Architectural Artifacts Research Articles

Space–use analysis through computer vision

Abstract Buildings are complex dynamic systems composed of sub-systems and components in continuous interaction with human behavior. Occupancy and movement data are crucial to deepen the understanding of the built environment performance. Observation data is paramount in space–use studies. However, there is a lack of automatic observation techniques, which enable the continuous and systematic recording of the mobility behavior, the producing of non-arbitrary registries, the gathering of big data and the emergence of patterns. This study is divided into two companion, although autonomous, papers. The first paper [M. Kuipers, A. Tome, T. Pinheiro, M. Nunes, T. Heitor, Building Space–Use Analysis System — a Multi Location/Multi Sensor Platform, Automation in Construction 47 (2014) 10–23] describe the video-based analysis system and give account of preliminary use patterns obtained by data fusion of video plus RFID inputs; the present paper expand the obtained results and focus on investigating analytical procedures aimed at the study of the functional condition of architectural artifacts, and promotion of a better understanding with the spatial conditions, based on computer vision based tracking. Computer vision allows the simultaneous recording of the user and the spatial container and a full description of the movement behavior. The proposed method for the analysis of the space–use interactions is evaluated in two main atriums of a university department building. It allows to: a) represent, describe and quantify occupancy/co-presence patterns and movement/navigation patterns; and b) establish correlations between the occupancy/movement patterns and the morphological properties of space. Several mobility indexes and its mapping are obtained, such as the number of users, time occupancy, average speed, and users' encounters. The results show how space–use data can be interfaced with spatial analysis tools to arrive at an understanding of the relationship between space–use and building design.

Using enterprise architecture artefacts in an organisation

As a tool for management and planning, Enterprise Architecture (EA) can potentially align organisations’ business processes, information, information systems and technology towards a common goal, and supply the information required within this journey. However, an explicit view on why, how, when and by whom EA artefacts are used in order to realise its full potential is not defined. Utilising the features of information systems use studies and data from a case study with 14 EA stakeholder interviews, we identify and describe 15 EA artefact use situations that are then reflected in the related literature. Their analysis enriches understanding of what are EA artefacts, how and why they are used and when are they used, and results in a theoretical framework for understanding their use in general.

A Reference Model as Automated Process for Software Adaptation at Runtime

The development of self-adaptive software (SaS) has specific characteristics compared to traditional one, since it allows that changes to be incorporated at runtime. Automated processes have been used as a feasible solution to conduct the software adaptation at runtime. In parallel, reference model has been used to aggregate knowledge and architectural artifacts, since capture the systems essence of specific domains. However, there is currently no reference model based on reflection for the development of SaS. Thus, the main contribution of this paper is to present a reference model based on reflection for development of SaS that have a need to adapt at runtime. To present the applicability of this model, a case study was conducted and good perspective to efficiently contribute to the area of SaS has been obtained.

Model Driven Upstream and Downstream Artifacts

It is important for a systems architect to be able to “zoom in” and “zoom out” different levels of details, i.e., to see the enterprise and business level views as well as to go into details of systems and different components of systems. The enterprise knowledge and information systems are two fundamentally different disciplines. An intermediary approach that can connect the two bi-directionally can be very useful in such scenarios. This short paper proposes an intermediary modeling approach that can provide means to computer assisted creation of higher-level business architectural artifacts, that can hold business meaning for the upper management, as well as information system meta-model descriptions that can be used for MBSE (Model Based System Engineering) approaches to develop concrete software systems. This would allow enterprise planning at intermediary level to provide upstream and downstream independence. This preliminary research uses a computer aided planning environment that has repository of multi-disciplinary patterns at different levels of detail for rapid development of these models, capturing various views and viewpoints in a step by step manner.

