Mississippi State University
ARCC Member Unit:
College of Architecture, Art, and Design
Jane Britt Greenwood, AIA
Interim Associate Dean
School of Architecture
Mississippi State University
PO Box AQ
Mississippi State, MS 39762
Phone: 662-325-2202
Fax: 662-325-8872
e-mail: jgreenwood@coa.msstate.edu
ARCC Representative:
James L. West, AIA
Dean
College of Architecture, Art, and Design
Mississippi State University
PO Box AQ
Mississippi State, MS 39762
Phone: 662-325-2202
Fax: 662-325-8872
e-mail: jwest@coa.msstate.edu
Research Administration Profile:
The College of Architecture, Art, and Design consists of the School of Architecture (SARC), the Department of Art, and the Interior Design program. In the SARC, there are thirteen full-time faculty and approximately 250 undergraduate and graduate students. Students in the graduate program earn a Master of Science in Architecture. There are four research centers in the SARC: the Carl Small Town Center (CSTS), the Jackson Community Design Center (JCDC), the Education Design Institute (EDI), and the Digital Research Imaging Lab (DRIL). Since 1998, the SARC has written and submitted over 150 grant proposals and been awarded over 3 million dollars. In 2003, the amount of grant dollars brought into the SARC is as follows: CSTS: $270,000, JCDC: $97,000, EDI: 90,000, DRIL: 100,000. In addition to grants awarded to the research centers, faculty members received grant dollars in excess of 50 thousand dollars.
Research Centers:
As architecture combines aspects of both science and art, research within the SARC is more than either basic research or creative expression. Research in the School of Architecture aims to improve the quality of life and may range from the development of new materials and building components that make buildings more efficient, safer, less expensive, and more durable to the design of prototypical communities and buildings that are environmentally sensitive, energy efficient, and economically viable. To that end, the research program of the SARC includes the Carl Small Town Center, the Jackson Community Design Center, the Digital Research and Imaging Laboratory, and the Educational Design Institute.
The Carl Small Town Center (CSTC) strives to help Mississippi communities develop an architectural and spatial language for achieving desired dreams and goals. The work is developed to a schematic and/or conceptual level that allows towns to generate a community-wide vision and organize implementation strategies. Communities use feasibility studies and drawings generated by the CSTC to help with fund-raising efforts and hiring local practitioners to oversee project implementation.
Transit Feasibility Study: Researches the viability for a fixed-route bus system to be located in Starkville, Mississippi. Also investigates the nature of urban growth in Starkville throughout its history in order to develop and improve the existing city fabric and future growth. This project is also a stepping stone for a future comprehensive bicycle and pedestrian plan for Starkville. Funding source: Federal Transportation Administration.
CREATE Common Ground: A partnership between the Carl Small Town Center and the CREATE Foundation provides a systematic method for recognizing the assets and challenges facing specific small towns and to chart a plan of action. The CSTC organizes round table discussions in the community and invites representatives from the Stennis Institute of Government, the MSU Extension Services, the MSU Landscape Architecture Department, TVA, the CREATE Foundation, the Mississippi Main Street Association, the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, the Mississippi Development Authority, and various design professionals to provide community assistance. Funding source: CREATE Foundation, Tupelo.
Mobile Street Corridor Plan: Investigated the revitalization of the historic Mobile Street neighborhood in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Worked with third-year design studio in determining needs, prioritizing scope, analyzing assets and challenges, and recommending appropriate building typologies. Students presented schematic design proposals for a cooperative grocery store and community center to the Mayor of Hattiesburg, downtown businesses, and residents of Mobile Street. Funding source: City of Hattiesburg.
Housing: Worked in Meridian, MS with the Stennis Institute for Government and Habitat for Humanity in the design and construction of low-cost affordable housing using Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs). Designing a new vernacular housing prototype that utilizes a modular steel stud panel system researched and developed by the CSTC. Creating a Mississippi Housing Compendium that will be a centralized information resource for affordable, sustainable, and vernacular houses and housing in Mississippi. Researching and developing a prototype for a modular, sustainable, energy efficient, and vernacular mobile home for Mississippi. Designing a neighborhood for pre-manufactured houses. Funding sources: HUD Revitalization Grant, MS Home Corporation.
