Contemporary Architectural Design Research Articles

Architectural spatial design strategies for summer microclimate control in buildings

The objective of this paper is to clarify the spatial design strategies used to control the microclimate of a Chinese vernacular house in summer by comparing the building with modern Chinese rural houses and presenting ideas for contemporary architectural design practice. For this goal the spatial configuration, the spatial boundary conditions, the vegetation in the space and the human activity in the space were analysed for the vernacular house and for modern rural houses. Also, field measurements were conducted to evaluate the summer thermal environment in the vernacular and a modern house. The results show that the vernacular house has a diverse spatial design and a better building microclimate, making it easier to obtain thermal comfort than the modern houses. Therefore, spatial design strategies of Chinese vernacular houses are still of great value to modern house design, especially when the free-running thermal comfort theory is applied.

Specifications for Building a Parametric Model in Digital Architectural Designs

The construction of parametric model is an important stage in the digital design process in general and in the parametric design process in particular. The parametric model allows the designer to make changes and reshape the geometry without erasing and redrawing. It also helps to explore design alternatives as it provides a level of flexibility to be continuously evaluated, revised and updated when adding or altering different components within the same parametric model structure.
 The research problem has been identified, as there is no clear definition of the specifications of constructing a parametric model in the contemporary digital architectural designs. Therefore, the objective of the research is to put forward a theoretical framework that defines clearly the specifications of building a parametric model. The framework describes the specifications using the following issues: the timing of constructing the parametric model, the knowledge employed in the construction of parametric model, the methods of constructing and revising a parametric model, The place where a parametric model is applied, and finally the number of parametric models within a design. The framework has been applied to six international projects adopting a parametric design approach. The results showed that employing parametric modeling mostly starts at the development stage of design and continues in the detailing and manufacturing stages, the adoption of ill-defined knowledge, the definition of design variables in terms of quantitative and qualitative characteristics, and using one parametric model shared among multiple design disciplines.

Use of vegetation and natural management of rainwater and grey water resources in the external space of the building

The purpose of the publication is to focus attention on the potential of vegetation application and revitalisation of non-industrial sewage and rainwater in contemporary architectural design. Use of plants, along with the natural water resources management system in the external zone of the building and in the public space, has an ecological justification, characterised by numerous advantages, making it easier for us to live in an urbanised area. These are: simplicity of implementation, thermal and acoustic benefits, energy saving, the possibility of using local plants, health and aesthetic values, as well as low maintenance costs.

From Instrument to Architecture: Environmental Models as Design Tools

This paper revisits a case study in the history of technology, Étienne-Jules Marey’s 1900–1902 wind tunnel prototypes, and makes links between Marey’s wind tunnel and the prototyping of physical environmental models as environmental design tools today. Using historiographic research and physical prototypes, the research asks: What insights about airflow do Marey’s wind tunnel and contemporary iterations of it offer architectural designers today? Insights are explored in relation to three measures: Marey’s wind tunnel photographs measure air flow rates; the wind tunnel measures the material sensitivity of air; in the author’s prototypes, air and water flows reveal constructional measures, suggesting a tectonic approach to architecture. The significance of the research lies in situating a technique exemplified by Marey within a contemporary environmentally-responsive architectural design context.

An Unfinished Manifesto for Stereotomy 2.0

The aim of the article is to describe the historical background and the birth of a relatively new discipline consisting in the digital evolution of classical stereotomy. “Stereotomy 1.0” comprises the early development of the discipline primarily related to stonecutting. The new discipline, “Stereotomy 2.0” goes beyond this early concept to embrace contemporary design paradigms and materials. It is described in an “Unfinished Manifesto”, which describes its fundamental theoretical principles, understood as a new didactic comprehensive approach for the schools of architecture and a new design process useful for contemporary architectural design. Each point of the Manifesto is described in a short paragraph and shows the most important theoretical nodes of the renewed discipline. The various points are then exemplified by the experimental projects presented in the final part of the article.

