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MIT Thesis FAQ: Student Frequently Asked Questions

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• Creating an Accessible Thesis
• Saving Your Thesis as a PDF/A-1
• Student Frequently Asked Questions
• Access and Availability Questions

Preparing my thesis

Starting with February 2022 degrees, students no longer need to pay a thesis fee to MIT Libraries.

Journal publishers usually acquire the copyright to scholarly articles through a publication agreement with the author. Their policies then determine what authors can do with their work. Visit Theses and Article Publishing to see if your publisher's policy is already listed.  If your publisher is not listed or if you have any questions about a listed publisher, contact [email protected]  

Each student is responsible for obtaining any necessary permissions for including previously published materials as part of the thesis. Visit Scholarly Communications for additional information.  If permission is given, published material can be used in its original typeset form as long as the thesis formatting requirements are met.  

Styles of quotations, footnotes, and bibliographic references may be prescribed by your department. If your department does not prescribe a style or specify a style manual, choose one and be consistent.

Listing thesis readers is not a thesis requirement. If you would like to list thesis readers or extra committee members, you can do so on the second page of your thesis like in this example.

Supplemental material that may be submitted with your thesis is the materials that are essential to understanding the research findings of your thesis, but impossible to incorporate or embed into a PDF. Contact [email protected] early in your thesis writing process to determine the best way to include supplemental materials with your thesis.

You may also have other research data and outputs related to your thesis research that are not considered supplemental material and should not be submitted with your thesis. Research materials should be deposited in appropriate research data repositories and cited in your thesis. You may consult the MIT Libraries’ Data Management Services website for guidance or reach out to Data Management Services (DMS)( [email protected] ), who can help answer questions you may have about managing your thesis data and choosing suitable solutions for longer term storage and access.

Students can use this Overleaf Template . Please contact [email protected] with any questions about the template.

There are nuances to accessibility with different thesis formats, and there often isn't one perfect solution. If your thesis is in the form of a graphic novel or comic strip and alt text for images feel cumbersome, you could forgo alt text in favor of an Appendix with transcripts or long descriptions for the story(ies) depicted in graphics. Here are a couple of resources you can view for more information:

"Accessible Comics???" by Abby Kingman, LastCallMedia.

"Alternative Descriptions for Graphic Novels" from the University of Illinois, Accessible IT.

Starting with the June 2023 degree period and as reflected in the MIT Thesis Specifications , all students retain the copyright of their thesis.

For theses prior to 2023, MIT generally holds ownership of the copyright to MIT theses. To request permission to republish contact [email protected]

You may optionally choose to apply a Creative Commons License to your thesis. The Creative Commons License allows you to grant permissions and provide guidance on how your work can be reused by others. If you choose to apply a CC license to your MIT thesis please follow these guidelines .

The copyright year on the thesis title page is the same year your degree is issued. For example, if you are graduating in February 2014 but submit your thesis to the Institute Archives and Special Collections during the fall of 2013, your copyright date will be 2014.

The student is authorized to post electronic versions of the student’s own thesis, in whole or in part, on the internet. If it is an older thesis where the copyright is held by the Institute, students and third parties should contact the [email protected] to obtain permission to reuse thesis content in other publications.

Access to my thesis

The two offices authorized to temporarily restrict access to theses are the Office of Graduate Education (for government restrictions, privacy and security) and Technology Licensing Office (for patent claims).

For information about requesting a temporary publication hold on your thesis from the OGE:  https://oge.mit.edu/gpp/degrees/thesis/restrictions-on-thesis-publication/

Request for temporary holds must be submitted prior to graduation

There is currently no policy on removing theses from public view after degrees are granted. Thesis publication online is considered part of the process of completion of the MIT degree. Each thesis is part of the legal and scholarly record of work completed at MIT, and neither the paper copy nor the electronic copy can be removed from public viewing.

If your thesis is available in DSpace here , you can download the thesis free of charge. Otherwise, a request can be made through the Distinctive Collections Request System here , or contact the Department of Distinctive Collections [email protected]

Holds, errata, and page substitutions

Request for temporary holds must be submitted prior to graduation.

Thesis holds are temporary restrictions on the distribution of theses, which may be granted from the Technology Licensing Office (TLO) or the Office of the Vice Chancellor (OVC). Holds can be authorized by the TLO for MIT-initiated patent applications. The Office of the Vice Chancellor (OVC) can grant holds for student-initiated patents, business pursuits, government restrictions, organization reviews, privacy and security, and scholarly journal and book publication.

For more information on requesting OGE temporary thesis publication holds:   https://oge.mit.edu/gpp/degrees/thesis/restrictions-on-thesis-publication/

Once certified by your thesis supervisor, accepted by the chair, and transferred to the MIT Libraries, all thesis content becomes part of the formal record. Changes, including the excision of content or the correction of significant errors in content, must be approved by the thesis supervisor or department chair and by the Vice Chancellor or their designee, in consultation with the Vice President for Research & Associate Provost.

Both errata and page substitutions require approval. When the purpose is to correct significant errors in content, the student should create an errata sheet using the form and instructions and obtain approval from both thesis supervisor or program chair and the Vice Chancellor or their designee.

If the purpose of change is to excise classified, proprietary, or confidential information, the student should fill out the application form and have the request approved by the thesis supervisor or program chair and the Vice Chancellor or their designee. Students and supervisors should vet thesis content carefully before submission to avoid both scenarios whenever possible.

Types of questions

Preparing your thesis

Access to your thesis

Holds and changes to your thesis

Access and availability

Scanned theses in DSpace@MIT

Quick links

• Thesis Specifications
• Distinctive Collections
• Scholarly Publishing@MIT
• About DSpace@MIT
• Dissertation/Theses

Have questions?

Contact us at [email protected] .

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These students either “joint-majored”, “double/second-majored” or did a second degree in STS, along with a science/engineering field.

AKERA, ATSUSHI “A Social Technology: Ethnography of a Computer Terminal Room” June 1986 (Charlie Weiner, thesis advisor)

ARDHASSERIL, ROSHAN “Nuclear State: Pakistan, Domestic and International” June 2013 (Theodore Postol, thesis advisor)

BARRETT, BERTRAND H. “Theory and Design of an Educational Computing Environment” June 1985 (J.C.R. Licklider, thesis advisor)

BECERRA, JUANA C. “Herman Feshbach: What it Meant to be a Physicist in the Twentieth Century” June 2015 (David Kaiser, thesis advisor)

BELAND, CHRISTOPHER D. “Digital Technology and Copyright Law” February 2002 (David I. Kaiser, thesis advisor)

BESPOLKA, CARL G. “Green Energy Policy in the Federal Republic of Germany” May 1983 (Michael Geisler, thesis advisor)

BEST, WALDO T. “Subjective Confidence in Technology” May 1988 (Thomas Sheridan, thesis advisor) [double S.B. degrees in Humanities and Engineering]

BROWN, DAVID J. “A Framework for Analyzing Residential Electricity Consumption” May 1983 (Ted Greenwood, thesis advisor)

BRYAN, ERIC FAIN “Financing Invention” May 1988 (Robert Rines, thesis advisor)

BYFIELD, LAINI “Modern Medicine vs. Traditional Medicine” June 1999 (Joe Dumit and Hugh Gusterson, thesis advisors)

COWAN, THOMAS “Network Control in a Globalized World: How Visa and Swift’s Founding Structures Serve Their Stakeholders on the International Stage” June 2017 (William Deringer, thesis advisor)

CUNNINGHAM, KEVIN “Contemporary Computer Software and the Writing Process” February 1984 (James Paradis, thesis tutor)

DUBRANSKY, JULIAN “The politicization of science during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States” June 2021 (John Durant, thesis advisor)

FRANCO, KATHERINE A. “The Idealists and the Pragmatists. A Comparative History of Free Software and Open Source Software” May 2005 (Rosalind Williams, thesis advisor)

GARFINKEL, SIMSON L. “The Context of Funding in the Sociological Research of Paul F. Lazarsfeld” June 1987 (Peter Buck, thesis tutor) [Simson graduated in 1987 with 3 separate S.B. degrees in Chemistry, Political Science, and Humanities]

GILLESPIE, JAMES JUDSON “Going Nowhere: Pittsburg’s Attempt to Build a Subway, 1910-1935” 1990 (Robert Fogelson, thesis advisor)

GLAVIN, MITCHELL “School Attendance for Children with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome: An Example of AIDS Policy” June 1987 (Harvey Sapolsky, thesis advisor)

GLENHABER, MEHITABEL “‘Space Became Their Highway’: The L-5 Society and the closing of the Final Frontier” June 2019 (William Deringer, thesis advisor)

GORDON, EDWARD A. “The Impact of Internet Content Regulation on the Freedom of Expression Around the World” June 1999 (David Mindell, thesis advisor)

HANSON, ELIZABETH A. “Scientific Motherhood: American Childrearing, 1890-1915” June 1984 (Merritt Roe Smith, thesis advisor)

HE, YIRAN “Breakout: How Materials Start-Ups Separate from and Stay Connected to Academic Spaces” May 2020 (William Deringer, thesis advisor)

HEIM, STEVEN F. “Sustaining Vermont: Cooperatives in Vermont’s Economic Development” February 1997 (Deborah Fitzgerald and Alice Amsden, thesis advisors)

HONG, HYEONSIL June 1990 [S.B. in Humanities and Engineering]

HORO, UZUKI “Can MIT Tolerate Its Self-criticism? – a Case of David Noble” May 2023 ( John Durant and Robin Scheffler, thesis advisors)

HUANG, TERESA “Between the Real and the Virtual: Development of Complex Relationships and Communities in the Age of the Internet” June 1997 (Sherry Turkle, thesis advisor)

JONES, BRIANNA “Defining ‘Good Science’ in Today’s World: A Video Compilation of Perspectives and Advice for Incoming Graduate Students” June 2015 (Rosalind Williams, thesis advisor)

KEEGAN, BRIAN “Defending New Jerusalem: The Foundation and Transformation of MIT’s Program in Science, Technology, and Society” June 2006 (Rosalind Williams, thesis advisor)

LEE, JENNIFER JUNG-WUK “Engineering a Sanitary Environment: William Thompson Sedgwick and Public Health Work, 1884-1921” May 1994 (Evelynn Hammonds, thesis advisor)

LYNCH, ALISON June 1990 [S.B. in Humanities and Science]

MANOLIU, MIHAI “Synthesis and Transformation: Moving Beyond Doomsday” June 1984 (John R. Ross, thesis advisor)

MARTIN, MARISSA L. “Defining a New Science: Lessons from a Brief History of the Brain Sciences at MIT” May 2000 (Joe Dumit, thesis advisor)

McBATH, BRUCE COURTNEY 1981 [S.B. in Humanities and Science]

NICHOLLS, GINA-MONIQUE R. “The Offensive and Defensive Politics of Deploying Theater Ballistic Missile Defenses in East Asia” June 2000 (Theodore Postol, thesis advisor)

PRATHER, DARCY 1991 [double B.S. degrees in Humanities and Engineering]

RAHL, GARY M. “The Auditorium and the Space Station: The Death of the American Myth” June 1989 (Leon Trilling, thesis advisor)

REUSS, RONALD “Computer-Aided Reading” June 1986 (David Clark, thesis supervisor) [double B.S. degrees in Humanities and Engineering]

REZA, FAISAL “Human Cloning: Science, Ethics, Policy, Society” February 2003 (Hugh Gusterson, thesis advisor) [double S.B. degrees in Humanities and Science]

SAWICKI, ANDRES “The Paradox Theory in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: From Research to Marketing” January 2003 (Joseph Dumit, thesis advisor) [double S.B. degrees in Humanities and Science]

SAYLOR, MICHAEL “A Machiavellian Interpretation of Political Dynamics” June 1987 (John Sterman, thesis advisor) [double S.B. degrees in Humanities and Engineering]

SHAH, SAMEER “Perception of Risk: Disaster Scenarios at Brookhaven” June 2003 (Hugh Gusterson, thesis advisor) [double S.B. degrees in Humanities and Science]

SHAH, VAIBHAVI “The Politics and Perceptibility of Breath During The COVID-19 Pandemic” February 2021 (Robin Scheffler, thesis advisor)

SHARIFI, JAMSHIED 40-minute original music composition in lieu of thesis May 1983 [S.B. in Humanities and Engineering]

SHAWCROSS, PAUL J. “The American Civil Space Program: Preparing for the Next Twenty-Five Years” February 1988 (Kosta Tsipis, thesis advisor)[double major in STS and Aero/Astro]

SKLAR, BRANDON “The Philosophical Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics” June 1982

SOLORZANO, RAMON “An Appropriate Technology: Movement Towards a Value-Laden Approach to Technology” September 1984 (Larry Bucciarelli, thesis advisor)

STICKGOLD-SARAH, JESSIE “Form and Usage: The Evolving Identity of the Computerized Medical Record” February 1997 (Deborah Fitzgerald, thesis advisor)

THOMPSON, ELIZABETH “Artificial Skin: Its Path to Adoption” February 1986 (John Sterman, thesis advisor)

WEIGEL, ANNALISA May 1995 [double major in STS and Aero/Astro]

WIENER, MATTHEW CHARLES “Attitudes Towards Computers in the Soviet Union, 1970-1986: An examination of popular-science writing” May 1987 (Paul Josephson, thesis advisor) [double S.B. in Humanities and Science]

XU, SHEILA ZHI “The Emergence of a Deaf Economy” June 2014 (Rosalind Williams, thesis advisor)

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The MIT thesis template in LaTeX

The latex template.

The current MIT thesis template was developed in 2023, using up-to-date LaTeX coding, to meet the current formatting requirements of the MIT Libraries. The title and abstract pages are automatically laid out from information provided by the user. This template includes options to use a variety of fonts, and it is compatible with either pdfTeX or unicode engines such as luaLaTeX. When using LaTeX formats dated November 2022 or later, the resulting pdf file meets the PDF/A-2b archivability standard. A standard TeX Live installation includes all other packages required by the template.

This template was written by John Lienhard at the request of the MIT Libraries.

