Thesis Book - Mueller

disABLED
A Salutogenic Approach to Design for the Enhancement of the ADA Design Standards
in the Built Environment for the Positive Impact on Mental Health of its Inhabitants
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DisAbled:
A Salutogenic Approach to Design for the Enhancement of the ADA
Design Standards in the Built Environment for a Positive Impact on
Mental Health of its Inhabitants
A Design Thesis Submitted to the

Department of Architecture and Landscape Architecture
of North Dakota State University
By
Amy Mueller
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

For the Degree of
Master of Architecture
Primary Thesis Advisor
Thesis Committee Chair
May 2019
Fargo, North Dakota
TA B L E O F C O N T E N TS
disABLED
THE PROP OSAL

III P R E FAC E
III Signature Page
IV Table of Contents
VI List of Tables and Figures
04 I N T R O D U C T I O N
04 Thesis Abstract
05 The Narrative of the Theoretical Aspect of the Thesis
08 P R O J E C T T Y P O L O G Y
09 T Y P O L O G I C A L R E S E A R C H
10 Case Study 1: The 428
14 Case Study 2: William Jones Preparatory College
18 Case Study 3: Columbia Square
24 M A J O R P R O J E C T E L E M E N T S
30 Fundamental Features
31 Deliverables
26 U S E R D E S C R I P T I O N
28 T H E S I T E
28 Denver, Colorado
30 P R O J E C T E M P H A S I S
28 Denver, Colorado
31 P R O J E C T G O A L S
36 P L A N F O R P R O C E E D I N G
32 Research Direction
33 Design Methodology
36 Key Dates & Deadlines
IV | The Proposal
TA B L E O F C O N T E N TS
disABLED
THE PROGRAM
R E S U LT S F R O M THESIS RESEARCH 42
Research Methodologies Revisited 40
Literature Reviews 42
Research Results 51
54
P R O J E C T J U S T I F I C AT I O N
C O N T E X T O F T H E T H E S I S 58
Historical Context 58
Social Context 59
Cultural Context 60
62
S I T E A N A LY S I S
P E R F O R M A N C E C R I T E R I A 80
DESIGN SOLUTION
PROJECT SOLUTION 84
Process Documentation 88
Site Response 92
Response to Precedent and Typological Research 96
Response to Goals and Project Emphasis 105
APPENDIX 116
Reference List 118
Previous Studio Experience 120
Personal Identification 121
The Proposal | V
LIST OF FIGURES
disABLED
14 Figure 01 Project Typology 35 Figure 34 Denver Metro Area

16 Figure 02 The 428 Historic Context 36 Figure 35 Five Points District
16 Figure 03 The 428 Rebuilt 37 Figure 36 Major Functions Site Map
16 Figure 04 The 428 Interior Lobby 38 Figure 37 Aerial Site Map 01
17 Figure 05 The 428 Site Map 38 Figure 38 Aerial View of Denver
17 Figure 06 The 428 Branding 38 Figure 39 Aerial Site Map 02
18 Figure 07 The 428 Lower Level 39 Figure 40 Aerial Site Map 03
18 Figure 08 The 428 Level 01 40 Figure 41 Project Points of Focus
19 Figure 09 The 428 Level 02-04 41 Figure 42 Research Direction
19 Figure 10 The 428 Rooftop 46 Figure 43 Schedule
20 Figure 11 William Jones Preparatory College Street View 51 Figure 44 Mental Illness Statistics
20 Figure 12 William Jones Preparatory College Interior 52 Figure 45 Biophilia
20 Figure 13 William Jones Preparatory College Exterior View 53 Figure 46 Staircase Design
21 Figure 14 Preparatory College Isometric Model 58 Figure 47 Mental Health History
21 Figure 15 Preparatory College Section Cut A 58 Figure 48 Five Points South
21 Figure 16 Preparatory College Section Cut B 58 Figure 49 Five Points North
22 Figure 17 Preparatory College Mass and Void 60 Figure 50 RiNo Culture
22 Figure 18 Chicago Figure Ground Map 62 Figure 51 RiNo District
23 Figure 19 Preparatory College Level Six Floor Plan 64 Figure 52 Five Points District
23 Figure 20 Preparatory College Level Four Floor Plan 65 Figure 53 Major Functions Map
23 Figure 21 Preparatory College Level One Floor Plan 66 Figure 54 Aerial Site Map
25 Figure 22 Columbia Square Aerial 67 Figure 55 Aerial Site Map
26 Figure 23 Columbia Square Site/Floor Plan 67 Figure 56 Aerial Site Map
26 Figure 24 Columbia Square Floor Plan Masses 67 Figure 57 Aerial Site Map
27 Figure 25 Columbia Square WELL Concepts 68 Figure 58 Site Slope
28 Figure 26 Columbia Square Gathering Space 68 Figure 59 Topographic Contours
28 Figure 27 Columbia Square Residential Tower 69 Figure 60 Topographic Map
28 Figure 28 Columbia Square Sitting Ares 70 Figure 61 Photo-grid
30 Figure 29 Basic Program Elements 71 Figure 62 View A of Site
31 Figure 30 Project Deliverables 71 Figure 63 View B of Site
33 Figure 31 User Groups 71 Figure 64 View C of Site
34 Figure 32 Colorado Macro Map 72 Figure 65 Views Near Site
35 Figure 33 Reasons to Move to Denver 74 Figure 66 Site Circulation
VI | The Proposal
LIST OF FIGURES
disABLED
75 Figure 67 Site Solar Patterns 101 Figure 100 Level Ten Floor Plan
76 Figure 68 Site Water 102 Figure 101 Longitudinal Section Cut
77 Figure 69 Site Vegetation 102 Figure 102 Terrace Condition Detail
78 Figure 70 Denver Climate 102 Figure 103 Structural Waffle Slab
78 Figure 71 Denver Climate Comfort 104 Figure 104 Structural Model
78 Figure 72 Denver Climate Data 105 Figure 105 ADA Design Standards Benefits
79 Figure 73 June Wind Rose 106 Figure 106 ADA Design Standards Benefits
79 Figure 74 September Wind Rose 107 Figure 107 Level One Office - Mind
79 Figure 75 December Wind Rose 108 Figure 108 Level One Office - Fitness
79 Figure 76 March Wind Rose 109 Figure 109 Level One Office - Light
80 Figure 77 Interaction Net 110 Figure 110 Level One Office - Biophilia
81 Figure 78 Space Matrix 111 Figure 111 Level Two Academy - Mind
82 Figure 79 Space Allocation 112 Figure 112 Level Two Academy - Fitness
83 Figure 80 WELL™ Concepts 113 Figure 113 Level Two Academy - Light
86 Figure 81 Final Exterior Rendering 114 Figure 114 Level Two General - Biophila
88 Figure 82 Man-made to Salutogenic 115 Figure 115 Visualizing Design Standards
88 Figure 83 Contrast RiNo vs. Rocky Mountains 116 Figure 116 Previous studio Experience
89 Figure 84 Site Sketching 117 Figure 117 Personal Identification
89 Figure 85 Digital Layouts
90 Figure 86 Massing Concepts
90 Figure 87 Sketch Inspiration
91 Figure 88 Mass Materialization
91 Figure 89 Rendering Progress
92 Figure 90 Site Maps
93 Figure 91 Building Materials
94 Figure 92 RiNo Surrounding Site
95 Figure 93 Site Goals
96 Figure 94 Spatial Layouts
97 Figure 95 North Elevation
97 Figure 96 Typology Locations
98 Figure 97 Level One Floor Plan
99 Figure 98 Level Two Floor Plan
100 Figure 99 Level Five Floor Plan
The Proposal | I
THE PROP OSAL
2 | The Proposal
The Proposal | 3
THESIS ABSTRACT
Physical and mental health encompass the overall wellbeing of a person. However,
people seem to immediately observe the physical health of others in society while the
concept of “mental health” is left unspoken. The very foundation of the ADA Design
Standards used by architects utilize guidelines for those with physical disabilities yet
are missing the application of assisting those with mental illness. Consider a bottom-
up approach of design that incorporates elements friendly to the psychological side
of design. The overarching premise of this project emphasizes that architecture can
positively impact the mental health of people and how improved design standards
can be applied to building typologies. Inductive logic and the use of qualitative
research helps define a causal relationship between the built environment and its
psychological effect on mental health. Precedent case studies and combined strategies
guide design elements that correlate with mental health to be implemented into the
built environment of differing typologies.
Title: DisAbled: A Salutogenic Approach to Design for the Enhancement of the ADA Design
Standards in the Built Environment for a Positive Impact on Mental Health of its Inhabitants
Typology: Mixed-Use
Site: 3301 Brighton Boulevard, Denver, Colorado, 80216
Project Size: Approximately 800,000 S.F.
4 | The Proposal
T H E S I S N A R R AT I V E
Health— a familiar concept that binds our sense of overall wellness or wellbeing.
It encompasses all physical, social, and mental aspects of mind and body and can
dictate both successes or failures one might encounter in a lifetime. Obtaining
optimal health is not the easiest task however, and some aspects fall short of one
another as exhibited within one’s genetics, family orientation, traumatic events,
environment, social status, and even certain disabilities.
As a society, physical health is extremely prominent – it is the form of health we can

see with our eyes; a person walking down the street, the physique of a bodybuilder,
the beauty of one’s healthy diet, an athlete on crutches, or an elderly in a wheelchair.
That being said, many people pay close attention to their physical ability because it
is right in front of them. There is something that is missing—and that “something” is
what we cannot immediately see because it lies within ourselves. With an outward
focus toward physical health, we are missing the entire inward focus of mental
health and the consideration of those that experience ill mental health.
Statistics show that one in five people- which is nearly 45 million people- in the
United States experience variant forms of mental illness, including a spectrum that is
not limited to anxiety, depression, and those that are more serious including bipolar
and schizophrenia (Mental Illness, 2017). This number accounts for a large portion
of the population and affects people in their everyday lives yet, mental health is
typically left out of the equation in the actual “health” conversation. Perhaps this
is due to the negative stigma associated with mental illness; stereotyped views in
society, assumptions that mental illness is “self-inflicted,” or those that exhibit illness
are “dangerous.” While the cause of mental illness is unknown, studies have found a
correlation between the health of the mind, biological makeup, and environmental
factors that impact the wellness of a person (Davey, 2013).
An emphasis of physical health and wellbeing is even written within the foundation
of certain architectural codes – with my focus being placed on the 2010 ADA Design
Standards which is utilized to ease architectural barriers for those with physical
disabilities. The ADA Design Standards were written after the Americans with
Disabilities Act, further linked to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to protect people against
discrimination with disabilities. These standards have been studied by architects
and carefully executed within buildings around the nation, maintaining their focus
on one group of people—the physically disabled.
The Proposal | 5
However, the ADA itself defines a disability as “a person who has a physical or mental
impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities” (What is
the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)?, n.d.). The classification of a disability
varies, and something to note is that psychological disorders are covered under the
vast umbrella of disabilities as well and need not be ignored by society. The term
“invisible disabilities” (a classification of the term disability) is a rather interesting
phrase and encompasses the hidden disabilities that are not immediately obvious.
These include chronic pain, chronic fatigue, and, mental illness. Therefore, I pose
a question: If mental illness is classified as a disability, why aren’t there ADA Design
Standards geared toward the betterment of mental health of the very buildings
people occupy?
The basis of my research topic for the master’s architectural thesis project will
encompass the enhancement of the ADA Design Standards framed to include
elements that improve the mental health of people in the built environment. In this
sense, the question is whether architecture can positively change the psychological
effect an environment has on one’s mental illness.
The fall semester, one that is heavily research-based, will focus on different tactics
of research to expand the ADA Design Standards in the creation of a Design Manual
to incorporate new standards applicable to the built environment and psychological
mental health. The research and findings of the new manual will then be executed
into the design of the spring semester thesis project to demonstrate the written
concepts. However, there are a few research tactics in which to be familiar with
for this particular project. Knowledge will be gained through the determinism
philosophical framework and inductive logic—is there a causal relationship between
the built environment and its effect on mental health?
With regard to this particular thesis statement, historical research will provide
a foundation toward the history of the ADA, disabilities, and mental illness. This
will be needed to allow the audience to gain a general understanding of the issue.
Quantitative research will provide current numbers behind mental illness; combined
strategies will allow for the exploratory research through observations, interviews,
and the interactions of people to gain an understanding of which buildings are
psychologically more successful than others. Of course, case studies will be helpful in
finding this information and the research of current building concepts that already
6 | The Proposal
mingle with the wellbeing of people. In a sense I will have to research the psychology
of people in specific environments and find if there were any experiments or
simulations of this done in the past, otherwise potentially gathering qualitative data
of people’s experience in spaces.
The research evidence will be analyzed through the implementation of specific design
standards within my project. This may also relate to my main findings of the project
where I intend to display accurately represented figures and design standards. A
few implications, however are the critiques faced by the primary consultation of
my idea. These include, “will the new design standards hinder the design of new
buildings? Will all buildings look the same with the set of standards? Is it possible
on the national level to implement such standards?” My hopes are to address these
questions and come up with standards that are malleable to an architect’s design, yet
still are mindful toward the concept of mental illness.
To conclude the Narrative of the Theoretical Aspect of Thesis, this topic is a good
example of research because it is contributing to the architectural world by expanding
current knowledge of the ADA Design Standards and how to accommodate for more
than just physical disabilities. This research is geared toward writing an improved
building standard— to be mindful of the wellbeing of the people. It poses a new
question to a problem that faces society in a way that can be applied across the
nation rather than within a single mental health facility. We can learn that, perhaps
our current design practices and standards are not held to the highest standard and
we have the ability to amend them.
The Proposal | 7
PROJECT TYPOLOGY
The building typology will directly correlate to the research conducted in the Fall se-
mester of 2018. This is a crucial element because the research conducted will include
the collection of survey data questions tailored to specific environmental aspects in
relation to mental illness symptoms. Such questions will be sent to specific building
typologies in which occupants spend most of their time, including residential, of-
fice, education, and clinical facilities. Further, data analysis of the results will lead
to the authoring of the ADA Design Standards directed toward mental health and
the building occupants. This information sets the tone behind the purpose of the
typology chosen: a Mixed-Use community that marries the enhanced ADA Design
Standards and four building types onto one site.
Such a Mixed-Use building is an important vehicle in examining the unifying idea

and theoretical premise of this project. The implicit premise of this project is to de-
termine if architecture can influence the mental health of people. This information
is unified by the effect architecture has on mental illness, and the building typology
chosen will provide an adequate mechanism to explain the enhanced ADA Design
Standards created in the Fall of 2018.
Another aspect to note is that these four types of spaces are not typically seen to-
gether in the traditional American built environment. The elements in this Mixed-
Use typology provide a European attitude toward building, whereas such building
types are in close proximity of each other in dense cities. In this thesis project, rath-
er than separating these categories, they are placed within one building. Creating a
community that responds to residential, office, education, and clinical needs has the
opportunity to promote walkability, decrease vehicular need, and promote mental
wellness within one site.
residential
office clinical
education
8 | The Proposal Figure 01 | Project Typology
TYPOLOGICAL RESEARCH
AN OVERVIEW
The 428
Case Study 01 | St. Paul, Minnesota
William Jones
Preparatory College
Case Study 02 | Chicago, Illinois
Columbia
Square
Case Study 03 | Los Angeles, California
The Proposal | 9
CASE STUDY 01
THE 428
SUMMARY
TYPOLOGY: Adaptive Reuse Office Facility (2015-present); Retail (1995-1993)
LOCATION: 428 Minnnesota Street, St. Paul, Minnesota
PROJECT SIZE: 60,000 S.F.
ARCHITECT: HDR, Minneapolis Office
Figure 02 | The 428 Historic Context
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS
The 428 is an adaptive reuse building registered to pursue not only LEED Silver
Certification, but also St. Paul’s first WELL Core and Shell Certification. This building
was built in the historic F.W. Woolworth department store and preserved original
structural features including the exterior masonry bearing wall and steel beams,
yet strived to integrate human health, wellness, and environmental sustainability
into the operations of the building.
The 428 is the first of its type in Minnesota’s Twin City area; it uses essential WELL
Building Standard concepts and is committed to the health of its inhabitants. This
building places importance in walkability to nearby ammenities, workplace flexi-
bility, and the ability to collaborate and co-work with ease. These essentials corre-
spond to some of the WELL concepts, which include:
CONCEPT: FITNESS LIGHT COMFORT

WATER MIND NUTRITION AIR
Figure 03 | The 428 Rebuilt
ENVIRONMENTAL/SOCIAL RESPONSE
This particular case study addresses the both the environmental and social issues
of the overall given site. The 428 had a goal to achieve both WELL and LEED Cer-
tifications, and succeeded with a LEED Silver Certification for several reasons. This
building uses hot and chilled water heating and cooling, also known as “district
energy heating and cooling,” to reduce the fuel traditionally used to heat and cool
buildings. Further, it also uses no VOC materials to reduce air pollution, on-site or-
ganic compost recycling, and low-e glass windows to reflect the heat of the sun to
reduce the need for cooling regulation.
The 428 also emphasizes the social aspect of working in Downtown St. Paul. There
are several walkable features and public transportation that reduce the need for
a car and also allow for the growth of socialization in the area. See the map on the
proceeding page to see the proximity of nearby amenities. Also, this office facility
encourages co-worker collaboration and team work through the use of flexible
work suites
10 | The Proposal
Figure 04 | The 428 Interior Lobby
CASE STUDY 01
THE 428
Downtown St. Paul, Minnesota

