Most of the pretending innovative modern housing projects show a common element that can be perceived when looking at the cross-section, evidencing the use of alternate corridors, which was recognized as a projective technique under Wells Coates expression “Planning in Section”. Contrasting virtues concerning the resulting space were observed at different historical moments. The late 19th Century used it to create privacy. The modern architecture used it to increase efficiency, where flexibility was included. However, during the ’60s, the alternative corridor technique started to be used to attend social issues, popularizing the split-level term, and echoing 19th Century privacy interests. Keywords like Smithson’s “doorstep” and Candilis “semi-duplex” section reveal their approaches. Well-differentiated areas (public/intimate/collective) and socially controlled areas were obtained in domestic interiors with a few steps, creating singular spaces where children can play while being monitored by adults. Semi-duplex geometry showed new adaptability to different profiles: a small kitchenless apartment for a bachelor could be inserted aside from a larger two-level family apartment. This paper shows an overview of this projective technique by contrasting different housing projects. Since similar split-level geometries seem to have been coming back recently, questions about it are necessary.
Purpose:This paper reviews an area of interdisciplinary collaboration in the design of healthcare facilities that attempts to optimize hospital space-planning using automated sta- tistical techniques from the discipline of Operations Research (OR). This review articulates Fa- cility Layout Problems (FLPs) as a general class of OR problems. Furthermore, the review highlights limitations of these techniques, which necessitate an ethical and participatory engagement with computerized processes of healthcare architecture.
Design/methodology/approach:An in-depth critical review was carried out, which revealed a number of common themes, collectively theorized as metamodeling processes, or models of models, through which various FLP modelling techniques can be challenged and debated in terms of their architectural viability, and ethical ramifications.
Findings: This review provides a methodological basis for the further evaluation of computa- tional models. It was found that most of the reviewed studies are functionally focused on flow efficiency and, in general, do not consider broader contextual, relational, social, or saluto- genic design values.
Originality/value: This review is the first on the subject written from an architectural perspec- tive. It can be used by a broad range of readers as its critical review of past and present hos- pital layout modelling techniques discusses their capabilities and limitations. As such, it also enables them to consider ethical values while critiquing the epistemology of computational processes hidden beneath algorithmic outputs.
Robotic surgery is one of the most recent technologies in healthcare building field. Due to the design complexity of Robotic surgery wards, computational implementations are being developed to either measure the effect of inserting advanced technologies as Electronic medical recorders and tele surgery, or evaluate design alternatives on healthcare building. This paper presents a design framework that responds to the need for coordinating design phases for Robotic Surgery Wards (RSWs) computationally. This proposed design framework for RSWs can generate functional RSW alternatives and more than one solution for each alternative. The framework has been structured based on the main architectural considerations of RSWs which are geometric and topological, the economic considerations, specific developed pools for shape and corridor patterns, and the theory of “Shape Grammars"has been utilized to compute the framework to generate a vast number of design alternatives. Accordingly, a computational implementation has been established to assist designers in early design stages. Numerical validation for the applications of the developed framework and implementation has been conducted by using reference examples of RSWs. The main finding in this paper is providing healthcare building designers with a computational implementation that generates RSW alternative computationally based on specific shape and cost levels.
As a great engineering work for the purpose of military defense in the time of Cold Weapon, the Great Wall’s military function is of the most importance. This study takes the Xiaohekou section of the Great Wall in Mount. Zhuizi constructed in the Ming Dynasty in Liaoning Province as the research object. In addition, this study discusses the relationship between the terrain and its site selection and layout from the military perspective. This research analyzes the trend and the grade of the terrain, the distance, the view range, and the effective firing range between the main body and the subsidiary establishments through GIS software. The GPS data collected in the on-site investigation were used, applying the theories of military geomorphology. Furthermore, this study concludes the characteristics of the site selection and the layouts of the city walls, the hollow watchtowers, the Ma’mians, and the signal towers on different terrains and the reasons behind.
In 1913, a so-called Moon Bridge was built in the Japanese garden of the Huntington Library in San Marino, California, USA as a fruit of the Japonism in the Western world at that time. The master carpenter was Toichiro Kawai, a Japanese immigrant from Yokohama who was originally a ship carpenter.
