28653 research outputs found
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Sculptural Architecture: revitalizing struggling urban communities with contemporary design
No full textPost-industrial communities often struggle to reestablish their identity after the peak of their respective industry, leaving communities without an identity to build around. Works of architecture with unique formal elements have the power to reinvigorate economic and social prosperity by creating an icon of development for the city more effectively than normative architecture. Sculptural architecture has an innate ability to engage the local and broader communities with novel spatial and programmatic conditions that attract economic and social investment.
Muncie, Indiana was founded around its abundance of natural gas, attracting a booming manufacturing industry that powered the economy of the city. These reserves have since been exhausted, leaving Muncie without a direction for its redevelopment, declining the population and resources the city can offer its community members. Spurring the revitalization of this area will require a symbolic anchor in the downtown district, paired with versatile arts and commerce programming that will engage the site year-round with large events and daily retail activity, to appeal to the various economic backgrounds of the people visiting the site. Redevelopment around an arts and business district will instill new life into Muncie’s downtown and energize the local community with activity and resources.Thesis (B. Arch.)College of Architecture and Plannin
Responding to rising sea levels through architecture
No full textThe rise of sea levels is an unavoidable consequence of climate change that threatens to destabilize countless coastal ecosystems, communities, and residents. Through the design and implementation of a modular floating building system, neighborhoods vulnerable to rising sea levels can adapt to the impacts of climate change and create a unique sense of community.
A modular floating platform system serves as the foundation of this project, using ideas of fractal scalability, building tectonics, kinetic joinery, and buoyancy. The platforms operate as artificial land and serve as the buildable site area. Three building types are presented to demonstrate how this system would support small-scale residential homes, medium-scale greenhouse / fish hatchery / food production locations, and large-scale product fabrication factories. These designs demonstrate how structure, sustainability initiatives, and necessary functions for a self-sustaining community can thrive in the face of rising sea levels.Thesis (B. Arch.)College of Architecture and Plannin
Parents' attitudes toward translanguaging practice at home: a case of Chinese-English bilingual families
No full textThis study aims to investigate the attitudes of Chinese-English bilingual parents toward their children's translanguaging practice at home and capture the general picture of children's home literacy environment. Adopting a sociocultural perspective, the study seeks to explore parents' attitudes toward children’s flexible and dynamic language use as well as the general picture of children’s home literacy environment.
Using a descriptive approach, data were collected through surveys and semi-structured interviews from Chinese-English bilingual families across the United States. Sixteen (n=16) participants, whose children were enrolled in English monolingual elementary schools, agreed to participate in an online survey. After the preliminary analysis of the survey data, partial participants who demonstrated a negative attitude were invited to the semi-structured interview session.
The analysis of the survey and interview data revealed two key findings. First, parents' attitudes toward children's translanguaging practice at home vary individually based on different
reasons. Secondly, although attempt to provide a home literacy environment involving Chinese, most parents still expose their children to English-dominated home literacy environments.
These findings highlight the importance of helping parents understand children’s language development processes and the ideal home literacy environment for building children’s bilingual competence. The study thus has implications for both educators and parents aiming to foster bilingualism among children from Chinese-English bilingual backgrounds.M. A
A rhythmic analysis of "Ein' Feste Burg" and its thematic development in Philip Sparke's Between the two rivers: Variations on Ein' Feste Burg
No full textLuther’s original melody for the chorale Ein’ Feste Burg ist Unser Gott possesses a
vibrant, rhythmic character similar in style to the popular folk music of early 16th-century
German lands. The melody was carefully crafted to pair with the naturally occurring poetic
stresses of the hymn text. Over time, the asymmetrical rhythmic version of EIN’ FESTE BURG was
replaced with an isometric setting of the tune. This study outlines the importance of Luther’s
original composition, suggests a setting of the melody that preserves the essence of the original
rhythm within a modern notational framework, and uses that model as a basis for analyzing the
thematic development of the hymn tune in Philip Sparke’s Between the Two Rivers: Variations
on Ein’ Feste Burg. The analysis identifies all unique appearances of thematic material derived
from the seven phrases of the hymn. A musical analysis of Between the Two Rivers concludes
that the isometric setting of EIN’ FESTE BURG was used in the composition of the work.D. A
High Spirits pilot
No full textIn this speculative script for a television pilot, I focus on the riches to rags fall from grace of an affluent young woman forced to take her first real job. Major themes for this work include realistic depictions of service industry workers and grounded depictions of LGBTQIA+ people. The chosen genre for this work is dramedy, which focuses on a slice of life narrative that combines elements of humor and consequence in equal measure, or there about, where the consequences of character choices transcend the end of the episode. My hope is that the audience will come away with a sense of empathy, catharsis, and feel that they relate to the struggles of the characters, if not the characters themselves. Major influences for this script are Dan and Eugene Levy’s Schitt’s Creek for its positive representation of LGBTQIA+ people and Michael Hurwitz’s Arrested Development for its wit and cleverness. In subsequent revisions I intend to expand on the humor to better reflect the tone of these shows. My intention with this work is to continue revising, and also to supplement it with a speculative cast list, series overview, season overview, and other materials used in pitching for a television production company. My overall goal is to be a professional writer for film and television and to that end this work will be included in my portfolio, among others I have started here at Ball State University.M. A
Sidewalk gap prioritization: identifying sites for pedestrian facility improvement
No full textIn Anderson, Indiana, and surrounding communities, roadside sidewalk provision is sparse or incomplete. The lack of data on pedestrian volume makes it difficult to advocate for pedestrian needs and make decisions on where facilities should be developed. Existing studies about pedestrian infrastructure prioritization use factors such as sidewalk condition or proximity to destinations to construct a score that describes improvement needs. This study contributes a prioritization method for application across the entire network in low-density communities that have no data available for pedestrian volume estimation.