• Documentation: Documentation for the template is available in pdf format here .
• Download: The most current LaTeX files for this template are distributed through the Comprehensive TeX Archive Network (CTAN): https://ctan.org/pkg/mitthesis Download
• Overleaf.com: A copy of the thesis template is also present in Overleaf.com's template gallery, here . Overleaf includes all the packages in TeX Live, so no additional downloads are needed. Learn more about Overleaf at MIT .

Specifications for MIT theses

The formatting requirements for MIT theses are set by the MIT Libraries, as described at this url: http://libraries.mit.edu/archives/thesis-specs/ . Questions regarding these specifications should be directed to [email protected] .

The original LaTeX 2.09 template was written by Stephen Gildea in the late 1980s (also in CTAN, here ). That template was edited by many later students, leading to the files archived here.

LaTeX has changed greatly since the original MIT thesis template was written. LaTeX 2.09 was replaced by LaTeX2e in 1994. New engines were developed, particularly pdfTeX during the 1990s and Unicode-aware engines in the decades that followed. Many packages and fonts were developed to accompany the original platform, particularly after 2000; and major updates to the LaTeX kernel began in 2018. Over the years, the MIT Libraries have changed the required format several times, especially as electronic thesis submission has become the norm. The original template served MIT well; but by the early 2020s, it was substantially out of date. That situation motivated the creation of this new template.

Theses and Dissertations

View all past theses and dissertations on DSpace@MIT .

Theses and Dissertations in HTC

Thesis and Dissertations in HTC

https://architecture.mit.edu/history-theory-criticism

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Your MEng thesis describes the original research that you contributed to your MEng project. Though the document itself is not due until the end of your MEng, you should be working towards your thesis each semester that you are a registered MEng student. You can read more about what comprises a thesis at the Office of Graduate Education’s website .

Getting Help with Your Thesis

Throughout your MEng, you should be in continual conversation with your thesis research advisor about your progress as well as the thesis itself. For additional support, consider some of the following resources:

• Writing and Communication Center
• EECS Communication Lab
• Phoebe Ayers , the EECS Librarian, for help with research
• Additional workshops hosted by OGE

If you are struggling to make progress on your thesis, you are also welcome to meet with someone in the EECS Undergraduate Office .

All graduate theses are required to be submitted to Institute Library where they are available to the public. Theses classified by the government as ‘Confidential’ or ‘Secret’ for reasons of national security, or ‘Company Confidential” by a company for proprietary reasons will not be accepted. Theses completed in classified sections of 6-A companies, Lincoln Laboratory or Draper Lab must be deemed unclassified by the government. If you are working with one of these companies, be sure to discuss thesis copyright with your research advisor early in your MEng.

Formatting and Submission

MIT Libraries maintains formatting guidelines for all MIT theses. It’s especially important to make sure your title page and abstract look exactly like the examples shown there. Many students start by using the Unofficial Thesis template , but remember to double-check against the official formatting guidelines. Check out the Thesis Checklist from the Libraries to help keep on track.   Submit your title page information . This is important for ProQuest selections and for speeding up thesis processing for the MIT Libraries.

For EECS MEng theses

• Make sure to include your SB degree information (see the title page example ), even if you’re getting SB and MEng concurrently. Include double major, if applicable.
• The department is “the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science”
• The degree is “Master of Engineering in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science” unless you are part of the 6-7 MEng program, in which case it’s “Master of Engineering in Computer Science and Molecular Biology” or the 6-14 program which is “Master of Engineering in Computer Science, Economics, and Data Science”. (Note, in all cases, “Master” not “Masters”)
• The degree date for this term is May 2024 no matter what month you submit your thesis. The only possible degree date months are May, September, and February.
• The author hereby grants to MIT a nonexclusive, worldwide, irrevocable, royalty-free license to exercise any and all rights under copyright, including to reproduce, preserve, distribute and publicly display copies of the thesis, or release the thesis under an open-access license.
• The name/title for the “Accepted by” line on the title page is “Katrina LaCurts, Chair, Master of Engineering Thesis Committee”

For the electronic submission, your title page should include no signatures ; not even your own, and no lines for signatures . When you are ready to submit your thesis, you can do so here ; the deadline for submission is set by the registrar each semester (see here ). 6-A students must also submit a thesis release letter that matches this template . These letters should be sent to [email protected] .

Thesis Holds

Under certain circumstances – most commonly for issues related to patents or security clearances – you can arrange for a brief delay of the official publication of your thesis in the MIT Libraries. Please see The Office of Graduate Education’s page for more information.

Guidelines for the use of ChatGPT when writing your EECS thesis (MEng, SM, PhD)

ChatGPT is a natural language processing tool driven by AI technology that assists with the composition of text, such as text found in emails, essays, and code. Text is also found in the thesis that is required as one deliverable of an advanced degree in EECS. The EECS Department views a “thesis” as a compilation of the contributions made to the field by the author, or a discussion of the knowledge acquired in answering the research questions. The student is the authority of the material contained or described in the thesis and is the sole author. The EECS Department expects the author of the thesis to compose original drafts of the text to convey accurately and completely the work accomplished for the advanced degree in EECS. Once a final draft of the thesis is obtained, ChatGPT may be used to improve the grammar or to provide a manner of proofreading of the draft. The EECS Department does not allow the use of ChatGPT to compose text starting from bulleted text or from an arrangement of phrases. If ChatGPT is implemented in the creation of a final thesis, that is submitted to DSpace for archival storage, the EECS Department requests that the use of ChatGPT to be acknowledged, or referenced, in the submitted thesis manuscript. (Effective April 20, 2023)

Graduate Program

Thesis preparation guidelines.

All graduate students in MIT Political Science must follow these guidelines for thesis completion and submission.

Consult the MIT Specifications for Thesis Preparation for the rules governing the format of your thesis. Remember that formatting rules are strictly enforced. Be sure to have Susan Twarog or Diana Gallagher check the pagination and format of the title and abstract pages of your thesis before you print the document on archival bond and obtain the necessary signatures.

Two copies of your thesis must be printed on archival bond and contain original signatures. If you are completing a joint degree, you must submit three copies on archival bond with original signatures.

Thesis labels should include your name, the title, course 17, PhD or SM, the year and month (September, February, or June) of the degree, and the copy number (1, 2, 3). Labels should be affixed to each cover of the thesis. Obtain a cardboard cover for the front and back of each copy from Susan Twarog or the Institute Archives (14N-118).

The thesis title page should indicate the name and official title of your thesis supervisor and the chair of the Graduate Program Committee (GPC) who will be accepting the thesis on behalf of the department. Students must obtain the signatures of the thesis supervisor and the chair of the GPC, unless they have made other arrangements with Susan Twarog or Diana Gallagher.

You must submit two copies of your thesis. If you are completing joint degrees, you are required to submit three copies. Submit all copies unbound to Diana Gallagher in E53-465A. If you are a PhD candidate, you must also complete the UMI form (see the MIT Specifications for Thesis Preparation ) with photocopies of both title and abstract pages attached.

Electronic copy

In addition to submitting paper copies of your thesis, you must email a PDF copy to [email protected], and you may also submit an electronic copy to MIT's digital library DSpace. This makes it possible for those interested in reading your thesis to do so without charge. The cost of ordering a paper copy of a thesis from MIT can approach $100 for a 400-page thesis. Read the instructions for electronic submission.

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2021 Thesis

MIT Architecture Final Thesis Reviews, May 21, 2021

BSAD SMBT SMARCHS MARCH

DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE MIT SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING SA+P

MIT Architecture Final Thesis Reviews, May 21, 2021 Bachelor of Science in Art and Design (BSAD)

Seo Yeon Kwak 6 BSAD

Clare Liut 8 BSAD

Chloe Nelson-Arzuaga 10 BSAD &amp; 2A

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Zachary Berzolla 14 SMBT

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Yesufu OIadipo 56 Building Technology

Elina Oikonomaki 58 Computation Siyuan Sheng 60 Architecture &amp; Urbanism Alexandra Waller 62 Computation Qianqian Wan 64 Architecture &amp; Urbanism Xiaoyun Zhang 66 Computation

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Digital Narratives for Self-Therapy Seo Yeon Kwak BSAD Advisor: Lee Moreau Reader: Cherie Abbanat

The process of building positive, healthy mindsets has been studied throughout many years, but today, it is something that should be emphasized more than ever before. Unhealthy attitudes seem to be much more prevalent in modern times; according to studies, our society may be experiencing a “narcissism epidemic”1.

the need for accessible and everyday methods of emotional growth and healing. Digital products are a promising solution to making self-therapy methods more accessible and flexible to individuals’ lifestyles.

Digital Narratives for Self-Therapy aims to explore specifically the application of digital narratives in encourWith COVID-19, social isolation has aging positive and healthy mindsets in become a norm and has illuminated individuals. Storytelling has been a sig-

Both images by the author. 1

Neff, Kristin D. “Self-Compassion, Self-Esteem, and Well-Being” January 4, 2011. Accessed October 8, 2020.

nificant means of learning and growth throughout all of human history and across all cultures. The potential for reading personal stories to become a popular means of emotional comfort has already been experienced, such as through the success of the “Chicken Soup for the Soul” book series.

animated, and interactive elements. It also makes possible a scalable and flexible system for lightweight selftherapy that can be accessed by many people around the world, at any time or location that fits into each individual’s lifestyle. The Digital Narratives for Self-Therapy project is meant to serve as a case study that can be expanded in the future to create a robust system for self-therapy through digital storytelling.

Turning personal, moving stories into digital experiences opens the opportunity to enrich them with audio, visual,

Digital Communities x Collaborative Storytelling Clare Liu BSAD Advisor: Mikael Jakobsson Reader: Takehiko Nagakura All virtual spaces are driven by the people who reside within them, from the way the architecture is constructed and rearranged to the way people choose to inhabit and utilize these spaces. Although the methods of communication, the concept of identity, and the persistence of these digital spaces differ from their physical counterparts, how they should be designed and inhabited remains an inevitable question. In this thesis, I perform an ethnographic inquiry into a virtual roleplay community situated on the text and voice-chat program, Discord. My goal with this research was to provide insight into a niche corner of Internet communities, understand the affordances of the program and how they were utilized, and finally understand how these implements allowed the community to develop their own culture and succeed. By engaging with member activities within the virtual community, I documented my insights within the following scaffold: the members, their creations, the Discord platform, and the member-arranged server architecture. In my analysis, I sought to understand the relationships that emerged between the constraints of the platform, how users utilized these constraints, and how they interacted with one another, eventually proposing this virtual community’s process as one way to design a digital space for a creative community.

Implementing Continuous Fiber Reinforcement for Concrete Additive Manufacturing Chloe Nelson-Arzuaga BSAD &amp; 2A Advisor: Skylar Tibbits Concrete additive manufacturing is

Current methods of reinforcing con-

a promising alternative to standard

crete 3D printing mainly consists of

concrete con-struction, but the in-

manually adding rebar into cavities

ability to print reinforcement as

acreated during the printing process.

part of the manufacturing process

Since the rebar has to be cast into

is a signifi-cant limitation. This the-

place by hand, many of the benefits

sis proposes a method of extruding

of having an autonomous process

continuous fiber reinforcement dur-

are reduced. This project designed

ing the 3D printing process. Rein-

an extruder for a continuous strand

forcement is important in the pro-

of Kevlar to be extruded alongside

cess of creating concrete structures

the concrete extrusion. Through

because while concrete is strong in

controlling the speed at which the

compression, it has almost no ten-

Kevlar extruder was linearly trans-

sile capacity. Reinforcement com-

lated, different densities of Kevlar

pensates for this by introducing a

were created within two layers of

high-tensile strength material such

concrete. These reinforced concrete

as steel rod into the con-crete to

pieces were then tested against a

give it tensile properties.

similar, but unreinforced piece. The

results of this test showed an in-

rial and could lead to a more flexible

crease in the residual strength of the

method of adding reinforcement to

concrete as the density of Kevlar

3D printed concrete.

was increased. This proves the validity of Kevlar as a rein-forcing mate-

MIT Architecture Final Thesis Reviews, May 21, 2021 Master of Science in Building Technology (SMBT)

DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE MIT SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING SA+P 13

Using Urban Building Energy Modeling to Meet Carbon Emission Targets: A Case Study of Oshkosh, Wisconsin Zachary Berzolla SMBT Advisor: Christoph Reinhart Jurisdictions around the world are

sustainability consultant to build up

striving to meet aggressive emissions

a model of their building stock and

reduction goals in a short timeframe.

test various scenarios to meet the

This paper lays out a six-step process

desired emissions reduction goals.

to meet emissions reduction goals

Through a case study of Oshkosh,

using urban building energy modeling

Wisconsin the six- step process is

to identify a combination of build-

tested and a concrete action plan

ing energy efficiency and renewable

to meet their 80% emissions reduc-

energy deployment strategies. The

tion goals by 2050 is presented. The

process involves key decision makers

final recommended solution involved

in each jurisdiction working with a

upgrading all residences in Oshkosh

to EnergyStar Home standards, in-

presented in this paper will need to

stalling cold climate heat pumps to

be carried out in jurisdictions around

displace fossil-fuel based heating, and

the world. The approach has been

deploying solar over an area equiva-

shown to be flexible and applicable to

lent to most of the available rooftops.

any jurisdiction with emissions goals

To aid in the final step of the pro-

and access to building footprint and

cess, implementation, the city-wide

characteristic data.

strategies were broken down into actions individual homeowners could take and what the cost and payback periods for these actions would be. In order to meet global emissions reduction goals, the six-step process Image 1 (Opposite): The Oshkosh, WI urban building energy model showing the energy use intensity (in kWh/ m2) of all 13,000 buildings in the city in the energy efficiency + heat electrification scenario. The three scenarios (baseline, energy efficiency, and energy efficiency + heat electrification) are shown in a representative neighborhood on the right. The energy efficiency + heat electrification scenario leads to a 65% average reduction in energy use from the baseline. Similar reductions in carbon dioxide emissions are also possible. Image 2 (Above): Screenshot from a presentation of the case study results to the Oshkosh, WI Sustainability Advisory Board. This presentation shared the concept of town-wide energy efficiency retrofits as crucial to meeting Oshkosh’s emissions reduction goals and sought the board’s feedback on the proposed strategies. Going forward, the board will be instrumental in supporting any programs to reduce Oshkosh’s emissions.