Walkable Features Walkability Score: 92
Green Space
Built Space
Waterfront
The 428
Dining
Parking
Entertainment
Lightrail Stop
Bus Stop N
Figure 05 | The 428 Site Map
PROGRAM ELEMENTS
LOWER LEVEL: 6,800 S.F. Fitness Studio including bicycle storage, showers, lockers,
and restrooms. Elevators extend from lower level to rooftop.
FIRST FLOOR: 2,000 S.F. Coffee Cafe; 9,500 S.F. Office space, restrooms.
SECOND-FOURTH FLOORS: 11,500 S.F. Office space, restrooms.
ROOFTOP: 7,200 S.F. total rooftop space, co-working/collaborative work space,
conference room, rooftop patio/green space, private patio, restrooms.
PRODUCT BRANDING
Something to note about The 428 is that the development uses branding to
create an image for advertisement. This branding is an important way to attract
buyers and renters in order to promote the livability and desire to work in their Figure 06 | The 428 Branding
office space.
The Proposal | 11
CASE STUDY 01
THE 428
General Coloration Key
Open layout
Storage/mechanical
Restrooms
Misc.
LOWER LEVEL
Floor size: 6,500 s.f.
Ceiling height: 12’
Fitness Studio
Showers
Restrooms
Lockers
Bicycle storage
Figure 07 | The 428 Lower Level
LEVEL ONE
Ceiling height: 17’-8”
K E Y F E AT U R E S
The building program of The 428 promotes
fitness and convenience to its employees. For
Flexible Office Space example, level one incorporates a flexible office
space alongside a ground-level coffee shop.
Further, the basement space below also pro-
vides a large fitness studio with shower space
to allow for workouts in the convenience of the
office space. Bicycle storage also welcomes
people to bike to work and allow easy and se-
cure access within the building before, during,
Coffee Cafe and after work hours.
Figure 08 | The 428 Level 01

12 | The Proposal
CASE STUDY 01
THE 428
LEVELS TWO-FOUR
Ceiling height: 14’
The flexible office space features promotes
movement and collaboration within the work
environment. Low-E windows on the south-
Flexible Office Space ern and western sides of the building. These
specified windows reflect heat while allowing
a sufficient amount of natural light within the
workplace. The lighting within the space also
adjusts to the amount of natural light allowed
into the space and assists with the overall ener-
gy consumption of the building.
Figure 09 | The 428 Level 02-04
ROOF TOP
Conference Ceiling height: 14’
Rooftop Patio
The rooftop provides connectivity between an
enclosed collaborative space that can be used
year-round and the open-air rooftop patio
space. Conference rooms are placed on the
Co-working/Collaborative top of the building to further allow for move-
Working Space ment and collaboration throughout all spaces
amongst each level.
Co-working/
Private Patio
Figure 10 | The 428 Rooftop

The Proposal | 13
CASE STUDY 02
WILLIAM JONES COLLEGE
PREPARATORY
SUMMARY
TYPOLOGY: Education, Public Secondary, Grades 9-12
LOCATION: 700 South State Street, Chicago, IL 60605
ARCHITECT: Perkins + Will
The William Jones College Preparatory school is a selec-
tive enrollment public high school and houses 1,200 stu-
dents in grades 9-12. The distinguishing characteristics
however, are that it is a seven-floor vertical school locat-
Figure 11 | William Jones Preparatory College Street View
ed near Downtown Chicago due to the density issues.
The vertical circulation issues are solved through four
large separate staircases- one on either end, and two
near the core of the building. Further, the architects de-
cided to design a vertical school with larger floor plates
due to cost issues. Building smaller floor plates would
require a higher building, which ends up expanding the
overall operating and building costs.
ENVIRONMENTAL/SOCIAL/CULTURAL RESPONSE
This building responds to the environment through a
few different aspects of design. This building, being a
LEED Gold Certified building, features a green roof and
a located rainwater collection system underneath the
building within what is called the “green alley.” 95% of the
building materials during construction were also either
reused or recycled. Figure 12 | William Jones Preparatory College Interior Circulation
This school also responds to the cultural and social as-

pects within the surrounding area. It utilizes building
materials that relate to adjacent buildings with alternat-
ing brick-terracotta pre-cast concrete, glass, and metal
panels, whereas the brick color relates to the historic
buildings of the area. While the school has selective en-
rollment, it allows students to test into the curriculum in
order to become part of the school. It has been ranked
one of America’s best high schools and provides a loca-
tion for students to learn within the boundaries of Chica-
go, which is an untraditional area to place a secondary
educational facility.
14 | The Proposal
Figure 13 | William Jones Preparatory College Exterior View
CASE STUDY 02
PREPARATORY
CONCEPTUAL UNDERPINNINGS
This building has been chosen for a case study primarily due to its
typology and location. It is an educational facility located near the
heart of a busy downtown city. It responds to the density in relation
to the size of the given lot- rather than building outward, the archi-
tects designed the building to circulate upward. While this facility is
near downtown, it responds to the environment and creates better
walkability to the students to surrounding amenities.
This building was also chosen due to it’s response to the floor plan
layout and decisions made in regard to the building program. The
classrooms, gymnasium, cafeteria, and restrooms were carefully
placed in response to the overall vertical circulation. The way the
outdoor spaces play an important part in the design relates to the
thesis proposal in creating spaces that provide a sense of wellness to
building inhabitants. Such outdoor spaces act as pockets that pro- Figure 14 | Preparatory College Isometric Model
vide socialization and interaction amongst students during down-
time, allowing for a different type of “hang-out” or study space. The
3D section cuts to the right show the different spaces in relation to
one another.
Classrooms/learning spaces
Circulation
G y m n a s i u m /c a f e t e r i a h a l l s
Figure 15 | Preparatory College Section Cut A
Ancillary rooms
Outdoor space
Figure 16 | Preparatory College Section Cut B
The Proposal | 15
CASE STUDY 02
PREPARATORY
BUILDING FORM
The William Jones College Preparatory was built through
the idea of “stacking” the floors on top of one another.
Each separate floor houses different grade levels and
activities. As shown in the form to the right, however, the
concept of “mass” and “void” play an important role in
the composition of the project. The mass of the building
represents the bulk of the project; the indoor portions of
the school. The void on the other hand, represents the out-
door space, or various balconies students are welcome to
use during passing time or even after hours. Mass
Vo i d
Figure 17 | Preparatory School Mass and Void
Figure 18 | Chicago Figure Ground Map
Downtown Chicago
W.J.C.P.
16 | The Proposal
CASE STUDY 02
PREPARATORY
PROGRAM ELEMENTS
LEVEL ONE: 11,800 S.F. Lobby, Theater, Administrative
Offices
SECOND-FOURTH FLOORS: 11,800 S.F. (each) Classrooms,
Administrative Offices
LEVEL SIX: 11,800 S.F. Gymnasium, Pool, Administrative
Offices, Outdoor Space
The placement of different rooms were determined by

various factors. For instance, the three largest spaces were
primarily laid out- beginning with the auditorium on the
ground floor, followed by the gymnasium and pool. The
classrooms and office spaces followed the larger “box”
spaces. Furthermore, the layout was also determined by Figure 19 | Preparatory College Level Six Floor Plan
the most economic mode possible, as certain precautions
like site excavation had to occur for say, the auditorium.
Paths of circulation are also extremely important in ver-
tical schools, especially because the space is so limited.
Thus, the hallways are rather wide and allow for areas for
socialization amongst students.
Classrooms/learning spaces
Circulation
Figure 20 | Preparatory College Level Four Floor Plan
G y m n a s i u m /c a f e t e r i a h a l l s
Ancillary rooms
Outdoor space
Figure 21 | Preparatory College Level One Floor Plan
The Proposal | 17
CASE STUDY 03
COLUMBIA SQUARE
SUMMARY
TYPOLOGY: Mixed-Use Community Master Plan
LOCATION: 6121 Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California
LOT SIZE: 4 Acres
ARCHITECTS: Rios Clementi Hale Studios, House & Robertson, GBD Architects
The Columbia Square is a mixed-use campus with several different amenities on-site. From offices, to retail, to residential, this
case study marries several different building types into one site with a distinguishing green space to connect the spaces. While
this community has several buildings to study, two particular new construction buildings become the focus and how they are
interconnected with the other buildings on the site. These focused buildings include the Columbia Square Residential Tower and
Gower Office Tower.
ENVIRONMENTAL / WELLNESS / CULTURAL RESPONSE

The buildings on Columbia Square address both a few different responses within the site in terms of sustainability, the WELL
Building Standard, and its rich history. This dynamic mixed use urban development has applied for the Gold Certification under
a LEED Master Site with their response to adaptive reuse of the site itself, and the ability for inhabitants to access public trans-
portation nearby.
Further sustainable actions taken include energy efficient refrigerant units, low-E glazing, areas for parking bikes,
bio-filtration for storm runoff, irrigation systems that utilize smart sensors, and lighter-colored buildings to reduce the
heat island effect with the site being in such a hot climate.
Something else to note is that the 20-story, 275,000 square foot Residential Tower on-site is the first in the United States
to achieve the Silver WELL Multifamily Residential Certification. To recap, the WELL Certification is one a building can
attain through the care of incorporating elements that are adapted to overall human health. The procedures taken
include the use of proper building materials to maintain a high-level of air quality both during and after construction.
Specific actions taken to achieve the WELL Certification includes quality air-infiltration methods to increase outdoor
air and the use of innovative filtration media, an on-site fitness center, health-focused building materials, an in-
creased access to daylight, a “Green Cleaning Program,” acoustic comfort, a biophilic environment, and access to
clean water.
Columbia Square also responds to the surrounding culture of the Hollywood area; this block was originally built in
1938 and utilized a modernist architecture style to house recording studios and theaters as entertainment for both
those living nearby and across the United States. Once renovation occurred, Columbia Square has attempted to
lead the revitalization of Hollywood and pay respect to the people in the entertainment and technological industries.
18 | The Proposal
CASE STUDY 03
COLUMBIA SQUARE
Figure 22 | Columbia Square Aerial
The Proposal | 19
CASE STUDY 03
COLUMBIA SQUARE
BUILDING FLOOR PLANS
RESIDENTIAL TOWER
SELMA OFFICE
(NEW CONSTRUCTION)
BUILDING
CENTRO OFFICE
BUILDING
GOWER BUILDING
(NEW CONSTRUCTION)
STUDIO ‘A’
(BUILDING TO
REMAIN) STUDIO “B/C”
OFFICES
2-STORY TOWER
TO REMAIN
3-STORY BUSINESS
5-STORY TOWER BUILDING TO RE-
TO REMAIN MAIN
Figure 23 | Columbia Square Site/Floor Plan

Building footprints
New construction
Figure 24 | Columbia Square Floor Plan Masses
20 | The Proposal
PROGRAM ELEMENTS
CASE STUDY 03
Gower | Selma Tower
•261,000 S.F.
COLUMBIA SQUARE
•Office facilities
Residential Towers
•275,000 S.F.
•20-storys, 200 apartment units
WELL CONCEPTS
Subterranean Parking Applied to the new buildings on-site.
•Underground
•Bike lockers, showers
•Storage, security office
Historic Buildings
•102,000 S.F. AIR FILTRATION
•Studio A Welcome clean air into
•Radio Building building
RESIDENTIAL TOWER
•Business Building
•Retail shops
Bungalow
•261,000 S.F
•Studio B/C LOW-E GLAZING
Welcome natural light
into building
WATER FILTRATION
WALKABILITY Access to clean
Access to site water
and public
transportation
BIOPHILIC GOWER BUILDING

ENVIRONMENT
Plant life
surrounding
building
Figure 25 | Columbia Square WELL Concepts

TITLE
SUBTITLE
Figure 26 | Columbia Square Gathering Space (Top)

Figure 27 | Columbia Square Residential Tower (Middle)
22 | The Proposal Figure 28 | Columbia Square Seating Area (Bottom)
TYPOLOGICAL SUMMARY
CASE STUDY VALUE
As for the reason behind the selection of the three previous case studies discussed,
they were identified in correspondence to the unifying idea of the project. The
unifying idea emphasizes the impact of architecture on mental health; each building
correlates to the typology needed to explain the enhanced ADA Design Standards.
Each case study has a specific element that can be drawn to relate to the final project
goal of this thesis project.
The first case study, The 428, was analyzed due to its typology and qualifications
toward the WELL Building Standard. It emphasizes health in an office environment
and the different concepts used to enhance the desirability to work and collaborate
with others. Further, it is located within the city in a spot that has exceptional
walkability to amenities surrounding the site. This creates a correlation between
physical exercise and a reduced need for vehicular travel.
The second case study, William Jones Preparatory College, was selected primarily
because of its typology. This thesis project includes a mixed-use typology that
incorporates residential, office, clinical, and educational spaces. With the site being
located within near the heart of the city, there is not space to spread horizontally,
rather vertically becomes more appropriate in this instance. This case study
demonstrates the layout of an educational environment within Chicago and provides
insight into how to organize the program elements.
The third case study, Columbia Square, was chosen within the case study analysis
because it is a Master Plan developed with different typologies on one site. All the
buildings are interconnected by a biophilic green space. This case study shows the
amount of space needed for a large development with differing building types. While
the site chosen for this project won’t require quite as large as a 4-acre lot, it gives
perspective as to how large of a space is needed to accommodate several buildings
on one site.
To conclude the typological research to the thesis proposal, each element can be
drawn and analyzed and combined to assist with the creation of the final project.
While they may not completely relate to the theoretical premise, they each have
their own intrinsic value of building components and concepts that will be utilized
in the end product.
The Proposal | 23
MAJOR PROJECT ELEMENTS
FUNDAMENTAL FEATURES
Note: The following major project elements are not a solidified proposal of the thesis program. They are mere concepts of what
may become integrated into the final project. These elements are subject to change through the collection of data analysis and
enrichment of the ADA Design Standards.
E S T I M AT E D R E L AT I O N S H I P A N D
SIZE OF MIXED-USE BUILDING TYPE P R O G R A M M AT I C S PA C E I D E A S
Multi-family housing
Lobby/rental office, mail room
Fitness room
Underground parking
Affordable-Rate Studio-to-three bedroom apartment units
Residential Two-to-three bedroom condominium units
Housing Rooftop garden
Office square footage on multiple floors
Lobby/reception
Waiting area
Flexible Fitness room
Office Restrooms
Space
Flexible learning classrooms/spaces
Lobby/reception
Private green space
Elementary Lunch space
Educational
Restrooms
Facility
Faculty office
Short-stay patient rooms
Lobby/reception
Health
Nurse offices
Clinic
Doctor’s office
Small laboratory
Restrooms
24 | The Proposal Figure 29 | Basic Program Elements
MAJOR PROJECT ELEMENTS
DELIVERABLES
1 ADA Design
Standards Manual
A comprehensive manual including results of the research
process in the Fall of 2018. The concepts covered in this
manual will include vignettes of architectural elements that
impact mental health in the built environment, directly ap-
plied to the thesis project in the Spring of 2019. This manual
is intended to work alongside the current 2010 ADA Design
Standards manual.
2 Thesis Proposal Book

This book will expand to include following assignments,
including specific program elements, site visits, and project
documentation. This will be both physical and digital.
3 Thesis Model
This book will expand to include following assignments,
including specific program elements, site visits, and project
documentation.
4 Thesis Presentation
The final presentation will include renderings of the com-
plete product. The thesis presentation will include both
physical boards and a digital/verbal presentation.
Figure 30 | Project Deliverables The Proposal | 25
CLIENT DESCRIPTION
USER GROUPS
OVERVIEW
Using a Mixed-Use typology in a project requires different uses for one building
or site. With that, the client and user base can vary and produce different types of
people using the building day-to-day. In this case, however, the mixed-use types
incorporated into this project include office, residential, hospital, and educational
facilities; rather differing typologies combined into one site, but the design intention
behind all of them remain the same and relate to the Unifying Idea and Theoretical
Premise of the project. Remember the Unifying Idea, the impact of Architecture on
Mental health.
The goal of this building typology is to target everyday people that suffer from
anxiety, and depression, as well as those with bipolar, personality disorders, or even
schizophrenia. These include people in the workplace and office setting, children
in schools, and the general population to overall better the mental health of a large
network around the United States.
Approximate number of users: 470-830

