Architecture, Building and Planning - Theses
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ItemNo Preview AvailableVictorian architectural ornament( 1972)Summary. Part One Is concerned with a technical and historical account of the chief materials employed in architectural ornament in the period indicated; cement and plaster, terracotta and brick, wood and metal. Part Two is a catalogue of the ornamental types and forms produced in these materials based on an analysis of over two thousand buildings and illustrated by just over one thousand drawings, encompassing the following categories : cement and plaster - acroteria, parapet treatments (chiefly pediments), scrolls, finials, balustrades, window surrounds, shells, keystones, swags and festoons, studs, friezes, consoles or brackets, capitals and chimneys (rendered); clay products - ridge cresting, finials, chimney pots, brickwork patterns and chimneys (exposed brick); wood - gable end fillers, bargeboards, struts or brackets, verandah woodwork; cast-iron - balustrades, friezes, brackets, ridge cresting and window guards; pressed metal - wall and ceiling lining, centre roses, cornices, roofing finishes and finials. Part Three deals with the buildings as a whole, considering stylistic changes and the typology of distinct groups of structures under the headings: offices, warehouses, factories and banks; shops - major and minor; hotels; town and shire halls; court houses; hospitals; schools; railway buildings; theatres and halls; miscellaneous public buildings; houses employing bricks in contrast colours; houses employing red brick with cream dressings; "Italianate" houses ; "Italianate" terraces; Queen Anne style houses; sub-Queen Anne and bungalow houses. The stylistic changes in general may be summarized broadly as proceeding from a mixture of details derived from Gothic and Classical sources applied to buildings of non-historical (nineteenth century) character via another pseudo-historical revival (Queen Anne in two major forms), followed by an admixture of fairly superficial Art Nouveau influence to a welter of historically oriented revivals and abstractions and simplifications of preceding forms. These developments overlap considerably and appear with variable force and diversity according to the type of buildings. Part Four is a brief account of the work of one hundred and seventy-five leading architects or builders of the period arranged alphabetically under the name of the architect or firm. The emphasis throughout is on dealing with as broad a range of examples as possible, rather than concentrating only on large scale and/or progressive projects.
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ItemAn investigation Into building and planning problems of the tropical regions of Australia and the Territory of Papua New Guinea(University of Melbourne, 1967)
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ItemArchitectural development in Singapore(University of Melbourne, 1973)
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ItemVisual assessment techniques for rural road management(University of Melbourne, 1989)
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ItemHousing and migration : a study of housing needs in Geelong with particular reference to influence of migration( 1968)The study of housing and migration had occupied the mind of the author from the time he emigrated from his home town, Oshodi, to Lagos - the Federal Nigeria capital in search of regular employment. His own personal experience, those of friends and relatives, and the ever-increasing number of young rural migrants moving into the few industrialising centres in his country plus the various reports on similar problems in most of the developing countries of the world have induced him to begin to think of how the problem of housing, most especially migrant housing, can be solved. Australia is the second largest migrant receiving country in the world, and so faces a considerable amount of migrant housing. Her method of tackling the problem offers an excellent opportunity for its solution to many of the developing nations which now face a growing problem of rural-urban migration. This particular -housing study on Geelong is an attempt to review and evaluate the housing problem in- a very important migrant centre in Australia. It is geared towards an assessment of the problem, how it is tackled and how the State and the National housing policies and programmes can be adopted, with modifications where necessary, to suit the solution of similar problems especially in the developing countries of the world. I acknowledge the graduate scholarship granted to me by the Australian Commonwealth Government without which this study might not have been possible. The basic survey of this research was in the form of postal questionnaire, it was conducted in the months of Sally to September 1966, The author's thesis committee members and Dr. S. B. Hammond of the Department of Psychology were particularly helpful with suggestions in connection with the preparation of the questionnaire while the department secretariat was co-operative with the arduous task of its arrangement and typing. The number of persons involved with the gathering of data for this study is too large for complete enumeration. The Geelong Municipal. Councils rendered very valuable financial and moral assistance. The Geelong Advertiser and the local 3GL radio were helpful in enabling the project to reach all the homes involved before the questionnaires were distributed. The office of Buchan, Laird, Buchan e Architects m and most especially Mr. Colin Munro, was very co-operative in giving the author an insight into the planning problems in the Geelong Urban Area.- The history of Geelong was most comprehensively narrated by Messrs P, L. Brown and Roy H. Holden. To them all I express my very sincere thanks. Any housing questionnaire would scare most householders off unless it is accompanied with a subtle covering letter. For this I acknowledge the freely given services of Mr. John Handfield of the Image Australia. Pty. Ltd. It was not without difficulty that a reasonable number of the questionnaires was received back duly completed. In some cases, it involved door-to-door visits and in this respect the contributions of Misses Mary Wilton and Jenny Hall will long be remembered. My very humble but sincere thanks goes: to the staff of the Education Research Department of the University and most especially to Mrs. L.D. Jones. who patiently put me through the computer analysis of the data; to the staff of the Commonwealth Bureau of Census and Statistics in Melbourne and Canberra for providing the statistical data particularly of the 1966 unpublished census, and to the Housing Commission, Victoria for providing me with the detailed plans of their houses in Geelong.
