Cindy, you question is very open ended. Try to ask something specific and perhaps a poster on here will be able to give you assistance. I wouldn't hold my breath though.

If I were you, I'd start by comming up with a specific idea of what you want to explore. After that, try using google books and finding a few books on the topic, some of them are completely available, others are only available for a small preview so you'll have to look around a bit. From there you can come up with a specific area of interest and purchase some books from amazon or wherever and get much more in depth and accurate information than you will ever find on this forum.

Good luck!

David Adjaye's Denver Museum of Contemporary Art involves a good bit of (internal) pedestrian movement, and culture.

As far as pedestrian movement, you could reference the drunken pedestrian maps created in paris to show how arbitrary architecture can be.

hey so if i just stick with something that will utilize the interaction of pedestrians in a public space. what building types can i be looking at.
A typical responce would be an art gallery or a museum, but i want it bring it closer to the people and scale it to the street level. Like a bazar or interactive market...
.. but since its and architecture thesis, it requires a structure. any ideas?

There is movement of people, there is also the where-they-are-looking.

Have a look at Bartlett emeritus professor Bill Hillier's Space Syntax:


Through over twenty years of research-informed consulting, we have developed a powerful technology that demonstrates the key role of spatial layout in shaping patterns of human behaviour. These patterns include movement on foot, on cycles and in vehicles; wayfinding and purchasing in retail environments; vulnerability and criminal activity in buildings and urban settings; co-presence and communications in the workplace.

I had a classmate do his thesis on flash mobs! That may be something to look at? He developed meeting spaces for these mobs to "occur" or "take place".

Maybe you could develop something along those lines.

he thanks ppl !some really great ideas have come up.
but i have a feeling its spreading out instead of sucking in.(like a sponge sucking up water from the floor).
i'd really appreciate some specific case studies of projects that involve focusing more on pedestrian interaction?
you guys have been great
also i will encourage ppl who just view these posts to contribute. even a thought can save me at this point :)

The pedestrian infrastructure of Hong Kong is pretty impressive. It is (partly) elevated and runs trhough public and private buildings.

Perhaps you could study pedestrian movements but studying something pedestrian-like that maybe somewhat more impartial and intangible (not to mention similar).

Like when locusts (well, grasshoppers) enter a gregarious phase (swarming phase) and begin concentration and reproduction. They, for instance, lay vast amounts of eggs in concentrated areas that lead to vary interesting "herds" of thousands of immature (unable to fly) grasshoppers moving en masse.

There's lost of information out there on swarm intelligence and decentralized communication.

I've managed to short list my thesis to two basic projects

both deal with old buildings and treating them with their context to make them something new.Sort of like a conservation/Adaptive reuse

ones the Murree Brewery that i mentioned before, although i am unsure of the angle i'll take on it

There used to be an old brewery about an hour’s drive from where i live. Built in the 1860’s the place is pretty much in ruins now.an idea is to trace the history of the space, conserve the existing structure and built an interactive museum/display area that would trace the history of the space, display artifacts and create an interactive space where people can watch or observe the brewery process from the last century.

but i want to disconnect it from its Alcoholic background and connect it more to the community needs now....
but iam having difficulty pinning it down to structure a project
.....help.....??

in the same boat cindy regarding adaptive reuse.. i would suggest thinking of something OTHER than a museum.. it seems to be the expected move..

and the last thing we need on this planet is another museum.

Agreed on the museum. I actually don't think it's a very smart program choice in regards to movement because museums typically a: have set paths that limit choice and b: are pretty much the standard thesis building type. You won't really be able to challenge pedestrian movement with a program that is pretty static in nature. Also museums tend to have limited operating hours. I think a project that is really interested in movements of people needs to operate 24-7.

I would really try to consider a building program that would work more with your interests rather than something that naturally fits with your site selection/preservation intent. Also I would look at the incorporation of 2-3 programs that counteract each other, i.e. two things that don't usually belong together. Imagine the unique patterns of movement if you were to put an abortion clinic on one end, a catholic church on the other and shopping the middle? Think about how aware everyone in the building would be of how others are moving, where they are going to, etc. Perhaps it doesn't need to be so controversial but I do think you need more cowbell, so to speak.

i really appreciate the ides. i thought of a museum as a cultural anchor in the area. i wanted to study the social make up of the area to drive a program... but the concept of putting polarity in the program is awesome!
Did i mention this is site is located on the side of a hill... i just put up pictures of it on my blog so have a look

http://archthesisblog.wordpress.com

also the site is next to a hill but not so often visited.. so i need a program that cater to the needs to the locals as well as be a destination/attraction for the outsiders... i feel the friction or....magnetism between the native and the visitor will be interesting to study also.Cause of the climate i was thinking a certain level of transparency to the structure
(It snows in winter and is quiet pleasant in summers.. thus the attraction to the tourists)

mk2 i'd be really interested to know what direction you're thinking in.If i could help .... be a sounding board to bounce ideas off :)

from what it looks like from the photos... the building is in almost martyrdom state in a very rural area?

i think if you are thinking about adaptive reuse/preservation.. your first questions need to be about why this historic building be saved. What value does it hold? What's special? Should all buildings be saved?

Stay flexible and keep questioning! This has what helped me stay hungry.

i've decided on a topic that relates to my site and kinda what i wanted to do ... iam looking into memory and how it relates to architecture. my current hypothesis is

" Each space has an embedded narrative, which can be invoked and encountered through architecture."

john Ruskin is the first name that comes to mind when talking about memory but i'd like to look into more current work done on the subject
any suggestions as to who's work i should look at or read ??