Generation Mechanism of Architectural Design Inspiration Based on the Theory of Brain Subconsciousness

As the times proceeds, the contemporary architectural design thinking gradually changes from the traditional linear harmonious thinking into non-linear, non-balanced, and non-uniform creative thinking. From the perspective of thinking theory of subconsciousness, this paper analyzes the application of subconsciousness in architectural design, and probes deeply into the effect of subconsciousness in generating inspiration for architectural design, discovers the similarities between the theory of non-linear thinking and inspiration generation, and develops a way of thinking on architectural design inspirational thinking based on subconsciousness, which has enriched the generation theory of architectural design inspiration, and provides guidance and theoretical basis for future architectural design.

고온 지역 풍토건축의 환경 친화적 계획 기법 분석을 통한 현대적 지속가능성 모색 – 터키 동굴주거와 인도네시아 목조주거 사례를 중심으로

Purpose: This research aimed at finding meaningful environmental design properties among passive design of vernacular architecture in hot-climate region from the viewpoint of contemporary architectural design methode. Method: First, to set a new analysis framework over the environmental passive design properties of vernacular architecture, reviews on all detailed evaluation items of green building certification systems of four countries were made and they were structured into a three-tier hierarchical conceptual system. Then, with this framework, it was reviewed that real vernacular architectures of two different hot regions; caves residence at Göreme of Turkey as hot-arid region, Malay house at Kudus of Indonesia as hot-humid region. Result: First, proper use of physical properties of the

Is radical innovation in architecture crucial to sustainability? Lessons from three Scottish contemporary buildings

ABSTRACTRadical innovation is largely recognised as a medium for advancement, a source of growth for economies and a trigger for progress in different economic sectors. Often, this type of innovation is identified with technological advancements, disruptive phenomena and the creation of new systems and dynamics. Yet, within the context of a changing world, in which principles of economic, environmental and social sustainability are largely adopted as common objectives, a reflection on the type of progress and the need for radical innovation is necessary with the aim of informing on their impacts and effectiveness. This work presents an analysis of a number of contemporary Scottish architectural designs, developed under the aegis of sustainability principles, and explores the types of sustainable innovations introduced and the results achieved by analysing the type of design change that triggered specific sustainable results, demonstrating alternative innovation strategies, other than the radical one. This analysis provides a basis for discussion on the need for radical innovation in the context of sustainable architecture and explores the role of other types of innovation against the results achieved. This discussion could contribute to a better understanding of the current state of practice in architectural design, as well as in policy-making in regard to the design and management of the future built environment.

Zloković’s Understandings of Reciprocal Concatenation

In this paper, we present Milan Zlokovic’s theorisation of reciprocal concatenation and its application in his architectural design. For two decades architect Milan Zlokovic (1898–1965), one of the founders of Modern Movement in Yugoslavia, studied what he called “the science of proportions”. His findings have not received the attention they deserve. Here we analyse his research on proportional method of reciprocal concatenation through the ancient concept of analogy, the correlation among proportional systems, an ideal set of preferential numbers and the use of proportional dividers. Based on his theoretical views, we examined proportions in two of his buildings: the Elementary School in Jagodina (1937–1940) and the Teacher Training School in Prizren (1960). Finally, we show that Zlokovic combined reciprocal concatenation with various proportional systems, proving it to be a valuable tool for contemporary architectural design.

Cooperative Housing and Cohousing in Canada: The Pursuit of Happiness in the Common Courtyards

This paper investigates residents living experience in the common courtyards of cooperative housing and cohousing in Canada, and their sense of happiness associated with it. Cooperative housing as a form of social housing established in Toronto, Ontario, Canada as early as the 1910s. Cohousing as its subsequent name has evolved into a global movement since the 1960s, to promote residents sharing and caring for one another through active participation in community lives and cooperative management. A key feature of this housing is the inclusion of shared spaces, such as common courtyards. This research explored what make residents happy and/or unhappy in the common courtyards, and how to improve their living experience in the common courtyards. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 residents in three cooperative housing in Toronto and three cohousing across Canada. The findings suggest that the Courtyard is a central component to promote social happiness of residents. The paper contributes to the topic of Housing and Happiness that is rarely studied. It finally proposes a courtyard garden housing system that can be a template for universal application. The main conclusion is that there is a need for more courtyard configuration in contemporary Canadian urban planning and architectural design to promote community development.