Fluorescent architecture, or, Dan Flavin at the supermarket

The architecture of supermarkets. The history of fluorescent lighting. The art of Dan Flavin. When examined independently each tells a distinct story about post-Second World War America. When studied together, however, they reveal important historical relationships between aesthetics, architecture and suburbia. These relationships revolve around a sensibility that is shared by Minimalist art, suburban buildings and everyday technologies; a sensibility that is best described as the banal-spectacle.We tend to think of sensibilities and styles as either superficial or as the result of other cultural forces. They are what covers up or comes after the important stuff. But what if one reverses this sequence and hierarchy? What is to be gained by starting with sensibility and aesthetics when generating and analysing architectural artefacts? Can they provide a robust technique for creating desirable social effects? This essay uses the overlapping histories of the supermarket, fluorescent lighting and the work of Dan Flavin to examine these questions. In doing so it will argue for the efficacy of employing aesthetic practices and products better to understand, engage and fulfill architecture's social and environmental responsibilities.

Hybrid annex

Correct design, and system-level dependability prediction of highly-integrated systems demand the collocation of requirements and architectural artifacts within an integrated development environment. Hybrid systems, having dependencies and extensive interactions between their control portion and their environment, further intensify this need. AADL is a model-based engineering language for the architectural design and analysis of embedded control systems. Core AADL has been extended with a mechanism for discrete behavioral modeling and analysis of control systems, but not for the continuous behavior of the physical environment. In this paper, we introduce a lightweight language extension to AADL called the Hybrid Annex for continuous-time modeling, fulfilling the need for integrated modeling of the computing system along with its physical environment in their respective domains. The Isolette system described in the FAA Requirement Engineering Management Handbook is used to illustrate continuous behavior modeling with the proposed Hybrid Annex.

Building space–use analysis system — A multi location/multi sensor platform

Abstract Occupancy and movement data is key information in all phases of the life cycle of built environments, because it has direct repercussions on multiple aspects of their performance. Knowledge on how built spaces are really used remains scarce, despite the technological advances currently available. This paper proposes a system that combines the capacities of computer vision based tracking and the identification capacities of radio frequency-based sensing (RFID) to aid the analytical procedures of the study of the functional condition of architectural artifacts. This will enable us to gain a better understanding of the connections established within the spatial conditions. The process allows one to: a) represent, describe and quantify occupancy/co-presence patterns and movement/navigation patterns; b) characterize the types of users (e.g., professor, student, staff) associated to them; and c) establish correlations between the occupancy/movement patterns and the configurational properties of space.

Polki w Wenecji w drugiej połowie XVIII wieku. Zapiski z podróży Teofili z Radziwiłłów Morawskiej i Katarzyny z Sosnowskich Platerowej

POLISH WOMEN IN VENICE IN THE SECOND HALF OF EIGHTEENTH CENTURY. TRAVEL DIARIES OF TEOFILA KONSTANCJA MORAWSKA NÉE RADZIWIŁŁ AND KATARZYNA PLATEROWA NÉE SOSNOWSKA Venice, one of the most enchanting cities in the world, has always been a very popular destination for travellers. For Poles who travelled through Europe in the eighteenth century, Venice was an important and frequently visited city. Polish noblewomen of that era, who travelled as frequently as their male counterparts, wrote many memoirs describing their journeys. Very few of their diaries, however, have survived to this day. Memoirs describing their Venetian escapades, rarely published, are mostly buried deep in archives and libraries. Travel diaries of Teofila Konstancja Morawska, née Radziwiłł (1738-1818) and Katarzyna Platerowa, née Sosnowska (born c. 17481832), widely considered as two of the most interesting publications describing Venice of that time, are filled with thoughtful observations of life in eighteenth-century Venice. Details about the city’s landscape and architectural artefacts, the chronicles of theatrical performances, descriptions of works of art and local cuisine and customs represent a remarkable source of information about appearances, the mentality and everything that defined the life of the eighteenth-century Venetians. Their memoirs are on a par with those written by men of their time and their observant eyes make them an extraordinary source of information about life in Venice of the eighteenth century.

