Architectural Design Elements Research Articles

Architectural Integration of Photovoltaic and Solar Thermal Collector Systems into Buildings for new Urban Planning

ABSTRACTThe existing buildings are responsible for use of large amount of energy for lighting, heating, cooling and use of various energy run equipments mostly powered by electricity grid from fossil energy. Today’s intention should be to replace this fossil fuel by solar energy which is free and available in abundance.At the moment, solar technologies in the form of photovoltaics PVs and solar thermal collectors STC are available in competitive prices. However, their use has not been to the expectation specially in building sector. The main reason for these technologies not being popular in building integration is the lack of good architectural quality rendered not meeting desired design considerations. Innovative approaches have to be explored in terms of design and implementation in order to match the modern technological components to the scale, proportion, material, colour scheme and balance of buildings. So, the objective of this study is to pave possible ways of integrating these technologies into buildings, both on existing and new constructions to add emphasis on the overall architectural expression in addition to producing energy. PVs and solar thermal collectors STC can deliberately be used as architectural design elements in a distinctive way. The development towards passive house, zero energy and zero emission buildings will cause a more frequent use of building integrated solar energy systems as a source of renewable energy. Many solar systems do exist on the market, and with better and better energy performance. It looks like PV integration have brought about some improvements in the architectural quality of building integration, but the solar thermal collectors STC lacks on this part to some extent. While the technical development and energy performance improvements are always in progress, the actual use of these systems in buildings is not increasing as it could and should do. Integrating these PV and solar thermal collectors STC systems into buildings is not only for clean energy but also to use them as multifunctional elements where they replace the conventional building elements. With this, the economical viability of integration is met and most importantly, they become architectural components. So the possible ways of architectural integration of PV and STC systems have been explored and analysed in this study with special focus made on the aesthetic part of integration. So the urban planners should tack into consideration the concept called nearly Zero Energy Buildings (ZEB). By the end of 2020, all EU member states need to ensure that all newly constructed buildings consume ‘nearly zero’ energy and that their energy needs are produced locally as much as possible and with renewable sources. Planning for such ZEBs in cities is therefore a difficult task since urban planners often do not have the technical knowledge to quantify the contribution of solar energy in their urban plans. This study also shows an exploration of geometrical forms of urban blocks and the potential of solar energy to the local production of energy. The following photos are practical examples of PVs and STC application systems for this study.

The role of Nature-Based Solutions in architectural and urban design

In 2015 the European Commission published the report Towards an EU Research and Innovation policy agenda for Nature-Based Solutions and Re-Naturing Cities . The document standardised the many research and innovation opportunities linked to the new designing, realisation and management procedures which utilise the natural component as an important tool to support urban regeneration processes capable of building resilience and developing a green economy. This essay analyses critically the new technical elements of architectural and urban design that make use of nature-based solutions. The aim is to examine their actual capability to generate/regenerate ecosystem services and circular economy processes at various levels.

On the prediction of sound diffusion coefficient

Acoustic diffusers are one of the key elements in architectural acoustic design. The shape, placement and combination with absorbers along with the physical characteristics of the room such as the volume, size, and geometry make a complex design scenario full of variables and dependencies. The Prediction of scattered reflections with the help of computer modeling is one of the most recent areas of research. Currently the only software package that exist for the simulation of the scattered sound is Reflex [1] from AFMG which can predict scattering and diffusion coefficients of 1D acoustics diffusers using their cross sections. It employs Boundary Element Methods for the calculation purposes. This study intends to develop a sound diffusion prediction software that simulates the measurement laboratory environment of the diffusion coefficients in accordance with 17497-2 ISO standards to predict diffusion coefficients of different type of 2D and 3D acoustics diffusers such as Schroeder, fractal and volumetric diffusers. For the calculations, wave-based room acoustics modeling techniques such as FDTD and BEM will be used. There are plenty of partial differential solvers available that are used for acoustics purposes which will be used in this paper as well. [1] http://reflex.afmg.eu/