This study utilized population density, employment density, connectivity, and access to destinations to infer potential pedestrian demand. These factors, along with safety and equity factors, were summed into a prioritization score for every candidate sidewalk or trail segment in the pedestrian network. Three locations in Anderson were notable for having several high-scoring segments: 19th Street between Pearl Street and Columbus Avenue, Main Street between 31st Street and 38th Street, and Columbus Avenue between 38th Street and 44th Street. The scoring method successfully identifies appropriate sites for facility improvement. The study
provides a tool for planners and decision-makers in the area and contributes an easily replicable methodology for prioritizing pedestrian infrastructure improvement in low-density communities where volume data is unavailable.M. U. R. P
Virtual reality for classroom language learning
No full textWith this creative project, I sought to design and develop a Virtual Reality (VR)
experience to support second language learning in university classrooms. The prototype
links language learning through traditional classroom curricula to language acquisition
through virtual environments where world language applications can be practiced in
simulated scenarios with native-speaking characters. The design and development of
the project is guided by interview, ethnographic, and secondary research; development
and programming language technical capabilities; and usability design principle
frameworks. Research and Thematic Analysis is used to identify key considerations and
best practices for integrating a digital tool of this nature into traditional classroom
settings. Research insights shape the foundation of the user experience design,
directing its focus on utilizing VR as a supplemental practice space for hearing and
speaking a language in conversational scenarios. Taking technical capabilities into
consideration, this project leverages the affordances of the Unity Real-Time Game
Engine, C-Sharp (C#) programming language, OpenAI’s WhisperAI Speech Recognition
System, and Oculus Quest 2 Head Mounted Display. The capabilities of these tools
directly influence the mapping of the user flows and interaction setups within the
experience. Usability heuristics and design principles for VR products guide the creation
of user interface elements to ensure optimal visual accessibility, intuitiveness of layout,
and appropriate signaling to effectively guide the user through the experience. By
combining technological capabilities of development with research-informed design, this
project introduces a novel application of VR for the language learning use case. It is
designed to complement traditional classroom teaching methods rather than replace
them, offering students an engaging platform for practical language practice. Overall,
this prototype is an exploration of VR’s potential as an educational tool that can extend
language learning beyond the classroom—it provides students with an immersive space
for reinforcing their linguistic skills, connecting in-class theory with real-world practice.
A supplementary demonstration video of the product is included in the final project
upload, which includes a voiceover where I detail the user experience in the perspective
of a student and overview some of the major research insights that influenced my
design decisions.M. A
The feral pack
No full textThe Feral Pack is the first act of a feature-length screenplay that navigates themes of
queer identity in a heteronormative society. This text explores the “creature feature” horror
sub-genre by telling the story of a young queer man infected with lycanthropy. Through this
narrative, I question and complicate the themes of identity, community, and rejection. These
ideas weave together in my project by having my protagonist, Ralph, maneuver through his
newfound werewolf identity, where he discovers a community of people like him, while also
facing the backlash of being a so-called “monster.” This work is another expansion to my
ongoing studies into the horror genre, but also a response to the long history of monster movies.
From The Wolf Man (1941) to Wolfen (1981) and beyond, The Feral Pack adds to the conversion
of different genre tropes set up in prior flicks by viewing them through a queer experience. This
work leaves a definitive message: to find oneself, one must search for their pack. However, with
every pack comes flaws, something that shouldn’t be ignored and instead, worked on. Above all,
it’s important to remember that the real monsters aren’t werewolves, but rather the ones who
hunt them down.M. A
The holotype
No full textThe Holotype is a collection of short stories with the themes of nihilism, absurdism, and rurality. Inspiration is drawn from Chuck Palahniuk, H. P. Lovecraft, and Cormac McCarthy’s Blood Meridian. The stories range from flash fiction to almost 2,000 words. Encompassed are stories that showcase a variety of range from a humorous sales pitch to a surrealistic creature feature. The collection of short stories opens with a story about rurality and ends with a story about rurality; however, the stories in between are rather different. Minimalism shines throughout all the stories with “Errands: Cash Check” and “God’s Favorite Son” featuring minimalism heavily.M. A
Behavioral health design
No full textThe design of a behavioral health facility will aim to improve mental health and lower recidivism rates. This will be achieved by remodeling the confinement system within the United States by displaying a structure that embodies rehabilitative resources. Our national behavioral health system has many deficiencies that this project will address. Some conditions are embedded within the architecture, while others are within the system itself. Constructive discipline represents a positive learning process that provides a person with the corrections they need in order to do better in what they failed at. By designing an environment that can successfully bring all elements of rehabilitation together through behavioral health, this thesis project can solve the lack of resources that increase mental illnesses and recidivism rates.Thesis (B. Arch.)College of Architecture and Plannin