevertheless, places are being branded. This study will attempt to critically analyze the tension, ambiguity, and validity of branding places.This doctoral project focuses on the ambiguous phenomenon of branding places, attempting to clarify its content, form, and nature. The goal of this investigation is to analyze conceptually how the precise mode of branding places differs from branding products. Through critical analysis, the ways in which places are branded as commodities are deconstructed and evaluated. Although, there are positive aspects associated with branding as a mode of place-making and place-thinking, there are also various contradictions and paradoxical aspects that require clarification. Examining this phenomenon through its functions, instruments, and motivations, I aim to reveal the structure and nature of branding places. scope This investigation has two scopes. One scope will analyze the general nature of branding with a focus on branding products versus places. The second scope will be a more specific and precise investigation of a brand place, which will result in useful empirical materials and information. Waikiki, located in Honolulu, Hawai’i, will be the brand place for the second scope of this investigation. methodology Branding places is a complex and layered topic for exploration. Thus, the systems and methods of inquiry for this investigation will take a mixed approach. Case study research is conducted as the primary method of investigation. Observational research is utilized to decipher this phenomenon of branding places in a natural setting. Surveys, conducted on site in Waikiki, allow for a better understanding of specific aspects in relation to this research topic, from multiple perspectives. Comparative analysis is utilized for the articulation of complex relationships between the branding of products versus places. The examination of branding reveals the image as a prominent characteristic. Hence, this investigation will utilize the image as a means of deconstructing and analyzing the branding of places. Visual rhetoric is the prominent framework through which communication and meaning are analyzed. theory This project anticipates that the prospect of branding places poses several contradictions. Branding has come into the paradigm of place-making and architecture from the realm of product marketing. While places are currently being branded in a similar fashion as products, there are fundamental differences between them. Theoretically, places are not capable of being holistically controlled in the same way that products are. Places cannot really be packaged and sold in the same way as products. Metaphorically speaking, places do not fit into a box or brand package because they are far too dynamic and constantly in flux. Nevertheless, places are being branded. This study will attempt to critically analyze the tension, ambiguity, and validity of branding places.This doctoral project focuses on the ambiguous phenomenon of branding places, attempting to clarify its content, form, and nature. The goal of this investigation is to analyze conceptually how the precise mode of branding places differs from branding products. Through critical analysis, the ways in which places are branded as commodities are deconstructed and evaluated. Although, there are positive aspects associated with branding as a mode of place-making and place-thinking, there are also various contradictions and paradoxical aspects that require clarification. Examining this phenomenon through its functions, instruments, and motivations, I aim to reveal the structure and nature of branding places. scope This investigation has two scopes. One scope will analyze the general nature of branding with a focus on branding products versus places. The second scope will be a more specific and precise investigation of a brand place, which will result in useful empirical materials and information. Waikiki, located in Honolulu, Hawai’i, will be the brand place for the second scope of this investigation. methodology Branding places is a complex and layered topic for exploration. Thus, the systems and methods of inquiry for this investigation will take a mixed approach. Case study research is conducted as the primary method of investigation. Observational research is utilized to decipher this phenomenon of branding places in a natural setting. Surveys, conducted on site in Waikiki, allow for a better understanding of specific aspects in relation to this research topic, from multiple perspectives. Comparative analysis is utilized for the articulation of complex relationships between the branding of products versus places. The examination of branding reveals the image as a prominent characteristic. Hence, this investigation will utilize the image as a means of deconstructing and analyzing the branding of places. Visual rhetoric is the prominent framework through which communication and meaning are analyzed. theory This project anticipates that the prospect of branding places poses several contradictions. Branding has come into the paradigm of place-making and architecture from the realm of product marketing. While places are currently being branded in a similar fashion as products, there are fundamental differences between them. Theoretically, places are not capable of being holistically controlled in the same way that products are. Places cannot really be packaged and sold in the same way as products. Metaphorically speaking, places do not fit into a box or brand package because they are far too dynamic and constantly in flux. Nevertheless, places are being branded. This study will attempt to critically analyze the tension, ambiguity, and validity of branding places.
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ItemTransformation from High Density Polyethylene Waste to a Multifunctional Diamond( 2012-05)Plastic is a legendary material with contradictory impacts to the modern world. It consists of great characteristics for an extremely wide range of applications, but it also causes environmental issues. Plastic up-cycling has become a popular solution to these issues. The growing trend of creatively integrating recycled plastic objects with conventional living environment has spread globally. Among a variety of plastic types, the high density polyethylene (HDPE) is mainly discussed in this thesis as an example to show the factors that need to be considered during the design of a recycled plastic product. The adventure goes through a series of studies on environmental condition, existing case studies, material characteristics, and regional recycling capabilities, mainly in the State of Hawai‘i. The thesis involves a constant exchange between problem finding and solving. With the proposed solution, there comes another challenge. Step by step, the thesis goes through a journey that discovers problem, resolves problem, meets challenge, and achieve a possible solution. Therefore, the balance between the pros and cons is the main task in the research and design portions, which presents a process of decision making in the plastic up-cycling.