Prometheus

Regenerative Cities—The Heart & Soul of Restoration of Urban Life

Maurice D. Cox — 2023-07-14

This section is a transcribed script of an exclusive talk. In his opening keynote presentation, Maurice D. Cox, the Chicago Department of Planning and Development commissioner, discussed regenerative design approaches and the need to address the problem of regenerative cities through a hierarchical framework that incorporates multiple scales.

Architects, Artists, and the Making of Cities—The Skyscraper, Public Space, and Urban Identity in the 1920s

IIT — 2023-07-14

This section is a transcribed script of an exclusive talk.

Sustainable Regionalism in Architecture: A Framework of Principles and Components

Elahe Zoghi Hosseini — 2023-07-14

The current perspective essay highlights the underpinnings of sustainable architecture and addresses the assumption that regional architecture theory has entered a new stage of its evolutionary trend. In this view, instead of being affected by globalization, the regions should, in a local-global interactive system, comply with the complicated interdependencies which are physical, social, cultural, and more importantly, ecological. This study aims to propose and categorize principles and components of a theoretical framework based on current thinking and approaches underlined by both sustainability and regionalism studies in architecture. Also, framework and thematic analysis guided the analysis stage. By employing the qualitative content analysis and based on the logic of inductive reasoning, the textual data and the architectural experiences mentioned in the study are analyzed, and by eliciting the concepts hidden inside them, we gradually could reach to the more abstract levels of sustainable regionalism, the result of which is obtaining a theoretical framework which show the interior disciplines and the frequent patterns of the regionalism as well as sustainable architecture. The best practices of contemporary architecture indicate that the current approaches to regionalism are to moderate the biased and limiting previous thoughts and empower the environmental attitude and the use of sustainable development’s privileges, and brings in conclusion “Sustainable Regionalism.”

Green Infrastructure in the Public Realm: Reimagining Stormwater and the Urban Fabric of Falls Church, Virginia

Michelle Mary Dsouza — 2023-07-14

Impervious surfaces are the greatest contributors to degradation of water quality and large volumes of stormwater runoff. Green infrastructure is the holistic solution to this problem which not only reduces flooding but also actively moves towards achievement of larger environmental goals like lowering the water temperature, restoration of hydrological processes and stream base flows, replenishment of groundwater supplies, diminishing the heat island effect, suppressing erosion, downstream flood control, and improving surface water quality, among several others. Furthermore, when green infrastructure is actively applied to cities in the form of green streets, it boosts economic value, beautifies the surroundings, increases pedestrian safety, creates pedestrian friendly environments, and improves the overall public realm.

This paper seeks to find solutions for the city of Falls Church, which faced catastrophic flooding incidents in 2011 and 2019. The paper identifies the most critical locations to intervene in the city to address the issue of stormwater runoff and pollution. Subsequently, design solutions are explored with the ultimate goal of reimagining stormwater as green infrastructure which can form an integral part of the public realm.

Regenerate Cities Through Unfolded Theory: Holistic Approach to Urban Landscape

Diana Almeida — 2023-07-14

This article is based on the “Unfolding” theory (Almeida, 2022), a potential model for regenerating the city, focused on the case study “Oporto Subway.” Such infrastructure has reshaped the territory through the “dematerialization” method, applied in the underground.

The city of Oporto was confined to its natural limits (Douro River and Atlantic Ocean) and built (peripheral cities), but needed to expand beyond borders, without hurting its identity. It was an urgent need.

The absence of an infrastructure capable of moving between the several nodes of the metropolitan area and the scarcity of virgin territories able to absorb such needs, represents one of the problems present in our territories.

Through the implantation of the subway in the metropolitan area, it was possible to connect the city to several centralities. With such infrastructure, designed at different levels in the territory, it was possible for Oporto to gain a new breath and another dynamic. The city regenerated itself and continues to transform silently, without damaging its history.

Cities are transformed, centralities and metropolises are generated, and simultaneously “wasteland places” (Solà-Morales, 2002, p.104) appear, “disaggregated” from the territory mesh (Koolhaas, 2011, p.19).

The “Unfolded” theory aims to connect all the elements that design the city, and appeals to history, contemporaneity, infrastructures, and natural landscapes.

It reforms the application strategy, and shapes the “inputs” according to the study case. It crosses subjects such as art and technique, through a social perspective, able to refute the issues, originating flexible models that regenerate the city(ies).