تقييم أثر وسيلة الحوار على عناصر التصميم المعماري من أجل تحسين مشاركة المستخدم

This paper evaluated the use of Three-dimensional (3D) Computer Visual (CV) media vs. Two-dimensional (2D) traditional Visual (TV) media as a conversation media on the representation elements of architectural design for improving user participation in the early stages of the design process. A qualitative experimental approach was adopted in this study. Data was collected from conversational dialogues between an architect and a list of clients. The results revealed that the 3D CV media was shown to be more supportive than 2D TV media in exploring representation elements and therefore to enhance the user participation. In addition, it reveals that the more complex the representational element, the greater the impact of 3D CV media compared to 2D TV media on user participation. هذه الورقة تقيم أثر استخدام وسائل الحاسوب البصرية ثلاثية الابعاد مقارنة يالوسائل التقليدية ثنائية الابعاد كوسيلة حوار في عملية التصميم المعماري من أجل زيادة مشاركة المستخدم في المراحل الاولى لعملية التصميم. تم تبني المدخل الموضوع التجريبي كوسلة بحث في هذه الورقة. البيانات تم جمعها من خلال اجراء حوار بين مهندس معماري مع مجموعة من الزبائن. كشفت النتائج أن وسائل الحاسوب ثلاثية الابعاد كانت اكثر دعما من الوسائل التقليدية ثنائية الابعاد في تحسين مستوى مشاركة المستخدم خاصة في التعبير عن عناصر التمثيل المعماري . كما وكشفت الدراسة انه كلما زاد مستوى التعقيد في عناصر التمثيل المعماري زادت أهمية وسائل الحاسوب ثلاثية الابعاد

Research on the Innovative Application Methods of Lingnan Traditional Elements in Architectural Design

The focus of this study is how to break through the traditional practices, and deeply explore the innovative application methods of Lingnan traditional elements into architectural design, so that Lingnan traditional elements can be subtly integrated into modern architectural design. It is hoped that this will be of certain practical guiding significance for the architects in applying Lingnan traditional elements in architectural design.

A Hierarchy of Architectural Design Elements for Energy Saving of Tower Buildings in Korea Using Green BIM Simulation

There is a great interest in building information modeling (BIM) and energy saving worldwide. In reality, however, insufficient studies have been conducted on the development of design methods to perform energy performance analysis. Thus, there is a problem that it is difficult to objectively obtain reliability in energy performance assessment of architectural designs such as scale and size of buildings. In addition, the energy performance analysis is considered as a different field from eco-friendly design methods, and there is another problem that low-carbon design methods more dependent on thermal insulation performance and heating ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system than on original design methods are mainly developed. In order to solve this problem, this study aims to develop design methods capable of considering energy performance from the early design stage. Designers are required to intuitively understand the results through energy performance analysis using BIM tools and to reflect them in design. To this end, this study analyzed the correlation with energy performance using only basic architectural design elements with mass buildings. This has the advantage of establishing more free mass design mass design considering energy performance even if design and main structure are yet to be determined.

Specific horticulture therapy guidelines in the landscaping of Cluj-Napoca hospital facilities – improving mental and behavioural healthcare

Abstract In the beginning, nature was an irreplaceable environment for humans. The concept of horticulture therapy (HT) denotes the use of ornamental plants to improve people’s health based on the connection between landscape architecture principles, design elements, and guidelines in healthcare facility gardens. In HT, people can improve and maintain health; so, gardens must provide only beneficial effects for users (patient, family, staff), testing design elements, which can be a scroll direction in garden, point of interest, connection with nature. This paper presents a case study analysis of the current landscape architecture standpoint: one of the Cluj-Napoca clinics, where HT can improve patients’ well-being.

A practical superconducting-microcalorimeter X-ray spectrometer for beamline and laboratory science.