The bridge is made of wood and shaped in the exaggerated arch form, which classifies the bridge as a “drum bridge” (Taiko-bashi) in Japanese culture. However, the unique structural form of this bridge, the “woven arch,” is rare in building history.
This paper aims to explore why and how such a bridge appeared in such a place and time. For this purpose, we go from the historical background to its construction history, from the concept of the designer to the detailed design methods. Data come partly from the author’s first-hand investigation and the limited local archive. The most interesting discoveries were made during the detailed on-site investigation, including the fact that the bridge is designed to express the metaphor of “perfection” (full moon) through its geometrical features, and the design is based according to traditional Japanese methods.
This paper presents the results and analysis from an interview study conducted with practitioners of architectural regionalism in India. The interviews sought to gain indepth understanding of the strategies, mechanisms, and tools they employ to realize contextualized architecture that responds to local needs and potential. A sample composed of nine eminent Indian architects who regularly integrate the ideas of critical regionalism in their designs is selected and subsequently interviewed with regard to the varied aspects of their architectural practice. Findings are useful for practitioners and scholars of contemporary architecture in India for understanding the means employed by leading regionalist architects, while placing their work in the context of local building traditions, urban landscape, sociocultural conditions, technology, and climate.
Informal face-to-face communication and chance encounters encourage knowledge sharing. This Post-Occupancy Evaluation (POE) examines how well a new building of a Dutch University Institute (DI) supported interaction and perceived privacy among faculty members. The study is designed as a qualitative research project with in-depth interviews among faculty members before and after relocation into the new building. The transparent and centrally organized floor plan supported face-to-face communication but generated a lack of privacy for faculty members. Not all perceived affordances of the design were planned. Lack of visual privacy and the sense of being controlled by others were related to the hierarchical position of teachers in this Higher Education Institute (HEI) between students and the dean, which caused tension and diminished their well-being.
Village groups are a common phenomenon in Huizhou Region, a historical region in eastern China where shared inter-village spaces play important roles in linking villages. This study analyzes the spatial layouts and characteristics of the inter-village space in the Hongguan village group in Wuyuan County, Jiangxi Province. A comprehensive literature review and the results of field research, qualitative analysis, and quantitative analysis prove that the regional spatial structure is maintained among inter-village space, landmarks, villagers, and villages within the village group. Through a summarized analysis of nine research slices, this study complements previous Huizhou Village studies. It provides valuable information for the preservation of traditional villages and reveals the hidden rules, potential order, and social meaning of inter-village spaces.
The aim of transit-oriented development (TOD) is to create a livable urban environment by improving the integration between land-use and transportation systems. The capital city of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, aims to promote a sustainable transportation system by launching its first light rail transit (LRT) network to control the current pattern of increased congestion and the need for mass transport. Planning for TOD around existing transit stations helps achieve improved transit choice and encourages local economic development. Therefore, this article proposes a methodology to quantitatively measure the existing TOD in terms of a TOD index within the walkable distance of transit nodes by measuring the criteria that define TOD levels. The TOD index is calculated for areas of 22 stations on the East-West LRT line of Addis Ababa. Depending on the value of the TOD index, certain stations are identified to have a potential TOD but poor transit accessibility. With these results, the recommendation to improve TOD planning can become accurate for each station, depending on its relevant factors. Such results also help identify each station’s potential for TOD planning and its improvements toward future local developments.
Climate change and rising sea levels present immediate threats to humanity. However, the global catastrophe fails to generate sufficient action. Subject to total submergence within 80 years, this study undertakes an iterative design process seeking sustainable adaptation strategies for the coastal island nation of the Maldives, specifically, Malé, its capital, which exists under a “state of alert” by order of government. Research methods include literature reviews, site analysis, mapping, and iterative design processes to develop an implementation framework strategy. Infrastructure concepts are presented as speculative images with context-specific spatial relationships and functions. Concepts do not intend to represent a conclusive prototype, rather, an ideationda solution-based discourse among key audiences highlighting the need to act decisively and adaptively.
The present study examined the importance and performance of streetscapes at a tourism destination in Makassar, Indonesia, from the residents’ perspectives using the importanceeperformance analysis method. Thus, six attributes of the streetscapes in four segments of the old city district were identified and presented to 400 participants. The participants were then asked to rate the perception and preference of each attribute. Results of the attribute values were illustrated in a Cartesian diagram. Findings indicate notable discrepancies between the perceptions and preferences of the respondents. Thus, these attributes were inconsistent with their expectations. Moreover, the results showed that each segment should have different priorities for specific attributes to improve the performance of the streetscapes. Overall, such data can be used by stakeholders, such as tourism developers and government policymakers, to make appropriate and informed decisions that will improve the attractiveness of this tourism destination and increase the number of visitors.