Early Design Stage Building Lifecycle Analysis (LCA) of Cost &amp; Carbon Impact: A Seamless Addition to the Conceptual Design Process Jingyi Liu SMBT Advisors: Jeremy Gregory, Randy Kirchain &amp; Leslie Norford

Our research developed a workflow that recommends sustainable building solutions in the early design stage, based on the minimization of lifecycle cost ($) and carbon impact (kgCO2eq). Most LCA tools rely on detailed models, which takes time to build. However, our workflow analyzes conceptual geometries and generates recommendations in two aspects: sustainable building attribute features &amp; optimal detailed design solutions. Cutting-edge technologies are applied, including machine learning, optimization, and data visualization. Our workflow is

developed in Grasshopper, a codefriendly platform in the conceptual design software Rhino. The workflow helps save ~10% on cost and ~20% on carbon in the U.S. on average by following the recommendations. Take a medium office in the U.S. as an example; 10% cost saving corresponds to ~$6 million. The workflow also reduces its analysis time to ~30 minutes, whereas building a detailed model takes hours. As for attribute features, three results are delivered. One is the optimal ranges of numerical at16

values for numerical attributes and select their favorite categorical options to tailor the design needs. A 3rd factor, distance, is then quantified to add diversity among multiple construction schemes when recommending detailed design solutions.

tributes. Another is the rankings of categorical options. The other one is their sensitivity analysis. Although the level of importance varies with the weather, the cost-carbon ratio, and the analysis period; the window-to-wall ratios and equipment efficiencies are considered the most influential numerical factors. The categorical choices of wall type and façade type are notably influential, followed by glazing types and equipment systems. Apart from these, the workflow also recommends solutions with detailed construction schemes. This workflow is unique because it delivers strategies during the early design stage with high flexibility. Ranges and rankings give users freedom when following recommendations. The workflow also allows users to customize the boundary

Images by the author.

Machine Learning for Human Design: Developing Next Generation Sketch-Based Tools Bryan Ong Wen Xi SMBT &amp; SM CEE Advisor: Caitlin Muller Formal computational approaches in the realm of engineering and architecture, such as parametric modelling and optimization, are becoming increasingly powerful, allowing for systematic and rigorous design processes. However, these methods often bring a steep learning curve, require previous expertise, or are unintuitive and unnatural to human design. On the other hand, analog design methods such as hand sketching are commonly used by architects and engineers alike. They constitute quick, easy, and almost primal modes of generating and transferring design concepts, which in turn facilitates the sharing of ideas and feedback. In the advent of increasing computational power and developments in data analysis, deep learning, and other emerging technologies, there is a potential to bridge the gap between these seemingly divergent processes to develop new hybrid approaches to design. Such methods can provide designers with new opportunities to harness the systematic and data-driven power of computation and performance analysis while maintaining a more creative and intuitive design interface. This thesis presents a new method for interpreting human designs in sketch format and predicting their structural performance using recent advances in deep learning. Furthermore, the thesis demonstrates how this new technique can be used in design workflows including performance-based guidance and interpolations between concepts.

Image 1 (Above): Two-tier surrogate model from hand-drawn input to performance prediction. Image 2 (Opposite): Suggestions via interpolations of 3 selected test cases from hand sketches.

On The Relationship Between Spatial-Temporal Outdoor Thermal Comfort Simulations and Bike Ridership Elizabeth Young SMBT Advisor: Christoph Reinhart Reader: Timur Dogan The United Nations estimates that by

Predicting resident comfort through-

2050, 68% of the global population will

out a city over time and predicting the

reside in cities. As of 2019, the trans-

impact of these thermal sensations on

portation sector in the U.S. accounts

mobility mode choice is an essential

for 29% of U.S. GHGs, making it the

part of encouraging urban planners

largest contributor among various

and policy makers to promote and

sectors. To decarbonize local traffic

implement thermal comfort concepts.

and encourage human-powered forms

The Universal Thermal Climate Index

of transportation such as walking or

(UTCI) is a biometeorological index

biking, pedestrians’ and cyclists’ safety

that has been linked to outdoor activ-

and thermal comfort in transit must

ity patterns and used to evaluate the

be addressed. The latter is increasingly

effectiveness of urban interventions to

important as temperatures rise in cit-

improve thermal comfort. However,

ies due to climate change.

calculating the UTCI at high resolu-

tions in urban spaces is complex as

patterns and UTCI values along each

it requires inputs such as the ambient

route is studied. Supervised machine

temperature, relative humidity, wind

learning models are applied to predict

speed and mean radiant temperature

bike ridership based on UTCI and

at the point of interest.

other predictors.

This thesis investigates how simulating the urban environment at increasing levels of spatial refinement impacts calculated UTCI values along three bike routes in Cambridge, MA. As a baseline, UTCI is estimated using data from a local weather file. Then, shading from buildings and trees along the routes are considered. Next, local wind speeds are incorporated from computational fluid dynamics simulations. Finally, surface temperatures of the surrounding environment are included. Subsequently, with the UTCI simulations

Imasger 1 (Opposite): Bike route between MIT (Amherst St.) to Mass Ave/Beacon St.

bike ridership data from Bluebikes,

Imasger 2 (Abolve): Average Bluebikes trip count per hour against UTCI from MIT to Beacon St (on MIT school days at 2-8pm).

Boston’s bike-sharing program, the relationship between bike ridership 21

MIT Architecture Final Thesis Reviews, May 21, 2021 Master of Science in Architecture Studies (SMArchS)

Jeremy Bilotti 24 Computation &amp; SM in CS

Dries Carmeliet 26 Architecture &amp; Urbanism

Reza Daftarian 28 Aga Khan Program

Katherine Dubbs 30 History, Theory &amp; Criticism

Aidan Flynn 32 History, Theory &amp; Criticism

Eduardo Gascón Alvarez 34 Building Technology

Marianna Gonzalez-Cervantes 36 Architecture Design

Eakapob Huangthanapan 38 Architecture &amp; Urbanism

Ryuhei Ichikura 40 Architecture &amp; Urbanism

Rania Sameh Kaadan 42 Computation

Wonki Kang 44 Computation

Wuyahuang Li 46 Architecture &amp; Urbanism Bowen Lu 48 Computation Luis Alberto Meouchi Velez 50 Architecture &amp; Urbanism Amanda Merzaban 52 Aga Khan Program

Elina Oikonomaki 58 Computation Siyuan Sheng 60 Architecture &amp; Urbanism Alexandra Waller 62 Computation Qianqian Wan 64 Architecture &amp; Urbanism Xiaoyun Zhang 66 Computation DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE MIT SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING SA+P 23

A Machine Learning Model for Understanding How Users Value Designs: Applications for Designers and Consumers Jeremy Bilotti SMArchS Computation SM Computer Science Advisor: Terry Knight Reader: Stefanie Mueller a framework for collecting and interpreting user feedback at scale.

People value furniture designs in subjective and multifaceted ways. Understanding these nuances helps design-

In this thesis, I demonstrate a number of advances toward developing a machine learning (ML) model of how designs are valued. The model can be used to better understand the implications of furniture design decisions, as well as for commercial strategy.

ers develop intuition for creating new designs. And yet, while an abundance of furniture designs already exist, our ability to access and leverage data about how users value them is limited. If our goal is to continually improve the outcome of how users value fur-

Existing ML systems have been trained on the physical and aesthetic features of completed designs.These top-down

niture designs—whether through design practice or commerce—we need

ated by comparing results to a test data set split from the original data set.

methods do not capture the nuances of how users actually value the various functions of their furniture. To improve on these methods, I first develop a framework for ingesting and classifying user feedback about how designs are valued. Next, I conduct a user survey to test this framework, generating a bottom-up, labeled dataset which requires no post-processing. Finally, I develop a framework for the computational analysis of this data. The framework is based on a probabilistic ML model trained on the real user data collected.

This framework represents a step toward a future in which datasets for furniture—and other design domains—are more accessible. By making user feedback available to designers at scale, and establishing methods for collecting this data, we can accelerate the development of designer intuition and deliver significantly greater value to users.

Through visualizations, I demonstrate how the ML model can be used to show an overview of large data sets of user feedback, model the preferences of new users and augment existing data sets.The model’s efficacy is evalu-

Image 1 (Opposite): Credit: Photograph by David Rosenwasser for Rarify. Image 2 (Above): Bottom-up classification of a furniture design by users. Image by the author.

Third Landscape Dries Carmeliet SMArchS Architecture &amp; Urbanism Advisor: Rania Ghosn Reader: Alexander D&#39;Hooghe &amp; Sheila Kennedy The global energy sector accounts for

failure, stalled projects and public op-

over 60 percent of all greenhouse gas

position to the top-down implementa-

emissions. Over the last decades, many

tion of renewable energy policies. The

studies from various perspectives have

aim of this research is to investigate

been conducted on its decarboniza-

the agency of bottom-up approaches

tion, yielding a range of strategies and

and local initiatives towards the cre-

policy proposals. Putting these theo-

ation of renewable energy landscapes.

ries into practice however, has proven

Therefore, renewable energy projects

more difficult. The field is littered with

are not just considered as technologi-

cal challenges, but as complex political, sociological, spatial and financial constructs that face barriers in each of these sectors. The most challenging barrier for a decarbonized society is the enormous spatial requirement of renewable technologies. Inevitably, these become visible and present in the landscape through their scale. The question thus shifts from “what” we can do about climate change, to “how” these technologies can be deployed and “why” various stakeholders would support them. cess of community participation in order to build a broad base of support.

To answer these questions, this research examines different typologies for wind and solar infrastructures that strive towards a symbiotic relation with the existing human, animal and plant lifeforms in Massachusetts. It imagines how these technologies become present in the landscape and are perceived by the local residents. Therefore an anatomy of wind and solar technologies is constructed that considers all different manners these infrastructures might impact their environment. Considering this anatomy signifies a fundamental shift from the top-down developer-led projects that aim to maximize profits, to a bottomup approach of local government led projects that center sustainability. Therefore the design typologies should be seen as a starting point to spark a public conversation and iteration, rather than end products. They are meant to be changed by the pro-

Finally, the implications are considered should such bottom-up energy projects become widespread. A strategy is proposed to make the US Northeast into a cohesive energy region that produces nearly all of its energy renewably and locally. In response to the barriers of siting new transmission lines, a landscape approach is proposed, using the region’s large rivers as spines to construct a new grid. This research breaks with the binary divide between natural and mechanical landscapes, and proposes a third landscape of symbiotic cohabitation of lifeforms and technologies.

Image1(Opposite): Spatial requirements of renewables. Image by the author. Image 2 (Above): Barriers blocking the implementation of renewables. Image by the author.

Fractured and Dissolved, Architecture Ablaze: Towards an Understanding of Ayeneh-Kari in the Early Modern Palace of Iran Reza Daftarian SMArchS Aga Khan Program Advisor: Nasser Rabbat Reader: Kristel Smentek Ayeneh-kari (lit. ‘mirror-work’), a term that refers to a surface encrusted with fragmented mirrored glass, is a form of architectural ornament found in myriad historic monuments across Greater Iran. This decorative medium first emerged in the celebrated palatial structures of the Safavids (r. 1501–1722) and culminated in the intricate geometric mosaics that became the preferred decorative schema for both palaces under the Qajars (r. 1789–1925). Despite this preeminence, at its zenith ayeneh-kari was largely denigrated by foreign visitors to Iran as garish and a feeble emulation of European ‘culture,’ an attitude which has unfortunately permeated a preponderance of the scant scholarly literature into the subject both in English and Persian. Unlike In response to the cursory inquiries dealing with the ornamental form, the present work examines the emergence of ayeneh-kari in early modern Iran and traces its evolution as both an ornamental form and an ideological mechanism. How did this medium evolve from an obscure ornamental program of Safavid palaces to a conspicuous decorative schema that became ubiquitous in Qajar monuments? What was the sociopolitical climate in which this peculiar surface ornament flourished, and how was it reflected by the self-conscious use of ayeneh-kari in palatial architecture? Herein lies the crux of the present study, which will treat ayeneh-kari as a multisensory art form in its own right and as a dialogic instrument wielded to simultaneously forge and enunciate the mystique, splendor, and authority of a sovereign figure. By tracing the transformations in composition, location, and scale of ayeneh-kari and contextualizing such shifts within their respective socio-historical moment, we can recognize how nearly four centuries of Iranian rulers have employed this ornamental form as an ideological contrivance. Ultimately, I contend that on account of its material, sensory, and symbolic qualities, ayeneh-kari was methodically availed in the architectural programs of the Safavids, and especially the Qajars, whose imperial enterprise was contingent upon a symbolic linkage to their predecessors, to convey a distinctively Perso-Shi’i configuration of kingship. 28

Image 1 (Above): Detail of a pendentive of Kakh-e Asli’s vaulted entrance adorned with a combination of fretted and eslimi ayeneh-kari. Photo by Nazanin Pourshiravi, 2017. Image 2 (Below): Mirrors and ayeneh-kari bands in the vertical interstitial space between Talar-e Ayeneh’s windows. Photo by Nazanin Pourshiravi, 2017;

&quot;A Great Civilizing Agent&quot;: Architecture at MIT, Drawing Education, and Boston&#39;s Cultural Elite, 1865-1881 Katherine Dubbs SMArchS History, Theory &amp; Criticism Advisor: Arindam Dutta Reader: Mark Jarzombek

This thesis examines the origin of ar-

of the perceived antidote to national

chitecture as an American discipline

disunity — as well as a justification

and its relationship to the concurrent

for growing financial inequality —

promotion of public drawing educa-

was the control of design knowledge

tion in the second half of the nine-

through the creation of pedagogical

teenth century. In postbellum Mas-

programs and cultural institutions.

sachusetts, textile manufacturers and

Drawing simultaneously negotiated a

their professional networks took con-

multifarious identity as an industrial

trol of local drawing education. Part

skill, a leisure activity, and a special30

ized profession. Bolstered by the rise

tual undertaking worthy of its univer-

in disposable wealth, Boston-based

sity setting. This history is illustrated

elites invested in drawing as a symbol

through Ware’s contemporaneous in-

of class status and industrial control in

volvement in the promotion of local

an increasingly stratified city.