Additional CSTC projects: B.B. King Museum, East Oktibbeha County Elementary School Playground, Senator John C. Stennis Office Building Renovation, Third Street in Baldwyn, MS.
CSTC Research Agenda and Activities:
economic development and town planning issues throughout the state of MS
revitalizing historic downtowns
sprawl development
smart growth
low-income, sustainable housing research and design to address the self-help/volunteer labor model for residential construction
low-income, accessible research and design of a Smart House
low-income, sustainable Housing Summit
MS Housing Compendium
low-income sustainable neighborhoods
rural medical centers
abandoned Wal-Marts
community planning to challenge strip development
community centers for after-school programs, child-care, elder care
redesign rural communities to promote healthy lifestyles by being bicycle and pedestrian friendly, and
housing for migrant workers
guidelines for rural emergency centers
economic revitalization of lower income neighborhoods by identifying and renovating salvageable and historically significant housing stock
introducing new, well-designed and regionally contextual housing into vacant and abandoned lots within neighborhoods
partnering with other non-profit community organizations to assist and educate new homeowners about responsibilities and benefits of homeownership
transit feasibility studies for Starkville, MS and Oxford, MS
structural insulated panel (SIP) systems
The Jackson Community Design Center (JCDC) serves the community of Jackson by working with various non-profit organizations, neighborhood groups, and the City of Jackson Planning Office on projects that aim to repair and improve the city, its neighborhoods, and its buildings. The mission of the Design Center is three-fold: to provide quality design service on projects that fall outside of normal, profit making architectural practice; to preserve and create safe, diverse inner-city neighborhoods; and to educate community leaders, builders, young people, and architecture students concerning the importance of architecture and community focused work.
Eco Village Bridge: The bridge is part of a walking trail from the Duncan M. Gray Conference Center to the Eco Village. A bench incorporated into the railing on both sides of the bridge provides a quiet resting place along the trail. Funding source: Duncan M. Gray Center.
Fondren Square Pre-Planning: The historic Cedars House will be relocated, restored, and reused as part of an arts complex for Fondren. The complex includes galleries, offices, and studio space for artists. The porch of the Cedars House will be used as a stage, creating a small outdoor amphitheater. Funding source: Fondren Renaissance Renewal.
Camp John I. Hay Pavilion: Camp John I. Hay is a Boys & Girls Club camp for inner-city youth. The pavilion is used for basketball and volleyball as well as a place for camp plays and other events. The roof is activated by a playful rhythm of folded planes and is constructed of utility poles and wood framing in the spirit of pole-barn construction. Funding source: Boys & Girls Club of Metro Jackson.
Additional JCDC projects: 111-121 Roach Street Adaptive Reuse Feasibility Study, Sustainable Habitat House, Farish Street Historic District Housing Phase Two, Bon Aire Neighborhood Planning.
JCDC Research Agenda and Activities:
affordable housing
sustainability
neighborhood planning
adaptive reuse
The Digital Research and Imaging Lab (DRIL) is a design group that is technology centric and performs inter-disciplinary research in design and informatics. The DRIL strives to address real problems and needs for society at the local, state, and national levels via service and research projects in the areas of architecture, computer visualization, multi-media, digital design, architectural visualization, Computer-Aided-Design-Computer-Aided-Manufacturing (CADCAM), manufactured housing, E-learning, web design, information technology, design and construction management, and sustainability.
CADCAM - MSU Furniture Institute: A partnership with the MSU College of Forestry Franklin Furniture Institute regarding product and process evolution for the Mississippi furniture industry that integrates emerging technology. Funding source: Hearin Foundation.
Constructed Wetlands and Master Planning: A partnership with the MSU ERC GeoResources Institute for a joint applications research project between the GeoResources Institute, DRIL, and the GeoData Airborne Mapping and Measurement, Inc. Remote sensing applications are proposed for private wetlands restoration, monitoring, and education. Funding source: Hearin Foundation.
Manufactured Housing, IT, and CADCAM: A case study and multi-faceted proprietary research project for Jay Wilson, CIO of Cavalier Homes, Inc. of Greensboro, NC regarding new technology process and product design with the integration of Computer-Aided-Design-Computer-Aided-Manufacturing (CADCAM). Funding source: Hearin Foundation.