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ItemSome aspects of industrial accommodation( 1971)Small-scale manufacturing is the stepchild of industrial architecture. There is a dearth of information on the needs of small firms which would assist the designer; and what is written is either out of date or barely relevant to the specific problems of providing adequate accommodation. Other professionals like the economist see the small industrial firm in terms of output and employment, the town-planner as a user of urban land and as a potential 'nuisance' to neighbouring residential areas. Architects are rarely attracted to the task of designing single small factories, nor do the resources of small firms - unlike large industries - allow the engagement of professional design services. The situation changes rapidly when the complexity increases with the numbers of units and when the resources of many firms can be pooled. My professional activity in the area of large-scale industrial and office buildings, and my teaching work, have drawn my attention to the many areas in which the understanding of the complexity of problems related to the design of industrial spaces is inadequate; and furthermore it has become obvious that the human needs of the occupants, or users, of such spaces are not always adequately appreciated. In his work the architect depends increasingly upon the scientific findings of researchers in other disciplines and specialities; cognisance of these will help him to seek appropriate advice, and to add such knowledge to his own experience for the betterment of his buildings and the spaces within. In this thesis an attempt is made to establish a better understanding of smaller industrial firms, their needs for an adequate yet economical work environment, for work space in buildings and for industrial land. A brief review of the place of industry in society, an assessment of the magnitude of the problems of providing accommodation for small industries in urban areas, the growth of industry, and current trends and issues in industrial development, will outline the setting for this topic. This is followed by a review of human and technical aspects of work in industrial buildings; it is demonstrated how a better appreciation is gained by systematic investigation, and controlled observation and testing for which specific examples are given. Much design data which was generated for this purpose from my recent Small Factories Survey is presented, and, where available, compared with information gained from other sources. Attention is focused on industrial land, particularly its effective and economical use, and the planning aspects related to this; the industrial estate being the most conspicuous type of industrial land use is studied in detail as an example. The similarity of problems is demonstrated when considering large sites like industrial estates with many and varied land users as against relatively limited sites with such compact developments as flatted factories. A detailed analysis of four building types as to the suitability of plan elements, plan shapes, size, building structure end other planning features is employed to demonstrate the effectiveness of their accommodation characteristics for industrial purposes. Much data, which was generated by my most recent International Survey, is used to illustrate the application of theoretical studies in practice; the feedback from personal inspections of most of the buildings and interviews with tenants and managements at these examples complete the general theme, and consolidate the body of knowledge on the accommodation needs of small industries. The supposition is made that small firms, too, need and can afford a quality work environment, adequate production space, and better facilities in good locations, and that they and the community may benefit from a more compact development and an economical utilisation of urban land.
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ItemThe role of self-reliance in small communities( 1986)This "action-research" study is about the relationship of appropriate technology and community self-reliance. This is investigated through a series of field experiments in earth construction, in particular, earth roofing technology in the form of dome and vault because Nepal (the focus of the study) has a problem of deforestation which has contributed to the problems of roofing for the poor. The first experiment carried out in Maryborough, Victoria in early 1982 showed that a building could be built almost entirely out of earth with voluntary participation in a week and at a minimum cost. This project led to several interesting follow-up activities towards local self-reliance in Australia. Following the Maryborough Project, a second experiment was carried out in late 1982 in Deurali. Panchayat (West Nepal) where the project ran into several difficulties such as basic building materials like water, sand and good quality earth were difficult to obtain; people were not eager about earth construction which was looked down upon as an inferior form of construction; people's voluntary participation both in labour and in materials was poor; author's misunderstanding about the local culture led to the spirit possession of a villager; the waterproofing materials of lime, salt and fat were not easily available nor were they adequate for the heavy rains in the area. The dome failed two times. The earth roofing technology was found to be inappropriate to that culture. A detailed investigation of local self-reliance of one village of 24 households showed that local self-reliance was a complex issue in which many indigenous technologies such as the scythe and a rice husking device (Ahiki) were helping the very poor to be locally self-reliant. After an extensive village dialogue, a small village level project of facilitating local skills and indigenous technologies, namely the hand-loom, mat-making (Chakati) and the animal husbandry project, was found to nurture its self-reliance. This new finding of the importance of indigenous technologies as against "appropriate technologies" for local self-reliance has been further explained. in the light of current literature, practical experiences and case studies from Nepal. A PARFITS model for local self-reliance is discussed where indigenous technology is seen as a "political technology". The model is found to be particularly relevant to Nepalese conditions. Hence it is concluded that the introduction of an "appropriate technology" into a small rural subsistence community does not necessarily lead to its local self-reliance. On the other hand, in such communities, the facilitating of people's local skills and indigenous technologies based on "participatory action-research" has been found to nurture local self-reliance of the very poor.
