{"id":{"repo_id":"vt","oai_identifier":"oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/143401"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/vt/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/143401","repository":{"repo_id":"vt","name":"Virginia Tech","base_url":"https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"The Inserted Order","abstract":"Appalachia is experiencing depopulation at a rate typically seen in regions affected by natural disasters or war. Part of the reason for this is its dependence on extractive industries, and as they declined, the region followed. These industries have left irreparable damage in their wake, yet as their grip on the region weakens, a bright new future is beginning to emerge. This thesis navigates a time where the region is reclaiming its independence from extraction and charting a new sustainable future. Left behind is an infrastructural and social framework that can be built upon to foster a vibrant alternative to increasingly drab city life. These towns are perfectly arranged to nurture diverse, close-knit communities, with a wide range of housing stock, walkable downtowns, and ample access to outdoor recreation. The issue is that years of deferred maintenance have led to the deterioration of the interior of many of these structures, making traditional renovation methods cost-prohibitive. However, the masonry shells remain largely intact, which is where this proposal comes into play. The inserted Order is a methodology for the strategic revitalization of the abandoned masonry buildings that plague Main Street Appalachia. The new is inserted into the old, respecting the historical significance of these buildings while providing an inhabitable space, reactivating the building as a public resource. The insert becomes a beacon for the community, offering a new way forward: a way to grow while respecting the place's culture and heritage.","abstract_html":"Appalachia is experiencing depopulation at a rate typically seen in regions affected by natural disasters or war. Part of the reason for this is its dependence on extractive industries, and as they declined, the region followed. These industries have left irreparable damage in their wake, yet as their grip on the region weakens, a bright new future is beginning to emerge. This thesis navigates a time where the region is reclaiming its independence from extraction and charting a new sustainable future. Left behind is an infrastructural and social framework that can be built upon to foster a vibrant alternative to increasingly drab city life. These towns are perfectly arranged to nurture diverse, close-knit communities, with a wide range of housing stock, walkable downtowns, and ample access to outdoor recreation. The issue is that years of deferred maintenance have led to the deterioration of the interior of many of these structures, making traditional renovation methods cost-prohibitive. However, the masonry shells remain largely intact, which is where this proposal comes into play. The inserted Order is a methodology for the strategic revitalization of the abandoned masonry buildings that plague Main Street Appalachia. The new is inserted into the old, respecting the historical significance of these buildings while providing an inhabitable space, reactivating the building as a public resource. The insert becomes a beacon for the community, offering a new way forward: a way to grow while respecting the place's culture and heritage.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Connors, Owen H."],"institution":"Virginia Tech","degree_name":"Master of Architecture","degree_level":"masters","degree_discipline":"Architecture","degree_department":"Architecture","school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":["Jones, James R."],"committee_members":["Borunda Monsivais, Luis Ricardo","MacDowell, Parke"],"year":2026,"date_issued":"2026-06-12","date_published":"2026-06-12","updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:56:34Z","subjects":["Appalachia","Architecture","Revitalization","Historic Preservation","Adaptive Reuse"],"languages":["en"],"rights":["Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International"],"rights_urls":["http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["vt_gsexam:47258"],"render_values":[{"text":"vt_gsexam:47258","href":null,"code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://hdl.handle.net/10919/143401","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.committeechair","label":"Committee Chair","values":["Jones, James R."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.committeemember","label":"Committee Member","values":["Borunda Monsivais, Luis Ricardo","MacDowell, Parke"]},{"key":"dc:contributor.department","label":"Department","values":["Architecture"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Connors, Owen H."]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2026-06-13T08:03:18Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2026-06-13T08:03:18Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2026-06-12"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Virginia Tech"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Architecture"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["masters"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Architecture"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Appalachia","Architecture","Revitalization","Historic Preservation","Adaptive Reuse"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["en"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International"]},{"key":"dc:rights.uri","label":"Rights URI","values":["http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["vt_gsexam:47258"]},{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["https://hdl.handle.net/10919/143401"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Appalachia is experiencing depopulation at a rate typically seen in regions affected by natural disasters or war. Part of the reason for this is its dependence on extractive industries, and as they declined, the region followed. These industries have left irreparable damage in their wake, yet as their grip on the region weakens, a bright new future is beginning to emerge. This thesis navigates a time where the region is reclaiming its independence from extraction and charting a new sustainable future. Left behind is an infrastructural and social framework that can be built upon to foster a vibrant alternative to increasingly drab city life. These towns are perfectly arranged to nurture diverse, close-knit communities, with a wide range of housing stock, walkable downtowns, and ample access to outdoor recreation. The issue is that years of deferred maintenance have led to the deterioration of the interior of many of these structures, making traditional renovation methods cost-prohibitive. However, the masonry shells remain largely intact, which is where this proposal comes into play. The inserted Order is a methodology for the strategic revitalization of the abandoned masonry buildings that plague Main Street Appalachia. The new is inserted into the old, respecting the historical significance of these buildings while providing an inhabitable space, reactivating the building as a public resource. The insert becomes a beacon for the community, offering a new way forward: a way to grow while respecting the place's culture and heritage."]