Residential: 250-400
Office: 150-300
Education: 50-100
Clinical: 20-30
26 | The Proposal
CLIENT DESCRIPTION
residential
office clinical
education
USER GROUPS
This sector includes the residential needs of the site area. Residential clients will include
residential
families, young adults, and the elderly looking for a community that houses all the
amenities essential to everyday life. The goal is to provide approximately 100 residential
units, to meet 200-300 residential clients. The client base will also require affordable hous-
ing in order to meet the needs for the people in the surrounding Denver area. Affordability
is becoming essential to the rising population numbers around the Denver metropolitan
area and this project
Office space will be occupied by business professionals working in the built environment.
office
While the design process and programming will dictate the placement of the office
environment, it is intended to fit approximately 150-300 users including business owners,
associates, secretaries, and employees within the surrounding Denver metropolitan
area.
education
The education environment will occupy a smaller relative square footage on-site. Rather
than being a large public school, it may be a smaller “Montessori school” that houses
approximately 50-100 students. The age group will relate to that of the survey, or grades
4-12.
This environment can be used by anyone, including the proposed community in addition
clinical
to the surrounding neighborhood. It will operate as a smaller clinic and pharmacy for
patients with acute illness and needs. Think of it as a “minute clinic” for convenience of
the users. The clinic will house two doctors, and nurses on-site. The patient basis may
include children, adults, and elderly people.
Figure 31 | User Groups
The Proposal | 27
S I T E I N F O R M AT I O N
DENVER , COLORADO
County of Denver
Figure 32 | Colorado Macro Map
R E G I O N | C O L O R A D O | U N I T E D S TAT E S O F A M E R I C A
On a macro level, the proposed site is located in Denver, Colorado within the United States. The Rocky Mountains spread
across the vast southwestern side of the state and have a direct impact on the weather on the inhabited cities. To expand,
the placement of the mountains create unpredictable temperature, humidity, precipitation, and wind that changes daily.
The Colorado region is home to not only the Rocky Mountain range, but also the Great Plains, Continental Divide, and
of course the Front Range, where several cities like Boulder, Fort Collins, and Denver are located. Not to mention that the
Denver metropolitan area has experienced a considerable population increase since the previous 2010 Census Bureau,
reporting that there has been a 1.85% yearly growth rate as individuals flock to the state.
28 | The Proposal
S I T E I N F O R M AT I O N
DENVER , COLORADO
CITY | DENVER | CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT
Zooming further into the region of the site, the location is within the Metropolitan area of Denver. Also known as the “Mile
High City,” Denver is located a mile above sea level at 5,280 feet. This city is one of the fastest-growing cities in the United
States and has experienced a 17.8% increase since the previous 2010 Population Census (citation). The city of Denver is a
melting of pot of different cultures, ethnic backgrounds, and ages, and people have either remained or moved to the area
for several different reasons. Further, such a population growth has produced issues in the amount of residential space
and affordable housing. Denver is arguably a desirable place to live, as statistics show. The figure below explains the rea-
sons behind why the population growth rate has become prevalent in the past decade.
R E A S O N S B E H I N D D E N V E R ’ S P O P U L AT I O N G R O W T H
ECONOMIC GROWTH LIFESTYLE
J O B O P P O RT U N I T I E S M O U N TA I N S
Figure 33 | Reasons to Move to Denver
Figure 34 | Denver Metropolitan Area
The Proposal | 29
PROJECT EMPHASIS
P O I N TS O F F O C U S
1 T h e 2 0 1 0 A DA D e s i g n S t a n d a r d s
Used as the foundation to creating mental health-focused standards.
2 Mental Health-Based Design

Guides the final project and deliverables in the 2019 Spring semester.
3 Psychological Impact of
Architecture on the Mind
Provides important evidence to the research process and how to move
forward with the design process.
Figure 41 | Project Points of Focus
The emphasis of this project, also relating to the unifying idea, is the effect that architecture has on a
person’s mental health or illness. One major focus includes the enhanced ADA Design Standards in
which will be authored in the Fall of 2018. This manual is extremely important because it will dictate
many precursors of the design process, as well as the final project presentation. This project will
emphasize the importance of incorporating mental health-related design standards into differing
building typologies. With these standards being incorporated into those already published in the
ADA, intentions are to expand knowledge regarding the psychological impact of architecture on the
brain and creating a foundation for buildings to adapt to across the nation.
30 | The Proposal
PROJECT GOALS
THEORETICAL
Break the negative stigma associated with mental illness and raise
awareness to the issue that faces the United States.
Expand knowledge behind salutogenic design and the processes behind

psychological responses to architecture.
Understand if the theoretical premise has truth behind it- whether or not
architecture impacts mental health.
SOCIAL
Understand if it is feasible to add to the ADA design standards.
Create a project in response to the surrounding site chosen; choosing a site

that the area needs rather than solely desires.
Educate people about the ADA Design Standards.
Provide spaces the allow people to feel better in the place they work, feel at
ease when they go to school, or relaxed within their place of residence.
P H YS I C A L
Print the ADA Design Standards Manual to keep as a hard copy.
Create physical models and “rip and tear” models for the iterative process.
Sketch more.
Create and practice 3D rendering techniques.
PERSONAL
Continue to go to yoga - gain mental clarity through meditation.
Get enough sleep.
Remember to take one step at a time.
The Proposal | 31
PLAN FOR PROCEEDING
RESEARCH DIRECTION
R e s e a rc h D i re c t i o n : T h e re s e a rc h a re a s t h a t m u s t b e e x p l o re d p r i o r t o
s o l v i n g t h e d e s i g n p ro b l e m p ro p o s e d .
Research Areas R e s e a rc h C o n d u c t e d
Defining and understanding key terms related

to mental health, illness, disease, and wellness-
T h e T h e o re t i c a l
1 P re m i s e
oriented design. Gathering of qualitative and
quantitative data to gain a base knowledge
on mental illness statistics and the ADA Design
Standards.
Conducting case studies to understand different
2 P ro j e c t Ty p o l o g y typologies the enhanced ADA Design Standards

can be applied to.
Physically visiting the site and recording

observations through pictures and notes.
3 Site Analysis Conducting GIS software analysis digitally in

order to understand the technical composition
of the site.
Referring back to the case study analysis

P ro g ra m m a t i c
4 R e q u i re m e n t s
conducted. Analyzing the floor plan and section
cut layout of the different spaces in relation to
Figure 42 | Research Direction
one another.
32 | The Proposal
PLAN FOR PROCEEDING
DESIGN METHODOLOGY
The qualitative and quantitative information collected will be used to create the final
ADA Design Standards Manual. There must be emphasis placed on this document
because the concepts written within it will be directly implemented into the final
design thesis project.
Design methodologies used in this project will reflect information collected from
both qualitative and quantitative sources. Using a Mixed Method behind the re-
search process will give way to different forms of information, including data anal-
ysis and gathering data from existing sources. Given that, a few examples below ex-
pand upon how these design methodologies can be used together in terms of the
Theoretical Premise of the thesis project- architecture can change the mental health
of people.
Qualitative research is used to understand the motives behind the current ADA Design Stan-
dards, as well as the historical premise behind their implementation. For instance, several terms
including Universal Design and barrier-free design were coined prior to the phrase ADA De-
sign Standards (citation?). These standards were also based off the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and
would not have been implemented had it been for the Americans with Disabilities Act – a “civil
rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public
life” (What is the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)? n.d.).
Existing quantitative statistics suggest that mental illness has become an issue in the United
States. One in five people are diagnosed with a mental illness, which equates to 20% of the na-
tion’s population, or 44.7 million people (Mental Illness, 2017). On the other hand, according to
the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) the average American also spend 93% of their time
indoors, 87% of that being “in enclosed buildings and about 6% of their time in enclosed vehicles”
(Klepeis, Neil E., 2001). Research efforts are geared toward establishing correlations between the
built environment and mental health.
The use of inductive logic will assist the reasoning behind a causal relationship between the built
environment and its effect on mental health. In this case, the object is known- the ADA Design
Standards have been set and are nationally recognized and practiced by architects. The re-writ-
ten design standards and architectural design methods to improve mental health are unknown.
The result is known and it consists of a comprehensive manual of enhanced design standards
that can later be implemented into the final design thesis.
The Proposal | 33
PLAN FOR PROCEEDING
DESIGN METHODOLOGY continued
The research process will also involve qualitative data gathered from local surveys.
Within the Fall of 2018, survey questions have been written with the intention to be
sent out to different building typologies; office, primary and secondary educational
facilities, and hospital facilities. The goal of this research is to find the correlation
between a mental illness symptom and their surrounding built environment. The
data collected will lead to 3D model simulation and design vignettes to show the
built aspects that are essential to better the mental health of building inhabitants.
DESIGN DOCUMENTATION
Thorough design documentation will be completed in the Spring of 2019, when the
design process takes place. In order to document the processes completed during
the design phase, notes will be taken and preserved on a word document and within
physical sketchbooks. Further, physical model iterations will be photographed and
archived, and useful photos will later be compiled into one process document to
show the design process. Any useful iterative models will be used during Midterm
reviews, and potentially within the final presentation of the project.
Digital formats of the design process will be saved within the programs they are used
on. If they are intended to be utilized for documentation, PDF forms of digital 3D
designs will be archived and placed within the process document. All information
will be dated and may be followed with a description behind the design intentions of
the process model/sketch/digital model.
The final design product will follow the process an represent design decisions made
with the reasonings behind them. The design process will develop over time as new
discoveries are made, and the final presentation will encompass the time, research,
iterations, digital representation, and care taken up until the project completion.
34 | The Proposal
KEY DATES & DEADLINES
PLAN FOR PROCEEDING
FA L L S E M E S T E R 2 0 1 8
September October November December
Thesis Proposal Due October 11
Thesis Program Due December 12
Case study & historical research

Thesis Research Survey data analysis
*Survey distribution October 20th
Potential site visits over break
Site Visits Return October 22
Authoring of manual
ADA Design
Standards Manual
Design Phase THANKSGIVING
WINTER BREAK
Process & Design
Compilation
Final Reviews
*Approximate survey distribution date. This date depends on the
Figure 43 | Schedule return of IRB Protocol Forms and any edits that need to be made.
PLAN FOR PROCEEDING

The duration of the Fall semester will involve preparatory measures for the following semester. Research, site visits,
and the building program will be part of the primary focus to move the project along and gain base knowledge prior
to the design process. While the Spring semester will be heavily design-oriented, it is important to stay on track, while
maintaining a reasonable speed with production and documentation.
The intention of the final project is to clearly communicate mental health related architectural concepts through the
final boards, model, oral, and digital presentation. The complete project will be placed on the 5th floor of Renaissance
Hall at North Dakota State University for architecture critics, peers, and the public, so it essential that all elements are
clearly communicated through all modes of presentation.
Final project components will be submitted to the Thesis Committee for review, which also includes a digital submission
to the North Dakota State University’s Professors, and the Institutional Repository. The project submitted will then be
accessible to the public and essentially add to the knowledge base of architecture. Completion of the Thesis Project
is part of the path to achieving a Masters of Architecture and will provide a basis for commencement in May, 2019.
36 | The Proposal
PLAN FOR PROCEEDING
SPRING SEMESTER 2019
January February March April May
Final edits due March 15
Final edits to ADA Design Standards Manual

Digital copy Physical exhibit
of thesis due of thesis due
April 19 April 22
Midterm Reviews March 4-8
Schematic Design Digital design iterations Model making
Design iteration sketches & models Renderings

Thesis exhibition April 23-26
Final thesis review April 29 - May 2
KEY DATES KEY DATES

Fall 2018 Spring 2019
Monday, October 8 IRB Forms Submitted Monday, January 21 Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Thursday, October 11 Thesis Proposal Due Monday, February 15 Presidents Day
October 13-22 Site Visits Friday, March 8 Thesis Program Final Edits Due
Monday, November 12 Veterans Day March 11-15 Spring Break
November 21-25 Thanksgiving Break March 4-8 Mid-Term Thesis Reviews
November 27 ADA Design Manual April 18-22 No Class
Wednesday, December 12 Thesis Program Due Friday, April 19 Digital Copy of Thesis Due
December 15-January 7 Winter Break Monday, Aoril 22 Physical Exhibit of Thesis Due
April 23-26 Thesis Exhibition
April 29- May 2 Final Thesis Reviews
Monday, May 6 Digital Copy of Thesis Book Due
Friday, May 10 Thesis Book Due
Saturday, May 11 Spring Commencement
Figure 43 | Key Dates The Proposal | 37

THE PROGRAM
38 | The Program
The Program | 39
RESEARCH METHODOLOGIES
PHILOSOPHICAL FRAMEWORK
D E T E R M I N I S M , T H E O R Y,
& ARCHITECTURE
The Determinism Philosophical Framework focuses on the idea that “all events, in-
cluding moral choices, are completely determined” previously by existing causes
(Determinism, n.d.). This is framework is appropriate to this research topic because
the goal is to find a relationship between mental health and the built environment
and whether mental illness is directly influenced by the exterior built environment.
Determinism will lead to specific research methodologies and focus on how Archi-
tecture affects the mental health of building occupants. The hopes are to find that by
being exposed to mental health-focused buildings, the amount of mental illness will
decrease in both the present and future.
There are multiple ontologies, or natures of reality, within the philosophical frame-
work of this research topic. Mental illness impacts people at an individual level. Each
individual differs on the psychological level and develop different perspectives based
on their life experiences, genetics, and upbringings. One may argue that there are
multiple ontologies within this research topic because each individual person, with
or without mental illness, offers a different world-view prior to coming into contact
with other individuals or the built environment. In this case, the word ontology may
even be interchangeable with a keyword that is more appropriate for this context—
world-view as opposed to ontology. In the sense of the built environment, a person
with a disability will see the world differently than a person without; any presence of
architectural barriers modify the way they view, approach, or enter a building.
The current ADA Design Standards emphasize physical disabilities. However, the
ADA Design Standards are missing the other half of one’s overall health –their men-
tal health. Mental health has become a large issue in the United States, and people
continue to keep quiet about it due to its negative stigma. How can new design stan-
dards be introduced that enhance buildings that in turn create a positive effect on
our mental health, thus decreasing mental illness in the United States?
The audience of this research may be broad, including the entire spectrum of people
40 | The Program
RESEARCH METHODOLOGIES
PHILOSOPHICAL FRAMEWORK
with mental illness. However, the audience can be broken down, and the enhance-
ments to ADA Design Standards, can be framed with a mathematical approach.
Take the concepts, greatest common factor and least common multiple, as an ex-
ample. The greatest common factor, which is also the greatest number that divides
two numbers in mathematical terms, would formulate design standards geared to-
ward the commonalities amongst the spectrum of mental illness. The least common
multiple, however is the smallest number that divides two numbers; this approach
would formulate design standards geared toward each individual mental illness to
be benefited by all the building occupants. The overarching goal, however, is to find
the common ground and improve varying levels of mental health amongst people.
The theory underlying this research project emphasizes that architecture has a di-
rect psychological impact on a person’s mental health. By carefully implementing
design tactics, we can enhance the way one feels in a space in correlation to mental
health. This concept is solely theoretical because it has not been proven. However,
research will guide the process and help dictate if the theory has truth behind it.
Literature sources that will support my research of the project include book sources
on Universal Design, the 2010 ADA Design Standards, Experiencing Architecture by
Rasmussen, video seminars, and scholarly journals relating to mental illness and the
psychological effect of architecture on the human mind.
The main research questions that arise in the research of this project include, “what
particular elements will be used in the design standards to effectively impact the
mental health of building inhabitants?” Secondary research questions within the re-
search of this project include, “how might data analysis and case studies impact the
design standards authored?” Also, “what is the most effective way to showcase the
standards created throughout the research process?” Throughout this portion of the
thesis book, see the research methods and tactics used to express the idea behind the
title, “Healthy Environment, Healthy Mind.”
The Program | 41
L I T E R AT U R E R E V I E W
UNIVERSAL DESIGN HANDBOOK
Preiser, F. E. Wolfgang, Ostroff, Elaine. (2001). Universal Design Handbook. New York,
NY: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
INTRODUCTION
The Universal Design Handbook, a two-thousand-plus page book written by various authors and edited by
Wolfgang F.E. Preiser and Elaine Ostroff, encompasses opportunity in the design of products in order to respect
the diversity of humanity. According to the authors, the aim of this literature is to communicate and encourage
the use of Universal Design in residential, commercial, and education buildings, mass transportation, vehicles,
and even within the public realm. Overall, this book holds a plethora of information in terms of Universal
Design opportunities while offering approaches from different individuals that contributed to the book.
For those that are not familiar with the term “Universal Design”, it is a concept first coined in the United
States by Ron Mace in 1985. This book defines this concept as a “design approach that implies equity and social
justice by design.” In other words, it is a focus on “social inclusion.” Universal Design emphasizes inclusivity at
the very core of any design, whether it be in products, landscapes, and buildings. This literature review will
discuss the positive aspects behind the Universal Design Handbook and why it makes a good resource for those
studying the topic of inclusive design. First, it is a comprehensive resource that focuses not only Universal
Design within the bounds of the United States, but one that is inclusive to international countries as well.
Second, it discusses importance of access to Universal Design in different public and private spaces. Third, this
handbook is a valuable piece of literature because it can be integrated into design teaching in order to offer
sound information that can be used within any teaching program. This particular aspect allows for education
of Universal Design and why it is an important concept to designers. Being that this book offers an extensive
amount of information, this review will look into specific chapters that back up the arguments to why it is a
good resource.
UNIVERSAL DESIGN: A PARADIGM ACROSS