전통건축의 장자(障子)에 관한 연구 - 장자(障子)의 기능 및 미서기의 문헌연구 -

The Jangji(障子) of Korean traditional architecture, had been known as sliding window which was installed on the inside of hinged window, or known as sliding door which devide rooms. In the Yeong-geon eugye(營建儀軌), the royal construction reports of Joseon(朝鮮) dynasty, the Jangji is classified as windows and doors. But, in the Sahengrok(使行錄), the record of Joseon envoys who were sent to Japan in 1600s, it is often seen that they did not understand the Syoji(障子) of Japanese architecture as a type of windows and doors which they had seen in Joseon. They understand the Akarisyoji(明障子) which were widely used in Japanese, as those were opened and closed by unique method of sliding, even they recorded as 'windows and doors were not installed'. In this study, the existing study on the Jangji those has been conducted by analysing the Yeong-geon eugye, were critically examined. And the development process of Jangji, it was used as flexible partition of interior space, was researched by analysing the contents related to Jangji, which were recorded on The Chronicles of the Three States(三國史記), The Heritage of the Three States(三國遺事) and the historical records of Goryo and Joseon dynasty. As the result of research, it could be ascertained that, when the sliding door was introduced to the interior space of Korean traditional architecture. And this study is expected to be used as a reference for understanding the form of house architecture before early Joseon period, intact house architecture artifacts are not remained during that time.

Beyond the Red Curtain:

ABSTRACT One of the most striking features of the Barcelona Pavilion, a 1986 replica of the temporary structure designed by architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe as the German Pavilion for the 1929 International Exposition, is a red curtain visible behind a transparent glass wall. This detail, the only primary color in the composition, is inextricably linked to the pavilion's representational legacy and to the 1986 structure's authenticity as a reliable artifact. The modernist and classical aestheticizing and politicizing of the pavilion, however, have prevented us from looking beyond the red curtain. Here lies the conceptual epicenter of Mies's work. Why has the Barcelona Pavilion endured? What was the purpose and motivation of reconstructing a temporal structure that had very little explicit purpose beyond its own archi-political sovereignty? Do the answers lie in our subconscious need to experience firsthand a genuine utopian artifact? And if so, what exactly constitutes a utopian architectural artifact? This article examines the twentieth-century utopian tradition in architecture and places the Barcelona Pavilion at its epicenter.

Representations of sensory experiences in the early phases of architectural design: there is more than meets the eye

In response to questions about designers’ visual way of knowing and working, this article explores how sensory experience is conveyed during the early phases of architectural design. By processing 985 graphic components issued from a three-month ethnographic observation inside an architecture firm, and proposing an original methodology for their analysis, we identify and analyse graphic expressions of sensory-related design intentions. Multi-sensory dimensions of experiencing an architectural artefact, and the way architects deal with users experiencing space differently, are topics also considered in this article. The resulting observations remind us not to mistake apparent lack of graphical clues for lack of sensibility when it comes to addressing sensory experience during architectural design.

Sistema Estrutural e Construtivo do MÓDULO (M) em Madeira como Instrumento de Aproximação Social na Promoção da Cidadania de Crianças e Jovens Socialmente Vulneráveis

O artigo trata sobre a apresentação de sistema estrutural e construtivo em madeira perfilada roliça de reflorestamento, denominado MÓDULO (M), cuja aplicação como artefato arquitetônico visa promover a cidadania e garantir os direitos de crianças e jovens socialmente vulneráveis de comunidades carentes no entorno das cidades de pequeno, médio e grande porte. Historicamente, no Brasil, a madeira tem uso não compatível com a sua relevância na construção civil, notadamente em elementos estruturais. Este trabalho procura um modo não convencional em pensar estruturas, por meio de uma nova abordagem arquitetônica conceitual, que possibilite configurações espaciais das mais diversas, permeadas com preocupações estéticas. Um exemplo desta abordagem é o MÓDULO (M) que reforça a ideia da aplicação da madeira de reflorestamento em estruturas, concebendo espaços arquitetônicos agradáveis e confortáveis e com preocupações ecológicas, causando mínimo impacto ao meio ambiente. O objetivo deste trabalho é apresentar uma estrutura demonstrativa em madeira de reflorestamento que atende a programas funcionais de interesse social, privilegiando prioritariamente às necessidades programáticas de comunidades sobrevivendo em favelas (normalmente situadas nas periferias das cidades) , de crianças e jovens socialmente vulneráveis. Este sistema é projetado para ser implantado em solos de diferentes declividades e de difícil acesso.

