The Landscape of Impact: Creating a New Design Framework for Targeted Project Outcomes Through a Practice Based Approach to Research

The purpose of this research was to explore the potential for design to achieve wide-ranging, positive impacts in targeted and measurable ways. An increasing number of studies indicates that the built environment plays a substantial role in public health and well-being, yet even fundamental human needs such as access to healthy food and safe outdoor spaces are absent in many communities. This research was conducted as a Practice Based Research investigation. It examined a body of work - that of my 30-year practice, Bradley Site Design - and mined it as an empirical resource. Combined with a comprehensive literature review, the investigation formed the basis for a new design methodology and business model that prioritizes the health and wellbeing of people and planet. The examination of project and practice artifacts in the context of established discourse on topics such as impact assessment resulted in a synthesis of applied and theoretical knowledge, revealing new perspectives in design practice. The resulting research product is Design For Impact, a methodology and set of instruments that provide a framework to address localized community needs and generate outcomes that measurably affect human wellbeing, economic stability, and environmental health.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy

Level thesis:degree_level

doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Environmental Design and Planning

Department dc:contributor.department

Myers-Lawson School of Construction

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• Bradley, Sharon Eileen

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Stamm, Marcelo Roberto

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Reichard, Georg
• Rosier, Shaun Anthony Michael
• Kim, Mintai

• Landscape Architecture
• Impact Assessment
• Design

Statement dc:rights

• Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en

Dc Identifier Other

vt_gsexam:42847

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/132499