drawing education, his advocacy for

This development coincided with the

professionalism in architectural education, and his design of new printed

mid-century emergence of architec-

tural education in American universities. In 1865, architectural educator William Robert Ware was hired to create the architecture department at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the first architecture department in a university and

Image 1 (Opposite): Drawing class in MIT’s Architecture Department. Photograph. 1870s or 1880s. From: MIT Museum. Cambridge, Massachusetts.

the oldest architecture program in the country. For the duration of his tenure, Ware was part of a powerful

Image 2 (Below): Edwin James Lewis, Jr. Plate Number 43. Pencil and Watercolor on Trace Paper. From: Edwin James Lewis, Jr. “Architectural Drawings in Manuscript.” UF//L58. Boston Athenaeum. Boston, Massachusetts.

network of arts patrons and professionals in Massachusetts who ascribed a civilizing purpose to art, an idealized category which included architecture. As part of this effort, he was not only the founder of MIT’s architecture department but also a founding instructor at two other cultural institutions in Boston. Underpinning these elite ambitions, in Ware’s case, were both economic and intellectual aspirations to elevate architecture as a profession and to cultivate the architect as a cultural connoisseur. This thesis argues that Ware capitalized on the evolving status of drawing –– as a manual labor, a contractual document, a cognitive act, and a cultural marker –– to craft architectural education as an intellec31

Bawdy Bathers: Locating Male Bathing Culture in Early Modern Florence Aidan Flynn SMArchS History, Theory &amp; Criticism Advisors: Kristel Smentek &amp; Jodi Cranston Reader: Caroline Jones In 1552 Giovanni Conti banned males from accessing the holy interior of the Santa Maria del Fiore cathedral during certain hours “in order to obviate the obscenities and wrongs that are committed daily in that sacred place.” His legislation responded to sodomy—those blasphemous “obscenities” that had reportedly transpired at the cathedral. Defined as any non-procreative sex act, often used in reference to male-male sexual relations, “sodomy” generated anxiety throughout early modern Italian city-states. In Florence, police forces sought to legislate sex acts in an effort to restrict and punish the boundaries—real and imagined¬¬—between licit and illicit intimacies. In the premodern mind, sodomites could provoke divine wrath, leading to urban destruction, civic and religious disorder, as had transpired in the biblical city of Sodom.

While Conti’s legislation policed one particular building, it also illuminates larger spatial concerns related to sodomitical transgressions beyond church walls. The Florentine cathedral could be easily surveilled, while other spaces could not be controlled with the same level of legal and moral zeal, namely those indistinct places that blur the lines between church and state, public and private: a bathhouse. Using Passignano’s Bathers at San Niccolò (1600), an oil painting that depicts a contemporaneous scene of all-male bathing, imbued with suggestively transgressive male-male sex acts within a specific urban backdrop, my thesis asks: what can this particular visual stage tell us about the lived realities of sodomy in early modern Florence? When examined alongside topographical, legal, health, and religiopolitical archives, Passignano’s Bathers illuminates the intricacies of same-sex pleasure and punishment. I contend that by identifying this specific site along the Arno River, one can better achieve a history of sexual persecution, its civic surveillance, and various institutional efforts to control illicit sex within and beyond this aquatic space.

ing at and beyond the figures in Bathers, this project investigates the represented backdrop in which sodomitical activities are depicted to better understand this particular urban locale in which same-sex relations occurred. In so doing, this project also engages with larger historiographical issues, namely the ways in which premodern sex and gender have been mobilized in the works of postmodern theorists such as Foucault and Butler. My thesis aims to use this particular art object, alongside other works, as revelatory materials to examine and challenge the ways in which sex and space have been dealt with in various scholarly disciplines.

How might topographical and painterly representations of water, waste, and wantonness allow the historian to check written accounts (legal, religious, literary) of seemingly clandestine sexual encounters within specific architectures—and vice versa? Look-

Image 1(Opposite): Passignano, Bathers at San Niccolò (1600), private collection. Image 2 (Above): Stefano Buonsignori, Nova pulcherrimae civitatis Florentinae (1584), detail of ‘prato della giustizia’ (place of justice), Harvard Map Library.

Mass Balance: Design Strategies for Lightweight, Thermally Massive Construction Systems Eduardo Gascón Alvarez SMArchS Building Technology Advisors: Caitlin Mueller &amp; Leslie Norford structural elements with embodied energy and thermal systems with an impact on the occupants’ comfort.

As decarbonizing the building sector becomes increasingly urgent in the context of the global climate crisis, opportunities for considering the integration of design strategies and systems are emerging as an important area of research. This thesis specifically focuses on the design of building components that interact as both

The design of lightweight, thermally massive construction systems offers the opportunity to simultaneously tackle two of the main challenges currently faced by the built environment: the need to reduce the use of con-

active cooling capacity. Moreover, the implementation of multi-optimization techniques allows for the exploration of Pareto-optimal designs that can further improve their thermal behavior up to 9.5% (passive) and 28% (active), at the expense of slightly lowering the material savings achievements to 38%.

crete, responsible for 5-8% of global carbon emissions, and the mitigation of heatwaves events, which are already becoming more and more recurrent worldwide. This thesis presents new methodologies and results related to the dynamic thermal behavior of structurally optimized slabs and considers the ability of the thermal mass and ceiling’s geometric shape to flatten daily temperature fluctuations and as a result, improve the occupants’ thermal comfort. At the same time, activating these floor systems by, for example, embedding water pipes is yet another opportunity of integrating functions and further improving the performance of these systems.

Image 1(Opposite): The shaped ceiling acts as a room-sized heat exchanger that increases its passive and active thermal performances through an optimal geometric distribution.

The results obtained demonstrate the possibility of designing shaped slabs that, in addition to a 55% embodied energy reduction relative to conventional prismatic solutions, can still increase 6.5% their passive thermal mass performance and 14.5% their

Image 2 (Above): Selection of Pareto-optimal design. All of the geometries considered outperform conventiona flat concrete slabs both structurally and thermally.

Velvet Garage: Narratives of an Education in Architecture Marianna Gonzalez-Cervantes SMArchS Architectural Design Advisor: William O&#39;Brien Jr. Readers: Rosalyne Shieh &amp; Hans Tursack If you had to share the work you’ve

unexpected repercussions of study-

produced in architecture school with

ing architecture : spatially, technically,

your family, what would you say about

but also emotionally.This thesis admit-

it? Could you speak about it with the

tedly looks backward as it reflects on

same conviction you do in front of

old work and past experiences, some

your jury at a final review? Would the

dating up to 10 years, but it does so

things you value in architecture trans-

by re-representing them in a new way

late to someone who doesn’t study or

that attempts to talk about architec-

practice it?

ture differently, in a more accessible manner.

Velvet Garage : Narratives of an Education in Architecture is an explora-

The thesis, then, is two-fold :

tion into many things, most obviously

a response to the current remote

garages and architecture education,

conditions we find ourselves in due

but perhaps, most importantly, the

to COVID-19, this thesis transforms

the domestic garage of my childhood

large part of what makes us who we

home in El Paso, TX into a center of

are. Velvet Garage : Narratives of an

architectural production, where the

Education in Architecture attempts to

“Velvet Garage” then allows for the

share stories that haven’t ever been

reframing of architecture pedagogy as

shared before with the very new audi-

visual narratives in the form of a short

ence of my own family.

film that incorporates both found and designed objects. This thesis believes that we unconsciously embed ourselves in our work, but that our work is also embedded in us. When we share our work, we also share a part of ourselves, and when

Image 1 (Opposite): Childhood Garage. Image 2 (Below): Velvet Garage.

we can’t, we fail to communicate a

Mediating Chana: Seeding Synergies Between Doves and Development Eakapob Huangthanapan SMArchS Architecture &amp; Urbanism Advisor: Miho Mazereeuw Reader: Roi Salgueiro Barrio

Diagrams by the author..

For almost a century, domestication

form the pristine beaches and agricul-

of zebra doves for birdsongs has given

tural landscapes of Chana into special

Chana the reputation as the emerging

economic zones and the largest indus-

Southeast Asian capital of zebra doves.

trial complex in the south of Thailand.

In this rural district in the southern

The forces driving this development

coast of Thailand, the doves are not

are twofold: first, the centralized gov-

only worth more than gold but also

ernment has framed the project as

hold higher values in the local society

a way to promote national growth

and in the community stewardship to

through an opportunistic global trade.

the environment. In 2019, the national

Second, the plan is also driven by a na-

government of Thailand put forward a

tional-security agenda aimed at quell-

6,000-acre plan to build an industrial

ing the on-going ‘separatist insurgen-

metropolis and deep seaports in the

cies’ along the southern borders to

area. If realized, this project will trans-

Malaysia.The plan is not new; it is seen 38

as another reproduction of large-scale

industries. Countering the top-down

projects deployed under the highly

plan, the study’s goal is to move be-

centralized government. These plans

yond the impasse by mediating the

often deepen regional impasses by pri-

synergies between the cooing doves

oritizing economic development and

and the impending development.

simplify other complex socio-cultural and environmental dimensions. The thesis is looking at this tension between the two forces of globalization and the local culture. Drawing on the investigation of the unique relationships between humans and nonhumans in Chana, the thesis focuses on the doves, among other local assets, as the potential mediator in this contested site. The thesis presents insights from the field research and proposes a series of design scenarios to preserve the local culture, regenerate the local assets, and project future

Mokumitsu Districts in Tokyo: Urban Renewal by Housing Cooperative against Disaster Risk Ryuhei Ichikura SMArchS Architecture &amp; Urbanism Advisor: Miho Mazereeuw Readers: Susanne Schindler &amp; Kairos Shen Mokumitsu is a feature of urban dis-

serious issues for the nation, due to

tricts in Japan and means “densely

the districts’ large area and the high

built-up with wooden structured

probability of earthquake.

buildings”. Many of these buildings

Urban renewal—or the demolition

are categorized as substandard hous-

and reconstruction of so-called sus-

ing because they were built legally in

bstandard housing— is one of the

the last century but no longer fulfill

fundamental measures for disaster

the latest building codes. Mokumitsu

mitigation in Mokumitsu districts.

districts are considered severely

It is also significant for the exist-

unsafe in case of an earthquake be-

ing residents to keep living in the

cause the houses are structurally

same community after the renewal,

weak, combustible, and built very

in terms of disaster preparedness.

close each other. Especially since

However, the current policies for

the disastrous Kobe Earthquake in

the Tokyo’s Mokumitsu districts are

1995, Tokyo’s Mokumitsu districts in

not sufficient to facilitate this re-

particular become one of the most

newal. The subsidy for the develop-

ers hardly incentivizes design for the

with the residents to ask their de-

residents. Even with the direct sub-

sign preferences, tested the design

sidy for the residents, they face dif-

of the renewal, and analyzed the fi-

ficulties to rebuild their own houses

nancial feasibility from the perspec-

that they would prefer on the small

tive of real estate.

individual lands that would become even smaller and thinner after the road widening in the renewal. Accelerating the renewal in the Tokyo’s Mokumitsu districts by housing cooperative, this research aims to understand how renewal that is driven by consultants of housing cooperative can grasp the residents’ design preferences, and if it is

Image1 (Opposite): Townscape of Mokumitsu Districts. Image by the author.

financially feasible and scalable. The

Image2 (Below): A Mokumitsu District after Kobe Earthquake. Credits: Kobe City.

author conducted on-site interviews

Untold Narratives: Realizing Personal Design Identities Rania Kaadan SMArchS Computation Advisor: Terry Knight Readers: Lorena Bello Gomez &amp; Nicholas de Monchaux Prologue How is a designer&#39;s creative identity to be developed? How can design students question design assumptions and experiment with a range of design practices that allow them to decide which intentions to amplify, discard, or replace? In this thesis, I examine the objective and subjective interest in finding our voices by introducing personal narratives as a design tool to emancipate design students&#39; agency through worldmaking exercises. In the practice of both introspective and performative design protocols, students cultivate a personal sense of one&#39;s narrative, methods of representation, design language and their embodying unique socio-cultural, political and environmental identity.As an architect and a designer, this work has emerged from my own experiences, on one side, a student aware of mediated biases; and on another, an educator attempting to resist and mediate her own biases in design studios, hence avoiding a loss of students&#39; agency in developing a personal design language, geometries, and visual imagination. Through a series of worldmaking exercises, students harness narrative evidence of their own stories, their own imagination, captured through a reflexive and performative practice of self-discovery. In this regard, this thesis does not offer theories of how-to-design, or seek to constitute a curricula review. Rather, it is an alternative contribution to a relationship that flows through interwoven narratives and sequences of time. That is on the one side political and on another personalist, the latter being a theory derived from the person or personality as a key to an interpretation of one&#39;s reality – a story of a long process challenging the limitations of colonized narratives to motivate transformation, a tale of designers&#39; voice realization. Image (Opposite): A representation of a designer’s flow in an interwoven sequence of personal narratives.

Sonic Others: Metaphorical Sonification of Collective Events Wonki Kang SMArchS Computation Advisor: Axel Kilian Reader: Arvind Satyanarayan The year 2020 has brought many long-running global crises into light. The climate crisis has become more tangible than ever, and the pressures of the global pandemic further escalated racial injustice. Trying to make sense of such phenomena is overwhelming, and the efforts of journalists and data scientists to explain them in words or visual representations have repeatedly failed to evoke empathy from people. The reason is likely that global crises are hyperobjects, as defined by an ecological theorist Timothy Morton, objects that are in-experienceable due to their vast distribution in time and space beyond human’s perceptive capability1. Hyperobjects inevitably involve remarkably different temporalities than the ones relatable to human beings. Central to the thesis is the questioning of how the hyperobjects can be made experienceable. In doing so, I suggest a new way of engaging with the hyperobjects by bringing forward listening that has been considered as a mere backdrop of our experience. The thesis is delivered threefold. First, an overview of historical examples of how different senses have been utilized to raise empathy is conducted, and further argue how the auditory sense works best in doing so. Second, I propose a scalable framework to construct a sonic metaphor of a set of events that constitutes the hyperobject. The sonic metaphor is a conceptual metaphor, constructed through the conceptual blending of the sounds we are already familiar with. I describe collective events through the structure of meaning making, that is deeply ingrained in how humans learn abstract concepts based on their prior knowledge. Finally, the proposed framework is demonstrated to deliver multifaceted concepts of Black Lives Matter protests that have taken place in thousands of cities across the globe. By collecting and reconstructing the audio footages that have been recorded on site, I deliver an experience that is engaging and evocative. The ultimate goal of the thesis is to validate a hypothesis: hyperobjects are better heard than seen. Image (Opposite top): Constellation of sound events projected oanto semantic space. Image (Opposite bottom): The story delivered through navigating the sematic space. 1 Timothy Morton (2013). Hyperobjects: Philosophy and Ecology after the End of the World. University of Minnesota Press.