Digital Diffusion of Research: Ongoing Studies & Potentials

In the study of vernacular architecture, verification of physical space and understanding social, cultural, and economic contexts are of central importance. Today the challenge is to create new ways toshare findings and invite dialogue. Our studies of early wooden structures in the Balkans have yielded publications and exhibitions on regions and buildings as well as our drawings and photographs. Today the Internet includes an increasing number of sites with images of vernacular buildings that survive orare being restored. A number of preservation institutes and other organizations are developing websites to reveal these cultural treasures. Within this context, we are working to produce an open access site with a flexible format to provide information that crosses national and cultural borders, that in some cases are more rigid as countries in the Balkans reinterpret their cultural heritage and their artifacts. This shift in presentation media and transformation in historical interpretations demand that we revisit our research and the way it is disseminated. This paper focuses on two aspects. First, it will present examples of misinformation created as national entities begin to redefine their identities. These include situations where historians, scholars, politicians andjournalists have created views that are more fantasy than actual. Second, we will show strategies that we are implementing in our website to allow others to view a database with bibliographic notes of Balkan vernacular architectural artifacts that cover the period from the 17th through the last part of the 20th century. The website describes visited and studied buildings, locates these geographically, and will include an interactive database to allow access to images and information about similar building types across the Balkan peninsula, and will allow others to contribute.

Executable architectures in executable context enabling fit-for-purpose and portfolio assessment

Systems engineering (SE) addresses the six interrogatives who, what, where, when, why, and how. Architecture artifacts provide static descriptions addressing the first three interrogatives: who, what, and where. Executable architectures add the interrogative when, allowing for a dynamic evaluation of system performance. We propose an approach that takes the evaluation process further by addressing the final interrogatives why and how: embedding executable system architectures into an executable context (EC), creating a scenario in which to evaluate the system in the operational role and evaluate mission effectiveness. Combining existing contributions into an executable context simulation framework allows for a holistic evaluation of systems that are models based on engineering specifications in operationally relevant contexts. We have successfully implemented a prototype to demonstrate feasibility and usefulness of this recommended new approach.

Review: Chicago 1890: The Skyscraper and the Modern City, by Joanna Merwood-Salisbury

Joanna Merwood-Salisbury Chicago 1890: The Skyscraper and the Modern City Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2009, 208 pp., 89 b/w illus. $45, ISBN 9780226520780 Chicago 1890: The Skyscraper and the Modern City is a welcome addition to the scholarship on the Chicago skyscraper. Perhaps it is more accurate to say the book contributes to the scholarship of Chicago and to the scholarship of the skyscraper. By examining “these architectural artifacts through the lens of their own time, in their social and urban contexts” (4). Joanna Merwood-Salisbury contributes insights to the histories of both. And by focusing her research on the Inland Architect and Builder (later the Inland Architect and News Record ) between 1883 and 1908, she is able to re-create a sense of immediacy and newness, and at the same time introduce the remarkable range of issues that surrounded this building type’s development. Her first chapter, on the tall office building as a regional type, is a broadly researched and well-composed summary of the topic. Merwood-Salisbury provides …

Service Oriented Solution Modeling and Variation Propagation Analysis Based on Architectural Building Blocks

