From the Paper
"The Pantheon in Rome is the most complete surviving building of ancient Rome. Since the Renaissance the great dome and its huge interior space have made an indelible impression on anyone who saw it and the structure became one of the most influential buildings in history. The dome of the Pantheon, or Rotunda as it is also called, covers a span that was never surpassed by more than a few feet until the use of steel and reinforced concrete much such expanses routine. The scope of the architect's achievement was impressive by Roman standards and remained just as impressive for many centuries. There is some debate over the precise function of the great temple. But the building was clearly the culmination of a new interest in architecture as contained space rather than as external structure. This volumetric approach was to determine the course of Roman ..."

Abstract
This looks at the question "What is keeping us from designing sustainable architecture (limitations of sustainable architecture) and how can we as architects treat those issues to make better architecture?" and as such looks at the idea of sustainable housing and how it affects the environment and the individual. The paper also looks at key areas where environmentally friendly style buildings have been developed, especially in the UK and in the Far East and how the environment has benefited from their design.

Abstract
Ergonomics is matching the job to the worker and the product to the user. This research paper provides the reader with an understanding of office ergonomics and how complicated just one cubicle can be. The paper also stresses the importance of ergonomics in the office and all the hazards that it can prevent. Much can be gained from the proper use of office ergonomics, including higher productivity and fewer safety injuries. Many different organizations are referenced in this paper to give the reader the most accurate information regarding office ergonomics.

From the Paper
"The cubicle, in all its glory, represents the modern day workspace for many workers and creates many frustrations. Technology has had an overpowering effect on the way we work today. As a result, we are spending more time at our desks and using a computer, leading to an increased number of ergonomic related issues. In this section, the author will discuss the hazards, dangers, and risks associated with poor office ergonomics. These include musculoskeletal disorders, sharp edges, pinch points, eye strain, poor posture, fatigue, noise pollution and emotional stress cause by working in a cubicle."

Tags:musculoskeletal, disorders, computer, workstation, health, problems, osha, workplace, injuries, standards

From the Paper
"At the end of his long career as President, diplomat, politician, political writer, inventor and architect Thomas Jefferson created a work that was the crowning achievement of his career. As an intellectual concept realized in his own architectural design, the University of Virginia is one of the greatest achievements in American architecture. Deriving his ideas for the buildings from classical architecture, Jefferson employed the ancient forms in a new manner that was suited to the times, the location, and the purposes for which he designed them. His conceptions did not, in the long run, turn out to be the influential force in architecture that might be expected -- his influence lay more in the area of principles than of style. But the University has preserved his original campus and it stands as a monument to his ideas and his talents. The central building in..."

Abstract
The Parthenon (447-32 BCE) was a crowning glory of Athenian civilization of the classical era and, what is more important, it was intended as such at the time. Thus, nearly 2,500 years later, it is possible to view the building as incorporating all of what the Athenians saw as beautiful, sacred and of civic importance in architecture. The paper shows that as its overwhelming position and the nature of its sculptural decoration make clear, it was the focal point of the religious-civic identity of the Athenian polis. The paper describes how the Parthenon housed the great statue of Athena Parthenos, was the main building in the complex of temples dedicated to the gods on the sacred rock of the Acropolis, depicted some version of the most important Athenian religious ceremony (the Panathenaic procession and festival) and loomed over the city as a reminder and a promise of Athenian greatness.

From the Paper
"But there was also a contradiction in being expected to achieve the perfection of the Doric order on a much larger scale, for which adjustments had to be made to the greater number of columns. As Boardman points out, however, the wider facades lent the building a "reassuring breadth which is enhanced by the way its proportions then seem to match those" of the Acropolis on which it stands (112). But this breadth might have been oppressive in its effects if the architects had not devised a means of avoiding too great a visual equivalence between the rock and the temple. Their solution was a very subtle curvature of the stylobate, and the rest of the floor, which is also reflected in the entablature. This also affects the columns which "lean slightly in while the upperworks [that they support] lean slightly out" (Boardman 112). This gives the entire facade a "pyramiding movement" to which all the external lines contribute; ever so subtly, therefore, the columns' inward inclination lends itself to a slight triangular effect that is enhanced by the surmounting pyramid of the pediment (Martin 292)."