To Build Home And To Live In (U)Hygge Wuyahuang Li SMArchS Architecture &amp; Urbanism Advisor: Mark Jarzombek Readers: Rosalyne Shieh &amp; Henriette Steiner Since the nineteenth century, Dan-

This thesis looks at the home as the

ish society has established a standard

site in which citizenship is produced

of normality through the building of

and performed through household

bourgeois homes.To write about Dan-

objects, furniture, and architecture.

ish homes is to write an ethnography

With an archive that builds on lived

of hygge, a nationalized domestic aes-

experience collected from minorities

thetic encapsulated in the sense of

living in Denmark, it looks at precari-

comfort, togetherness, and wellbeing.

ous bodies and nonnormative modes

Meanwhile, in mainstream media and

of living and loving to articulate

scholarship, the homes of minorities&#39;

uhygge – the strange, foreign, otherly,

are largely represented as “ghettos,”

and unhomely – as the queerness in

distinct urban territories character-

heteronomative discourses of nation,

ized by social dysfunction and unem-

a spatial form of being together that

keeps the histories of diverse struggles intact. To Build Home and To Live In (U)Hygge is the production of a three-act play that reconstitutes the cultural meanings of uhygge through acts of passing, turning, and arriving. The play unfolds the narratives of home and belonging along scales of homeland, house, and body. Act I To Pass, or Nobody Passes positions the migrant and the queer of color as intersecting vectors of uhygge that haunt an essentialist Danish identity in order to re-evaluate the failures in assimilating social norms. Act II The Politics of Turning reflects on both the struggles of turning away from ma46

joritarian projects, such as hygge, and the different coalitional publics that this “turning” enables. Finally, Act III A Home Around Uranus arrives at a hybrid orientation between assimilation and marginalization to imagine a

refuge built with jouissance, one that delights in pain and danger. Images 1 and 2: A Remote Casting in Copenhagen: Call for Uhygge. Design by Wuyahuang Li; Photo by Francesco Martello.

Networking Knowledge and Experience: An Instrumental System for the Personal Development of Individual Designers Bowen Lu SMArchS Computation Advisor: George Stiny Reader: Paul Keel

Pursuing novelty and diversity, designers are trained through a wide spectrum of different disciplines, absorbing a tremendous amount of explicit knowledge and implicit experience. As design being extremely divergent and complicated, the insufficient development of design abilities is magnified in a fast-growing world of information, especially at the individual designer level. On one side, design education still depends on an apprentice-based practice that slowly forges personality into subconsciousness. On the other side, the technology surge of computeraided design increases productivity but limits our imagination with predefined structure and framework. There is not yet a promising method or technology that facilitates design thinking and creativity, especially in the long-term accumulation for individual designers. In this thesis, I propose a new theory of design ideation and develop an instrumental software system as the implementation of design technology. In constructing a personal network of knowledge and experience for design purposes, the system incorporates both science and art, including the symbolic structure 48

of combinatoric objects in problem-solving as well as the ambiguous perception of unrestricted imagination in visual calculating. Moreover, it provides a unified representation of a network where valuable knowledge and experience can be easily collected, retrieved, and transformed to create new ideas. The software is designed as an augmentation of design thinking, sharing designers’ cognitive burden of memory and attention. Taking verbal notes or visual sketches, human designers and computer systems collaborate and express each other’s strengths in more efficient learning and more creative designing. This research offers a human-oriented scope across design and technology by demonstrating a computationally augmented intelligence as networked knowledge and experience. The system has more potential in expanding the way we think, and future designers may benefit from this integrated approach of computing, both symbolically and visually. Image 1 (Opposite): Network Visualization: Personally accumulated knowledge and experience in a network of more than 15,000 nodes, including Conceptual nodes (purple, 1794), Episodic nodes (yellow, 13026), and 10 types of connections (50382). Image 2 (Below): System Interface: Graphic interacting system including inbox, viewer, and widgets that incorporates explicit knowledge (verbal) and implicit experience (visual) in order to fulfill the continuous workflow of input-store-retrieve.

Collecting Ideals: Re-Envisioning Ejidos as Climate-Action Platforms Luis Alberto Meouchi Velez SMArchS Architecture &amp; Urbanism Advisors: Lorena Bello Gomez &amp; Nicholas de Monchaux Reader: Diane Davis Established by constitutional decree in 1917, ejidos were considered one of the most successful outcomes of the Mexican Revolution’s fight to redistribute land back to indigenous populations in a collective land tenure system or ‘commons.’ After decades of operation in which neoliberal critics claimed that ejidatarios were insufficiently productive, the Mexican authorities reformed the constitution to allow privatization of ejidal lands. The 1992 NAFTA agreement further incentivized the commodification of such lands, and many ejidos were dismantled or transformed into private property. While ejidos have been studied by many disciplines, from agrarian law or social-economics to ethnography, urban scholars who have examined their impact urbanization have focused primarily on ejidos in the periphery of large cities, arguing that ejidal transformation is a key determinant of urban sprawl and intensifying metropolitan inequality. In “name of your thesis” I argue that ejidos have played a major role in the urbanization and development of more rural settings in Mexico, particularly in regions with small towns. I further argue that ejidal dynamics in such regions have their own peculiarities – particularly in terms of the potential impacts of ejidal privatization on the natural and built environment, and thus that planners need special tools to manage and guide the impact of ejidal production on urbanization in such settings. More specifically, I hypothesize that ejidos -- which still comprise 52% of Mexico’s land, could play a major role in Mexico’s fight to confront climate change in the twenty first century, in a manner that is fair and equitable to its common owners, particularly if the question of water supply is solved. To support this claim, my thesis uses mapping as a critical device to first spatialize and visualize the different outcomes of ejido privatization. Using the case of Apan, Hidalgo— in the Pachuca sub-basin region—I propose a series of measures to guide ejidal development in quasi-rural settings. After developing the Latourian concept of a critical zone to guide such processes, I propose the development of common platform for stakeholder engagement that could help visualize different scenarios and accommodate common interests to ensure water sovereignty for all. Keywords: Equitable-inclusive-resilient urban design, commons vs. commodities, ejidos.

Image: Tina Modotti’s photography: “Campesinos leyendo el Machete”. The newspaper header reads “All the land, not pieces of land”, 1926.

Scripting Inclusion Amanda Merzaban SMArchS Aga Khan Program Advisor: Renée Green Readers: Lara Baladi &amp; Jesal Thakkar Kapadia Efforts to bring underrepresented modernist women artists of Arabic speaking countries into the scope of Western art exhibitions has been on the rise, particularly since the early 2000s. Who decides what artists get shown and how their stories are told? What are the power structures guiding their inclusion? I inspect the consequences of the prevailing power dynamic through a feminist lens. This thesis is meant to offer a way of reviewing these systems of power so it can be more explicitly analyzed and discussed in tandem with how art is inscribed into Western discourse. Image 1 (Opposite above): Walid Raad,Yet more letters to the reader, exhibition view, Fondazione Volume, 2017, © 2016 Federico Ridolfi, courtesy of the artist and Sfeir-Semler Gallery Beirut / Hamburg

Image 2 (Opposite bellow and below): Video still: Imane Belle. Saloua Raouda Choucair – From Beirut to Tate Modern, 2013. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bB1K4H0vx0g

Nightrise: Through the Valley of Jabal ‘Amil’s Shadow Mohamad Nahleh SMArchS Architectural Design Advisor: Sheila Kennedy Readers: Mark Jarzombek &amp; Nasser Rabbat This thesis situates design at the intersection of two realms: a shared fascination with the night to which countless civilizations have contributed, and the exploration of a place rooted in the potential of its oral legacy. It offers a return to pre-capitalistic impressions of the night, to a time when darkness and light were not strictly opposed, and envisions the potential of such nuances today. Nightrise, then, not only reveals the clashes between the social expansion of the nocturnal landscape and the apparent rationality of sight, but inspires a design imagination that escapes the need to perpetuate and aestheticize the consumable forms of the day (and their respective publics). The seed from which this imagination grows is a twenty-six-night walk across the Lebanese hinterland, where moving shadows begin to awaken amorphous subcultures capable of weaponizing their formlessness in the name of self-preservation. Because the night resists the reign of any solitary subculture, these nocturnal cohabitations often rely on unspoken rules of civility all but invisible to strangers. And it was on the sixth night of this walk into the heart of Jabal ‘Amil – what is today known as South Lebanon – that my transgression of these rules was matched with an act of hostility

Image 1 (Above): The journey of a single night. Drawing by the author.

that, strangely, culminated in the opportunity to imagine and implement an architecture of nightrise: a path on the southern border of Lebanon between a mountain and a river. If a path for the day seeks to impose the lone perspective of a single direction, then this path for nightrise revels in the unseen, in the ability to interrupt, and perhaps invert, the ubiquitous association between eyesight and insight. The erasure of the unidirectional line comes to propose a series of scattered stations that whisper, hint, and conjure countless variations of the same path in the minds of its visitors. These stations draw out the nocturnal qualities inspiring some of Jabal ‘Amil’s oral myths and legends, and the politics that are deeply rooted within them: from distressing celestial appearances to the imaginal world of the Jinn, and from tales that follow the spread of

Shi’ism to the darkness surrounding the famous proverb, “Look under any stone in Jabal ‘Amil and you will find a poet.” Unfolding across the pages of this thesis is thus a peripatetic journey of two nocturnal voyages, one that begins in the past with the stories of my walk across Lebanon, and another in the future, on the Path of Nightrise, which will be implemented in the months following the submission of this work.

Image 2 (Below): Mount Qaf encircling the world and resting on the giant bull al-Rayyan, which stands on the vast fish Bahamut, which in turn is carried on the shoulders of an angel. Ajaib al-Makhluqat. Zakariya ibn Muhammad al-Qazwini. 1553.

Evaluating Overheating Preventative Measures in Residential Buildings and Passive Survivability Yesufu OIadipo SMArchS Building Technology Advisor: Leslie Norford Reader: Leon Glicksman

Buildings that are thoughtfully

are within residential buildings.

planned for future climate sce-

The outdoor weather data se-

narios, designed well, and proper-

lected for the assessments is

ly maintained have the potential

from Boston, MA, and New York,

to provide thermally comfortable

NY during an extreme hot week.

environments. These same build-

Assessments made within this re-

ings can significantly reduce en-

search are intended to give guid-

ergy consumption and decrease

ance on the selection of the most

CO2 emissions. This research

appropriate combination of exte-

evaluates the impact of the use

rior wall properties and natural

of natural ventilation and modi-

ventilation strategies within a

fications to the exterior wall to

well-insulated and tightly sealed

decrease the probability of heat-

related illness and overheating.

The daily operations of build-

Assessments within this research

ings and the number of occupants 56

effective temperature (SET). SET

heat loads. Additionally, indoor

incorporates heat loss to the en-

air temperatures are impacted

vironment and an evaluation of it

by solar heat gain from glazed

is currently recognized by LEED

openings and heat transmitted

as a measure to promote passive

by conduction through exterior

survivability.

wall surfaces. Natural ventilation strategies can reduce indoor air temperatures and increase air velocities close to the skin. Increasing air velocities close to the skin can supplement an individual’s thermoregulatory system. Air flows near the skin allow the body to expel heat in a manner that reduces the necessity of skin wettedness. Skin wettedness aids in reducing the surface and core temperatures

through the dissipation of heat. Both surface and core temperatures can help to indicate the level of heat stress encountered by an individual. Two of the metrics used in this research are the thermal sensation scale predicted mean vote (PMV) and standard

Sonic Urban Transformations: A Computation Model to Study and Represent Temporal Changes in the Walking Experience Elina Oikonomaki SMArchS Computation Advisor: Terry Knight Readers: Arvind Satyanarayan, Andres Sevtsuk &amp; George Stiny Cities are dynamically changing, complex environments, especially during unpredictable events like the global pandemic where parking lots and sidewalks evolve to become restaurants at certain times of the day. Yet, the current urban models used by urban planners and designers include only static representations of the city, that rely on visual information such as maps and images. These static representations of the city are incapable of capturing, representing, and accounting for the changing condition of cities and peoples’ lives. Thus, urban design and planning decisions remain insensitive to the social and spatial conditions that are in constant flux.

Urban spaces are ephemeral, temporal, and ambiguous in their nature and that they are best perceived in motion and through time.The thesis, I propose, forms a computational model to understanding and representing the temporal changes in the walking experience through sound. Sound offers a more dynamic representation of everyday life in the city as it can convey information about the changes in the practices, actions, and events that take place in the space. These temporal changes in the practiced space constitute not only spatial transformations but also sonic transformations that shape the walking experience. The development of a novel system of representation to enable the effective comparison between different walking experiences is a key component in this work. A specific walking route around Harvard Square was used as a case study to capture how the different phases of the pandemic changed the walking experience at street-level and the spatial conditions over time. By collecting visual, audio data and geolocation data, captured over a three-month period in the afternoons and evenings, the comparative model was built. Urban planners can use this model to understand how the planning decisions affect the walking experience and inform their decisions by the temporal multimodal representations of city life.