In spite of the widely recognized benefits of applying Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) to design enterprise-scale software systems, its actual application practice is not always a success. One major reason is the lack of a systematic engineering process and tool supported by reusable architectural artifacts. Toward this ultimate goal, this paper proposes a new method of architectural building blocks (ABB)-based SOA solution design and it is applicable to any layered or tiered infrastructure. The authors present the modeling of solution-level architectural artifacts and their relationships, whose formalization enables event-based variation notification and propagation analysis. The goal is to provide architecture-level support for configuration and re-configuration of architectural artifacts based on industry practices. Their method also supports solution-level project variation management for the process of updating and maintaining architectural artifacts. The authors report a prototype tool that they have developed and describe how they extend the Unified Modeling Language (UML) mechanism to implement the system and enable solution-level enforcement as an example. The prototype has been applied in real projects as an SOA solution modeling tool.

Enterprise Architecture Development Based on Enterprise Ontology

Enterprises choose Enterprise Architecture (EA) solution, in order to overcome dynamic business challenges and in order to coordinate various enterprise elements. In this article, a solution is suggested for the Enterprise Architecture based on a conceptual model of Enterprise Ontology (EO). Enterprise Ontology provides a common structure for data collection. First, conceptual model of Enterprise Ontology based on the Zachman Framework is presented. Then, the Enterprise Architecture development process based on Enterprise Ontology is proposed. Using this solution, Staffs, stakeholders, users, architects, and systems achieved a common understanding of enterprise concepts and relationships and therefore, architecture data are collected in a correct way. The primary focus is collecting accurate architecture data instead of developing architecture artifacts; also meet the decision maker's needs by fit for purpose modeling. Finally, we demonstrate our solution in a case study and show the appropriate results and conclusions.

A Knowledge-Based System Approach for Extracting Abstractions from Service Oriented Architecture Artifacts

Rule-based methods have traditionally been applied to develop knowledge-based systems that replicate expert performance on a deep but narrow problem domain. Knowledge engineers capture expert knowledge and encode it as a set of rules for automating the expert’s reasoning process to solve problems in a variety of domains. We describe the development of a knowledge-based system approach to enhance program comprehension of Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) software. Our approach uses rule-based methods to automate the analysis of the set of artifacts involved in building and deploying a SOA composite application. The rules codify expert knowledge to abstract information from these artifacts to facilitate program comprehension and thus assist Software Engineers as they perform system maintenance activities. A main advantage of the knowledge-based approach is its adaptability to the heterogeneous and dynamically evolving nature of SOA environments.

Ais Giorkis: An unusual early Neolithic settlement in Cyprus

For over a century, archaeologists have been intrigued by the inception of food production and sedentary lifeways, the so-called “Neolithic Revolution.” Research focused on the Near Eastern and Anatolian mainlands has documented some of the earliest Neolithic cultures known. The adjacent Mediterranean islands were generally believed to have been late recipients of Neolithic economies. Recent research challenges this by establishing both Late Epipalaeolithic and early Neolithic occupations on Cyprus. Ais Giorkis contributes to this revision. It is an early Neolithic site (ca. 7500 cal b.c.) in the uplands, unlike most contemporary sites, which are near the coast. Ais Giorkis is more complex than originally believed, containing unusual architecture, abundant and sophisticated artifacts, and some of the oldest directly dated domesticated plants in the Near East. It also has a faunal assemblage that includes small numbers of cattle bones, previously undocumented before the Bronze Age, but now shown to be present at three early Neolithic sites.

Evaluation of business applications

Business applications are crucial for organisations because they support the organisation’s business processes. It is relevant to evaluate business applications to determine the quality of each application with respect to certain factors. In the discipline of software engineering, software metrics have been established to measure the quality of software applications in their design time. However, in an organisational context, applications cannot be evaluated without regarding a variety of enterprise architecture artefacts and relations that exert influence on the application’s quality. So far, there is no common method or tooling to support such evaluations. This article describes an evaluation method for business applications. Since metrics are typically seen as measurement tools, they have been established as fundamental elements in the proposed method. The method was conducted in the initial phase of a larger project with a partner from industry.