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ItemChange assessment in the post-war Mount Macedon landscape( 1986)Areas of scenic amenity close to urban centres, such as the Macedon Ranges and surrounds north-west of Melbourne, are increasingly exposed to land use conflicts. Residential developments and corresponding infrastructures oppose outdoor leisure activities of non-residents as well as the conservation of natural resources including water supply. As the trend of the demographic turnaround in rural areas is likely to continue, multiple land-use concepts necessarily have to adopt a fine balance between development and conservation based upon accurate information of space-time relationships. However, the fundamental understanding of change processes remains elusive. Studies dealing with landscape are static by using fragmentary descriptions. Systematic land-use reports are often confined to the single issue of land cover rather than placing the results into perspective of related environmental parameters. The base material for systematic monitoring of objects of spatial and temporal dimensions must be unbiassed and provide the consistency necessary for the defined area and periods. This leaves one reliable data source in the form of aerial photographs, which have a proven history of providing accurate, fast and inexpensive interpretation results over large areas. An arbitrary 25 ha-grid, which provides a common, cell basis for different data sets, is superimposed on the 282 km2 of the study area. The manual interpretation applies an overlay technique for assessing the quantitative and temporal manifestations of selected individual landscape artifacts (buildings, roads, dams and timber) on sequential aerial photographs of 1946, 1969, 1979 and 1985. The artifact developments are later regrouped, indexed and cross-tabulated with natural, social, economic and planning characteristics by statistical computer programs in order to evaluate change within the environment. The applied procedures provide significant insights into landscape change and they are potentially a flexible instrument for monitoring the effectiveness of planning decisions.
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ItemConstruction project cash flow modelling( 1986)The thesis investigates construction project cash flows. It is divided into two main components. The first investigates the cumulative gross cash flow profiles (S curves), and the second examines the cumulative net cash flow profiles. The gross cash flow model can be used by either construction industry clients or contractors, whereas the net cash flow model concerns the contractor. Interest in construction project cash flows resulted from changed economic pressures in the 1970s. A rise in inflation was associated with increased client attention to his gross cash flows to the contractor, and similarly higher interest rates had the effect that contractors became concerned with their net cash flows. An examination of the gross cash flow literature found that most models were aimed at discovering generally applicable ideal curves. A similar situation existed within the net cash flow literature. It was argued that the averaging approach is unsuitable for construction project cash flow research, and consequently an approach which concentrates on the individual project was pursued. A gross cash flow model was developed using logistic transformation regression procedures. This yielded excellent results for post-hoc analysis of individual project data. Furthermore the gross cash flow model was found to be suitable for the generation of a construction project net cash flow model, which was similarly oriented towards the post-hoc analysis of single projects. A measure of deviation was used which enabled the identification of projects for which the gross cash flow model was a poor fit. This same procedure was used to exclude projects from the net cash flow analysis. The results from the gross cash flow model analysis indicate that projects do vary considerably from one to another, and this supports the contention made that an individual approach to this research is necessary. The net cash flow model yields an excellent trend line for net cash flow on a project, and thus provides an excellent means for senior management to judge the quality of management employed on a project
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ItemEnvironmentalism and land-use planning( 1985)This dissertation considers the research question: Can land-use planning attain the goals of environmentalism? The research question instigates the development of models for environmentalism and land-use planning, test of their congruence, analysis of institutional means to join them, case study of the specific method of lifestyle zoning for Nature conservation, international comparisons, and suggestions for the implementation of the ideology of environmentalism by the techniques of land-use planning. An applied planning orientation guides methods from political science, sociology, anthropology and geography to structure the theoretical and empirical studies. Comparison among the industrially advanced anglophone countries of Australia, Canada, Great Britain and the United States of America enable cross-cultural insight into environmentalism, land-use planning, and measures for the protection of dedicated areas. The evaluation of the fit between the environmentalism and land-use planning, considers their origins, values, operating principals, programs and problems. This social-policy analysis reveals substantial concurrence, particularly regarding concern for the unintended consequences of technical and social policies, human interaction with the physical environment, care in resource use, urban and Nature conservation, the importance of open space, rational forethought, the long-term, regional view, environmental diversity, government intervention, need for co-ordination in government, use of experts, citizen participation, self-actualization, equity, and generic as well as substantive definition of the fields by their supporters. The ideological outline of contemporary environmental planning provides a framework for detailed analysis of the case study of an "Environmental Living Zone" on the fringe of urban Melbourne, Australia. Historical research, interpretation of planning schemes, maps and aerial photographs, interviews, and observation provided insight into the social and environmental factors in residential conservation. From the empirical and theoretical analyses, the work suggests implications for practitioners- and directions for further research.