Maintenance, reconstruction and prevention for the regeneration of historic towns and centers

PurposeThe purpose of this study is for a higer sustainability of the historic towns and centres. The task of the society is to minimize risk and guarantee maximun safety within the territory while safeguarding the natural as the built landscape. With these sometimes unfortunate outcomes in mind, the society continue to promote “informed planning” hoping to achieve ever grater sustainability and respect for the extant, but, in practice, what the society have done amounts to very little. Indeed, today’s historic city centrers remain neglected and are increasingly “unsafe”.Design/methodology/approachIn the course, Italy introduced a set of regulations in an attempt to construct, transform, conserve and exploit the potential of historic cities. Unfortunately, the results were not outstanding and today we need to rethink their approach if we are to reverse the abandonment of historic centers and make those “safe” again. In an effort to understand if what was hitherto put in place is sufficient or if new strategies are called for, we have reviewed the technical measures issued. In a large number of cases, restoration only increased their fragility, whereas in many others, especially concerning small centers with traditional economies, no rehabilitation work was ever attempted, not even essential maintenance work, and thus their functional and physical obsolescence became manifest.FindingsThe variegated and complex fragility of such centers requires forms of planning that can take account of the environment, deploy city-planning measures and undertake structural and architectural adaptation. If regeneration is to lead to a “comprehensive and integrated vision” for solving urban problems, economic, physical and social improvement and appropriate environmental conditions for an area subject to transformation, it will require new national and local action policies able to guarantee physical safety, the conservation of cultural values and the social and economic regeneration of such centers within a framework of policies for equilibrated urban development.Research limitations/implicationsThe processes of repurposing/revamping and giving leverage to historic centers must make use of multidisciplinary approaches ranging from conservation needs to overall regeneration needs. Therefore, new formulas are needed to enable us to combine conservation based on protective constraints with formulas for rehabilitation, reuse and performance improvement that are couched less in terms of sustainability, and more in terms of profitability, according to the principle – repeatedly voiced in international forums – that assets are also economic resources. Therefore, it will be necessary to proceed carefully, by drawing up a program of territorial development strategies with due guarantees of feasibility and economic growth prospects.Practical implicationsAn appropriate regulatory framework is certainly necessary for the regeneration of historic towns and centers but an even more important role should be played by projects that optimize the use of resources if we are to ensure that financing will be managed correctly and a connection will be created – given the discontinuity represented by new constructions – between what remains of extant historic and contemporary architecture and construction. In this context, contemporary architectural design and urban planning can help meet the continued requests for the refurbishment of consolidated cities and the reconstruction of earthquake-stricken towns.Social implicationsRehabilitating center is not a cultural luxury but a necessity that springs from the need to economize territorial and economic resources. Consequently, a methodology should be formulated to produce, in each specific case, a design jointly drawn up by town planners, architects, urban redevelopment experts, structural engineers and with the participation of many other specialist figures, such as economists, sociologists, geologists and engineering physicists.Originality/valueThis paper provides a multidisciplinary vision on regeneration.

Developing a solution for the premixed concrete method and proposing a step by step fabrication process.

Complex geometry concrete is being used in building and infrastructure projects however, costly in-situ mouldings are necessary to achieve these geometries. Advancing discretised concrete shell structures requires the development of a new moulding system at lower cost and reduced mould production times. Future thinwalled glass fibre reinforced concrete (GFRC) elements must possess good continuous surface quality, with the required edge-returns and panel offsets, combined with the physical material properties to increase spans and lower the risk of visible surface cracks. Existing moulding systems do not have the capability to meet these contemporary architectural aesthetic and design aspirations. A new mould system to produce free-form thin-walled GFRC elements is presented and can be used to replace CNC milled moulds for the manufacture of thin walled GFRC. Such a system allows the mould for thin-walled GFRC elements to be produced in a fast, cost effective and more efficient manner. A new step-by-step process to achieve such new thin-walled GFRC panels is described, permitting the fabrication of complex geometry thinwalled GFRC elements using more cost effective large-scale production methods. This process bridges the gap between the limited capabilities of current solutions, and the architectural aesthetic demands for good surface quality, with the option of having an edge-return and the same surface quality as the front surface to give a monolithic appearance.

