Date of Award

Spring 6-2-2018

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Architecture (MArch)

Department

Architecture

First Advisor

Hansy Better

Second Advisor

Anne Tate

Third Advisor

Jonathan Knowles

Abstract

We live in a world where efficiency is the best quality. A building is the same. We try to maximize the efficiency of the use of space and energy. However, is this design still efficient in the long term? Most modern commercial buildings are designed for a specific program such as residential or school and have little extra space or capacity to maximize the efficiency for now. It makes it hard for the building owners to change the building’s floor plan, programs, and facilities. Buildings should be able to change its program, structures, and mechanical services over time to adjust to the social, economic, and climate changes instead of being torn down and replaced by a new building. Nature is the most resilient system, even though it is not as efficient as machines and one of the key reasons is the redundancy. My question is how redundancy in architecture can help increase the resiliency. Redundancy in architecture can mean extra capacity of the structure, extra space, extra height of the ceiling, and extra infrastructural systems such as plumbing. I focused on the question of how the design principle of redundancy and loose-fit can make the building more flexible and resilient.

Included in

Architecture Commons

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