Made in Rural China Siyuan Sheng SMArchS Architecture &amp; Urbanism Advisor: Brent Ryan Reader: Roi Salgueiro Barrio

While informal economics are treated as the “sickness” of the cities, they have their own treasure part to retain. In the era of great construction and rebuilding of the cities as urbanization mode, developing countries may take the informal economic site as a great chance to reap the benefits brought by the community.They are often mentioned as a problem that needs to be solved and, in most cases, it means reconstruction. Vested interests are happy to integrate these resources and announce that the threat to the cities is finally eliminated. They benefit not by the plunder of cap-ital, but by the elimination of the social subjectivity of those who have created value. E-commerce villages are one of those communities. They seized the opportunity of e-commerce development to make profit and also make the online economy grow rapidly and vigorously.The informality and the “unintegration” of those areas led to the reconstruction of them. However, the reconstructions are tending to take the existing urban pattern of residential areas as their template. This is the easiest and fastest way of thinking and not problematic in most of the cases but made the ecommerce villages lose their locality since the templates do not actually fit the operating mode of those villages. The thesis is proposing a possible choice for those villages based on the re-search on the local social relation and business mode by taking one of the villages as an example, trying to make the areas more economically efficient and more livable at the same time.

Monstrous Space: Architectural Production in an Age of Algorithms Alexandra Waller SMArchS Computation Advisor: Lawrence Sass Reader: Terry Knight and those belonging to spolia, architectural fragments produced through the ruination of existing architecture and repurposed as material in new constructions. A conceptual framework is developed which situates domestic-digital space in cross-disciplinary dialogue with other concepts and processes of hybridity and aligns the aesthetic qualities of domesticdigital space within the lineage of the grotesque in Western art and architecture.

In the last half-century, much attention has been paid in the fields of architecture and design towards developing methods of interfacing with machines, and to the production of objects in space through digital technologies. As a result of these efforts, the evolution of these technologies has advanced the field of architecture and design forward, enabling new and powerful methods of representation, novel approaches to fabrication and construction, and allowed for the unparalleled exploration of architectural form in space.

A methodology for architectural production is developed in response, including a structure for hybrid human-

This thesis provides an expanded understanding of the consequences of digital processes in architecture and design by investigating the way space itself is reconfigured as a byproduct of ubiquitous computation. It claims fertile territory for investigation: the physical-digital hybridization of domestic space and cloud-based peerto-peer video communication platforms. As a result of domestic-digital hybridization, raw architectural fragments are shown to be created. Critical parallels surface between the material qualities inherent to these fragments 62

machine design collaboration, and approaches to material creation, organization, and assembly. A fragment catalogue is produced, documenting and organizing a collection of digital spolia, and a series of speculative domestic architectures is constructed utilizing fragments from the catalogue. Differing approaches towards assembly are tested with the goal of

producing spatial qualities resonant with grotesque expression. Image 1 (Bottom): Collage, Draughtsman Making a Perspective Drawing of a Reclining Woman, (Albrecht Dürer, ca 1600) Image source: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/366555?searchField= All&amp;amp;sortBy=Relevance&amp;amp;ft=Albrecht+Dür er&amp;amp;offset=360&amp;amp;rpp=20&amp;amp;pos=376 Image 2 (Below): Digital Spolia. Image source: Author.

Generative Urban Design Toward Thermal Synergy: Inspire Sustainable Urban Configuration under Distributive Heating &amp; Cooling Schemes Qianqian Wan SMArchS Architecture &amp; Urbanism Advisor: Caitlin Mueller Readers: David Birge &amp; Leslie Norford

Investigating Design Intentions: Use of Eye Tracking and Machine Learning to Study Perception of Architectural Sketches Xiaoyun Zhang SMArchS Computation Advisor: Takehiko Nagakura Reader: Axel Kilian

\Are we able to perceive an architect’s intention through observation of his or her sketches? Yes, but it requires a probing process of observation. I propose a method to utilize eye-tracking as a translator between the graphics and the architects’ perception of three types of intention: shape, composition, and circulation. My hypothesis is that we can perceive how architects represent these intentions -- through the means of graphics, which allows a more ambiguous and dynamic translation between intention and sketches, we can probe the underlying process by observing a viewer’s eye movements. Furthermore, heat maps, obtained from eye movements, can be adapted to a machine learning algorithm -- Image-conditioned Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs). I use this algorithm to translate the raw sense of space and visual gesture to capture humanlevel information acquisition of these intentions. 66

To demonstrate the work, I first discuss the history of visual power in design and a shift towards units and segmentation, covering the development from the emergence of design drawings to the innovation in parametric design. I then proceed with an eye-tracking study where I asked graduate architecture students to observe sketches by Louis Kahn. I study how the graphics of heat maps from eye-tracking decode the participants’ perception of intentions in sketches based on a shared educational background in architecture. Then, I propose a framework of utilizing such a representation system to train machines to predict human-level view patterns. Finally, I examine how effective this system will function with an image-to-image machine learning algorithm known as the imageconditional GANs. The study demonstrates that mechanical eye-movements implicates a shared visual-thinking procedure that has been unconsciously practiced by human designers. Such procedure, if learned by machines, will facilitate a creative process that utilize such informal dynamics derived from eye movement in visual representation in design.

Image 1 (Opposite): Kahn, L. I. Morris residence: Detail plan. Architectural Archives, University of Pennsylvania. Image 2 (Above) Sketch by the author.

MIT Architecture Final Thesis Reviews, May 21, 2021 Master of Architecture (MArch)

DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE MIT SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING SA+P 69

The Houseful(l)ness of Public Space Xio Alvarez MArch &amp; MCP Advisors: Miho Mazereeuw &amp; Larry Vale Readers: Nicholas de Monchaux &amp; Garnette Cadogan This thesis takes up the role of archi-

defines membership through one’s

tects and urban designers in house-

proximity and access to property.

lessness, not through our positions

Public spaces of the city are then fur-

on affordable housing, but by consid-

ther policed in order to discourage

ering the ways that they play a part

uses and occupations that are discor-

in perpetuating the privatization of

dant with the recreational, ordered dominant use case.

domesticity. Domestic life - the programs and functions most closely as-

Despite this, the public spaces of cit-

sociated with housing and home - has

ies are made house-full by unhoused

been largely programmed out of the

residents. Lacking access to the pro-

public spaces of cities in order to

grams packaged in housing, unhoused residents piece together different

make them inhospitable to unhoused

rooms and play out different routines

residents and the urban poor more

of necessity and joy throughout the

broadly. Most visible in the form of

city. Attempts to design unhoused

so-called hostile architecture, these

people out of public space have re-

anti-domestic practices result in pub-

sulted in a universally hostile public

lic spaces that discourage lingering

realm whose impacts are unevenly

or gathering, in which it is difficult to

felt. Unhoused people are closest to

spend time. In doing so, they center

this problem and bear the brunt of

a long-lasting definition of the socio-

its violence. In this thesis I consider

political project of “the public&#39;&#39; which

what public space begins to look like

how can we center the domesticities of unhoused residents in that expansion? What happens when public space is seen as housefull?

when it changes its agenda. What could the public realm look like if we expanded its domestic possibilities rather than restricting them, and

Image 1 (Opposite and below): If housing can be understood as less of a totalizing Boolean yes-no condition, and more as a gradient of opportunities and access, we start to see how housed people share a dispersed network of domesticity in the city with unhoused neighbors. (img by author) Image 2 (Above): The criminalization of encampments in cities is willfully blind to the community development work they embody, and the ways that occupation of public land produces social infrastructures of care in the unhoused community. (Seattle Navigation Team Site Journal, 2019)

Still Standing Cooperative Strategies for the Renovation of Soviet Mass Housing Ben Hoyle MArch Eytan Levi MArch &amp; MSRED Advisor: Ana Miljački Readers: Susanne Schindle, Kairos Shen &amp; Marc Simmons

Mass housing across the former So-

vated, and many are neglected. But

viet Union is in varying states of dis-

in most places, residents own their

repair, having lasted much longer than

apartment units, having obtained them

it was expected to when built in the

at a minimal cost following the col-

1960s. Treatment of the buildings var-

lapse of the USSR. While this leaves

ies greatly depending on context, as

many apartment owners responsible

some are replaced, others are reno-

for common amenities that they don’t 72

have the means or incentives to maintain, it also puts them in a position to leverage the latent value of the Soviet structures they live in. Current trends do not take full advantage of these circumstances, and it is often external developers who manage to profit from the land value of Soviet housing, leaving residents with inadequate compensation. No matter what happens to the buildings, the legacy of mass housing is deeply entrenched and will continue to shape the built environment for generations to come. We argue that it is essential to keep the original structures — with modifications and updates — to create agency for residents in how this legacy is carried into the future. This thesis demonstrates three scenarios in which residents of the same type of prefabricated modernist housing — in sites spread across the former Soviet territory — collectively leverage their apartments to create renovations that serve their common interests. Using contemporary mass timber construction technology and Image 1 (Opposite): Model of a I-467 series residential building. Photo credits: Daisy Zhang

taking full advantage of local real estate markets, residents can self-orga-

Image 2 (Above): Existing I-467 buildings in Riga, Moscow, and Surgut

nize to improve their living spaces. 73

Conectividad Alegal Lucas Igarzabal MArch Marisa Concetta Waddle MArch Advisors: Hans Tursack Readers: Marie Law Adams &amp; Axel Kilian This thesis investigates the rapid rate at which the changing of ownership, production, and policy has affected the Bay of Havana. In 2009, the Cuban government designated a single free port on the island just 40 kilometers west of the Bay.The Mariel marked an era of economic restructuring, a common occurrence in the past century. These policy changes aim to [ease the day-to-day lives of] of Cuban citizens but also leave them vulnerable to foreign industries who seek to mine the area for its unregulated resources, cheap labor, and proximity to US trade flows. The Bay, as a site of this intense geopolitical speculation and aging infrastructure, is emblematic of Cuba as a whole. The Bay, bracketed by an inoperable oil refinery and a degrading thermoelectric plant, is currently characterized by abandoned industry. While these forgotten sites restrict pedestrian access and foster pollution, they provide a critical connection to the shoreline, and therefore to the world at-large. The project is a speculation of a future that aims to return this site to its citizenry. It argues for the Cuban philosophy of resolver to leverage the resilient culture of Havana’s citizens against foreign opportunism. It explores the transformation of the site over the next five decades, as it adapts to the ever-changing economic, social, and political landscape of the country. The project salvages key components of the site, as opposed to depleting it of its resources. It develops new industries along the entire shore, adapted from abandoned factories, which circumvent material scarcity and access restrictions. The thesis operates between Havana’s historic ebb and flow of scarcity and surplus, defining a new vernacular of grassroots urbanism. 74

Image 1 (Top): Yield, Render of the site, 2021 (Original image by Lucas Igarzabal &amp; Marisa Concetta Waddle) Image 2 (Bottom): Inventar, Render of the site, 2021 (Original image by Lucas Igarzabal &amp; Marisa Concetta Waddle)

M.I.celium mexicanus: Rejecting Modernity through Zapotec Futurism Lynced Torres MArch Advisors: Sheila Kennedy &amp; Gediminas Urbonas Reader: Lorena Bello Gomez [M.I.]celium mexicanus is an entry point for architects and humans to consider transforming their relationship to the Earth’s critical zone through reconciliation with mushrooms to cultivate fungal allyship. The thesis examines and reimagines a future of building that drives towards the biological vs. that which is mineralized and controlled through unempathetic forces such as extraction through mining, greenwashing renewable energy to sustain mining production, and commercialization of architecture and planning practices. These elements are contaminants in the culture and lives of the Zapotec community residing in Juchitan, Oaxaca and perpetuate a historical system of colonisation and exploitation by not only foreign powers, but their own country and people. The city itself currently as of 2021 has not completely been able to rebuild the damage faced in the event of the 2017 hurricane that struck in the southern coast of the Isthmus de Tehuantepec. Government aid is minimal and services towards westernized modular building units like the concrete block, which are not ideal given the hot climate, serve as a unitized symbol for economic status, and is also susceptible to destruction. The house and temple of the future embeds all the ideals, values, and ACTIONS that it may collectively take to revitalize the very soil and territory that offers itself as a substrate for life. The actions reflect and respect the rituals of the “The People” as they are no longer considered inhabitants of the past, incapable of appreciating and forging technology for the modern world. Rather, in an act of architectural and environmental anarchy, they guide the future away from extraction and towards circular economies through their collective wisdom of the past, experience in the survival of countless apocalypses, and with their close ties to mushrooms. 76

Image 1 (Above): Psilocybin Spirit Guide. Image 2 (Below): Mycelium Growth Plate (strain Mazatapec) photographed by Skylar Perez.

Heirlooms: In Search of the Fifth Ecology Erin Wong MArch Advisor: Sheila Kennedy Readers: Rania Ghosn &amp; Nida Sinnokrot Deep in the bowels of an icy mountain on an island above the Arctic Circle lies a resource of vital importance. It is not oil, or coal, but seeds. Opened February 26, 2008, the Svalbard Global Seed Vault holds the world’s largest collection of agriculture biodiversity. The seeds lying in the deep freeze of the vault include wild and old varieties, many of which are not in general use anymore. And many that do not exist outside of the seed collections they came from. Remote and inaccessible, the seed vault protects and preserves, while the seeds hidden away, sleep, waiting to be woken. It is time for a new type of heirloom seed institution, one that is decentralized and accessible, one that designs for the entire lifecycle of the seed. Therefore, this thesis asks how this new kind of “seed library” could be constructed. Where once in nature, heirloom seeds found ways to move by themselves, by wind, by ocean current, in the bellies of animals, or by ballistic dispersal, they must now be supported by new types of civic architecture. Vaults will no longer be the sole keepers of seeds. Set in the near future, in a period that has become known as the Awakening, this project investigates how the current food system in LA might be transformed. Here, in downtown LA, interventions in existing extractive urban infrastructures are designed to sponsor new practices of heirloom seed tending, and the cultivation of new relationships between communities, food, and land.