Cities on the Move: Envisioning Cityscape in the Autonomous Vehicle Era

Hyoeun Lee — 2023-07-14

As cities have developed in response to a rapidly changing environment since the industrial revolution, a variety of circumstances and issues have arisen. In cities, technology development and the rise of private automobiles have been related to urban sprawl, traffic congestion, environmental degradation, and mobility inequalities. Currently, autonomous vehicles are bringing a paradigm shift in mobility as technological innovations accompany the fourth industrial revolution. As cities undergo renewal through new mobility, recent developments in driverless technologies should be considered for their long-term impact on the built environment. The purpose of this thesis is to propose a design, along with a set of scenarios, for a transportation hub in the era of autonomous vehicles to address complex mobility requirements. Through bringing together existing case studies, research on autonomous vehicles, and drawing conclusions regarding the relationship between mobility and urban landscapes, this thesis explores how autonomous vehicles will affect the future built environment in a set of timelines. Considering the future transportation hub will require programs and infrastructure to support autonomous vehicles, this thesis also provides a vision of the future of transportation modes and how they interact. Finally, a transportation hub design model and automation city model for the AV era will be proposed.

Investigating the Impact of Building Ordinances and Zoning Codes on the Future of Major Cities: Supertall Buildings; Chicago and Dubai

Amjad Alkoud — 2023-07-14

Building ordinances and zoning codes are instruments that tangibly and intangibly shape cities, control urban morphology, demography, and visual identity, and determine the inhabitants’ life quality, well-being, and comfort. Tall Building Ordinances (TBOs), in turn, control the vertical growth of cities and the development of tall buildings as distinctive actors in the built environment today. With the recent proliferation of developing supertall buildings in cities around the world, ordinances should offer flexibility, adaptability, and responsiveness to the dynamic nature of emerging needs and technological potentials. This dissertation examines the emergence and upsurge of supertall buildings as a new typology in major metropolises. It investigates the interaction between the zoning codes and the construction of supertall buildings. The research implements cross-section surveys and longitudinal studies as the primary methodology, documenting some of the completed and underconstruction supertall buildings in two major cities: Chicago and Dubai, supported by structured interviews with architects, engineers, developers, and policymakers.

Changing Dynamics of the Inner Core City of Varanasi: The Relationship Between Water and Morphology of the Urban Settlement

Ritu G. Deshmukh — 2023-07-14

Traditional Indian cities offer a variety of knowledge systems to learn from and understand a sustainable way of life. Heritage itself is a result of evolution and change over time in the environment, people, and nature. Rivers have been instrumental in the creation of the heritage of places along it. This research attempts to evaluate qualitatively and quantitatively the aspects of Heritage Settlements evolved along the rivers in India and then provide a direction for future growth and dissemination of knowledge about their significance.
In today’s context, these complex and diverse river systems of the past are a stepping-stone to formulating the framework for the preservation and reuse of new systems.

Lafayette Park & The Canopysphere: Natural Landscape as Urban Design Framework for Public Spaces in Large-Scale Private Developments

Alejandro Saldaña Perales — 2023-07-14

North American cities are in constant growth and expansion. Cities like Chicago, home of the fastest growing neighborhoods in America, face the challenges introduced by demographic expansion. Chicago is dealing with a social crisis, the result of decades of poor public policies and their relentless implementation. All this at a time of climate crisis at a global scale. The expansion of Chicago’s urban landscape takes place in its abandoned industrial yards. These sites are large enough to attract private capital towards developing them into large-scale communities. Currently, these large-scale private developments are designed, and later assessed, by city authorities focusing on the building stock and sidelining their public spaces. Since there is no availability of tools to design nor assess these developments, their public spaces are but a byproduct and not the center of these private developments. The design of new large-scale private developments ought to adopt design and assessment tools commonly employed in parks. Should such design and assessment tools exist, which frameworks would its performance rely upon? The Canopysphere is a proposed architectural, landscape, and urban design framework concentrating strategies that harness the qualitative virtues of the tree canopy. For The Canopysphere framework, my research conducts a thorough case study analysis of Lafayette Park in Detroit. This 1956 large-scale private development is the brainchild of a collaborative effort between Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, an architect, Ludwig Hilberseimer, an urbanist, and Alfred Caldwell, a landscape architect. Through thorough and exhaustive digital photographic and video documentation of Lafayette Park, my research aims to catalog the different strategies which define The Canopysphere. These efforts are undertaken as an essential piece in crafting and assembling The Canopysphere as a design and assessment framework at the service of architects, landscape architects, urbanists, and policy makers.

