{"id":{"repo_id":"vt","oai_identifier":"oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/35758"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/vt/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/35758","repository":{"repo_id":"vt","name":"Virginia Tech","base_url":"https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Celebrating the Natural Cycle of Life: A Birthing and Hospice Center","abstract":"When the special moments of life and death are imminent, where do you want to be? My thesis seeks to create an eco-sensitive, sustainable building that celebrates the time and place of two of life s most amazing events: birth and death. Rather than a conventional singular center, my thesis proposes a combined program for a new architectural project type: a Birthing and Hospice Center. Although the concept may be surprising, once people fully understand that we live in a closed system and embrace the cyclical nature of life, it is an appropriate program that represents another aspect of sustainability. The project site is located in an urban area of Old Town Alexandria, Virginia along the Potomac River. The Birthing and Hospice Center integrates both the human life cycle and the material life cycle of the building s materials, water, and site for a holistic experience and celebration. It explores how to heighten our environmental experience of place, light, air, water, and time. My thesis seeks to create a beautiful place where people can celebrate their own special event, while at the same time, understand and celebrate the larger realm of the natural life cycle.","abstract_html":"When the special moments of life and death are imminent, where do you want to be? My thesis seeks to create an eco-sensitive, sustainable building that celebrates the time and place of two of life s most amazing events: birth and death. Rather than a conventional singular center, my thesis proposes a combined program for a new architectural project type: a Birthing and Hospice Center. Although the concept may be surprising, once people fully understand that we live in a closed system and embrace the cyclical nature of life, it is an appropriate program that represents another aspect of sustainability. The project site is located in an urban area of Old Town Alexandria, Virginia along the Potomac River. The Birthing and Hospice Center integrates both the human life cycle and the material life cycle of the building s materials, water, and site for a holistic experience and celebration. It explores how to heighten our environmental experience of place, light, air, water, and time. My thesis seeks to create a beautiful place where people can celebrate their own special event, while at the same time, understand and celebrate the larger realm of the natural life cycle.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["FitzHarris, Heidi Sue Blycker"],"institution":"Virginia Tech","degree_name":"Master of Architecture","degree_level":"masters","degree_discipline":"Architecture","degree_department":"Architecture","school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":["Piedmont-Palladino, Susan C."],"committee_members":["Emmons, Paul F.","Feuerstein, Marcia F."],"year":2006,"date_issued":"2006-06-16","date_published":"2006-06-16","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:20:05Z","subjects":["Death","Lifecycle","Birth","Cyclical","Sustainable","Water","Courtyard"],"languages":[],"rights":["In Copyright"],"rights_urls":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["etd-11192006-213211"],"render_values":[{"text":"etd-11192006-213211","href":null,"code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/10919/35758","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.committeechair","label":"Committee Chair","values":["Piedmont-Palladino, Susan C."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.committeemember","label":"Committee Member","values":["Emmons, Paul F.","Feuerstein, Marcia F."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.department","label":"Department","values":["Architecture"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["FitzHarris, Heidi Sue Blycker"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2014-03-14T20:48:08Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2014-03-14T20:48:08Z","2006-12-07"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2006-06-16"]},{"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":["Death","Lifecycle","Birth","Cyclical","Sustainable","Water","Courtyard"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["In Copyright"]},{"key":"dc:rights.uri","label":"Rights URI","values":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["etd-11192006-213211"]},{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["http://hdl.handle.net/10919/35758"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["When the special moments of life and death are imminent, where do you want to be? 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My thesis seeks to create a beautiful place where people can celebrate their own special event, while at the same time, understand and celebrate the larger realm of the natural life cycle."]},{"key":"dc:description.degree","label":"Dc Description Degree","values":["Master of Architecture"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Celebrating the Natural Cycle of Life: A Birthing and Hospice Center"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.committeechair":["Piedmont-Palladino, Susan C."],"dc:contributor.committeemember":["Emmons, Paul F.","Feuerstein, Marcia F."],"dc:contributor.department":["Architecture"],"dc:creator":["FitzHarris, Heidi Sue Blycker"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2014-03-14T20:48:08Z"],"dc:date.available":["2014-03-14T20:48:08Z","2006-12-07"],"dc:date.issued":["2006-06-16"],"dc:description.abstract":["When the special moments of life and death are imminent, where do you want to be? 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