GTR Airport & EuroCopter Visualization: A logo design & PowerPoint visualization project for Teresa Miley of the Golden Triangle Regional Airport (GTR) at the request of MSU President, Dr. J. Charles Lee and Dr. Melvin Ray of the MSU Presidents office. The GTR Airport won the EuroCopter contract among 25 airport competitors and EuroCopter adopted the DRIL designed logo. Funding source: MSU President's Office.
Additional DRIL projects: The Digital Divide & Rural Mississippi Revitalization, Constructed Wetlands - Domestic Waste Treatment Systems, Franklin Lake Retreat Conceptual Visualization, MSU College of Engineering Aerospace Building Visualization.
DRIL Research Agenda and Activities:
a product/process evolution for the Mississippi furniture industry that integrates emerging technologies
economy manufacturing techniques, E-learning, and emerging digital health care opportunities for rural Mississippi
domestic wastewater alternative treatment systems in rural MS
remote sensing applications for private wetlands restoration
case study of IT, CADCAM, and manufactured housing
The Educational Design Institute (EDI) collaborates with students, parents, educators, school administrators, school boards, and communities. EDI's mission is to promote and encourage the creation of safe, accessible, flexible, developmentally-appropriate, and learner-centered environments that will challenge and motivate student minds, strengthen student bodies, and commit students to their communities.
Mississippi Design Guidelines: EDI collaborated with the Mississippi Department of Education to develop a set of new school facility guidelines. The final document, available both on the web and in print, covers school facility issues that range from planning new facilities to maintaining them. Funding source: Mississippi Department of Education.
The McWillie School Project: The Jackson Public Schools Administration initiated the McWillie Project to help accommodate overcrowding at Boyd Elementary School: 800 students were housed in a building designed for 400. EDI developed design guidelines to be used by architects in designing the McWillie school as well as future elementary school project in the Jackson Public School District. Funding source: Jackson Public School System.
A Pre-School for Stewpot Community Services: A pre-school feasibility study conducted with the Jackson Community Design Center for Stewpot Community Services. EDI developed a series of tearsheets to aid designers in planning pre-school environments. These sheets outline educational objectives, optimum square foot standards, general environmental concerns, furniture, and equipment for infant, toddler, and pre-school age groups. Funding source: The Phil Hardin Foundation.
EDI Research Agenda and Activities:
design guidelines for MS schools
educational/facility planning
Faculty Research:
The College has maintained an excellent faculty with a diverse range of expertise, interests, and philosophies. Collectively, the faculty has received design, teaching, and research awards, as well as other types of recognition. Faculty teaching a normal semester load (6-hour studio and 3-hour academic course) devotes about 65% of their time to teaching. The following overview of faculty research demonstrates the School of Architectures commitment to the university mission of teaching, research, and service:
Associate Professor Larry Barrow, AIA: lbarrow@coa.msstate.edu
Director of the Graduate Program, and the Digital Research Imaging Lab
provide research that will result in a comprehensive framework for the manufactured home design-build process
perform pure research at the macro level that will result in a conceptual framework for revolutionizing the means of designing, planning, managing, manufacturing, marketing and delivering the manufactured house using digital technologies and automated systems
perform applied research at the micro level that will result in a constructed full-scale model of a sustainable and energy-efficient alternative to current available manufactured homes
equipment standards and environmental factors that could be altered to suit cost-effective, energy efficient technologies for the climatic conditions of the region
Professor Michael Berk: mberk@coa.msstate.edu
sustainable mobile home housing for rural north MS and the Delta -- an energy efficient and green alternative to the single-wide trailer
pre-manufactured affordable housing
sustainable master planning
information design (Photo-Analytical Mapping)
Assistant Professor Kimberly Brown, AIA: kbrown@coa.msstate.edu
Director of the Carl Small Town Center
resource workshop for discussing problems inherent in the abandonment of large pieces of real estate in MS small towns
design guidelines for reusing abandoned big box stores
design summit for community leaders for disseminating information learned from the resource workshop, and through the development of the design guidelines
David Buege: dbuege@coa.msstate.edu
Director of the SARC Fifth-Year Program in Jackson, MS
Basic design and pedagogy for beginning designers
Land use, housing and urban form