Scholars have criticized the capacity of playgrounds to support children’s participation in public life. Fences of childhood, such as walls, fences, and enclosures, dominate children’s “public” spatial experiences in the global north. Challenging well-established critiques of the fenced playground as a space that segregates and controls childhood experiences, this study offers a novel and nuanced perspective, emphasizing the qualities of the playground fence that support play and playful connections, on, through, and around it. Employing an ethnographic methodology, this study includes 167h of observations in three typical urban public playgrounds in Greece and 65 semi-structured interviews with 124 participants. Drawing on recursive thematic qualitative analysis, the fence emerges as a blurred boundary, that is, an element that transgresses assumptions and questions spatial classifications and hierarchies. Rarely the subject of design discourse, these findings are particularly significant in design disciplines globally and offer new understandings on the possibilities afforded by the playground fence. Emergent themes, namely, indeterminacy, climbabilty, playability, and porosity, are proposed as principles to guide fenced playground design as part of a fundamental reconceptualization. This reconceptualization positions the fenced playground as a public space infrastructure, supporting intergenerational interaction and play as well as children’s presence and play in the public realm.
The grassroots can become an online influencer with the help of social media. Similarly, an online influencer mode is applicable in the architecture field. This study introduces the term “influential online architecture” (IOA) and aims to understand the cause and promotion of the IOA phenomenon and its impact on architecture. This research also introduces Bourdieu’s four forms of capital, namely, economic, cultural, social, and symbolic capitals, as a framework to argue that IOA is promoted by capitals through visual spectacles, class divisions, national identity, and social recognition. The methodology of this research uses case studies and logical argumentation through presentation and analysis of photos, statistical data, and comments from journals, books, news, and social platforms. The current study concludes that the online influencer mode in architecture should be concerned because the overemphasis on capitals through the production of IOA may erode the design field. This research argues that a well-established architecture criticism and post-occupancy evaluation system and a rational online influencer mode would contribute to the development of the design domain.
The energy consumption of the construction sector and its overall environmental impact has greater potential for improvement than those of many other sectors. Most energy consumed throughout the lifecycle of a building is expended during its operation and maintenance, for which the building envelope plays an important role. This study reports on the design, construction, and thermal performance evaluation of a ventilated façade. The façade should be quickly assembled, disassembled, and stored in containers for easy onward transport. Such features comply with the Rules and Building Codeof the Solar Decathlon Middle East 2018 and the relevant Eurocodes. The façade is constructed using bio-based materials in keeping with the principles of a circular economy. The exterior cladding consists of sanitary paper, grass, reeds, recycled textiles, drinking water treatment waste, bio-based polyester resin, and other materials. Temperature and the air velocity measurements recorded on the facc¸ade in Dubai showed that the façade had contributed to cool temperatures within the apartment, particularly during the hottest hours of the day. The façade is a promising option for climates with hot summers and mild winters as it contributes to reducing energy consumption and the environmental impact of building materials.
Prohibitive equipment cost and certain export regulations are the major obstacles to the widespread adoption of infrared (IR) thermography when evaluating building envelopes. In this work, we propose the use of an affordable and easily available camera as a first step of making the technology accessible. Combined with image post-processing, we hypothesize that a low-cost, low-resolution, and consumer-grade device can provide an economic alternative for the periodic evaluation of building envelopes. Following a market survey, the Seek Thermal Compact (STC) was chosen for evaluation. The STC was able to accurately measure the temperature of surfaces and distinguish small thermal anomalies (3 mm in diameter), and the IR images can be post-processed to reasonably estimate the anomaly areas. The STC was particularly effective when images were taken within 1.75 m from the surface. The 1.75 m distance did not pose a challenge in this study, as the goal was to mount the selected IR camera on an unmanned aerial vehicle for the surveys. The small size and weight of the STC were also useful. The results from the analysis of the capability of the STC and the image post-processing techniques may help form the basis of future investigations aiming at lowering the cost of building thermographic surveys.