Reconditioning Dharavi: A Toolkit of Strategies for Incrementa Development

Saylee Bhogle — 2023-07-14

The 2003 Global Report on Human Settlements defines a “slum” as a densely populated metropolitan area that is distinguished by a variety of low-income settlements, subpar housing, and squalor. Dharavi, on the other hand, is far more than a “slum.”

In the heart of Mumbai, Dharavi is an economically prosperous and socially active informal town. Mumbai is a thriving metropolis with many different realities and patterns, even though it appears to be a slum filled with squatters. However, the region has recently become a hub for informal settlements and urban problems associated with poor hygiene in developing countries. People’s misconceptions about Dharavi stem from a failure to recognize its social capital and economic power: The area encompasses a variety of economic networks, production types, income levels, land tenure arrangements, and religious activities and festivities. Dharavi is made up of 85 separate groups with a strong feeling of belonging and high expectations for stability and improved economic position and living standards. It is also clear that these folks are capable of building and enhancing their shelter if they have the resources to do so. To develop all these qualities, Dharavi’s social capital must be recognized and promoted as an asset to the city of Mumbai. A community such as Dharavi requires ‘urban acupuncture’; where mediation of the littlest kind will have the greatest effect. Dharavi, like any other “informal” city, requires rigorous examination to be fully comprehended. It is a unique location where a large flood of migrants has managed to build jobs and their city (Baweja, 2015).

Regenerative Approach Through Circular Design: Potential of Bio-Based Carbon Fiber Composites in Structural Systems of Tall Buildings

Piyush Khairnar — 2023-07-14

Carbon fiber composites have gained popularity in various industries, including aerospace, automobile, and sports, for their high strength and performance. In recent years, their unique aesthetic and superior structural properties have made them a desirable building material, leading to discussions around mechanical properties, production techniques, construction methods, recycling potential, and environmental impact in the construction industry. However, the highly sophisticated production methods and specific raw materials required for carbon fiber composites, such as polyacrylonitrile (PAN), pose significant challenges to their widespread acceptance due to high embodied energy. To address the environmental impact of carbon fiber composites, there have been efforts to search for alternative raw materials to produce bio-based carbon fibers. Bio-based carbon fibers are made from lignin, a natural compound found in trees and a waste byproduct of the paper manufacturing industry. Bio-based epoxy resin is also made from biodegradable sources such as linseed oil. These raw materials have proven to be viable candidates for producing carbon composites with high mechanical properties.

This paper investigates the application of bio-based carbon fiber composites as a structural material in tall buildings, focusing on material performance, reuse, and recycling as part of the circular design strategy for tall building structures. Simulation-based studies are conducted on a tall building structural system using carbon fiber composites made with bio-based carbon fiber. Parametric design simulations are performed for selected structural systems to quantify the performance of carbon fiber composites. Finite element analysis (FEA) for structural components investigates the material strength and stiffness requirements, which are used to identify potential applications of recycled carbon fiber composites within the structural systems. The results of the simulations reveal potential ways of using bio-based composites in tall building structural systems. The FEA studies on structural components provide specific opportunities to utilize recycled bio-based carbon fibers with reduced mechanical properties, resulting in a lower embodied carbon for the building structure.

Driverless City: The Urban Possibilities of Autonomous Vehicles and Navigation Safety

Alexis Arias Betancourt — 2023-07-14

The advent of autonomous and ubiquitous co-robot technologies offers citizens, leaders, and stakeholders the opportunity to recalibrate current automobile transportation infrastructure and, therefore, the morphology of dense urban cores. To do so, we must balance the requirements for navigation safety, functionality, and experiential conditions. This research investigates these trade-offs to understand the impact of driverless vehicles in urban design. The result will be a framework of forecast scenarios that will advise urban designers, policymakers, stakeholders, and the autonomous vehicle industry on critical factors to consider when deploying these technologies and how to achieve valuable social, environmental, and experiential outcomes within the existing road infrastructure. This research will address how cities can leverage upcoming mobility technologies to retrofit late nineteenth-century automobile transportation infrastructure into human infrastructure for the twenty-first century. Furthermore, how can urban public spaces (roads, sidewalks) be built to promote social equity and environmental performance as the number of autonomous vehicles increases? This research examines the possible implications of autonomous vehicles and navigation safety on State Street (Chicago), a significant commercial artery of the city and with a historical morphology intimately related to mobility and infrastructure innovations.