THE WORLD
The term “universal” simply means the inclusivity of a whole. While Universal Design strives to provide
seamless design accessible to all people, perhaps it also implies that such design shall be accessible to all people
around the world—including countries that do not value accessible design. The authors of this book propose
ideas behind accessible design in countries like Italy, Canada, Japan, and France.
Within Chapter 15, authors Assunta D’Innocenzo and Annaliso Morini discuss this application of
Universal Design within the country of Italy. This concept became prevalent in order to reduce “difficulties for
42 | The Program
people with impairments.” Laws were implemented in the 1960s despite the fact that they were not created in a
cohesive, comprehensive way. An important aspect behind this chapter is the steps in which Italy has taken to
create Universal Design in the urban environment– to create a more inclusive city for all inhabitants.
The authors discuss Italy’s application of Universal Design in an effective way. They begin the chapter
with an overview of different laws in which the country has adopted for accessibility. These include the removal
of architectural barriers in schools, social buildings, and transportation stations, as well as the regulation of
accessibility in public and private buildings. Further along, the reader is given key concepts behind architectural
barriers to gain a better understanding of the content. The authors describe architectural barriers as “physical
obstacles that are a source of problems for the unhindered mobility of all users,” or “obstacles that limit or
prevent the comfortable and safe use of space, equipment, or components” (D’Innocenzo, Morini 2001).
Providing introductory content assists the reader to understand terminology covered throughout the chapter
and the entire handbook.
The authors also discuss in detail important innovations to accessibility legislation, which helps with
understanding the reason behind implementation of specific laws. These include accessibility, visitability, and
adaptability, all of which should be applied to the built environment, according to Italy’s legislation. Provided
below is the authors’ description of these concepts:
• “Total accessibility: Where people with reduced motor or sensory capacities can travel to a building, easily
enter and gain access to all of its parts, and use spaces and equipment in conditions of independence and
safety.
• Partial accessibility, or visitability: Where people with reduced capacities can have access to the principal
spaces in a building where activities are carried out, and where there is at least one accessible toilet in the
building.
• Adaptability: Where the built environment can be modified with limited costs in order to allow use by
people with reduced capacities” (D’Innocenzo, Morini, 2001).
This literature is followed with examples of these accessibility applications, which is beneficial
information to one absorbing content about Universal Design. This also shows that Universal Design can be
applied even to older cities in which some may believe is impossible. For example, a framework behind design
guidelines for public buildings was created, including the renovation of an Intermediate School in Baselga di
Piné and the creation of accessible green spaces, parking, and recreational areas. Further, the authors suggest
a Nursing Home in Bagnacavallo where accessibility for elderly people was in the roots of the design. The
intention of the nursing home was to “improve the quality of life for elderly users, through functional design
that guarantees the maximum environmental comfort, health care, and stimulation of social interaction in
The Program | 43
the local community.” Such examples suggest the positives of Universal Design to promote its use in different
building types.
Universal Design is also being applied in the historical context of the built environment, as even the
Market Nomentano in Rome exhibits ramps and barrier free toilets to make the “building more usable by people
with physical disabilities.” These modifications were carried out by the Municipality of Rome’s Department of
Public works under the public rehabilitation project. Moreover, even certain areas like the urban pedestrian
pathway which links the Trevi and Pantheon squares have undergone accessibility adjustments. The construction
of this pathway allowed for careful attention to the surfacing elements including manhole covers, lighting, as
well as visual and acoustic signage. This is a good example because it relates the application of Universal Design
to older historic centers and how one may go about it.
THE ACCESS OF URBAN DESIGN IN PUBLIC

A N D P R I VAT E S PAC E S
Chapter 58, written by Sandra Manley of the United Kingdom discusses the disabling nature of cities
and public spaces and how these spaces have the ability to change through Universal Design. She believes that
the disabling nature of cities are a result of increased vehicular traffic and decreased pedestrian traffic. Perhaps
this is true, as vehicular traffic requires curbs and other obstacles in the street that disallow people to move
freely, especially those with physical disabilities.
The author provides good information behind the principles of Universal Design and the “application
at the scale of city and street.” She utilizes terms like equitable use, defines them, and discusses the implications
behind city and street planning. For example, equitable use is defined as a design that is “useful and marketable
to any group of users.” The implications behind planning the city and street include “reconsidering the role of
neighborhood planning and the development of home zones to facilitate equal access to facilities and liveable
streets” (Manley, 2001). Further, it is argued that not only disabled people are affected by the “inaccessible
nature of the public realm,” rather everyone is. The consequence behind this is a change in behavior—driving
rather than walking has “undesirable environmental and social consequences” that “may even affect people’s
physical health by reducing the opportunity for exercise and mental health by reducing the scope for social
interaction” (Manley, 2001).
Perhaps a criticism of this book is that it was published in 2001, making it seventeen years old. Some of
the content in this book is slightly dated, including the discussion in Chapter 58 regarding disabling streets.
With that, the author uses the example that less people are using the street due to the fear of crime and are
opting to walk in “sanitized shopping malls” because they seem to be safer. However, in this day and age the
relevancy of shopping malls has decreased and fewer people are shopping at malls due to the increase of on-line
44 | The Program
shopping. Further, malls do not appear to be very safe anymore, as they are areas for shoplifters, criminals, and
even shootings. With that, the author utilizes certain arguments toward Universal Design, however not all are
relevant in modern society.
Chapter 45, written by James L. Mueller discusses the application of Universal Design in the private
realm, including within office and workplace design. While public design was previously discussed, access
to private buildings is important as well. This chapter argues that the workplace must consider age-related
disabilities including for “vision, hearing, posture, and mobility” in order to consider the needs for all. This
is important because considerations must be made in regard to furniture design, materials, and workplace
design in order to create a space that is utilized and enjoyable by all.
Mueller also provides insight into a workbook created for the U.S. Department of Defense by means
of assessing workplace design factors that may affect workers with disabilities. It is helpful that the author
provides workplace examples and addresses components like accessibility, visual and auditory information,
lighting, seating, computer displays, workplace layout, and work practices to determine individual’s comfort
in the work environment. According to Mueller, “it has become clear that ‘disabled’ no longer means ‘unable
to work’” and therefore implementing Universal Design within the workplace (and any other space) allows for
accommodation for all (Mueller, 2001).
Chapters 45 and 58 are important because they emphasize that spaces should be enjoyed by all users,
not only a select group of people. Applying Universal Design concepts to public spaces and private spaces alike
enhances the experience of a built environment for everyone, not just a select group of people.
U N I V E R SA L D E S I G N : I M P L E M E N TAT I O N I N TO
DESIGN TEACHING
Chapter 54, written by Ruth Morrow in the United Kingdom stresses the importance of architectural
education of Universal Design, which is rarely implemented within the curriculum of design education.
However, certain colleges have employed an emphasis on accessibility an Universal Design, where the architect
is the driver to create aesthetic spaces useful to all people. The DraWare project at the School of Architecture
at the University College in Dublin, Ireland was used as an example to expand upon the classes, seminars, and
studio classes that could be taken by students to enhance their knowledge in terms of Universal Design.
The author provides examples of curriculum used for the DraWare project, which is helpful information
to spread awareness about Universal Design awareness. For example, the architecture program provided
several classes including “legibility and wayfinding, designing for all senses,” as well as the spatial environment
and exclusion (Morrow, 2001). The design studios also consisted of Universal Design education, including the
“Environmental Barriers—Analysis and Sketch Design Project.” Students were to understand the relationship
The Program | 45
between a site selected in Dublin’s city center, the people, and the landscape through accessible design. By
drawing information from the DraWare project, it is evident that implementing accessible design within
architectural classes is viable and expands knowledge of future architects.
There are several barriers to the implementation of Universal Design, and interestingly enough, the
author claims that architects are one of them.
“Often, instead of taking moral and professional responsibility for their actions, architects find it easier to say that it is the
clients who will not pay for universal design. The problem is further compounded by the fact that architects, drawn from a
relatively select and privileged group in society, have little immediate understanding of those who struggle to access the built
environment” – Ruth Morrow
In other words, architects provide a window to Universal Design to clients. In a few ways, the author’s
statement is true. Many architects are interested in the aesthetic of a space without consideration of its
accessibility guidelines. Moreover, Universal Design may also play part in the economics behind a project,
causing more expense with the need for accessible ramps, elevators, doors, and so on. However, not all architects
practice this way. Architects in the United States are required to follow the 2010 ADA Design Standards, which
consist of a comprehensive list of guidelines that must be followed in government, residential, and public
facilities as required by code. This is not to say, however that architects dislike these standards. Some believe the
ADA hinders their design, decreasing aesthetic appeal of a project. However, accessible design can be aesthetic
design—it is up to the architect to craft a design that is both beautiful and accessible to all.
CONCLUSION
To conclude this literature review, it is evident that the Universal Design Handbook is a viable reference
in regard to the thesis project, Healthy Environment, Healthy Mind. This source provides several examples
behind the application of Universal Design and why designing for all is important in society. While this thesis
project includes design directed toward mental illness, the Universal Design Handbook provides a framework
to understand the origins of the ADA.
46 | The Program
HANDBOOK OF SALUTOGENESIS
Mittelmark, M. B., & Sagy, S. et. al. (2018). HANDBOOK OF SALUTOGENESIS.
doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-04600-6
INTRODUCTION
Salutogenesis: “a scholarly orientation focusing attention on the study of origins of health and assets for
health, contra the origins of disease and risk factors.”
In the late 1970s, professor and sociologist Anthony Antonovsky asked “’what makes people healthy?’”
In many of his studies prior to this time, he had been focusing on the origin of disease otherwise known as
pathogenesis. Later he realized that he had interest not in the starting point of any specific disease, rather
that he began to gain interest in the “illness consequences of psychosocial factors” and to what extent they are
expressed in people. From this, the term salutogenesis was created. This is an appropriate shift in thought,
especially because many people focus on the factors of disease or how to cure disease, rather than focusing on
a holistic approach to health and how to prevent disease from occurring.
The Handbook of Salutogenesis outlines the creation of the term, salutogenesis, and defines the shift in
focus from disease, or pathogenesis, to health origins, or salutogenesis. This is an important concept within the
research behind the project “Healthy Environment, Healthy Mind” because the focus is being placed on holistic
health and how to make a healthier environment for the mind. This literature review discusses the aspects in
which the Handbook of Salutogenesis makes for a viable resource by judging whether the information is valuable
and that may be gathered for research of this thesis project.
THE STUDY OF SALUTOGENESIS

This book consists of several authors from around the world – including both eastern and western
countries. It is the first comprehensive book geared toward the idea of salutogenesis—prior to the publication
of this book there had not been a solid source of information backing up Antonovsky’s studies of the concept.
An interesting idea from this book includes that the term salutogenesis was only created in 1979, which
makes it a “social science idea in infancy.” Mainstream “health professions and disciplines have yet to be strongly
touched by salutogenesis.” In fact, social science and medicine have not caught on to the term of salutogenesis,
which however does not mean these arenas are not captivated by the concept. Even the idea of salutogenic
design is becoming more common in the realm of design, as several architectural firms are using the term to
describe wellness in spaces. This book provides comprehensive information describing health origins and how
to design for green spaces, infrastructure, urban design, schools, hospitals, and even mental healthcare settings
(Mittelmark et. al., 2018).
The Program | 47
T H E A P P L I C AT I O N O F SA LU TO G E N E S I S I N
CITIES AND TOWNS
Each chapter discusses salutogenesis through different concepts, where various concepts are
introduced. For example, one of the chapters goes into depth about the application of salutogenesis in cities and
towns. Discussed are the topics of “overall planning and urban form, transport and accessibility, green spaces,
recreation and physical activity, infrastructure, urban design and environment quality, and coordination and
politics.”
During the year of 1987, the World Health Organization established the Healthy Cities project in
European cities as means to improve the health of the community by “addressing the determinants of health…
and providing governance and partner-based planning for health.” This was done so at the local level of
government amongst cities rather than at a macro level—perhaps governing an idea at the micro level is more
attainable, focusing on the health of individual cities rather than an entire country. An interesting concept
to note, however is that the Healthy Cities project worked to promote “health across the lifespan” as well as
“improve conditions for daily life.” In order to do so, there was a focus on “income and access to resources,
training, people and places, transport, climate changes and sustainability” with hopes to empower individuals
and communities. The Healthy Cities project showcases an example behind the implementation of health
initiatives at the governmental level, however this book never states whether it was successful or not. This book
does however state that the research on interventions of creating healthier cities is rather difficult.
Toward the end of this chapter, the author discusses the implications of salutogenesis research, where
a majority of the research in this field “focuses on the planning side, and less is known about the process of
implementation” (Mittelmark et. al., 2018). While this is talking about the broader side of salutogenic design in
urban cities, perhaps implementing healthier architecture may be rather tasking as well; perhaps architecture
firms are not in agreeance with spending more money on materials, floor plan layouts, or designs that are
healthier for building inhabitants.
SALUTOGENIC ARCHITECTURE IN
H E A LT H C A R E S E T T I N G S
According to the author, the “term ‘salutogenic’ has become a buzz-word for marketing architecture for health
and nursing care.” This chapter in the Handbook of Salutogenesis is critical of architects trying to coin this term in
design. They claim that architects only find that salutogenesis is providing a window outside to nature, or even
providing a video that represents this. Thus, the author is stating that architects believe they are encompassing
wellness in design, yet the “design industry needs a theory to establish whether or not views of nature are likely to
48 | The Program
be restorative on a case-by-case basis” and “locate other ways to design and improve restorative environments.”
This is especially true in the healthcare environment, although this concept can be understood within any
architectural space. The author makes a good point. How can architecture focus on individuals and build a
community rather than creating a mundane structure in which claims to be salutogenic? Perhaps designing for
more than just “views outside to nature” and incorporating more wellness attributes on an individual level will
resolve the issue.
An important concept discussed that is valuable to this research is the role of architecture, aesthetics,
and the built environment on health. “For a millennia human shave customized their accommodation as a
resource to protect against danger, discomfort, wildlife, social threats and the deleterious effects of weather.”
This source states that architecture can have not only a physical effect on people but also a psychological effect.
Having stressors and emotional strain at home can cause “debilitating mental illness” even without genetic
disposition. However, the “idea that aesthetics have an impact on health (and even on mortality) appears to
be superstitious and occult and is thus not nearly as widely accepted as it should be” according to one of the
sources in this book. Interestingly enough, the reader is provided with statistics behind the positive impact of
the environment on one’s health. In fact, research found that there is a “30.8% faster recovery and 38% lower
mortality” rate for psychiatric patients with sunlit rooms in hospitals. This information provides a basis that
aesthetics have an impact on the mental health of building inhabitants.
Salutogenesis is more than design that is “’friendly-looking’ ‘or leafy.’” Rather this concept is a focus
on individual wellbeing and creating meaningfulness and comprehensibility amongst building inhabitants. It
is about experience, “story-making, psychology, neuroscience and endocrinology” (Mittelmark et. al., 2018).
These concepts are important to keep in mind when taking a salutogenic approach to design.
T H E A P P L I C AT I O N O F SA LU TO G E N E S I S I N
M E N TA L H E A LT H C A R E S E T T I N G S
“Mental health in a salutogenic perspective refers to a person’s position, at any point in the life cycle, on a continuum
that ranges from excruciating emotional pain and total psychological malfunctioning at one extreme to a full, vibrant sense of
psychological well-being at the other.” -Anthony Antonovsky
This section of the book discusses mental healthcare and a more holistic approach to mental healing.
It states that “health promotion in mental healthcare may work at three levels: strengthening individuals,
strengthening communities, and reducing structural barriers to mental health,” in accordance with the World
Health Organization (Mittelmark et. al., 2018). This idea is interesting because it strives to find the source of
mental illness at the very core of the problem. This concept can be shifted toward the research of this thesis—
The Program | 49
crafting a more holistic approach to healing someone by changing the environment they live and work in to
create better spaces for mental health. The focus on the physical environment and “structural barriers” in which
one encounters everyday may improve their mental health without need of clinical intervention.
While not surprising, mental healthcare focuses on pathogenesis which again is a focus on disease. It is
interesting that this piece of literature discusses an example of healthcare professionals focusing on diagnosis
(pathogenesis) rather than focusing on the person (salutogenesis). How much can one medicate themselves with
a mental illness, rather than focusing on environmental, genetic, and personal factors that may be associated
with having a mental imbalance?
This chapter discusses many concepts behind a salutogenic approach to mental health including talk
therapy. However, it does not discuss the renowned theory of nature versus nurture. Both genetics and the
environment play a large role in one’s health, and information like this may add dimension to the salutogenic
model.
CONCLUSION
To conclude, the Handbook of Salutogenesis is a viable source to use within this research. It provides examples in
which salutogenesis can be provided in everyday settings, as well as within architectural applications. As the
handbook states, “the potential for salutogenic design to… improve health on a population level is impressive,
but it must be tested and retested so the arguments for salutogenic approaches are as watertight as research for
new medications.” A holistic approach to wellness and healing has the potential to reach many people, and the
improvement of architectural environments may very well be a way to do so.
50 | The Program
THESIS RESEARCH
R E S U LT S
“To define it, mental health encompasses one’s “emotional, psychological, and social well-being; it
affects how one thinks, feels and acts and helps determine how one may “handle stress, relate to
others, and make choices.”
-Mentalhealth.gov
Can Me n t a l I l l ne s s b e C l a ssif ied as a D is ability?