Building / Unbuilding Andrew Younker MArch Advisor: Azra Akšamija Readers: Mark Jarzombek &amp; Nida Sinnokrot Waves of recent protests across the United States confronting structural racism demand a reckoning with colonial and Confederate histories which, far from being relegated to a distant past, continue to influence material, social and cultural formations in the present. There is a growing awareness of unstable environments where past constructions of history are losing their power to define national narratives for the masses and where the not-so-distant future is clouded with apocalyptic visions and existential threats. The present is haunted by both the past and future. Reciprocal networks of memory building and unbuilding are inscribed upon the surface of the land, or buried below, out of sight and out of mind. National monuments and parkland infrastructures stand as attractor points in these networks, refying hegemony and reaching simultaneously into the past and future to both define and control certain relationships between water, land, humans and non-humans. This project traces the wake of westward expansion through three of these sites and the watersheds they were constructed from. First, the Washington Monument which sits at the center of the National Mall, constructed from the wetlands of the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers. Second, the Jefferson Expansion Memorial, also known as the Gateway Arch National Park, sits on ground stabilized by a levee at the meeting of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. Third, Mount Rushmore National Memorial, also known as the Shrine to Democracy, blasted and carved into ancient granite formations in the headwaters of the Missouri River. The apparent inevitability and permanence of these monumental sites are challenged through a kind of counter-tourism that builds the unbuilding left in the wake of progress. These projects reveal inconsistencies that lie at their foundations and open up space to engage with both the terror and beauty overwritten by the ongoing and incomplete project of settler colonialism.

Image 1 (Above): Pile of Stones Image 2 (Below): Monuments &amp; Watersheds. Both by author.

Space of Mind: The Hidden Architecture in the Time of Pandemic Ziyu Xu MArch Advisor: Axel Kilian Reader: Cagri Hakan Zaman &amp; Nicholas de Monchaux

and accumulated work traces, three virtual scenes are proposed to reveal the spatial construct we are not aware of: Follies of Cognitive Labor, Field of Imagery, and Garden of Data. Each of the scenes starts with a specific element of digital materiality and adopts its own growing mechanism. After the process of recording and translation, forms of spatial notations in response to mental activities would expand into these experiential scenes.

The thesis sets its background in the current and post pandemic context, where cognitive activities have outranged the imagination of static architecture.The virtual work environment raised a lot of questions to the physical rooms we are inhabiting in. The definition of location and space are blurred and gradually disconnected from programs, productivity and memories. In this project, Architectural spaces are envisioned to be the echo of actions and the extension of one’s state of

In a similar way to making physical architecture, the methodology of making virtual architecture addresses

mind. With the approach of Worldbuilding based on cognitive activities 82

three questions. Firstly. How to collect building materials? Secondly, what and how to construct? Thirdly, how can the built objects be perceived and navigated? The method of digital construction provides the potentials of enhancement or decay of the created Loci (built objects) based on interactions such as refocusing, and recalling. Essentially, the work aims to explore general ways and tools to materialize productivity and memories and the design part will be presented through the lens of my perception as an example. Following this narrative, different design results may emerge in different time of a day, and under various situations. The making of these architecture and scenes are impacted by individuality, randomness and time factors, and leverage invisible daily activities into a non-linear virtual construction. Image1 (Opposite): Toolkit for making virtual architecture.Image2 (Below): Hidden spaces behind the screen.

MIT Architecture Thesis Reviews, May 21, 2021 SPECIAL THANKS Architecture Faculty and Staff Eleni Aktypi José Luis Argüello Kathaleen Brearley Renée Caso Stacy Clemons Nicolas de Moncheaux Chris Dewart Deborah Garcia

Gina Halabi Chris Jenkins Sheila Kennedy Terry Knight Doug Le Vie Inala Locke Tonya Miller Amanda Moore

Andreea O’Connell Paul Pettigrew Christoph Reinhart Andrew Scott Cynthia Stewart Skylar Tibbits

Advisors and Readers (MIT and External) Cherie Abbanat Azra Akšamija Lara Baladi Lorena Bello Gomez David Birge Garnette Cadogan Jodi Cranston Diane Davis Nicholas de Monchaux Alexander D&#39;Hooghe Timur Dogan Arindam Dutta Rania Ghosn Renée Green Jeremy Gregory Cagri Hakan Zaman Mikael Jakobsson Mark Jarzombek

Caroline Jones Jesal Kapada Paul Keel Sheila Kennedy Axel Kilian Randy Kirchain Terry Knight Marie Law Adams Miho Mazereeuw Ana Miljački Lee Moreau Caitlin Mueller Stefanie Mueller Takehiko Nagakura Leslie Norford William O&#39;Brien Jr. Nasser Rabbat Christoph Reinhart

Brent Ryan Roi Salgueiro Barrio Lawrence Sass Arvind Satyanarayan Susanne Schindle Rafi Segal Andres Sevtsuk Kairos Shen Rosalyne Shieh Marc Simmons Nida Sinnokrot Kristel Smentek Henriette Steiner George Stiny Skylar Tibbits Hans Tursack Larry Vale Gediminas Urbonas

Massachusetts Institute of Technology School of Architecture &amp; Planning Department of Architecture 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Room 7-337 Cambridge, MA USA 02139 617 253 7791 - [email protected] - architecture.mit.edu

© 2021 Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Individual contributions are copyright their respective authors. Images are copyright their respective creators, unless otherwise noted. Booklet design by José Luis Argüello.

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How to Write a Dissertation | A Guide to Structure & Content

A dissertation or thesis is a long piece of academic writing based on original research, submitted as part of an undergraduate or postgraduate degree.

The structure of a dissertation depends on your field, but it is usually divided into at least four or five chapters (including an introduction and conclusion chapter).

The most common dissertation structure in the sciences and social sciences includes:

• An introduction to your topic
• A literature review that surveys relevant sources
• An explanation of your methodology
• An overview of the results of your research
• A discussion of the results and their implications
• A conclusion that shows what your research has contributed

Dissertations in the humanities are often structured more like a long essay , building an argument by analysing primary and secondary sources . Instead of the standard structure outlined here, you might organise your chapters around different themes or case studies.

Other important elements of the dissertation include the title page , abstract , and reference list . If in doubt about how your dissertation should be structured, always check your department’s guidelines and consult with your supervisor.

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Table of contents

Acknowledgements, table of contents, list of figures and tables, list of abbreviations, introduction, literature review / theoretical framework, methodology, reference list.

The very first page of your document contains your dissertation’s title, your name, department, institution, degree program, and submission date. Sometimes it also includes your student number, your supervisor’s name, and the university’s logo. Many programs have strict requirements for formatting the dissertation title page .

The title page is often used as cover when printing and binding your dissertation .

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The acknowledgements section is usually optional, and gives space for you to thank everyone who helped you in writing your dissertation. This might include your supervisors, participants in your research, and friends or family who supported you.

The abstract is a short summary of your dissertation, usually about 150-300 words long. You should write it at the very end, when you’ve completed the rest of the dissertation. In the abstract, make sure to:

• State the main topic and aims of your research
• Describe the methods you used
• Summarise the main results
• State your conclusions

Although the abstract is very short, it’s the first part (and sometimes the only part) of your dissertation that people will read, so it’s important that you get it right. If you’re struggling to write a strong abstract, read our guide on how to write an abstract .

In the table of contents, list all of your chapters and subheadings and their page numbers. The dissertation contents page gives the reader an overview of your structure and helps easily navigate the document.

All parts of your dissertation should be included in the table of contents, including the appendices. You can generate a table of contents automatically in Word.

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If you have used a lot of tables and figures in your dissertation, you should itemise them in a numbered list . You can automatically generate this list using the Insert Caption feature in Word.

If you have used a lot of abbreviations in your dissertation, you can include them in an alphabetised list of abbreviations so that the reader can easily look up their meanings.

If you have used a lot of highly specialised terms that will not be familiar to your reader, it might be a good idea to include a glossary . List the terms alphabetically and explain each term with a brief description or definition.

In the introduction, you set up your dissertation’s topic, purpose, and relevance, and tell the reader what to expect in the rest of the dissertation. The introduction should:

• Establish your research topic , giving necessary background information to contextualise your work
• Narrow down the focus and define the scope of the research
• Discuss the state of existing research on the topic, showing your work’s relevance to a broader problem or debate
• Clearly state your objectives and research questions , and indicate how you will answer them
• Give an overview of your dissertation’s structure

Everything in the introduction should be clear, engaging, and relevant to your research. By the end, the reader should understand the what , why and how of your research. Not sure how? Read our guide on how to write a dissertation introduction .

Before you start on your research, you should have conducted a literature review to gain a thorough understanding of the academic work that already exists on your topic. This means:

• Collecting sources (e.g. books and journal articles) and selecting the most relevant ones
• Critically evaluating and analysing each source
• Drawing connections between them (e.g. themes, patterns, conflicts, gaps) to make an overall point

In the dissertation literature review chapter or section, you shouldn’t just summarise existing studies, but develop a coherent structure and argument that leads to a clear basis or justification for your own research. For example, it might aim to show how your research:

• Addresses a gap in the literature
• Takes a new theoretical or methodological approach to the topic
• Proposes a solution to an unresolved problem
• Advances a theoretical debate
• Builds on and strengthens existing knowledge with new data

The literature review often becomes the basis for a theoretical framework , in which you define and analyse the key theories, concepts and models that frame your research. In this section you can answer descriptive research questions about the relationship between concepts or variables.

The methodology chapter or section describes how you conducted your research, allowing your reader to assess its validity. You should generally include:

• The overall approach and type of research (e.g. qualitative, quantitative, experimental, ethnographic)
• Your methods of collecting data (e.g. interviews, surveys, archives)
• Details of where, when, and with whom the research took place
• Your methods of analysing data (e.g. statistical analysis, discourse analysis)
• Tools and materials you used (e.g. computer programs, lab equipment)
• A discussion of any obstacles you faced in conducting the research and how you overcame them
• An evaluation or justification of your methods

Your aim in the methodology is to accurately report what you did, as well as convincing the reader that this was the best approach to answering your research questions or objectives.

Next, you report the results of your research . You can structure this section around sub-questions, hypotheses, or topics. Only report results that are relevant to your objectives and research questions. In some disciplines, the results section is strictly separated from the discussion, while in others the two are combined.

For example, for qualitative methods like in-depth interviews, the presentation of the data will often be woven together with discussion and analysis, while in quantitative and experimental research, the results should be presented separately before you discuss their meaning. If you’re unsure, consult with your supervisor and look at sample dissertations to find out the best structure for your research.

In the results section it can often be helpful to include tables, graphs and charts. Think carefully about how best to present your data, and don’t include tables or figures that just repeat what you have written  –  they should provide extra information or usefully visualise the results in a way that adds value to your text.

Full versions of your data (such as interview transcripts) can be included as an appendix .

The discussion  is where you explore the meaning and implications of your results in relation to your research questions. Here you should interpret the results in detail, discussing whether they met your expectations and how well they fit with the framework that you built in earlier chapters. If any of the results were unexpected, offer explanations for why this might be. It’s a good idea to consider alternative interpretations of your data and discuss any limitations that might have influenced the results.

The discussion should reference other scholarly work to show how your results fit with existing knowledge. You can also make recommendations for future research or practical action.

The dissertation conclusion should concisely answer the main research question, leaving the reader with a clear understanding of your central argument. Wrap up your dissertation with a final reflection on what you did and how you did it. The conclusion often also includes recommendations for research or practice.

In this section, it’s important to show how your findings contribute to knowledge in the field and why your research matters. What have you added to what was already known?

You must include full details of all sources that you have cited in a reference list (sometimes also called a works cited list or bibliography). It’s important to follow a consistent reference style . Each style has strict and specific requirements for how to format your sources in the reference list.

The most common styles used in UK universities are Harvard referencing and Vancouver referencing . Your department will often specify which referencing style you should use – for example, psychology students tend to use APA style , humanities students often use MHRA , and law students always use OSCOLA . M ake sure to check the requirements, and ask your supervisor if you’re unsure.

To save time creating the reference list and make sure your citations are correctly and consistently formatted, you can use our free APA Citation Generator .

Your dissertation itself should contain only essential information that directly contributes to answering your research question. Documents you have used that do not fit into the main body of your dissertation (such as interview transcripts, survey questions or tables with full figures) can be added as appendices .

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Dissertation Structure & Layout 101: How to structure your dissertation, thesis or research project.

By: Derek Jansen (MBA) Reviewed By: David Phair (PhD) | July 2019

So, you’ve got a decent understanding of what a dissertation is , you’ve chosen your topic and hopefully you’ve received approval for your research proposal . Awesome! Now its time to start the actual dissertation or thesis writing journey.

To craft a high-quality document, the very first thing you need to understand is dissertation structure . In this post, we’ll walk you through the generic dissertation structure and layout, step by step. We’ll start with the big picture, and then zoom into each chapter to briefly discuss the core contents. If you’re just starting out on your research journey, you should start with this post, which covers the big-picture process of how to write a dissertation or thesis .

*The Caveat *

In this post, we’ll be discussing a traditional dissertation/thesis structure and layout, which is generally used for social science research across universities, whether in the US, UK, Europe or Australia. However, some universities may have small variations on this structure (extra chapters, merged chapters, slightly different ordering, etc).

So, always check with your university if they have a prescribed structure or layout that they expect you to work with. If not, it’s safe to assume the structure we’ll discuss here is suitable. And even if they do have a prescribed structure, you’ll still get value from this post as we’ll explain the core contents of each section.  

Overview: S tructuring a dissertation or thesis

• Acknowledgements page
• Abstract (or executive summary)
• Table of contents , list of figures and tables
• Chapter 1: Introduction
• Chapter 2: Literature review
• Chapter 3: Methodology
• Chapter 4: Results
• Chapter 5: Discussion
• Chapter 6: Conclusion
• Reference list

As I mentioned, some universities will have slight variations on this structure. For example, they want an additional “personal reflection chapter”, or they might prefer the results and discussion chapter to be merged into one. Regardless, the overarching flow will always be the same, as this flow reflects the research process , which we discussed here – i.e.:

• The introduction chapter presents the core research question and aims .
• The literature review chapter assesses what the current research says about this question.
• The methodology, results and discussion chapters go about undertaking new research about this question.
• The conclusion chapter (attempts to) answer the core research question .

In other words, the dissertation structure and layout reflect the research process of asking a well-defined question(s), investigating, and then answering the question – see below.

