Thesis Defense Announcement

Mario Oliver

for the Degree of Master of Architecture

February 28, 2020 at 11:30 AM in Jones Hall - 107

Advisor: Pamela J Hurley

Memphis Center for Art and Education: Using Art and Education to Build Community

ABSTRACT: Many current social issues have been attributed to people attaining their social interactions through television, and social media/online services. This thesis is attempting to answer the question how can architecture be utilized to engage people in a way that encourages interaction between individuals? Oftentimes buildings are designed for functional purposes with a focus on how users will engage the building. Not enough thought is always given to how the building and site can be designed to facilitate interpersonal interactions between the people within the project. Answering this question involved study into human psychology, the nature of human interaction, what draws people to places, how technology influences human behavior, and a variety of other fields. This research and its implementation in this project shows the complexity of human behavior and how technology can be a powerful tool to both help and hurt people. Ultimately, architecture needs to be designed in a way that is as engaging to people as this technology. If spaces can engage people in interesting and meaningful ways, they will encourage individuals to interact with one another; thus dissuading people from attaining social interaction through technology.