Course: Introduction to Thesis Planning & Research
Professor: George Epolito
Semester: Spring 2025
Professor: George Epolito
Semester: Spring 2025
Purpose of the Assignment
This final iteration of Assignment 3a asked us to apply the problematization framework and hexagon research method directly to our individual thesis investigations. After experimenting with speculative scenarios in prior phases, this assignment helped us anchor our actual research trajectory by articulating its core: the problem, the questions, the goals, the hypotheses, and the objectives.
My Thesis Focus
Modular Healing: Adaptive Reuse & Environmental Repair in Quincy, Florida
My thesis centers on the adaptive reuse of abandoned commercial structures in Quincy, Florida—a town deeply impacted by disinvestment, environmental challenges, and social fragmentation. This phase helped me consolidate my ideas and begin to formalize the scope and depth of the problem I am trying to address.
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Refined Hexagon Research Framework
| 1. Problems |
▸ Quincy has a large number of vacant, dilapidated buildings contributing to urban decay.
▸ The city’s infrastructure is ill-equipped to manage heat, flooding, and rainfall.
▸ A lack of economic vitality has resulted in abandoned commercial and residential properties.
| 2. Research Questions |
▸ How can the adaptive reuse of abandoned buildings revitalize Quincy’s urban identity?
▸ What passive design and green infrastructure strategies are most effective for this climate?
▸ How might modular reuse strategies foster local entrepreneurship and economic renewal?
| 3. Hypothesis |
▸ If underutilized buildings are reimagined through adaptive reuse, Quincy will see increased engagement, safety, and cohesion.
▸ Integrating bioswales, rain gardens, and solar pergolas into these reuse strategies will increase resilience to climate extremes.
| 4. Goals |
▸ Transform neglected buildings into vibrant, multifunctional community anchors.
▸ Integrate passive environmental systems to address heat and flood risks.
▸ Support small business ecosystems and community wealth-building.
| 5. Objectives |
▸ Survey potential adaptive reuse sites across Quincy.
▸ Apply green infrastructure techniques (bioswales, rain gardens, etc.) to select prototypes.
▸ Use trauma-informed spatial design to foster psychological safety and community pride.
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Key Gaps & Challenges
1) Limited site access to interiors due to safety or legal issues.
2) Incomplete historical records for older, marginalized sites.
3) Translating cultural memory into architectural form is difficult to validate.
4) Achieving consistent community engagement may be challenging within project timeline.
5) Ambiguity around modularity—needs clarified design definition.
6) Low municipal funding could limit project feasibility.
7) Disjointed building locations could weaken spatial cohesion.
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Scholarly Resources Used
Each identified gap was supported with a scholarly reference. Highlights include:
▸ “Adaptive Reuse: A Critical Review” (Bullen & Love, 2011)
▸ “Architecture and Cultural Memory” (Ricoeur, 2004)
▸ “Community Engagement and Community-Based Projects in Architectural Education” (Gamez & Rogers, 2016)
▸ “A Concept for Sustainable Building Projects Using Hybrid Modular & Adaptive Reuse Strategies” (Kitagorsky, 2022)