Date of Submission
Spring 5-8-2023
Degree Type
Undergraduate Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Architecture
Department
Architecture
Committee Chair/First Advisor
Ermal Shpuza
Abstract
The city of Atlanta has historically embraced isolated growth over integrated density, which has contributed to the city’s limited inventory of inclusive urban centers. This divisive approach to urban design has helped facilitate a city of extremes; with high regional concentrations of wealth and poverty. This phenomenon is worsened by the city’s inherently exclusive transportation network and isolated residential development patterns. As Atlanta continues to grow and densify, it is crucial to adopt planning and design models that prioritize high-density, mixed-use residential developments in equitable locations with easy access to public transportation. To account for the failures of property filtering and the rise of rapid gentrification, innovative design solutions should incorporate higher-density apartments that offer temporal flexibility in size through sub-division and merging. In her influential work, “The Death and Life of Great American Cities,” Jane Jacobs emphasized the crucial role of diversity in creating vibrant urban centers. Building upon her conceptual framework, and adapting it for today’s socio-economic context, future proposals should prioritize designs that promote an equitable, diverse, and ultimately more vibrant urban landscape.
Included in
Architectural History and Criticism Commons, Urban, Community and Regional Planning Commons