The term ‘mental illness’ is used to define a group
1 in 5
of illnesses that have a direct effect on the mind or
brain. This condition impacts a considerable number
of people across the nation, where 1 in 5 adults in the
United States are diagnosed with a mental illness. This
equates to 19% of the population, or 44.7 million people.
This significant percentage of people live with mental,
behavioral, or emotional disorders in their daily lives,
however such diagnoses are not immediately palpable;
people cannot see them like they do in a person
19%
44.7 million
physically impaired. Such conditions are not limited people
to depression, anxiety, bipolar, obsessive-compulsive
Figure 44 | Mental Illness Statistics
disorder, schizophrenia, and attention deficit disorder
One in Five U.S. Adults experience some form of mental
(National Institute of Mental Health, 2017).
illness. That is approximately 19% of the U.S. population.
RESEARCH PROCESS
The research process behind this project has consisted of mainly of historical and combined strategies research. The
research process began with figuring whether mental illness could be classified as a disability. In many ways, this
was proven true, as long as the illness interfered with one or more major life activities. Second, historic research
was conducted in terms of the history of the Americans with Disabilities Act. This provided a foundation of research
to understanding the standards previously implemented and why including mental illness into the ADA Design
Standards was appropriate. Several psychological theories were also studied including salutogenesis, and Lewin’s
Field Rule to grasp an understanding behind the impact of healthy spaces on the human mind. Finally, during the
process of curating a comprehensive list of ADA Design Standards directed toward mental illness, focus was set
The Program | 51
THESIS RESEARCH
R E S U LT S
on the WELL™ Building Standard. The reason behind this includes their extensive scientific and biometric
research on the built environment relating to the wellbeing of inhabitants. The information provided by WELL
has underwent scientific, practitioner, and medical review, making their information credible and trustworthy.
The standards are divided into elements benefitial to the mind - including designing for light, fitness, biophilia,
and more. See the extensive research report, “Supplementing the ADA Design Standards: Addressing Mental
Health and Illness through Standards of Design Adapted from the WELL™ Building Standard” for the entirety
of research done for this project.
R E S E A R C H C O M P I L AT I O N : D E S I G N V I G N E T T E S
OUTDOOR BIOPHILIA
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
I. At least 25% of the project site area meets the following
requirements:
Features either landscaped grounds or rooftop gardens

accessible to building occupants.
Consists of, at minimum, 70% plantings including tree

canopies (within the 25%).
BUILT SPACE
GREEN (BIOPHILIC) SPACE
52 | The Program Figure 45 | Biophila

THESIS RESEARCH
R E S U LT S
S TA I R C A S E D E S I G N
I. In projects of 2 to 4 floors, at least one common staircase meets the
following requirements:
Located within 25 feet of the main project entrance, main

entry check-point (ex. welcome/reception desk), the edge
of its main lobby, or edge of its main welcome area

Clearly visible from the main project entrance, main
entry check-point (ex. welcome/reception desk), the
edge of its main lobby, or edge of its main welcome
area, or are located visually before any elevators
present upon entering from the main entrance
Stair width set at a minimum of (56 in) between handrails,

or the width allowable by local code
≥ 56”
Main entrance
≥ 25’-0” to entrance
Main stair
0’-0” 5’-0”
0’-0” 5’-0”
15’-0”
15’-0”
25’-0”
25’-0”
Figure 46 | Staircase Design The Program | 53

P R O J EC T J U ST I F I C AT I O N
IMP ORTANCE
OVERVIEW
This project is justified as a valid thesis topic because it provides a new outlook to
better people’s mental health nationwide. In means of combating the very core of
design standards used by the designers, constructors, and engineers throughout the
United States, a direct impact can be made amongst various building types and their
inhabitants. The current ADA Design Standards focus solely on physical health; what
if providing standards for mental health and illness are just as important? Why do
buildings focus only on their utilitarian purposes, and not on their impact on hu-
man well-being? Crafting a basis of mental health-focused standards has the poten-
tial to create better environments for all people to thrive and better their everyday
wellness.
PERSONAL JUSTIFICATION
This project topic encompasses my passions in life—both physical and mental well-
ness have been important to me for a vast amount of years now. All facets of health
are important for a person to thrive in daily life, and personal experiences have led
to acknowledgement that a healthy mind allows for a healthy body and spirit. Spe-
cifically speaking, my topic is focused toward the enhancement of spaces to better
mental health and illness. The primary reason for choosing this topic is due to the
fact that I have both personal and outside experience dealing with mental illness
and find that certain building elements can help to better the symptoms people face.
At this stage of academic development, it is important to articulate this project be-

cause it allows for comprehensive research and design to define the past five years
in completion of a Masters Degree. This project shows the skill level and application
of what has been previously learned and how personal research and design can take
shape as new information is learned related to architecture. Further, it shows the
competency behind different architectural concepts, material use, writing skills,
and the ability to nurture the research and design process from start to finish.
54 | The Program
IMP ORTANCE
A comprehensive project requires extensive research on a plethora of information

that surrounds a chosen topic. This project is expanding my knowledge on the im-
portance of codes, ADA Design Standards, mental health, and the WELL Building
Standard. With that, it is expanding the knowledge base behind concepts that I have
not extensively researched or read about in the past.
This project will add to a set of skills in several different ways—through the continual
improvement of skills in computer programs like Revit, the Adobe Creative Suite,
and rendering platforms. It also adds to physical skills of communication, studio/
work productiveness, and time management. This project will also create discipline
and a sufficient work ethic, to flourish as an overall better student and future em-
ployee.
ECONOMIC JUSTIFICATION
Economically speaking, creating environments better for people’s mental health cre-
ates more productive environments. For those struggling with mental illness, which
equates to 1 in 5 U.S. adults, major life activities are extremely difficult. There must
have a better standard for all people that focuses on health and creating healthier
spaces for the mind will allow people to flourish with work, learning, and communi-
cating with others. Most of the architecture within the United States focuses on prac-
ticality, cost, and functionality. Designing buildings focused on mental experience
will require more thought, however they will better the health of the nation overall.
Through research, the materials and expertise needed to create a building geared
toward mental experience tend to cost more. These elements include buildings with
more biophilic elements, windows/glazing, and light design that better the mental
health of occupants. However, realize that this is a theoretical project focusing on
finding the ideal architecture in creating the best experience for people diagnosed
with various mental illnesses, and cost should outweigh the benefits of human well-
ness.
The Program | 55
IMP ORTANCE
ALLEVIATING THE STIGMA

The post-occupancy impact behind this project includes a proposal to create a new
standard focused on mental health. My hopes are that this will provide buildings in
which can alleviate mental illness symptoms and make people mentally healthier in
various building types.
In a social context, this project is important in hopes to alleviate the negative stigma
behind mental health. Research shows that mental illness can be related to the ADA
and become classified as a disability if one is unable to perform major life activities.
Those with mental illness shall not be viewed differently and the issue must be ad-
dressed. According to Unite for Sight, “attitudes toward mental illness vary among
individuals, families, ethnicities, cultures, and countries.” Further, specific “cultural
and religious teachings often influence beliefs about the origins and nature of men-
tal illness” (Unite for Sight, n.d). In other words, different societies and cultures see
mental illness in different ways and it is not universal. However, perhaps the United
States can change the stigma behind mental health through the built environment.
56 | The Program
Does this project contribute to the
advancements in the architectural
profession?
Absolutely. This project is striving to supplement the ADA Design Standards and
improve flaws behind the current system in which architects practice under everyday.
The Program | 57
CONTEXT
HISTORICAL
M E N TA L I L L N E S S H I S T O R Y
The treatment of mental illness has an extensive history that has evolved cy-
clically. In the past, mental illness was thought of as a religious or personal
problem. Three theories directed toward mental illness have been developed,
each taking different outlooks on the treatment and stigma behind mental
health. These include “three general theories of the etiology of mental illness”
or the factors that contribute to the development of an illness: supernatural,
somatogenic, and psychogenic.
The supernatural theories claim that mental illness is caused by ideas like
“possession by evil or demonic spirits,” eclipses, curses, or sin. Somatogenic
theories “identify disturbances in physical functioning resulting from either
illness, genetic inheritance, or brain damage.” Further, psychogenic theories
“focus on traumatic or stressful experiences.” Each of these theories determined
the type of treatment one would receive; some being rather gruesome and
Figure 47 | In-Patient Treatment of Mental Health History
obsolete for present times, varying from “exorcism to blood-letting” (Farreras,
n.d.).
Negative attitudes have persisted through history, being a leading cause be-
hind the negative stigmatization of mental illness amongst different cultures
around the world.
SITE HISTORY
The site for this thesis project is located within one of the neighborhoods
of the Five Points District in Denver, Colorado- one of the oldest of the area.
This district was rich in business from the 1920s to the 1950s; local companies
Figure 48 | Five Points South
thrived. It was even known as the “Harlem of the West” because people typi-
cally stopped to watch jazz shows displayed by famous artists including “Billie
Holiday, Louis Armstrong, and Miles Davis” who played at local night clubs.
However, the Five Points District began to suffer come 1950 through 1990 when
drugs, crime, and urban flight came about. Vacant buildings stood for de-
cades, waiting for revitalization. (Five Points, 2018).
The River North neighborhood is one located at the northern side of the Five
Points District and was the heart of the industrial hub in Denver. It was home
to foundries and pattern shops that promoted economic success in earlier
years. However, as the tough economic times passed throughout the Five
Points District, industrial warehouses became vacant particularly in the 80s
Figure 49 | Five Points Looking North and 90s.
58 | The Program
CONTEXT
SOCIETAL
The real estate plummeted; however, this allowed for affordable living prices and the River North neighborhood became
a “fertile ground for arts, artists and creatives” (RiNo Art District: Where art is made, 2018).
Population regrowth began with more people moving to the area, and in 2004, a plan was made to revitalize the area
by local neighborhood leaders. A year later, local artists Tracy Weil and Jill Hadley-Hooper came together to create the
River North Art District (RiNo) with a “desire to create a community that would connect the artists that made the area their
home.” As time has progressed, RiNo has “bloomed with a community empowered” (RiNo Art District: Where art is made,
2018). This neighborhood continues to grow today and provides opportunity to provide the community with a building
typology proposed in this thesis project.
M E N TA L I L L N E S S I N T H E S O C I A L C O N T E X T
Mental health is a familiar concept to most people around the United States, relating closely to physical health. It affects
people of all ages and demographics; men, women, racial and ethnocultural groups, and those in different socioeco-
nomic statuses. With that, it affects approximately “one in five American adults” each year, equating to 43.8 million peo-
ple, or 18 percent of the population (Hussung, 2016).
Knowing these numbers, mental health should possess high importance in life. In fact, the CNN “reports that 90 percent of
Americans value mental and physical health equally.” However, a stigma continues to interfere with people’s perception
of mental health and illness (Hussung, 2016). It is typically seen and treated differently than physical health, and the issue
does not fall short of discrimination. People diagnosed with a mental illness face discrimination through different facets
including health coverage, judgements from society, and even in “families, friends and employers” (Mental Health Foun-
dation, 2018). So, why does a stigma exist, and what are the implications that come with it?
The societal impression of mental illness is that people with “mental ill health are violent and dangerous,” which is not the
case. They are “more at risk of being attacked or harming themselves than harming other people.” The media is also a fair
contributor to the stigma associated with mental health. It portrays people with mental illness as “dangerous, criminal,
evil, or very disabled and unable to live normal, fulfilled lives” (Mental Health Foundation, 2018).
The Mental Health Foundation states, “people with mental health problems say that the social stigma attached to mental
ill health and the discrimination they experience can make their difficulties worse and make it harder to recover” (Mental
Health Foundation, 2018). Not to mention that people with mental health problems are “amongst the least likely of any
group with a long-term health condition or disability to:
• Find work
• Be in a steady, long-term relationship
• Live in decent housing
• Be socially included in mainstream society” (Mental Health Foundation, 2018).
Mental health goes hand-in-hand with physical health. Mental health is physical health, and it is essential to achieving
prosperity when functioning in society (Byron, 2014).
The Program | 59
CONTEXT
C U LT U R A L
C U LT U R A L C O N T E X T
The cultural context of this thesis project can be broken down in regard to (1) the unifying idea, and (2) the culture of the
site.
1. Unifying Idea
a. According to Unite for Sight, “attitudes toward mental illness vary among individuals, families, ethnicities,
cultures, and countries.” Further, specific “cultural and religious teachings often influence beliefs about the
origins and nature of mental illness” (Unite for Sight, n.d). In other words, different societies and cultures see
mental illness in different ways and it is not universal.
i. “…while some American Indian tribes do not stigmatize mental illness, others stigmatize only some
mental illnesses, and other tribes stigmatize all mental illnesses.”
ii. “In Asia, where many cultures value ‘conformity to norms,’ emotional self-control and family recognition
through achievement”, mental illnesses are often stigmatized and seen as a source of shame.”
b. “Beliefs about mental illness can affect patients’ readiness and willingness to seek and adhere to treatment”
(Unite for Sight, n.d).
2. The Site
a. An important element to note and conform to within this project is the site choice. The RiNo District is a vibrant,
colorful, and quirky arts district with character. Images describe the culture of RiNo better than words. All
related photos taken by Amy Mueller.
60 | The Program Figure 50 | RiNo Culture (Right)

brighton boulevard
Economic Diversity
Food & Drink
inclusive
work & play

community
Denver
FIVEPOINTS Colorado
urban revitalization
South Platte River RiNo District collaborative

spaces
entertainment culture River North
ART
Affordability INDUSTRIAL REVIVAL

COLOR
decrease homelessness sustainability
62 | The Program Figure 51 | RiNo District

TITLE
SUBTITLE
The Proposal | 63
FIVE P OINTS DISTRICT
Site location
Five Points District
Figure 52 | Five Points District
FIVE POINTS DISTRICT | DENVER | COLORADO
The Five Points District happens to be one of Denver’s oldest and most culturally diverse neighborhoods. It is located on
the northeast side of the Downtown district and was named after the unique intersection of four different streets within
the area. Five Points is made of different subset neighborhoods, including the River North Arts District, or RiNo for short.
Historically, this district was rich in business from the 1920s to the 1950s; local companies thrived and it became a jazz hub
for popular artists around the country. However, the community began to suffer from the 1950s to 1990s when drugs,
crime, and urban flight came about. Vacant buildings stood for decades, waiting for revitalization (City of Denver, 2018).
While the Five Points District has not had the best reputation in the past, it is going through revitalization and is working to
establish itself as a popular area of Denver like it was in the past.
Picking a site like this is essential; it is close to the South Platte River, has views to Downtown Denver and the distant moun-
tains, has easy access to public transportation, is close to public parks, and is part of the growing neighborhood. Land-
marks and amenities down the street include a grocery store, Coors Field, and the 16th Street Mall of Downtown. The
above image shows where the site has been chosen, as it occupies a growing part of town.
64 | The Program
FIVE P OINTS DISTRICT
Zoning Code: C-MX-12, UO-2, IO1-DO-7
Urban Center Neighborhood Context (C-)
Urban Center - Mixed Use - 12 stories maximum buildable height.
r
ive
te R
lat
th P
Sou
Site location Major Roadways Parking
Parks Light-rail Station Ve h i c u l a r t r a f f i c

Figure 53 | Major Functions Site Map
Figure 54 | Aerial Site Map 01
Figure 55 | Aerial View of Denver
66 | The Proposal
SURROUNDING VIEWS
AERIAL VIEWS | SITE | RIVER NORTH
ADDRESS: 3301 Brighton Boulevard, Denver, Colorado 80216

LOT SIZE: 127,198 Square Feet
ZONING: C-MX-12
CURRENT LOT USE: Nearby construction parking/trailer access
The chosen site offers views both to the Rocky Mountains, and Downtown Denver. This site was chosen due
to the opportunity of views, public transportation access, and the neighborhood’s new revitalization. Denver’s
climate also provides a challenge in creating effective green spaces and how to do so in a sustainable way
within a semi-arid climate. There are many opportunities within a site like this, to promote positive mental health
in a once poor area.
The Program | 67
TOP OGRAPHY
10% slope
S L O P E A N A LY S I S
4% slope
The topography of the chosen site slopes to the northwest as
it gets closer to the river. The various contour lines in the image
below show that the site slope varies, being that the site is located
within the rolling plains area of Colorado. Since the site is not flat,
either excavations or ground-leveling is necessary to create a flat
foundation for the project.
Ground
Notice in the diagram to the right that the site consists of a varying leveling
necessary
4% - 10% slope which must be taken into consideration during the
design phase to accurately accommodate the topography. Excavations
necessary
5,100 ft
5,105 ft
5,110 ft Figure 58 | Site Slope
5,115 ft
Figure 59 | Topographic Contours
68 | The Program
Figure 60 | Topographic Map
The Program | 69
3301 BRIGHTON BOULEVARD
SITE VISIT #1
District: River North Arts District (RiNo)

