Visual Analysis and Design Proposal for the Bridges Organization Day Facility in Rockledge, Florida

Authors

Lesa N. Lorusso, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

Date of this Version

Spring 5-2014

Document Type

Article

Comments

A THESIS Presented to the Faculty of The Graduate College at the University of Nebraska In Partial Fulfillment of Requirements For the Degree of Master of Science, Major: Architecture, Under the Supervision of Professor Betsy Gabb. Lincoln, Nebraska: May, 2014

Copyright (c) 2014 Lesa N. Lorusso

Abstract

The population by age of the client and staff at the Bridges Facility in Rockledge, Florida represent a microcosm of the population of Brevard County, Florida. The shared history of two non-profit organizations that began in in Brevard County, FL in the mid twentieth century is remarkable. NASA began in 1958, and the Bridges organization began in 1956. The historically significant American community of Brevard County, FL now faces the challenges of a new focus without the NASA space shuttle program and accommodating an increasingly aging population, while the similarly aged Bridges organization faces similar organizational and population challenges as well.

This study first provides a historical background of Brevard County, FL and the Bridges organization. As the Bridges facility in Rockledge, Florida undergoes a renovation the administration seeks to close the gap between new construction and the renovation of the existing structure. The renovation and addition to the Bridges facility is analyzed with a focus on the application of Inclusive Design, Universal Design and Eden Alternative principles along with combined qualitative and quantitative methodologies.

Adviser: Betsy Gabb