In the School of Architecture, students pursuing the Master of Architecture degree engage in a yearlong investigation in which they select a topical issue, develop a body of research both within and outside the discipline of architecture, and create a complete and detailed architectural design response to the topic. Master of Architecture thesis projects at Portland State range from community-focused public interest design concepts to explorations of architectural materiality and sustainability, from the poetic to the concrete and everything in between. The thesis program culminates in oral presentations to a panel of invited jurors, followed by the production of a commemorative book detailing the students' research, design process, and inspiring results.
SCHEDULE OF REVIEWS FOR WEDNESDAY, MAY 7th
09:00 - 10:00 am | Shattuck Hall Annex
Flip Flores: Playful Decontamination: Reimagining Urban Spaces Through Water Infrastructure. This thesis aims to initiate a playful engagement between communities and the water treatment process – inviting exploration and discovery while simultaneously decontaminating and educating.
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10:00 - 11:00 am | Shattuck Hall 2nd Floor North Hallway
Daniel Omi: Eros & Ease Architecture as a Tool to Destigmatize and Empower Sex Work. This thesis examines how architecture can facilitate the integration of sex work into the broader landscape of wellness by designing a multidisciplinary hub, Eros & Ease, that reframes public perception and supports sex workers through thoughtful spatial programming that fosters dignity, autonomy, and community.
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11:30 - 12:30 pm | Shattuck Hall 2nd Floor Hallway
Clayton Ragan: Urban Stewardship: A Vision for a Sustainable Portland. This is a speculative future where Portlanders can collectively steward our city and its space free of the need for cars and dictates of the capitalist market.
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01:30 - 02:30 pm | Shattuck Hall Loacker Classroom 212
Doug Rickett: One Tree Tiny House: An architectural exploration in material efficiency, responsible land use, and a step toward stable housing. "Can a single tree provide enough lumber to produce a small house?” This thesis has become an exploration in material efficiency where every part of the tree gets used thoughtfully and reminds us of the origin of the materials we use in construction. The project focuses on a tiny house village for transitional housing for people experiencing homelessness that highlights education and job training in tree harvesting, milling, and construction.
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02:30 - 03:30 pm | Shattuck Hall Loacker Classroom 212
Ardon Lee: Narrative Habitation: An alternative to architecture. This project looks to pre-conceptual conditions and cross-species interactions to understand how we may work toward enclosure.
GUEST REVIEWER PANEL:
Vikramāditya Prakāsh
Professor of Architecture at the University of Washington
Yuki Bowman
Architect | Waechter Architecture
Karim Hassanein
Storytelling + Communications Designer, Colloqate Design, PDX Studio Co-Director.