Site Address: 3301 Brighton Boulevard, Denver, Colorado 80216
Date: Monday, October 15th
Time: 1:15 pm - 4:00 pm
Temperature: 44˚F, light wind to the Southwest
The chosen site is completely fenced off. Fence surrounding site is entangled and surrounded by all types of garbage;
these items include a trashed loveseat, broken tiles, an old dresser, and plastic wrappers/cups/typical litter.
The interior of the site is mostly barren dirt with patches of spotty grass. Small piles of construction materials and trash
bags are located on the site, being used by nearby construction sites. The site slopes down toward the north, where it
meets a public roadway (Arkins Court), the Platte Recreational Trail, and the South Platte River.
C
D H
E
I
F
A
G
B J
Figure 61 | Photo-grid
AR
70 | The Program
KI
NS
CT
88
01
8
01
9
04
1
View A of Site
Figure 62
View B of Site
Figure 63
View C of Site
Figure 64
The Program | 71
3301 BRIGHTON BOULEVARD
SITE VISIT #1 CONTINUED
The west side of the site includes an alley that leads to the Dylan Residential Building parking ramp. There are street lights
that line the alley entirely. The west side of the site is shaded by the adjacent parking ramp and residential building, ap-
proximately 20 feet of shade at this time of the day.
The south side of the site includes a major roadway, Brighton Boulevard. There are cars and buses passing every minute
or less. Pedestrians and bikers use the sidewalks and bike lanes. In the time frame of ten minutes, 20 bikers and pedestrians
were seen. Benches line the sidewalk on the southern side of the site. These benches are influenced by the surrounding
art district. They are comprised of a wire stone “trombe wall” covered by plastic orange seating. These benches are next
to a bio-swale basin for drainage with overflow to sewer system. Includes young native trees and plants. Some of the
plantings are dying.
The southeast corner of the site smells terrible. An old building is present on this corner of the site. Views to the north in-
clude mountains and the South Platte River. Site views looking west cannot be accessed because it is fenced off.
SITE VISIT #2
Date: Tuesday, October 16th

Time: 1:15 pm - 4:00 pm
Temperature: 44˚F, light wind, NNE
The second site visit consists of qualitative analysis of people and materials near the site. Few people are using the nearby
trail to walk their dogs. One person appeared to be homeless, holding a plastic back full of belongings. Near the river was
a stolen car console full of pictures and personal items - perhaps this was stolen and brought here for scavenging (see
View E to the left).
The materials used in the RiNo district are very prominent. They have an industrial feel to them and even utilize the same
colors as construction cones, yellow road lines, and steel.
Materials of the RiNo District: Color Choices:

• Light masonry veneer • Blaze orange
• Corrugated metal panels • Lime green
• Dark metal panels • Flavescent yellow
• Field Stones • Burnt orange
• Extruded aluminum • Imperial Red
• Existing buildings with traditional masonry blocks • Navy
• Fogged glass • Charcoal
72 | The Program Figure 65 (Right) | Views near Site

View D View H
View E View I
View F View J
View G View K
CIRCULATION
PEDESTRIAN & VEHICULAR TRAFFIC

The site is located near a major roadway, Brighton Boulevard, and a few semi-major roadways including Arkins Cort
and 31st Street. Brighton Boulevard consists of newly-paved streets with pedestrian sidewalks and bike lanes on either
side. While this is an newly revitalized area, younger people can be seen walking their dogs on the sidewalks near the
residential buildings in the area.
The Platte River Trail network is located at the northern side of the site, and people running, biking, and leisurely walking
can be seen during any time of day. The University of Colorado A Line and other light rail systems run to the south of the
site, and bus routes run along Arkins Court, providing opportunity for public transportation.
Vehicular Traffic - Major Vehicular Traffic - Minor

Lightrail Pedestrian/Bicycle Traffic
N
l
rai
er T
urt
Co
Riv
tte
by
urt
Pla
gs
Co
Rin
33
rd
ins
St
re
Ark
et
32
d
ar
nd
ev
St
ul
re
Bo
et
on
ht
ig
Br
31
st
St
re
et
L ine
oA
lorad
f Co
ityo
ers
Univ
Figure 66 | Site Circulation
74 | The Program
SOLAR PAT TERNS
S O L A R A N A LY S I S
As shown on the diagram to the right, winter months receive

nearly a 30˚ sun angle at noon, while summer months I: January
receive nearly an 80˚ sun angle at noon. This is prevalent II: February
with Denver’s geographic location and coordinates: III: March
IV: April
Denver Coordinates: 39.7392˚ N, 104.9903˚ W V: May
VI: June
VII: July
The site was visited during the fall, therefore sun angles VIII: August
were intermediate; during the noon time-frame, one-fourth IX: September
of the site was covered in shade by the residential building X: October
to the southwest. The rest of the site received a respectable XI: November
XII: December
amount of sunlight during the day.
Figure -- | Denver Coordinates Sun Path
Figure 67 | Site Solar Patterns
The Program | 75
PRESENCE OF WATER
S O U T H P L AT T E R I V E R
Flowing to the north of the site is the South Platte River. It is part of two tributaries within the Platte River, and makes up a
major source of drinking water for the Denver Metropolitan Area (USGS, n.d.). This portion of the South Platte located in
the downtown area is home to wildlife like geese, ducks, and several species of trout. However, the remote areas of the
river are home to cranes, prairie dogs, pronghorn, bald eagles, and jackrabbits (The National Wildlife Federation, n.d.).
Many people also find enjoyment in recreational fly fishing and kayaking amongst whitewater stretches of the river.
The river seemed to be rather dirty and water levels were low during site visits. The edges of the river were also covered
in litter, which is a shame because this river is an important element to the City of Denver. However, there seems to be a
run-off water treatment feature adjacent to the river, next to the site, which may be used to clean water from bioswales
on the street. Something else to note is that a trail network runs along the river, so keeping it clean increases the appeal to
people using the trail for fitness or leisure activities.
N
r
ive
R
tte
Pla
th
Sou
Figure 68 | Site Water
76 | The Program
VEGETATION
D R O U G H T-T O L E R A N T V E G E TAT I O N
The vegetation near the site consists of deciduous trees and shrubs, particularly lining the river to the north. The site itself
consists of dirt and weeds, though young trees line Brighton Boulevard.
Denver is located over 5,000 feet in elevation and only specific vegetation native to the area is able to thrive. This includes
drought-tolerant plants like Little Bluestem grasses, Rabbitbrush shrubs, Bigtooth Maple trees, or Pinon Pine trees (Colora-
do Native Plant Society, 2017).
SOIL TYPE | DENVER, COLORADO

The soils in Denver, Colorado are typically alkaline, which is typical in areas with low rainfalls. These alkaline soils have a
pH level of 7.0 to 7.8; higher than a neutral soil pH of 7.0. Further, Denver’s soils are low in organic matter and are under the
classification of sandy and clayey soils (Whiting, 2008).
Figure 69 | Site Vegetation
The Program | 77
C L I M AT E DATA
CLIMATIC PAT TERNS
C L I M AT E T Y P E
The Denver area is part of the inter-mountain basin.
It consists of a semiarid climate with cold, windy win-
ters and hot, dry summers. The summers consist of
a high diurnal temperature range with hot days and
cool nights, with a low humidity level. According to
Norber Lechner’s Heating, Cooling, Lighting book, the
conditions below should be considered for passive
design:.
C L I M AT I C D E S I G N P R I O R I T I E S
Figure 70 | Denver Climate - inter-mountain basin
1. Keep the heat in and the cold temperatures out
during the winter.
2. Let the winter sun in.
3. Protect from the cold winter winds (Lechner, 2015).
C L I M AT I C C O N D I T I O N S Average Temperatures and Precipitation
The graph to the right shows Denver’s average tem- 125°F 100 mm
peratures and precipitation. The gray bars note the
precipitation received by moth, being highest during
100°F
the spring and lowest during the winter. The red line
notes the average high temperatures while the blue 75 mm
notes the average low temperatures, each being
highest during the summer months.
50°F 50 mm
COMFORT
% of year
Comfortable period 12 25 mm
Too hot 11 0°F
Too cold 77
-25°F 0 mm
Sept
May
Aug
Mar
Nov
Dec
Oct
Apr
Feb
Jun
Jul
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
Avg. high temperature
Figure 71 | Denver Climate Comfort
Avg. low temperature
Avg. monthly precipitation
Figure 72 | Denver Climate Data

78 | The Program
C L I M AT E DATA
WIND PAT TERNS
JUNE SEPTEMBER
AV E R A G E S P E E D : 1 0 . 7 M P H AV E R A G E S P E E D : 9 . 4 M P H
2.2 3.4 4.5 2.3 3.5 4.6
Figure 73 | Wind Rose - Denver, CO Figure 74 | Wind Rose - Denver, CO
DECEMBER MARCH
AV E R A G E S P E E D : 1 0 . 1 M P H AV E R A G E S P E E D : 1 1 . 8 M P H
3.4 5.1 6.8 3.2 4.8 6.4
Figure 75 | Wind Rose - Denver, CO Figure 76 | Wind Rose - Denver, CO
The Program | 79
PERFORMANCE CRITERIA
INTERACTION NET
B U I L D I N G I N T E R AC T I O N | M AC RO L E V E L S PAC E I N T E R AC T I O N
To recap the programmatic elements, this project will showcase the Supplementary ADA Design Standards within different
building types. More specifically, residential, commercial (office/retail), and educational facilities will be present on the site
to show the application in different settings. While it is unusual to marry these building types on one site, this method is
reasonable to the purpose of the project.
Certain criteria in spacial layout must be met to provide comfort for all building users. For instance, one may assume
that the educational typology will produce a large amount of noise during the day- whether children are playing outside
during recess, or outdoor activities occur. This may disrupt people working within the office facilities, or those sleeping in
the residential facilities. In terms of the spatial layout, the educational typology can be strategically placed farther away,
or adopt noise-reducing surfaces to decrease the amount of unwanted noise to the surrounding area.
Notice also that greenspace has been dispersed throughout the project. This is because each greenspace may have a
different use, or may require to be named a private or public greenspace. This allows for the comfort of building users,
and easily-accessible green areas for the community as well.
The diagram below shows the circulatory relationships between each project element. The arrows show the flow toward
greenspace, while the dashed lines show the interconnected nature of the buildings. Each building should be used
together to create a unified multi-use community
GREENSPACE
COMMERCIAL
TYPOLOGY
RESIDENTIAL TYPOLOGY
GREENSPACE
EDUCATIONAL
TYPOLOGY
GREENSPACE
Figure 77 | Interaction Net

80 | The Program
INTERACTION MATRIX
RESIDENTIAL FACILITIES
Privately Owned Residential Units
Privately Rented Residential Units MICRO-LEVEL SPACE INTERACTION
Underground Parking ADJACENT
RELATED BUT NOT ADJACENT
Lobby/Rental Office
NON-RELATED, NON-ADJACENT
Rooftop Garden MAJOR BUILDING TYPE
Ammenities
Building Services
Mechanical Operations
Janitorial/Maintenance Space
COMMERCIAL FACILITIES
Lobby/Reception
Waiting Area
Secretary Office
Restrooms
Office Space
Breakroom
Quiet Space
Small Conference Room
Large Conference Room
EDUCATION FACILITIES
Lobby/Reception
Waiting Area
Faculty Offices
Flexible Learning Classrooms
Lunch Room
Restrooms
Private Greenspace
Small Indoor Gymnasium
Small Auditorium
GREENSPACE
Water Feature
Native Plants The Program | 81
Figure 78 | Space Matrix
SPACE ALLOCATION
Figure 79 | Space Allocation
S PA C E A L L O C AT I O N | A L L O WA B L E S Q U A R E F O O TA G E S
The chosen site has a total lot square footage of 127,198, allowing the lot to be split accordingly. As per the Supplementary
ADA Design Standards Handbook document, 25% of the total site area must be allocated for greenspace. This percentage
can be taken out of the total site area, thus equating to 31,799.50 square feet in greenery surrounding the site. Something
to note is that the greenspace can be divided to provide specific areas with greenery, and rooftops can also accommo-
date greenspace as well.
Further, the built spaces can be divided with the remaining 75% of the total site area. While these numbers may fluctuate
eventually, providing a general number for each is helpful to providing a base for square footage needed for each typol-
ogy. The residential facility has been given 40% of the total site area, while the office and educational facilities have been
given an equal 17.50%. The floor plate totals equate to 50,879.20 square feet for residential, and 22,259.65 for educational
and office spaces. The Denver zoning code allows for a maximum of 12 stories high for this site, thus each floor plate can
be multiplied by 12 to receive a total square footage per typology. In the end, the total allowable square footage for this
project equates to 1,176,581.50 square feet.
As a reflection of the case studies, some of these spaces may not meet the maximum allowable square footage, however
it is valuable information to have to understand the total amount of space that can be built upon.
82 | The Program
PROJECT IMPACT
E N V I R O N M E N TA L P E R F O R M A N C E A N D I M PA C T
This project emphasizes occupant wellbeing along with green design. It is to

utilize materials from the surrounding area to reduce the amount of embodied
energy needed for the project. It will also use passive systems for lighting through
natural light and solar panels for lighting needed at night. Experimentation with
passive heating and cooling will also be interesting to lower the amount of DESIGN FOR
M E N TA L
active systems needed. H E A LT H
This project shall incorporate green elements – both through the landscape
and the built environment. 25% of the site must be landscaped with native plant
species to allow for biophilic elements to accumulate in the area. Greenery
within the built environment will also allow for cleaner air to building inhabitants.
The built environment will also include passive systems to reduce the amount of
energy usage required within the building.
The site is also located near various public transportation stops. An emphasis
will be placed on utilizing the public transportation to lower the amount of DESIGN FOR
PHYSICAL
vehicular traffic in the RiNo neighborhood. H E A LT H
P SYC H O LO G I C A L I M PAC T
The entire basis of this project is to make spaces better for people with mental
illnesses. The interaction between spaces and building inhabitants should be
positive and allow for an enhanced mental impact to lower symptoms of mental
illness. Spaces created within this project will allow for salutogenic design; a
design for the wellbeing of people. Increased natural light, the flow of spaces,
types of spaces, and green elements within the building will allow for a positive DESIGN FOR
BIOPHILIA
experience in various building types.
These ideas are framed in the Supplementary ADA Design Standards Handbook
and provide a comprehensive set of codes that incorporate standards for light,
the mind, and fitness to help mitigate building user’s symptoms of mental illness.
CODE COMPLIANCE
• 2010 ADA Design Standards must be met in all spaces DESIGN FOR
LIGHT
• Supplementary ADA Design Standards must be met in all spaces, to be treated
Figure 80 | WELL Concepts
as code
• National Building Code must be met The Program | 83
DESIGN SOLUTION
86 | Design Solution
Design Solution | 87
P R O C E S S D O C U M E N TAT I O N
INSPIRATION | SITE
natural man-made salutogenic

Figure 82 | Man-made to Salutogenic
Many of the design decisions made within this project were influenced by both the enhanced ADA Design Standards,
as well as in the response to the site in Denver, Colorado. While there were several areas of inspiration not limited to the
curves of Kurt Lewin’s Field Theory Rule, the need to provide a significant amount of green space, and spatial layout re-
quirements, the design was particularly inspired by the River North District. Through imagery, it is prevalent that this district
is, for lack of a better term, a “concrete jungle.” The presence of green space is close to none as industrial materials take
over. While this is a very colorful district, how could nature be brought into this district, much like the surrounding Rocky
Mountains?
Figure 83 | Contrasting RiNo vs. Rocky Mountains

INSPIRATION | PROCESS
simple site plan preliminary site developed site

circulation circulation
Figure 84 | Preliminary Site Sketching
The design process started with preliminary concept sketching and reviewing the project proposal. While this project
aimed to provide the River North District with a mixed-use building with four typologies (residential, commercial, edu-
cational, and clinical), it was decided that the project should narrow its focus on three typologies instead; neglecting
the clinical typology. With that, the concept sketches provide information in site analysis and an urge to provide natural
curves and a focus on flowing circulation (noted by the arrows above) to the building while overlapping building typol-
ogies like plate tectonics. Notice however, that the organic curves have been placed facing the south while the northern
part of the site consists of angular lines. This creates a juxtaposition between the mountains and the city - as the natural
curves face Downtown Denver and the angular facade faces the mountains. This sense of irony marries the man-made
with the natural.
Private
5’- Greenspace
0” Covered Green
ck
se Education
ba
tb Facilities Walkway
set
ac
k
-0”
10’
Residential
Office Lobby
Lobby
Retail
8’-
0” Shops
k
ac
se
tb
tb *Underground
se
ac
0”
k Parking Entrance Public

0’-
Greenspace
setback preliminary greenspace

requirements floorplan layout interaction
Figure 85 | Preliminary Digital Layouts
Further along the design process, the sketching phase was digitalized and practical elements including setbacks and
floor plan layouts were applied. The images above show a sequence of the required setbacks per zoning requirements,
building typologies (commercial, educational, and residential), and required amount of greenspace and how it interacts
with the building in plan. Such greenspace is divided into both public and private for varying degrees of engagement.
INSPIRATION | FORM
1 2 3 4
1 2 3 4
Rooftop Amenities?
Residential Garden (private)

Rooftop Amenities?
10’-0” floor-to-floor • 11 floors shown
height • Total height = 110’-0”
• Max. Height = 150’-0”
Residential Garden (private)
Office Garden/covered
10’-0” floor-to-floor
greenspace (private) • 11 floors shown
height • Total height = 110’-0”
Ground-level • Max. Height = 150’-0”
greenspace (public)
5 6 7 Office Garden/covered
greenspace (private)
Ground-level
Figure 86 | Massing Concepts
greenspace (public)
5 6 7
Next in the design process, the form was developed with means to provide the southern, curved side with green terraces.
While the south exhibits the most sunlight, greenery has the opportunity to thrive. The terraces were inspired by the con-
tours of the Rocky Mountains, and are intended to house residential apartments- both market rate and affordable artist
units. With a form in mind, structure can then be implemented, along with material finishes, as shown in Figure 88 below.
Figure 87 | Sketch Inspiration
90 | Design Solution Figure 88 | Mass Materialization