To restate that – the structure and layout of a dissertation reflect the flow of the overall research process . This is essential to understand, as each chapter will make a lot more sense if you “get” this concept. If you’re not familiar with the research process, read this post before going further.

Right. Now that we’ve covered the big picture, let’s dive a little deeper into the details of each section and chapter. Oh and by the way, you can also grab our free dissertation/thesis template here to help speed things up.

The title page of your dissertation is the very first impression the marker will get of your work, so it pays to invest some time thinking about your title. But what makes for a good title? A strong title needs to be 3 things:

• Succinct (not overly lengthy or verbose)
• Specific (not vague or ambiguous)
• Representative of the research you’re undertaking (clearly linked to your research questions)

Typically, a good title includes mention of the following:

• The broader area of the research (i.e. the overarching topic)
• The specific focus of your research (i.e. your specific context)
• Indication of research design (e.g. quantitative , qualitative , or  mixed methods ).

For example:

A quantitative investigation [research design] into the antecedents of organisational trust [broader area] in the UK retail forex trading market [specific context/area of focus].

Again, some universities may have specific requirements regarding the format and structure of the title, so it’s worth double-checking expectations with your institution (if there’s no mention in the brief or study material).

Acknowledgements

This page provides you with an opportunity to say thank you to those who helped you along your research journey. Generally, it’s optional (and won’t count towards your marks), but it is academic best practice to include this.

So, who do you say thanks to? Well, there’s no prescribed requirements, but it’s common to mention the following people:

• Your dissertation supervisor or committee.
• Any professors, lecturers or academics that helped you understand the topic or methodologies.
• Any tutors, mentors or advisors.
• Your family and friends, especially spouse (for adult learners studying part-time).

There’s no need for lengthy rambling. Just state who you’re thankful to and for what (e.g. thank you to my supervisor, John Doe, for his endless patience and attentiveness) – be sincere. In terms of length, you should keep this to a page or less.

Abstract or executive summary

The dissertation abstract (or executive summary for some degrees) serves to provide the first-time reader (and marker or moderator) with a big-picture view of your research project. It should give them an understanding of the key insights and findings from the research, without them needing to read the rest of the report – in other words, it should be able to stand alone .

For it to stand alone, your abstract should cover the following key points (at a minimum):

• Your research questions and aims – what key question(s) did your research aim to answer?
• Your methodology – how did you go about investigating the topic and finding answers to your research question(s)?
• Your findings – following your own research, what did do you discover?
• Your conclusions – based on your findings, what conclusions did you draw? What answers did you find to your research question(s)?

So, in much the same way the dissertation structure mimics the research process, your abstract or executive summary should reflect the research process, from the initial stage of asking the original question to the final stage of answering that question.

In practical terms, it’s a good idea to write this section up last , once all your core chapters are complete. Otherwise, you’ll end up writing and rewriting this section multiple times (just wasting time). For a step by step guide on how to write a strong executive summary, check out this post .

Need a helping hand?

Table of contents

This section is straightforward. You’ll typically present your table of contents (TOC) first, followed by the two lists – figures and tables. I recommend that you use Microsoft Word’s automatic table of contents generator to generate your TOC. If you’re not familiar with this functionality, the video below explains it simply:

If you find that your table of contents is overly lengthy, consider removing one level of depth. Oftentimes, this can be done without detracting from the usefulness of the TOC.

Right, now that the “admin” sections are out of the way, its time to move on to your core chapters. These chapters are the heart of your dissertation and are where you’ll earn the marks. The first chapter is the introduction chapter – as you would expect, this is the time to introduce your research…

It’s important to understand that even though you’ve provided an overview of your research in your abstract, your introduction needs to be written as if the reader has not read that (remember, the abstract is essentially a standalone document). So, your introduction chapter needs to start from the very beginning, and should address the following questions:

• What will you be investigating (in plain-language, big picture-level)?
• Why is that worth investigating? How is it important to academia or business? How is it sufficiently original?
• What are your research aims and research question(s)? Note that the research questions can sometimes be presented at the end of the literature review (next chapter).
• What is the scope of your study? In other words, what will and won’t you cover ?
• How will you approach your research? In other words, what methodology will you adopt?
• How will you structure your dissertation? What are the core chapters and what will you do in each of them?

These are just the bare basic requirements for your intro chapter. Some universities will want additional bells and whistles in the intro chapter, so be sure to carefully read your brief or consult your research supervisor.

If done right, your introduction chapter will set a clear direction for the rest of your dissertation. Specifically, it will make it clear to the reader (and marker) exactly what you’ll be investigating, why that’s important, and how you’ll be going about the investigation. Conversely, if your introduction chapter leaves a first-time reader wondering what exactly you’ll be researching, you’ve still got some work to do.

Now that you’ve set a clear direction with your introduction chapter, the next step is the literature review . In this section, you will analyse the existing research (typically academic journal articles and high-quality industry publications), with a view to understanding the following questions:

• What does the literature currently say about the topic you’re investigating?
• Is the literature lacking or well established? Is it divided or in disagreement?
• How does your research fit into the bigger picture?
• How does your research contribute something original?
• How does the methodology of previous studies help you develop your own?

Depending on the nature of your study, you may also present a conceptual framework towards the end of your literature review, which you will then test in your actual research.

Again, some universities will want you to focus on some of these areas more than others, some will have additional or fewer requirements, and so on. Therefore, as always, its important to review your brief and/or discuss with your supervisor, so that you know exactly what’s expected of your literature review chapter.

Now that you’ve investigated the current state of knowledge in your literature review chapter and are familiar with the existing key theories, models and frameworks, its time to design your own research. Enter the methodology chapter – the most “science-ey” of the chapters…

In this chapter, you need to address two critical questions:

• Exactly HOW will you carry out your research (i.e. what is your intended research design)?
• Exactly WHY have you chosen to do things this way (i.e. how do you justify your design)?

Remember, the dissertation part of your degree is first and foremost about developing and demonstrating research skills . Therefore, the markers want to see that you know which methods to use, can clearly articulate why you’ve chosen then, and know how to deploy them effectively.

Importantly, this chapter requires detail – don’t hold back on the specifics. State exactly what you’ll be doing, with who, when, for how long, etc. Moreover, for every design choice you make, make sure you justify it.

In practice, you will likely end up coming back to this chapter once you’ve undertaken all your data collection and analysis, and revise it based on changes you made during the analysis phase. This is perfectly fine. Its natural for you to add an additional analysis technique, scrap an old one, etc based on where your data lead you. Of course, I’m talking about small changes here – not a fundamental switch from qualitative to quantitative, which will likely send your supervisor in a spin!

You’ve now collected your data and undertaken your analysis, whether qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods. In this chapter, you’ll present the raw results of your analysis . For example, in the case of a quant study, you’ll present the demographic data, descriptive statistics, inferential statistics , etc.

Typically, Chapter 4 is simply a presentation and description of the data, not a discussion of the meaning of the data. In other words, it’s descriptive, rather than analytical – the meaning is discussed in Chapter 5. However, some universities will want you to combine chapters 4 and 5, so that you both present and interpret the meaning of the data at the same time. Check with your institution what their preference is.

Now that you’ve presented the data analysis results, its time to interpret and analyse them. In other words, its time to discuss what they mean, especially in relation to your research question(s).

What you discuss here will depend largely on your chosen methodology. For example, if you’ve gone the quantitative route, you might discuss the relationships between variables . If you’ve gone the qualitative route, you might discuss key themes and the meanings thereof. It all depends on what your research design choices were.

Most importantly, you need to discuss your results in relation to your research questions and aims, as well as the existing literature. What do the results tell you about your research questions? Are they aligned with the existing research or at odds? If so, why might this be? Dig deep into your findings and explain what the findings suggest, in plain English.

The final chapter – you’ve made it! Now that you’ve discussed your interpretation of the results, its time to bring it back to the beginning with the conclusion chapter . In other words, its time to (attempt to) answer your original research question s (from way back in chapter 1). Clearly state what your conclusions are in terms of your research questions. This might feel a bit repetitive, as you would have touched on this in the previous chapter, but its important to bring the discussion full circle and explicitly state your answer(s) to the research question(s).

Next, you’ll typically discuss the implications of your findings? In other words, you’ve answered your research questions – but what does this mean for the real world (or even for academia)? What should now be done differently, given the new insight you’ve generated?

Lastly, you should discuss the limitations of your research, as well as what this means for future research in the area. No study is perfect, especially not a Masters-level. Discuss the shortcomings of your research. Perhaps your methodology was limited, perhaps your sample size was small or not representative, etc, etc. Don’t be afraid to critique your work – the markers want to see that you can identify the limitations of your work. This is a strength, not a weakness. Be brutal!

This marks the end of your core chapters – woohoo! From here on out, it’s pretty smooth sailing.

The reference list is straightforward. It should contain a list of all resources cited in your dissertation, in the required format, e.g. APA , Harvard, etc.

It’s essential that you use reference management software for your dissertation. Do NOT try handle your referencing manually – its far too error prone. On a reference list of multiple pages, you’re going to make mistake. To this end, I suggest considering either Mendeley or Zotero. Both are free and provide a very straightforward interface to ensure that your referencing is 100% on point. I’ve included a simple how-to video for the Mendeley software (my personal favourite) below:

Some universities may ask you to include a bibliography, as opposed to a reference list. These two things are not the same . A bibliography is similar to a reference list, except that it also includes resources which informed your thinking but were not directly cited in your dissertation. So, double-check your brief and make sure you use the right one.

The very last piece of the puzzle is the appendix or set of appendices. This is where you’ll include any supporting data and evidence. Importantly, supporting is the keyword here.

Your appendices should provide additional “nice to know”, depth-adding information, which is not critical to the core analysis. Appendices should not be used as a way to cut down word count (see this post which covers how to reduce word count ). In other words, don’t place content that is critical to the core analysis here, just to save word count. You will not earn marks on any content in the appendices, so don’t try to play the system!

Time to recap…

And there you have it – the traditional dissertation structure and layout, from A-Z. To recap, the core structure for a dissertation or thesis is (typically) as follows:

• Acknowledgments page

Most importantly, the core chapters should reflect the research process (asking, investigating and answering your research question). Moreover, the research question(s) should form the golden thread throughout your dissertation structure. Everything should revolve around the research questions, and as you’ve seen, they should form both the start point (i.e. introduction chapter) and the endpoint (i.e. conclusion chapter).

I hope this post has provided you with clarity about the traditional dissertation/thesis structure and layout. If you have any questions or comments, please leave a comment below, or feel free to get in touch with us. Also, be sure to check out the rest of the  Grad Coach Blog .

Psst… there’s more (for free)

This post is part of our dissertation mini-course, which covers everything you need to get started with your dissertation, thesis or research project. 

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36 Comments

many thanks i found it very useful

Glad to hear that, Arun. Good luck writing your dissertation.

Such clear practical logical advice. I very much needed to read this to keep me focused in stead of fretting.. Perfect now ready to start my research!

what about scientific fields like computer or engineering thesis what is the difference in the structure? thank you very much

Thanks so much this helped me a lot!

Very helpful and accessible. What I like most is how practical the advice is along with helpful tools/ links.

Thanks Ade!

Thank you so much sir.. It was really helpful..

You’re welcome!

Hi! How many words maximum should contain the abstract?

Thank you so much 😊 Find this at the right moment

You’re most welcome. Good luck with your dissertation.

best ever benefit i got on right time thank you

Many times Clarity and vision of destination of dissertation is what makes the difference between good ,average and great researchers the same way a great automobile driver is fast with clarity of address and Clear weather conditions .

I guess Great researcher = great ideas + knowledge + great and fast data collection and modeling + great writing + high clarity on all these

You have given immense clarity from start to end.

Morning. Where will I write the definitions of what I’m referring to in my report?

Thank you so much Derek, I was almost lost! Thanks a tonnnn! Have a great day!

Thanks ! so concise and valuable

This was very helpful. Clear and concise. I know exactly what to do now.

Thank you for allowing me to go through briefly. I hope to find time to continue.

Really useful to me. Thanks a thousand times

Very interesting! It will definitely set me and many more for success. highly recommended.

Thank you soo much sir, for the opportunity to express my skills

Usefull, thanks a lot. Really clear

Very nice and easy to understand. Thank you .

That was incredibly useful. Thanks Grad Coach Crew!

My stress level just dropped at least 15 points after watching this. Just starting my thesis for my grad program and I feel a lot more capable now! Thanks for such a clear and helpful video, Emma and the GradCoach team!

Do we need to mention the number of words the dissertation contains in the main document?

It depends on your university’s requirements, so it would be best to check with them 🙂

Such a helpful post to help me get started with structuring my masters dissertation, thank you!

Great video; I appreciate that helpful information

It is so necessary or avital course

This blog is very informative for my research. Thank you

Doctoral students are required to fill out the National Research Council’s Survey of Earned Doctorates

wow this is an amazing gain in my life

This is so good

How can i arrange my specific objectives in my dissertation?

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Sample Dissertation Abstracts

One of the best ways to determine your fit in a PhD program is familiarizing yourself with the research done by faculty and students in the institute. Students in the Sloan PhD Program study a wide variety of topics and the abstracts below will give you examples of the topics they have chosen to study.

Dissertation Abstracts by Research Group

Selected Dissertation Abstracts by recent PhD Program graduates

BEHAVIORAL & POLICY SCIENCES

• Economic Sociology 
• Institute for Work & Employment Research
• Organization Studies
• Technological Innovation, Entrepreneurship, & Strategic Management

ECONOMICS  FINANCE & ACCOUNTING

MANAGEMENT SCIENCE

• Information Technology
• System Dynamics

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• Humanities and Science (Course 21S) Available Humanities fields include: African and African Diaspora Studies; American Studies; Ancient and Medieval Studies; Anthropology; Asian and Asian Diaspora Studies; Comparative Media Studies; Global Languages (in French, German, or Spanish); History; Latin American and Latino/a Studies; Literature; Music; Russian and Eurasian Studies; Science, Technology, and Society; Theater Arts; Women's and Gender Studies; Writing
• Urban Science and Planning with Computer Science (Course 11-6)

Interdisciplinary Minors

• Latin American and Latino/a Studies

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