Tags:Piraeus, Phidias, Iktinos, Kallikrates

From the Paper
"The Parthenon has been admired for centuries for its architectural purity. The structure appears visually perfect. The source of this perfection is the subtle structural refinements conceived by its architects. Contributing to the Parthenon's majesty is a wealth of sculptural detail. The combination of superior sculpture and pleasing proportion make the Parthenon the best-known of all Greek buildings.
The Parthenon is both a religious and political structure. The war between the Greek city-states and Persia interrupted almost all temple building for a generation while the Greeks concentrated on restoring their defensive walls, civic buildings, and the fleet. When the Persians were defeated in 479 BC, Athens emerged as the leader among Greek cities. Thus Athens controlled the war chest of the Delian League, a Panhellenic league. "

Abstract
This paper looks at how King Louis XIV of France used the remodeling of his magnificent palace at Versailles, and the visual art in the palace, as a propaganda tool. The author discusses Louis' constant campaign for absolute power as a divine ruler. The paper pays close attention to the architecture at Versailles.

From the Paper:

"King Louis XIV used visual arts within the palace of Versailles to establish the primacy of the French monarch. Louis XIV wanted to legitimatize his form of strict absolutism through art. The pinnacle of this propaganda campaign was the remodeling of the chateau of Versailles into a palace. He and his artists made specific choices to flaunt his wealth and give the king credibility. The gardens, grand staircase, hall of mirrors and salons parade with grandeur and thick allegorical comparisons between the Gods and Louis. The propaganda was effective in targeting its three intended audiences to the degree that later monarchs and artists mimicked it. "

Tags:allegory, art, france, history, king, monarchy, palace, louis, mirror, hall, ceiling, france

Abstract
This paper examines the topic, New Urbanism, synonymous with the term "Smart Growth" which is a way to develop land efficiently, whether it may be a new development using open space land, or a redevelopment of a part of an inner city- called "infilling". The paper explores the ten principles that New Urbanism is guided by and gives examples of developments across the country that have used this method and prospered.

From the Paper
"Small, picturesque towns like Nantucket and Savannah dot the eastern landscape of the country. These towns are the illustration of the principles America was founded upon: closeness, unity, community, and family. The neighborhoods were compact and had mixed-uses. Everything a family needed in the normal course of the week was all within walking distance. There was a town square where the townspeople met and talked. In the youth of this country small developments like these were common, however in the last 50 years America has seen development practices take a turn for the worse. The current practice of building suburbs nationwide sprang up after World War II, and development has sacrificed hundreds of thousands of acres to this practice ever since. Now the majority of U.S. citizens now live in automobile-oriented, unattractive suburbs full of strip malls and four-lane roads with four-foot sidewalks. Although this is still the norm, there is a new kind of development that is making an impact on the way communities are built. This new method, called New Urbanism or Smart Growth, has caught on in the last 20 years and is now popping up all over the country. New Urbanism is a way to combat ugly urban sprawl, replacing it instead with small, interconnected communities that are pedestrian-friendly and contain housing, work places, shops, entertainment, schools, parks, and other amenities essential to the daily lives of residents, all within easy walking distance of each other. New Urbanism involves using the principles it sets forth to fix and redevelop existing cities, called "infilling", as well as to create new, high-density, compact towns and villages."

Tags:architecture, city, community, design, development, engineering, estate, growth, inner, land, new, real, smart, sprawl, suburbs, urban, urbanism

Abstract
This paper explains how a hurricane forms, looks at the special and unlikely circumstances which led to the devastating effects of Hurricane Andrew, and describes the damage caused in various states and why faulty building techniques were partially to blame.

From the paper:

"David Fisher?s book on hurricanes describes a Category 5 hurricane as the ?scariest place on Earth, and Andrew was a Category 5 hurricane when it hit both south Florida and Louisiana.
A hurricane is a giant heat pump (Fisher, p. 61). Both the heat of the sun and the heat generated as evaporated moisture condenses contribute to the development of the hurricane. As the spinning winds contract, they speed up, much as a skater speeds up by pulling her arms in more tightly to her sides. Organization of the storm also requires an upper level high over a lower-level low, which allows the tropical depression to organize into a well formed, rotating tropical storm. If these conditions persist, the tropical storm may strengthen into a hurricane."

Tags:pressure, clouds, ocean, wind, damage, storm

Abstract
This paper examines the various aspects of the Tugendhat House, designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and compares them to Mies' other works. The house's architecture, layout, location and materials are analyzed and evaluated against the architect's style and not against the style of others. The paper offers pictures of the Tugendhat House to illustrate the architecture.

From the Paper
"Ludwig Mies van der Rohe has created numerous buildings with his own unique and distinct styles; the Tugendhat House is one of these buildings. Grete and Fritz Tugendhat, descendents of wealthy Jewish industrialists in Brno, Germany (now, Brno, Czech Republic), commissioned the construction of the building in the late 1920s. Some of the structure's themes may be found in works done by Le Corbusier, Schinkel, and Mies himself. Throughout the building, it is evident that great stress and preparation went into project, whether it be the location, the facade, the plan, or the material the Tugendhat House a revolutionary concept that rejects traditional arrangements of the interior and promotes simplicity throughout."

Tags:design, building, construction