PROCESS RENDERS
aerial site mass exterior mass view into “canyon”

render between buildings
aerial site bridges between exterior rendering

progress buildings progress
custom waffle waffle slab exterior rendering

slab process adjustments - progress
isostatic
Figure 89 | Rendering Progress Design Solution | 91

PROJECT SOLUTION
SITE RESP ONSE
Figure 90 | Site Maps
PROJECT SOLUTION
SITE RESP ONSE
M AT E R I A L S R E S P O N D I N G T O T H E S I T E
goldray dichroic parasoleil aluminum

laminated glass plating
• Utilized as a colorful accent in select glass • Found in the vertical louvers shading the
panes within the terraced facade. bottom portion of the building
• Exhibits shifts in color through movement and • Lightweight and more eco-friendly compared
reflection of light - ideal for the colorful RiNo to its weathering steel counterpart.
District.
• Made of 85% recycled content.
• Incorporated into project with both cool and
warm base tones of Gold/Blue and Copper/ • Requires little maintenance and exhibits a
Bronze. long lifespan.
timber cladding board formed concrete
• Aim to provide local pine from the surrounding • Utilized as structural elements and for
Denver area. aesthetic purposes.
• Utilized as accent in floors and walls to • Coordinates with the industrial nature of the
provide warm, natural color to otherwise district.
industrial materials.
Figure 91 | Building Materials Design Solution | 93

PROJECT SOLUTION
SITE RESP ONSE
Preliminary Site Goals
A Underground parking access in-line with Dylan
Residential Building parking ramp *
B 1.) Propose new stop sign for vehicular traffic to
allow for safe pedestrian access from site to
river.
2.) Add bus stop and shelter for pedestrian use
adjacent to site
C Propose outdoor discovery park near existing
riverfront feature for children attending
educational center as part of master plan
D Covered walkway park; access to greenspace
from northern part of site
E 1.) Greenspace to comprise of (minimum) 25% of
site
2.) To be 100% ADA accessible
F 1.) Education facility outdoor play area; faculty
parking/parent drop-off?
2). Primary entrance to school
G Northern view to mountains
H Southern view to Downtown Denver
I Reroute existing road around site property line
J Retractable vehicle bollards
Figure 92 | RiNo Surrounding Site

PROJECT SOLUTION
SITE RESP ONSE
G
C
*Vehicular
Access Point
F
I
B
J D
il
Tra
er
Riv
urt
tte
Co
Pla
ins
rd
uth
Ark
A E
va
ule
So
*Vehicular
Bo
Access Point
on
ht
ig
Br
Figure 93 | Preliminary Site Goals

PROJECT SOLUTION
RESP ONSE TO PRECEDENT &
TYP OLOGICAL RESEARCH
Level One
Residential Lobby
Office Lobby
Canyon River Academy
Parking (Underground)
Egress
Mechanical Systems
Level Two
1
Residential
Flexible Office Space
Canyon River Academy
Retail
Egress
Mechanical Systems
-
Level Five
Affordable Artist Units
Egress
Mechanical Systems
Figure 94 | Spatial Layouts

PROJECT SOLUTION
Figure 95 | North Elevation
RESIDENTIAL
AFFORDABLE ARTIST UNITS

RESIDENTIAL
AFFORDABLE ARTIST UNITS

OFFICE E D U C AT I O N A L
R E TA I L R E TA I L
Figure 96 | Typology Locations in Elevation
The Proposal | 97
PROJECT SOLUTION
Level One 15
INDOOR/
14
OUTDOOR
DISCOVERY
AREA
13
12
UP
11
Nurse's Office
68
310 SF
Teacher
Conference B
76
10
312 SF
Printing Office Teacher

69 Conference A
Office 75
70 314 SF
264 SF
Bicycle Storage
Office 79 9
71 342 SF
UP
264 SF
Office
Residential Lobby
"
72
1/2
-2
67 Student Pick-up
259 SF
7'
Waiting Area
1332 SF
DN
77 8
Janitorial
74
Rental Office
64
Lounge
898 SF
66
1778 SF
Residence Mail
Room
63 6
Mechanical
Systems
65
533 SF
Rentable
Community Space 5
62
1064 SF
"
-6
9'
"
-0
5'
Quiet Room
"
4
112 -6
9'
294 SF
Storage
"
-6
78
9'
UP
ACADEMY
FACULTY
PARKING
Fitness Center 2
RECEPTION UP
Underground
133
Freight Elevator &
1464 SF
Loading Dock
99
DN 1450 SF
Office Lobby
115
2218 SF
UP
GREEN WALL
Multi-Purpose -
Event Space ---
Storage
113
114
DN 5565 SF
A
"
-6
9'
"
-0
6'
B
Mechanical
RESIDENTIAL Systems
ELEVATORS 116
644 SF
(NO ACCESS)
C
OFFICE
PARKING
UP
UP
BICYCLE
STORAGE E
98 | Design Solution L
Figure 97 | Level One Floor Plan

M
N
PROJECT SOLUTION
Level Two
Outdoor Flex
Space
95
935 SF
Wet Classroom
(Science/Art)
100
1580 SF
DN
Small Group
104
756 SF
Outdoor Flex
Space
101
722 SF
CLERISTORY Small Group

WINDOWS 103 Genius Bar
730 SF 102
200 SF
Flex Classrooms
86
Storage 975 SF
93
Outdoor Flex
Space
83
OPEN TO BELOW 488 SF
0"
'-
10
Dry Classroom Seating

Storage
91 94
81
1458 SF Mechanical
Systems
92
Storage
Flex Classroom
82
87
699 SF
Janitorial
80 Flex Classroom
84
1018 SF
Quiet Room Quiet Room Flex Classroom
108 90 88
294 SF 697 SF 695 SF Flex Classroom
85
1031 SF
Multipurpose Kitchen
Assembly 97
Space/Lunch DN
959 SF
Room
Large Flex 98
Classroom
3089 SF
89
1233 SF
ARTIST
Loading Dock and
DN
MURAL Freight Elevators
106
1159 SF
Service
Hallway/Restrooms
105
Kitchen
1672 SF
107
FLEXIBLE
OPEN TO BELOW OFFICE
336 SF
SPACE Retail
2
1096 SF
UP Restaurant Retail Storage
6 132
2278 SF 333 SF
DN
Retail
3
FLEXIBLE PLANT 1173 SF
OFFICE WALL
Retail
SPACE ARTIST 4
1603 SF
MURAL
DN DN
DN PLANTER
BED
DN
DN
DN
Mechanical
MULTI -USE
Systems ARTIST
111 BIOSWALE
MARKET
RESIDENTIAL SPACE DN DN
ELEVATORS
(NO ACCESS)
BIOSWALE
Storage
131
UP
FLEXIBLE
OFFICE
SPACE
DN
ARTIST
GALLERT
BIOSWALE
BIOSWALE
BIOSWALE
BIOSWALE
Figure 98 | Level Two Floor Plan Design Solution | 99

PROJECT SOLUTION
15
Level Five 14
13
4 BR.
52 12
2157 SF
11
2 BR.
51
893 SF
2 BR.
53
1 BR.
1192 SF 10
50
787 SF
1 BR.
"
-6 49
2 BR. 6'
789 SF 9
54
1197 SF UP
OPEN TO BELOW
6'
-6
"
DN
8
2 BR.
42
999 SF
- 2"
Janitorial
6'
Mechanical/Gallery
48 7
Lighting 1 BR.
47 41
810 SF
3 BR.
39
1468 SF
1 BR. 6
1 BR. Storage 40
43 46 812 SF
896 SF
Painting Studio
60
1064 SF
Storage
2 BR. 5
45
37
1540 SF
Storage
59
Multi-purpose
Artist
Gallery/Display 4
44
2 BR. Storage
6619 SF
36 58 Studio B
774 SF 61
877 SF
UP
3
Artist Efficiency
35
603 SF Artist Workshop
31
Artist Efficiency
3245 SF
30
637 SF
UP Janitorial
56
Laundry Room
Artist Efficiency
55
29
485 SF
1 BR.
34
Artist Efficiency
697 SF
28
460 SF
Artist Efficiency
33
623 SF Artist Efficiency
27
452 SF
Artist Efficiency
32
656 SF
Artist Efficiency
26
559 SF
DN
Mechanical
57 Artist Efficiency
25
Artist Efficiency
24
523 SF
100 | Design Solution L Figure 99 | Level Five Floor Plan
M
PROJECT SOLUTION
-
15
L e v e l Te n 14
13
4 BR.
23
1601 SF
12
1 BR.
120
878 SF
11
1 BR.
121
2 BR. 879 SF
22
1026 SF
10
STANDARD
RESIDENTIAL 3 BR.
BALCONIES 119
1001 SF
2 BR.
21 9
1104 SF
UP
COURTYARD
OPEN TO
BELOW TERRACED 8
DN
RESIDENTIAL
2 BR. BALCONIES
118
937 SF
7
1 BR. 2 BR.
124 20
803 SF 943 SF
1 BR.
19
1 BR.
10 788 SF
780 SF
2 BR. 6
122
1 BR.
884 SF
123
690 SF
COVERED
GREEN
5
WALKWAY
3
Communal
Seating Area
130
STUDIO
15
626 SF
UP
Laundry
2
129
STUDIO
128 STUDIO
621 SF 16
627 SF
STUDIO
127
592 SF
1 BR.
17
709 SF
1 BR.
1 BR.
649 SF
2 BR.
DN
18
Mechanical
710 SF
117
2 BR.
125
817 SF
Figure 100 | Level Ten Floor Plan M Design Solution | 101

N
P E R F O R M A N C E A N A LY S I S
STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS
Figure 101 | Longitudinal Section Cut
Structural Systems
EXTERIOR RAILING
A Cast-In-Place Concrete Columns -
Leave bare for aesthetic purposes.
S p a n = 2 4' - 0 "
B Structural Steel Beams in all

Commercial and Living Spaces
C Pre-cast Concrete Beams in all

Parking Garages
10’-0” CURTAIN
WALL
D Corrugated Steel Decking on all

Floors
GREEN ROOF
SYSTEM
STRUCTURAL
THERMAL BREAK
E I s o s t a t i c Wa f f l e S l a b o n e x p o s e d
overhang (above office space)
Figure 102 | Terrace Condition Detail
This project utilizes a 24x24 foot grid with concrete columns supporting a structural steel deck. While these systems sup-
port a majority of the built environment, the area noted in gray on the following page (see waffle slab location diagram)
consists of the residential apartments “floating” over the building below. In order to support such a large mass, an iso-
static waffle slab, concrete columns, and structural shear walls within the egress stairwells are applied to provide an aes-
thetically pleasing structural element.

pier luigi ner vi's isostatic pattern

isostatic waffle slab
waffle slab location application
Figure 103 | Structural Waffle Slab The Proposal | 103

STRUCTURAL MODEL
Figure 104 | Structural Model

RESP ONSE TO GOALS &
PROJECT EMPHASIS
DESIGN FOR LIGHT DESIGN

DESIGN FOR
FOR BIOPHILIA
FITNESS
for Natural light has several benefits, including a boost in Exercise is one ofof the
The integration mostand
natural effective ways topleasing
aesthetically improveelements,
mental like Desig
while vitamin D storage, leads to higher productivity, helps with health.
greeneryProviding subtleinto
or plantings, elements
a spacethat allowjoyforand
increase exercise
comfort,in thus relax
ange sleep, and improves mood. Access to light helps mitigate building
decreasing inhabitants
depressionincluding staircase
or anxiety felt access,Exposure
by individuals. pedestrian
to views prom
symptoms of depression in one’s mental health. promotion,
of nature alsoandboosts
active positive
transportation
moodssupport allow forthose
and decreases exercise
that are of en
without them even knowing it.
negative..
20% window-to-wall ratio stair
builtaccess
environment fl
60% window-to-wall ratio biophilic (green)
circulation path s
space w
q
c
w
q
t
56”
25% MINIMUM
OW LANDSCAPED
W
IND Main entrance SPACE
TO
W
VIE
75% MAXIMUM
25’-0” toBUILT
entrance
SPACE
Main stair
0’-0” 5’-0” 15’-0” 25’-0” 0’-0” 5’-0” 15’-0” 25’-0”
Figure 105 | ADA Design Standards Benefits
Figures 105 and 106 above shows proven benefits of the Design Standards and their application within the built environment.
With that, the next few sequences of floor plans note specific applications of the enhanced ADA Design Standards into this
specific project. Note that differing areas of the building are displayed including the office and educational environment.
The bubbles note the standards applied in each space.

PROJECT EMPHASIS
ND DESIGN
DESIGNFOR
FORLIGHT
THE MIND DESIGN
DESIGNFOR
FORLIGHT
FITNESS
eant for
nts, like Designated
Natural adaptable
light has several and quietincluding
benefits, spaces ameant
boost for
in Natural
Exerciselight
is one
has of
several
the most
benefits,
effective
including
waysatoboost
improvein mentalExercise is one
ss
rt, while
thus relaxation
vitamin assist leads
D storage, with to
thehigher
mitigation of stress
productivity, helpswhile
with health.D storage,
vitamin Providingleads
subtle elements
to higher that allow
productivity, helpsforwith
exercisehealth.
in Providin
oa views
range promoting
sleep, productivity.
and improves mood. Adaptability allows
Access to light for mitigate
helps a range building
sleep, inhabitants
and improves including
mood. Access tostaircase access,
light helps mitigatepedestrian
building inhab
hat are of engagement
symptoms in building
of depression occupants.
in one’s mental health. promotion,
symptoms and active in
of depression transportation support allow for exercise
one’s mental health. promotion, and
without them even knowing it. without them ev
20%
flexible
window-to-wall
work zone ratio 20%
stair
window-to-wall
access ratio stair access
secondary
60% flexible ratio
window-to-wall 60%
circulation
window-to-wall
path ratio circulation path
work zone
quiet zone
collaborative
work zone
quiet zone size relative

to square footage
56”
OW OW
W
IND
W
IND Main entrance
TO TO
W W
VIE VIE
25’-0” to entrance
Main stair
0’-0” 5’-0” 15’-0” 25’-0” 0’-0”5’-0”

0’-0” 5’-0” 15’-0”
15’-0” 25’-0”
25’-0” 0’-0” 5’-0” 15’-0” 25’-0”
Figure 106 | ADA Design Standards Benefits

Conference B
76
312 SF

69 Conference A
Office 75
70 314 SF
264 SF
Bicycle Storage
Office 79
71 342 SF
UP
264 SF
Office
Residential Lobby
"
72
1/2
-2
67 Student Pick-up
259 SF
7'
Waiting Area
1332 SF
77
DN
PROJECT EMPHASIS Janitorial

74
Rental Office
64
Lounge
898 SF
66
1778 SF
Residence Mail
Room
63
Mechanical
Systems
65
533 SF
Rentable
Community Space
62
1064 SF
"
-6
9'
0 "
5 '-
Quiet Room
"
112 -6
9'
294 SF
Storage
"
-6
78
9'
ACADEMY
FACULTY
PARKING
Fitness Center
RECEPTION UP
133
1464 SF
DN
Office Lobby
115
2218 SF
UP
GREEN WALL
Multi-Purpose
Event Space
Storage
113
114
DN 5565 SF
"
-6
9'
"
-0
6'
Mechanical
RESIDENTIAL Systems
ELEVATORS 116
644 SF
(NO ACCESS)
OFFICE
PARKING
UP
UP
BICYCLE
STORAGE
Design for the mind

• Private quiet space
• Greenery
• Adaptable spaces
• Light
LEVEL ONE
Figure 107 | Level One Office Design for the Mind Application Design Solution | 107
312 SF

69 Conference A
Office 75
70 314 SF
264 SF
B
Office
71
264 SF
Office
Residential Lobby 72
67 Student Pick-up
259 SF
Waiting Area
1332 SF

77
DN
Janitorial
PROJECT EMPHASIS
74
Rental Office
64
Lounge
898 SF
66
1778 SF
Residence Mail
Room
63
Mechanical
Systems
65
533 SF
Rentable
Community Space
62
1064 SF
"
-6
9'
0 "
5 '-
Quiet Room
"
112 -6
9'
294 SF
Storage
"
-6
78
9'
ACADEMY
FACULTY
PARKING
Fitness Center
RECEPTION UP
133
1464 SF
DN
Office Lobby
115
2218 SF
UP
GREEN WALL
Multi-Purpose
Event Space
Storage
113
114
DN 5565 SF
"
-6
9'
"
-0
6'
Mechanical
RESIDENTIAL Systems
ELEVATORS 116
644 SF
(NO ACCESS)
OFFICE
PARKING
UP
UP
BICYCLE
STORAGE
Design for fitness

• Monumental stair
• Bicycle storage
• Fitness center
• Access to outdoor parks & trails
LEVEL ONE
108 | Design Solution Figure 108 | Level One Office Design for Fitness Application
Conference B
76
312 SF

69 Conference A
Office 75
70 314 SF
264 SF
Bicycle Storage
Office 79
71 342 SF
UP
264 SF
Office
Residential Lobby
"
72
1/2
-2
67 Student Pick-up
259 SF
7'
Waiting Area
1332 SF
77
DN
PROJECT EMPHASIS Janitorial