The architecture and tectonics of vertical surfaces
Danish architect Kay Fisker
Nordic architecture
Words on buildings
Professor Michael Fazio, AIA: mfazio@coa.msstate.edu
Benjamin Henry Latrobe (book forthcoming)
the architecture of Birmingham, AL (book forthcoming)
textbooks on architectural history
Associate Professor Jane Britt Greenwood, AIA: jgreenwood@coa.msstate.edu
Interim Associate Dean, College of Architecture, Art, and Design
vernacular housing in Armenia and Haiti
housing prototypes based on traditional MS architecture that are low-cost, affordable, panelized, modular, sustainable, and energy efficient
Associate Professor David Lewis, AIA, PhD: dlewis@coa.msstate.edu
sustainable houses for the southern climatic region
design and construction of a kinetic research/demonstration house for investigating the following issues: strategies for biodegradation, including moisture control of foundations, walls, and windows along with constructional and chemical strategies for termite infestation; structural responses to high force lateral wind loads including tie-down systems for foundations, walls, and roofs; the development of low energy and power producing systems for residences; incorporation of hydroscopic materials, low-velocity ventilation; and regenerative processing characteristics of surrounding ecological systems
low-income multi-family housing
phenomenological and experiential aspects of classical period Greek Architecture
Assistant Professor Anijo Mathew: amathew@coa.msstate.edu
integrating digital interfaces in architectural elements and everyday objects aiding in proactive health decisions
analyzing the possibilities of integrating digital interfaces into the architectural fabric of a rural home, studying how such devices could be adapted from the urban home to a rural setting, test alternative design solutions that may be more acceptable to a rural population
evaluation of presentation techniques using computer applications for creating accurate and photorealistic architectural environments through simulations and high-end visualization
Associate Professor Rachel McCann: rmccann@coa.msstate.edu
Merleau Ponty's idea of intersubjectivity as it applies to architectural experience and design
architecture and myth
the body and the world
design pedagogy
Assistant Professor Christopher Monson, AIA: cmonson@coa.msstate.edu
research, build, apply, and assess the use of digital portfolio systems for STEM (undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines) problem-based education
architectural education: collaborative teaching
using student digital design portfolios for assessment of learning, curriculum, and accreditation in problem-based education
compositional logic in the architecture of Frank Gehry
electronic media and virtual education
pedagogy: studio-based learning, "learning" paradigm, outcomes based education
Associate Professor David Perkes: dperkes@coa.msstate.edu
Director of the Jackson Community Design Center
design pedagogy
public health and community design
Associate Professor John Poros: jporos@coa.msstate.edu
Marcel Breuer
neighborhood and community design guidelines
problem based learning
Jim West, AIA: jwest@coa.msstate.edu
Dean, College of Architecture, Art, and Design
barrier free design guidelines for handicapped children
housing
lighting design
University:
Mississippi State University began as the Agricultural and Mechanical College of the State of Mississippi, one of the national Land-Grant colleges established under the Morrill Act of 1862. The Mississippi Legislature created it on February 28, 1878 to offer training in agriculture, horticulture and the mechanical arts . . . without excluding other scientific and classical studies, including military tactics. The college received its first students in the fall of 1880.
In 1926 the college received its first accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. By 1932, when the legislature renamed the college as Mississippi State College, it consisted of the Agricultural Experiment Station (1887), the College of Engineering (1902), the College of Agriculture (1903), the College of Business and Industry (1915), the Mississippi Cooperative Extension Service (1915), and the Division of Continuing Education (1919).
By 1958, when the legislature again renamed the college, this time as Mississippi State University, the Graduate School had been organized (1936), doctoral degree programs had begun (1951), the School of Forest Resources had been established (1954), and the College of Arts and Sciences had been created (1956). The School of Architecture admitted its first students in 1973; the College of Veterinary Medicine admitted its first class in 1977; and the School of Accountancy was established in 1979. In February 2003 the School of Architecture became the College of Architecture. This was a title change only but did offer the opportunity for expansion. In July 2004, the College of Architecture became the College of Architecture, Art, and Design.
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This page was last updated 7 October 2004.
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