Mix Concrete: Combining the Composition to Create New Surface of Architectural Building

Concrete has been transfigured from the object of mass production at twentieth century to advancing technology of building a new formation of contemporary architectural design. Concrete has evolved in ranging aggregate particles, to push the boundary the concept of reinforcing concrete with high-performance quality the thinness or elasticity. There are several conditions of concrete construction based on assembling this material towards architectural buildings. In the architectural practice, the issue of structure underlines the combination of concrete system which resists the tensile strength. Concrete also reflects on surfaces of architectural elements and potentially reshaped as a vehicle for sculptural form. Mixed concrete is a preliminary idea of mixing concrete composition with other materials such as gravel, ceramic and plastic which then discovers different form or texture. The forms of expression which have emerged alongside the technical developments reflect aesthetic value with various surfaces. This exploration is a part of learning activities in building technology class which aims at directing students to utilize concrete through mixing technique. It is developed in order to create a sustainability process of concrete and discuss the possibilities of future environmental impact by using concrete. Reshaping the visible face of concrete reveals the astonishing achievement of architecture.

Digital matter as interdisciplinary commodity

<p>With the current exponential growth in the sector of Spatial Data Technology and Mixed Reality display devises we experience an increasing overlap of the physical and digital world. Next to making data spatially visible the attempt is to connect digital information with physical properties. Over the past years a number of research institutions have been laying the ground for these developments. In contemporary architecture architectural design the dominant application of data technology is connected to graphical presentation, form finding and digital fabrication.<br />The <em>arc/sec Lab for Digital Spatial Operations </em>at the University of Auckland takes a further step. The Lab explores concepts for a new condition of buildings and urban patterns in which digital information is connected with spatial appearance and linked to material properties. The approach focuses on the step beyond digital re-presentation and digital fabrication, where data is re-connected to the multi-sensory human perceptions and physical skills. The work at the Lab is conducted in a cross disciplinary design environment and based on experiential investigations. The arc/sec Lab utilizes large-scale interactive installations as the driving vehicle for the exploration and communication of new dimensions in architectural space. The experiments are aiming to make data “touchable” and to demonstrate real time responsive environments. In parallel they are the starting point for both the development of practice oriented applications and speculation on how our cities and buildings might change in the future.<br />The article gives an overview of the current experiments being undertaken at the arc/sec Lab. It discusses how digital technologies allow for innovation between the disciplines by introducing real time adaptive behaviours to our build environment and it speculates on the type of spaces we can construct when <em>digital matter </em>is used as a new dynamic building material.</p>

Algo más que un lugar: la localización como estrategia de proyecto en la arquitectura contemporánea

The bond between architecture and place should not be limited to a description of the situation (where and when), but it can also imply the taking of a decision about the way (how) and the reason (why) for this relationship which is sometimes, by itself, able to make the projectual act have sense. This paper reflects, through case studies, on several ways of addressing this topic from the point of view of the contemporary architectural design, and on the emergence of new mechanisms for representing, communicating and making it comprehensible. The paper also aims to overcome the idea of site plan as a mere technical tool, claiming for its new role as main ideological instrument for the development of the architectural projects.Keywords: architectural project, architectural narrative, place, promenade, site plan.

Louis I. Kahn and Richard Kelly: collaborative design in creation of the luminous environment

ABSTRACTAs one of the most prominent architects of the twentieth century, Louis I. Kahn aspired to use natural light to shape his architecture. The lighting designer Richard Kelly, one of his close collaborators, had significant influence on modern architectural lighting design in the twentieth century. Kahn and Kelly designed the luminous environments in three art-gallery and museum buildings, The Yale University Art Gallery, the Kimbell Art Museum and the Yale Center for British Art. Collaboration between the architect and the lighting designer resulted in well-resolved lighting solutions. This research investigated the collaboration between Louis I. Kahn and Richard Kelly from both theoretical and pragmatic perspectives. In terms of the theoretical perspective, a detailed overview of their collaborative work is provided through literature review. In terms of the pragmatic perspective, the background of their cooperation and the technical details are presented. In addition, daylighting performance analysis of these three buildings through digital modelling was undertaken. This study found that the lighting design solutions produced together by Louis I. Kahn and Richard Kelly, especially the way of using daylight, have had significant impact on architectural space and the luminous environment. More importantly, this kind of collaborative working method could provide a useful reference and guidance for contemporary architecture and lighting design.