74
Rental Office
64
Lounge
898 SF
66
1778 SF
Residence Mail
Room
63
Mechanical
Systems
65
533 SF
Rentable
Community Space
62
1064 SF
"
-6
9'
0 "
5 '-
Quiet Room
"
112 -6
9'
294 SF
Storage
"
-6
78
9'
ACADEMY
FACULTY
PARKING
Fitness Center
RECEPTION UP
133
1464 SF
DN
Office Lobby
115
2218 SF
UP
GREEN WALL
Multi-Purpose
Event Space
Storage
113
114
DN 5565 SF
"
-6
9'
"
-0
6'
Mechanical
RESIDENTIAL Systems
ELEVATORS 116
644 SF
(NO ACCESS)
OFFICE
PARKING
UP
UP
BICYCLE
STORAGE
Design for light

• Window transmittance
• Access to light
• Glazing percentage
LEVEL ONE
Figure 109 | Level One Office Design for Light Application Design Solution | 109
312 SF

69 Conference A
Office 75
70 314 SF
264 SF
B
Office
71
264 SF
Office
Residential Lobby 72
67 Student Pick-up
259 SF
Waiting Area
1332 SF

77
DN
Janitorial
PROJECT EMPHASIS
74
Rental Office
64
Lounge
898 SF
66
1778 SF
Residence Mail
Room
63
Mechanical
Systems
65
533 SF
Rentable
Community Space
62
1064 SF
"
-6
9'
0 "
5 '-
Quiet Room
"
112 -6
9'
294 SF
Storage
"
-6
78
9'
ACADEMY
FACULTY
PARKING
Fitness Center
RECEPTION UP
133
1464 SF
DN
Office Lobby
115
2218 SF
UP
GREEN WALL
Multi-Purpose
Event Space
Storage
113
114
DN 5565 SF
"
-6
9'
"
-0
6'
Mechanical
RESIDENTIAL Systems
ELEVATORS 116
644 SF
(NO ACCESS)
OFFICE
PARKING
UP
UP
BICYCLE
STORAGE
Design for biophilia

• I n t e r i o r /e x t e r i o r p l a n t i n g s
• Green wall
• Plant beds
LEVEL ONE
110 | Design Solution Figure 110 | Level One Office Design for Biophilia Application
PROJECT EMPHASIS
Outdoor Flex
Space
95
935 SF
Wet Classroom
(Science/Art)
100
1580 SF
DN
Small Group
104
756 SF
Outdoor Flex
Space
101
722 SF

730 SF 102
200 SF
Flex Classrooms
86
Storage 975 SF
93
Outdoor Flex
Space
83
0"
'-
10

Storage
91 94
81
1458 SF Mechanical
Systems
92
Storage
Flex Classroom
82
87
699 SF
Janitorial
80 Flex Classroom
84
1018 SF
108 90 88
85
1031 SF
Assembly 97
Space/Lunch DN
959 SF
Room
Large Flex 98
Classroom
3089 SF
89
1233 SF
ARTIST
Loading Dock and
DN
106
1159 SF
Service
Hallway/Restrooms
105
Kitchen
1672 SF
107
FLEXIBLE
336 SF
SPACE Retail
2
1096 SF
6 132
2278 SF 333 SF
DN
Retail
3
PLANT 1173 SF
WALL 1
Retail
ARTIST 4
PLANTER
Design for the mind
MURAL
DN
1603 SF
DN
BED
• Adaptable classrooms DN
• Private quiet spaces DN

DN
s
al
• Collaborative art
MULTI -USE
ARTIST
• Access to water MARKET

SPACE DN DN
LEVEL TWO
Figure 111 | Level Two Academy Design for the Mind Application Design Solution | 111
Storage
131
UP
FLEXIBLE
OFFICE
PROJECT EMPHASIS
Outdoor Flex
Space
95
935 SF
Wet Classroom
(Science/Art)
100
1580 SF
DN
Small Group
104
756 SF
Outdoor Flex
Space
101
722 SF

730 SF 102
200 SF
Flex Classrooms
86
Storage 975 SF
93
Outdoor Flex
Space
83
0"
'-
10

Storage
91 94
81
1458 SF Mechanical
Systems
92
Storage
Flex Classroom
82
87
699 SF
Janitorial
80 Flex Classroom
84
1018 SF
108 90 88
85
1031 SF
Assembly 97
Space/Lunch DN
959 SF
Room
Large Flex 98
Classroom
3089 SF
89
1233 SF
ARTIST
Loading Dock and
DN
106
1159 SF
Service
Hallway/Restrooms
105
Kitchen
1672 SF
107
FLEXIBLE
336 SF
SPACE Retail
2
1096 SF
6 132
2278 SF 333 SF
DN
Retail
3
PLANT 1173 SF
WALL 1
Retail
ARTIST 4
PLANTER
Design for fitness
MURAL
DN
1603 SF
DN
BED
• Monumental stair DN
• Bicycle storage DN
DN
al
• Access to outdoor parks & trails
MULTI -USE
ARTIST
MARKET
SPACE DN DN
LEVEL TWO
112 | Design Solution Figure 112 | Level Two Academy Design for Fitness Application
Storage
131
UP
FLEXIBLE
OFFICE
PROJECT EMPHASIS
Outdoor Flex
Space
95
935 SF
Wet Classroom
(Science/Art)
100
1580 SF
DN
Small Group
104
756 SF
Outdoor Flex
Space
101
722 SF

730 SF 102
200 SF
Flex Classrooms
86
Storage 975 SF
93
Outdoor Flex
Space
83
0"
'-
10

Storage
91 94
81
1458 SF Mechanical
Systems
92
Storage
Flex Classroom
82
87
699 SF
Janitorial
80 Flex Classroom
84
1018 SF
108 90 88
85
1031 SF
Assembly 97
Space/Lunch DN
959 SF
Room
Large Flex 98
Classroom
3089 SF
89
1233 SF
ARTIST
Loading Dock and
DN
106
1159 SF
Service
Hallway/Restrooms
105
Kitchen
1672 SF
107
FLEXIBLE
336 SF
SPACE Retail
2
1096 SF
6 132
2278 SF 333 SF
DN
Retail
3
PLANT 1173 SF
WALL 1
Retail
ARTIST 4
PLANTER
Design for light
MURAL
DN
1603 SF
DN
BED
• Window transmittance DN
• Access to light DN
DN
s
al
• Tr a n s p a r e n t p a r t i t i o n w a l l s
MULTI -USE
ARTIST
MARKET
SPACE DN DN
LEVEL TWO
Figure 113 | Level Two Academy Design for Light Application Design Solution | 113
Storage
131
UP
FLEXIBLE
OFFICE
PROJECT EMPHASIS
Outdoor Flex
Space
95
935 SF
Wet Classroom
(Science/Art)
100
1580 SF
DN
Small Group
104
756 SF
Outdoor Flex
Space
101
722 SF

730 SF 102
200 SF
Flex Classrooms
86
Storage 975 SF
93
Outdoor Flex
Space
83
0"
'-
10

Storage
91 94
81
1458 SF Mechanical
Systems
92
Storage
Flex Classroom
82
87
699 SF
Janitorial
80 Flex Classroom
84
1018 SF
108 90 88
85
1031 SF
Assembly 97
Space/Lunch DN
959 SF
Room
Large Flex 98
Classroom
3089 SF
89
1233 SF
ARTIST
Loading Dock and
DN
106
1159 SF
Service
Hallway/Restrooms
105
Kitchen
1672 SF
107
FLEXIBLE
336 SF
SPACE Retail
2
1096 SF
6 132
2278 SF 333 SF
DN
Retail
3
FLEXIBLE PLANT 1173 SF
OFFICE WALL
Retail
SPACE ARTIST 4
1603 SF
MURAL
DN DN
DN PLANTER
BED
DN
DN
DN
Mechanical
MULTI -USE
Systems ARTIST
111 BIOSWALE
MARKET
RESIDENTIAL SPACE DN DN
ELEVATORS
(NO ACCESS)
BIOSWALE
Storage
131
UP
FLEXIBLE
OFFICE
SPACE
DN
ARTIST
GALLERT
BIOSWALE
BIOSWALE
BIOSWALE
BIOSWALE
Design for biophilia

• Outdoor flex classrooms
• Green wall
• Exterior plantings of varying
variety (coniferous & deciduous)
LEVEL TWO
114 | Design Solution Figure 114 | Level Two Design for Biophilia Application
PROJECT EMPHASIS
artwork
Flex Classroom Rendering
plant walls
monumental
Office Lobby Rendering
stairs
glazing
percentage
Residential Apartment Rendering

Figure 115 | Visualizing Design Standards

APPENDIX
116 | Appendix
Appendix | 117
REFERENCE LIST
A Hollywood Vision. (2018). Retrieved October 09, 2018, from https://delos.com/project/colum
bia-square-residential-tower.
Byron Kiiza Yafesi Bitanihirwe (2014) Mental Health in a Social Context. J Psychiatry 17:169 doi:
10.4172/Psychiatry.1000169.
Colorado Native Plant Society. (2017). Low-Water Native Plants for Colorado Gardens: Western Slope
– Below 7,000’. Retreived from https://conps.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Low-Water-
Native-Plants-for-CO-Gardens-SW-CO.pdf.
Davey, C.L. Graham. Mental Health & Stigma. (2013). Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.
com/us/blog/why-we-worry/201308/mental-health-stigma.
Determinism. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/topic/determinism.
Disabled World. (2018, October 03). Invisible Disabilities: List and General Information. Retreived
from https://www.disabled-world.com/disability/types/invisible/.
Five Points | Visit Denver. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.denver.org/about-denver/neighbor

hood-guides/five-points/.
Goldsmith, Selwyn. (2000). Universal Design. Woburn, Massachusetts: Architectural Press.
History of Accessible Facility Design. (2017, October 30). Retrieved from https://www.wbdg.org/de
sign-objectives/accessible/history-accessible-facility-design.
Hussung, Tricia. A History of Mental Illness Treatment. (2016, October 14). Retrieved from
https://online.csp.edu/blog/psychology/history-of-mental-illness-treatment.
International Well Building Institute. (2017). The Well Building Standard. Retrieved from https://
www.wellcertified.com/en/explore-standard.
Kilroy Realty’s Columbia Square Residential Tower Achieves WELL Certification. (2017, August 09).
Retrieved from https://www.marketwatch.com/press-release/kilroy-realtys-colum
bia-square-residential-tower-achieves-well-certification-2017-08-09.
Klepeis, Neil, E. (2001). The National Activity Pattern Survey (NHAPS): a resource for assessing expo
sure to environmental pollutants. Retrieved from https://www.nature.com/articles/7500165.
Lechner, Norber. (2015). Heating, Cooling, Lighting.Hoboken (NJ): Wiley.
List of Disabilities Covered Under ADA: Everything to Known. (n.d.). https://www.upcounsel.com/

list-of-disabilities-covered-under-ada
118 | Appendix
REFERENCE LIST
Maki, Alexander. (2017, June 27). Environmental Psychology. Retrieved from http://www.oxford
bibliographies.com/view/document/obo-9780199363445/obo-9780199363445-0074.xml#
firstMatch
Mazuch, R. (n.d.). Salutogenic and Biophilic Design as Theapeutic Approaches to Sustainable

Architecture. Retrieved from https://doi-org.ezproxy.lib.ndsu.nodak.edu/10.1002/ad.2151.
Mental Health Foundation. (2018, August 14). Stigma and discrimination. Retrieved from https://
www.mentalhealth.org.uk/a-to-z/s/stigma-and-discrimination.
Mental Illness. (2017). Retrieved from https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/mental-illness.

shtml.
Meteoblue. (2018). Climate Denver. Retrieved from https://www.meteoblue.com/en/weather/fore

cast/modelclimate/denver_united-states-of-america_5419384.
National Institute of Mental Health. (2017, November). Mental Illness. Retrieved from https://www.nimh.nih.gov/
health/statistics/mental-illness.shtml.
National Wildlife Federation. (n.d.) Platte River. Retrieved from https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wild

life-Guide/Wild-Places/Platte-River.
Parekh, Ranna. (2018, Aug.). What Is Mental Illness? Retrieved from https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/
what-is-mental-illness.
Preiser, F. E. Wolfgang, Ostroff, Elaine. (2001). Universal Design Handbook. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Companies,
Inc.
RiNo Art District: Where art is made. (2018). Retrieved from https://rinoartdistrict.org/about.
The 428. (2018). Rebuilding with A Purpose. Retrieved from https://the428.com/wellness-sustainability/.
Unite for Sight. (n.d.). Module 7: Cultural Perspectives on Mental Health. Retrieved from https://www.
uniteforsight.org/mental-health/module7
USGS. (n.d.). The National Map. Retreived from https://viewer.nationalmap.gov/advanced-viewer/.
What is the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)? (n.d.). Retrieved from https://adata.org/print/
learn-about-ada.
Whiting, David. (2008, November). Soil pH. Retrieved from http://www.denverrosesociety.org/wp-con

tent/uploads/2016/03/soil-pH-and-soil-testing.pdf.
Appendix | 119
PREVIOUS STUDIO
EXPERIENCE
Fall 2015 | Cindy Urness | Teahouse

2nd Year
• Site and building interaction experience in Fargo, North Dakota

Spring 2016 | Joan Vorderbruggen | Small Dwelling | Birdhouse
• Small dwelling meeting client needs in Cripple Creek, Colorado
• Birdhouse design inspired by Pritzker Prize Architectural Design
Fall 2016 | Mike Christenson | Wood Structure

3rd Year
• Wooden structure museum expanded off of existing factory building in Minneapolis, MN

Spring 2017 | Regin Schwaen | Concrete Structure
• Small concrete dwelling responding to the flooding problems in Fargo, North Dakota
Fourth Year
Fall 2017 | Bakr Alyahmed | Capstone High Rise

• Comprehensive studio project focused on building core in San Francisco, California
Spring 2018 | Paul Gleye | Term Abroad
• 90-day exploration of architecture in European Countries.
Fall 2018 | Ganapathy Mahalingam | Research Studio

Fifth Year
• Research and analysis for the completion of a research journal and paper related to thesis topic
Spring 2019 | Ganapathy Mahalingam | Design Studio
• Design studio to complete the final thesis project based on Unifying Idea
Figure 116 | Previous Studio Experience
120 | Appendix
P E R S O N A L I D E N T I F I C AT I O N
AMY A. MUELLER
Figure 117 | Personal Identification
HOMETOWN | Plymouth, Minnesota

ADDRESS | 17145 9th Avenue North, Plymouth, Minnesota
EMAIL | amy.a.mueller@ndsu.edu
The past five years attending North Dakota State University will be ones I will never
forget. I am number three out of four siblings to graduate from this University—my
family sure did give them a lot of tuition money!
Appendix | 121

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A Design Thesis Submitted to the

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THE PROP OSAL

14 Figure 01 Project Typology 35 Figure 34 Denver Metro Area

As a society, physical health is extremely prominent – it is the form of health we can

Such a Mixed-Use building is an important vehicle in examining the unifying idea

Figure 02 | The 428 Historic Context

CONCEPT: FITNESS LIGHT COMFORT

Figure 03 | The 428 Rebuilt

Downtown St. Paul, Minnesota

Figure 05 | The 428 Site Map

Figure 08 | The 428 Level 01

Figure 09 | The 428 Level 02-04

Figure 10 | The 428 Rooftop

This school also responds to the cultural and social as-

Figure 16 | Preparatory College Section Cut B

Figure 18 | Chicago Figure Ground Map

The placement of different rooms were determined by

Figure 21 | Preparatory College Level One Floor Plan

ENVIRONMENTAL / WELLNESS / CULTURAL RESPONSE

Figure 22 | Columbia Square Aerial

BUILDING FLOOR PLANS

Figure 23 | Columbia Square Site/Floor Plan

BIOPHILIC GOWER BUILDING

Figure 25 | Columbia Square WELL Concepts

Figure 26 | Columbia Square Gathering Space (Top)

2 Thesis Proposal Book

Approximate number of users: 470-830

Figure 31 | User Groups

Figure 32 | Colorado Macro Map

ECONOMIC GROWTH LIFESTYLE

Figure 33 | Reasons to Move to Denver

Figure 34 | Denver Metropolitan Area

2 Mental Health-Based Design

Expand knowledge behind salutogenic design and the processes behind

Create a project in response to the surrounding site chosen; choosing a site

Educate people about the ADA Design Standards.

Defining and understanding key terms related

Conducting case studies to understand different

2 P ro j e c t Ty p o l o g y typologies the enhanced ADA Design Standards

Physically visiting the site and recording

3 Site Analysis Conducting GIS software analysis digitally in

Referring back to the case study analysis

Thesis Proposal Due October 11

Thesis Program Due December 12

Case study & historical research

Design Phase THANKSGIVING

PLAN FOR PROCEEDING

Final edits due March 15

Final edits to ADA Design Standards Manual

Schematic Design Digital design iterations Model making

Design iteration sketches & models Renderings

Final thesis review April 29 - May 2

KEY DATES KEY DATES

Figure 43 | Key Dates The Proposal | 37

UNIVERSAL DESIGN: A PARADIGM ACROSS

THE ACCESS OF URBAN DESIGN IN PUBLIC

THE STUDY OF SALUTOGENESIS

Can Me n t a l I l l ne s s b e C l a ssif ied as a D is ability?

Features either landscaped grounds or rooftop gardens