Architecture and Urban Planning

Building a better community begins with the physical: urban planning. As city-dwellers, most of our time is spent within buildings and interacting with projects that shape our collective consciousness. We are affected by the schools in which we learn, the homes in which we live, the environment in which we work, and the communities in which we gather. From Egyptian pyramids to the largest dam in the world, Las Vegas is home to an array of constructions that influence its culture. Most importantly, urban planning has the capacity to create unique environments and intimate communities.

Questions to Consider:

• Which community centers in Las Vegas unify the city?

-Parks

-Sport Stadiums

-Churches

• Which landmarks make Las Vegas one of most appealing tourist destinations? How can we improve them?

-Diversity of Casinos: Egypt (Luxor), Paris (Paris), New York (New York, New York), Italy (Venetian) and the Middle

Ages (Excalibur)

-Hoover Dam

-Brain Health Building (Frank Gehry)

• What kinds of public projects does Las Vegas need?

-Schools and learning centers

-Public transportation

-Neighborhoods and public housing

• Las Vegas is known as “sin city.” What kinds of buildings or projects might assist Las Vegas’ cultural development?

-Art museums and galleries

-Restaurants

-Stage productions

Genres:

• How to:

-How to improve neighborhoods, apartments, and homes to foster intimacy

-How to use renewable energy sources and water conservation to help the

community become a safer place to live

• Definition:

-Define “community” and how urban planning makes it stronger

• List:

-List and discuss the most influential buildings and structures in Las Vegas

-List and discuss constructions that Las Vegas needs

• Profile:

-Profile a Las Vegas casino of your choice and its cultural significance

-Profile a local community project and its implications

-Profile a building and explain which features resonate most strongly with you

• Problem/solution: This is probably one of the most open topics. Every community needs solutions for its respective problems:

-Problem: Las Vegas suffers from drought induced water shortages. What can

the community do to remedy this difficulty?

-Problem: casinos consume large quantities of electricity. How can we reduce

usage and make casinos more energy-efficient?

• Review:

-Review the communities of the Las Vegas valley, their significance, and what

they need to improve

-Review the culture of the strip, its stigmas, and national portrayals; relate it

to architecture

• Info Graphic:

-Las Vegas has interesting architectural sites with ample photographs

available online, making this topic perfect for infographics

-Because this is visual topic, it would be interesting to have–along with the

written essays–pictures and sketches of your visions

Advantages of Submitting to Architecture and Urban Planning:

Community begins with urban development. Our city depends on the construction of homes, schools, work environments, community centers, and other projects. Las Vegas is a rich city with diverse architectural constructions. Las Vegas is home to buildings that represent cultures from Paris, Rome, Venice, New York, and Egypt, but is also home to unique constructions like the Hoover Dam and the Brain Health center. The highlight of this subject–architecture and urban planning–is that it easily applies to the semester’s theme of community development.

This theme is also a paradise for those who love to create. One can focus on home development or refurbishing existing homes, create new schools that better meet their educational goals, or design more efficient public transportation. The possibilities are endless!

Bibliography:

• Make your building energy efficient

http://www.makeyourbuildingswork.com/efficiency-tips/?utm_source=Yodle&utm_medium=ppc&utm_campaign=national&bc=1338983769&matchType=p&keyphrase=energy+conservation&creativeId=17289608490&c=1338983721&provider=google

• Energy conservation at home

http://www.safetyathome.com/environmental-safety/environmental-safety-articles/energy-conservation-facts-that-may-surprise-you/?gclid=CLGIuayv860CFXJntgodtSbLsA

• Historic buildings

http://www.vegas.com/lounge/centennial/historicbuildings.html

• Architecture studies library

http://library.nevada.edu/arch/rsrce/resguide/vegas.html

• Las Vegas culture, history, and building construction

http://www.vegastodayandtomorrow.com/