},{"key":"dc:description.abstractgeneral","label":"General Abstract","values":["People are leaving Appalachia at an alarming rate. For generations, the region's economy has been almost entirely built on coal, timber, and other extractive industries. As these industries began to decline, so did the communities that depended on them. Their collapse took jobs, community life, and infrastructure with it, leaving behind abandoned main streets where beautiful old brick buildings sit vacant as nature reclaims their interiors. Traditional renovation methods are too costly for most of these towns, or for individual entrepreneurs, to undertake. But the bones are solid; these masonry facades have stood tall for decades. This thesis asks: how do we work with what remains? The Inserted Order is a design strategy that inserts a new, lightweight structure inside the shell of an abandoned main-street building. The old exterior walls remain, honoring the town's history and preserving its character, while the new insert brings the building back to life as usable space for the community. This strategy goes beyond simply preserving historic buildings. Appalachian towns have a lot going for them: dense, walkable layouts, tight-knit communities, and stunning natural surroundings that are increasingly difficult to find in modern developments. This proposal aims to bring new energy to these towns by offering a more affordable way for them to get back on their feet."]},{"key":"dc:description.degree","label":"Dc Description Degree","values":["Master of Architecture"]},{"key":"dc:format.medium","label":"Dc Format Medium","values":["ETD"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["The Inserted Order"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.committeechair":["Jones, James R."],"dc:contributor.committeemember":["Borunda Monsivais, Luis Ricardo","MacDowell, Parke"],"dc:contributor.department":["Architecture"],"dc:creator":["Connors, Owen H."],"dc:date.accessioned":["2026-06-13T08:03:18Z"],"dc:date.available":["2026-06-13T08:03:18Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2026-06-12"],"dc:description.abstract":["Appalachia is experiencing depopulation at a rate typically seen in regions affected by natural disasters or war. Part of the reason for this is its dependence on extractive industries, and as they declined, the region followed. These industries have left irreparable damage in their wake, yet as their grip on the region weakens, a bright new future is beginning to emerge. This thesis navigates a time where the region is reclaiming its independence from extraction and charting a new sustainable future. Left behind is an infrastructural and social framework that can be built upon to foster a vibrant alternative to increasingly drab city life. These towns are perfectly arranged to nurture diverse, close-knit communities, with a wide range of housing stock, walkable downtowns, and ample access to outdoor recreation. The issue is that years of deferred maintenance have led to the deterioration of the interior of many of these structures, making traditional renovation methods cost-prohibitive. However, the masonry shells remain largely intact, which is where this proposal comes into play. The inserted Order is a methodology for the strategic revitalization of the abandoned masonry buildings that plague Main Street Appalachia. The new is inserted into the old, respecting the historical significance of these buildings while providing an inhabitable space, reactivating the building as a public resource. The insert becomes a beacon for the community, offering a new way forward: a way to grow while respecting the place's culture and heritage."],"dc:description.abstractgeneral":["People are leaving Appalachia at an alarming rate. For generations, the region's economy has been almost entirely built on coal, timber, and other extractive industries. As these industries began to decline, so did the communities that depended on them. Their collapse took jobs, community life, and infrastructure with it, leaving behind abandoned main streets where beautiful old brick buildings sit vacant as nature reclaims their interiors. Traditional renovation methods are too costly for most of these towns, or for individual entrepreneurs, to undertake. But the bones are solid; these masonry facades have stood tall for decades. This thesis asks: how do we work with what remains? The Inserted Order is a design strategy that inserts a new, lightweight structure inside the shell of an abandoned main-street building. The old exterior walls remain, honoring the town's history and preserving its character, while the new insert brings the building back to life as usable space for the community. This strategy goes beyond simply preserving historic buildings. Appalachian towns have a lot going for them: dense, walkable layouts, tight-knit communities, and stunning natural surroundings that are increasingly difficult to find in modern developments. This proposal aims to bring new energy to these towns by offering a more affordable way for them to get back on their feet."],"dc:description.degree":["Master of Architecture"],"dc:format.medium":["ETD"],"dc:identifier.other":["vt_gsexam:47258"],"dc:identifier.uri":["https://hdl.handle.net/10919/143401"],"dc:language.iso":["en"],"dc:publisher":["Virginia Tech"],"dc:rights":["Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International"],"dc:rights.uri":["http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"],"dc:subject":["Appalachia","Architecture","Revitalization","Historic Preservation","Adaptive Reuse"],"dc:title":["The Inserted Order"],"dc:type":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Architecture"],"thesis:degree_level":["masters"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Architecture"],"thesis:institution_name":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:56:34Z"}