General, Mental, and Physical Health Benefits of Tree Canopy Cover and Recreational Park in 77 Communities of Chicago, U.S.

Liwen Kang — 2023-07-14

There were three main interrelated areas of focus in this paper related to urban green spaces (UGS): the general well-being, mental, and physical health. In this paper they were analyzed separately. The data of the three health aspects were collected from the Healthy Chicago Survey, an annual telephone survey that interviewed adults in Chicago, U.S., based on randomly selected addresses. UGS have been associated with better health and well-being. They provide sites for physical activity, buffer air and noise pollution, and alleviate thermal discomfort. UGS also promotes social interaction and increased social cohesion. However, research was limited in the health benefits from different types of UGS provisions. This paper aimed to reveal the associations between the availability of two types of UGS — tree canopy cover and recreational park — and urban residents’ general, mental, and physical health in Chicago, the third largest city in the U.S. The UGS spatial data were derived from the National Land Cover Database (NLCD) and the Chicago Data Portal (CDP). The percent tree canopy cover (TCC), the number of parks, park areas, and
the percentage of park areas were analyzed through ArcGIS ESRI’s ArcMap 10.7.1. Using hierarchical regression models that controlled for a range of confounding factors (age, gender, race, education level, employment status, and poverty level), this study assessed the variances of the general, mental, and physical health benefits from different UGS types. The results indicated that the increase of the park area was significantly associated with better general health perception. Higher percent TCC was significantly associated with lower levels of psychological distress. And an increase of the percentage of park area and the number of parks were associated with lower body mass index (BMI). The paper highlighted that different UGS types have various impacts on general, mental, and physical health to urban residents. By adding scientific evidence, this study may help policymakers, urban planners, landscape architects and designers, and other related professionals to make informed decisions on maximizing the health benefits of UGS and to achieve social equity.

Reimagining an American City Where People Without a House Can Subsist

Mohammad Sabbir Hussain — 2023-07-14

Houselessness is a prevalent issue in America’s major cities. In large cities such as Washington, D.C., it is common to see people living on the streets and in public spaces. The underlying causes of houselessness are multifaceted, but it is evident that the city does not provide appropriate resources for these individuals to exist humanely. This study aims to comprehend the primary needs of a houseless person and determine how urban design solutions might provide resources to address those needs. For the investigation, SW Washington, D.C.’s waterfront neighborhood was chosen. In its urban fabric, numerous unused or underutilized spaces have been observed. These spaces have the potential to be transformed into urban places that could make the city more supportive to the population without houses. A number of such resources have been identified. Several survey methods, such as non-participatory observation, and traffic and pedestrian counts, were utilized to obtain primary data for the research. In addition, diverse data sources, such as GIS data, journals, books, podcasts, television interviews, and website content, were consulted to obtain secondary data. Collected data was studied and synthesized to develop urban design ideas that can aid unsheltered individuals with their daily needs and make the city more hospitable. This research is not intended to solve the issue of homelessness in American cities; rather, it aims to highlight the needs of those impacted and propose possible intervention strategies in conjunction with other social services and design solutions (i.e., traditional shelters, traditional housing). The study also provides a brief overview of the causes of houselessness in the United States, and an investigation into the lives of people living unsheltered. The outcome will give policymakers an understanding of how a city can facilitate its unfortunate residents.

Street Smart and School Catchments: A Walkability Analysis of Chicago Public Schools

Henry Heligas — 2023-07-14

Panelist Interviews and Presentations

Alejandro Saldaña Perales — 2023-07-14

Interviews with PHD Program Alumni

Piyush Khairnar — 2023-07-14

Interviews with Experts

Piyush Khairnar — 2023-07-14

PHD Program Overview 2021–23

Alejandro Saldaña Perales — 2023-07-14

PHD Program Overview 2021–23

Preliminary Pages

Piyush Khairnar — 2023-07-14

Preliminary Pages

Dean's and Director's Introduction

Reed Kroloff — 2023-07-14

Dean's and Director's Introduction

Editor's Introduction

Piyush Khairnar — 2023-07-14

Editor's Introduction

Symposium Overview

Piyush Khairnar — 2023-07-14

Symposium Overview

Call for Papers: 2023 International Graduate Student Symposium

IIT College of Architecture — 2023-07-14

Call For Papers