Algo más que un lugar: la localización como estrategia de proyecto en la arquitectura contemporánea

The bond between architecture and place should not be limited to a description of the situation (where and when), but it can also imply the taking of a decision about the way (how) and the reason (why) for this relationship which is sometimes, by itself, able to make the projectual act have sense. This paper reflects, through case studies, on several ways of addressing this topic from the point of view of the contemporary architectural design, and on the emergence of new mechanisms for representing, communicating and making it comprehensible. The paper also aims to overcome the idea of site plan as a mere technical tool, claiming for its new role as main ideological instrument for the development of the architectural projects.Keywords: architectural project, architectural narrative, place, promenade, site plan.

The role of lobbies: short-term thermal transitions

ABSTRACT Maintaining comfort levels while reducing energy demand in buildings in the face of climate change is a key challenge in temperate zones. Creating transitional spaces and thermal variation in buildings may offer a way forward. This paper is a study of seasonal short-term thermal transitions in the lobby areas of three higher education buildings in Sheffield, UK, involving 1749 participants, thermal comfort questionnaires and simultaneous climatic measurements. New patterns of thermal transitions were identified that significantly modified the seasonal subjects’ thermal perception, and their reactions to temperature changes. Results suggest that it could be possible to positively alter people’s thermal perception in the short- and long-term through the judicious use of lobby spaces. The use of transition zones would reduce the demand for air-conditioning and therefore reduce overall energy demand. This work also provides a reflection on the purpose of transitional spaces in historical buildings and how the implementation of heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) technologies has reduced the environmental diversity and the key role that transitional spaces play in providing thermal comfort in contemporary architectural design.

Infill design: Interviews with architects Svetislav Licina, Spasoje Krunic, Branislav Mitrovic, Goran Vojvodic and Jelena Ivanovic Vojvodic

This paper presents interviews with renowned Serbian architects Svetislav Ličina, Spasoje Krunić, Branislav Mitrović, Goran Vojvodić and Jelena Ivanović Vojvodić, whose works, according to numerous critics and historiographers, are considered the most significant examples of infill design in contemporary Serbian architecture. The interviews were aimed at contributing to the formation of database which would include characteristic examples of architectural and urban design in a protected urban context, as well as at attempting to genuinely present the attitudes of the authors who designed important architectural infills in Belgrade and Serbia, which, in turn, would initiate further research of the methodology of design in protected settings. The emphasis was placed: on clarifying the elements required for an architectural object to fit in the existing surroundings, the selection of the optimal creative method of infill design and what is the adequate use of 'the bond' as an integrative element.

Developing a solution for the premixed concrete method and proposing a step by step fabrication process.

Complex geometry concrete is being used in building and infrastructure projects however, costly in-situ mouldings are necessary to achieve these geometries. Advancing discretised concrete shell structures requires the development of a new moulding system at lower cost and reduced mould production times. Future thinwalled glass fibre reinforced concrete (GFRC) elements must possess good continuous surface quality, with the required edge-returns and panel offsets, combined with the physical material properties to increase spans and lower the risk of visible surface cracks. Existing moulding systems do not have the capability to meet these contemporary architectural aesthetic and design aspirations. A new mould system to produce free-form thin-walled GFRC elements is presented and can be used to replace CNC milled moulds for the manufacture of thin walled GFRC. Such a system allows the mould for thin-walled GFRC elements to be produced in a fast, cost effective and more efficient manner. A new step-by-step process to achieve such new thin-walled GFRC panels is described, permitting the fabrication of complex geometry thinwalled GFRC elements using more cost effective large-scale production methods. This process bridges the gap between the limited capabilities of current solutions, and the architectural aesthetic demands for good surface quality, with the option of having an edge-return and the same surface quality as the front surface to give a monolithic appearance.