We describe a series of microcalorimeter X-ray spectrometers designed for a broad suite of measurement applications. The chief advantage of this type of spectrometer is that it can be orders of magnitude more efficient at collecting X-rays than more traditional high-resolution spectrometers that rely on wavelength-dispersive techniques. This advantage is most useful in applications that are traditionally photon-starved and/or involve radiation-sensitive samples. Each energy-dispersive spectrometer is built around an array of several hundred transition-edge sensors (TESs). TESs are superconducting thin films that are biased into their superconducting-to-normal-metal transitions. The spectrometers share a common readout architecture and many design elements, such as a compact, 65 mK detector package, 8-column time-division-multiplexed superconducting quantum-interference device readout, and a liquid-cryogen-free cryogenic system that is a two-stage adiabatic-demagnetization refrigerator backed by a pulse-tube cryocooler. We have adapted this flexible architecture to mate to a variety of sample chambers and measurement systems that encompass a range of observing geometries. There are two different types of TES pixels employed. The first, designed for X-ray energies below 10 keV, has a best demonstrated energy resolution of 2.1 eV (full-width-at-half-maximum or FWHM) at 5.9 keV. The second, designed for X-ray energies below 2 keV, has a best demonstrated resolution of 1.0 eV (FWHM) at 500 eV. Our team has now deployed seven of these X-ray spectrometers to a variety of light sources, accelerator facilities, and laboratory-scale experiments; these seven spectrometers have already performed measurements related to their applications. Another five of these spectrometers will come online in the near future. We have applied our TES spectrometers to the following measurement applications: synchrotron-based absorption and emission spectroscopy and energy-resolved scattering; accelerator-based spectroscopy of hadronic atoms and particle-induced-emission spectroscopy; laboratory-based time-resolved absorption and emission spectroscopy with a tabletop, broadband source; and laboratory-based metrology of X-ray-emission lines. Here, we discuss the design, construction, and operation of our TES spectrometers and show first-light measurements from the various systems. Finally, because X-ray-TES technology continues to mature, we discuss improvements to array size, energy resolution, and counting speed that we anticipate in our next generation of TES-X-ray spectrometers and beyond.

Field study of the building physics properties of common building types in the Inner Himalayan valleys of Bhutan

Traditionally, buildings in the Inner Himalayan valleys of Bhutan were constructed from rammed earth in the western regions and quarry stone in the central and eastern regions. Whilst basic architectural design elements have been retained, the construction methods have however changed over recent decades alongside expectations for indoor thermal comfort. Nevertheless, despite the need for space heating, thermal building performance remains largely unknown. Furthermore, no dedicated climate data is available for building performance assessments. This paper establishes such climatological information for the capital Thimphu and presents an investigation of building physics properties of traditional and contemporary building types. In a one month field study 10 buildings were surveyed, looking at building air tightness, indoor climate, wall U-values and water absorption of typical wall construction materials. The findings highlight comparably high wall U-values of 1.0 to 1.5W/m²K for both current and historic constructions. Furthermore, air tightness tests show that, due to poorly sealed joints between construction elements, windows and doors, many buildings have high infiltration rates, reaching up to 5 air changes per hour. However, the results also indicate an indoor climate moderating effect of more traditional earth construction techniques. Based on these survey findings basic improvements are being suggested.

Noise and autism spectrum disorder in children: An exploratory survey

BackgroundWith more students being educated in schools for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) than ever before, architects and interior designers need to consider the environmental features that may be modified to enhance the academic and social success of autistic students in school. AimThis study explored existing empirical research on the impact of noise on children with ASD and provides recommendations regarding design features that can contribute to noise reduction. Methods and proceduresA survey, which addressed the impact of architectural design elements on autism-related behavior, was developed for teachers of children with ASD and distributed to three schools. Outcomes and resultsMost teachers found noise control to be an important issue for students with autism and many observed children using ear defenders. In terms of managing issues related to noise, most teachers agreed that thick or soundproof walls and carpet in the classroom were the most important issues for children with ASD. ConclusionsSuggested future research should address architectural considerations for building an acoustically friendly environment for children with autism, identifying patterns of problematic behaviors in response to acoustical features of the built environment of the classroom setting, and ways to manage maladaptive behaviors in acoustically unfriendly environments.

Integrating Exposed Structural Steel Plate Shear Walls into the Architectural Design Process

Historical precedent shows that advancements in structural engineering technology can facilitate novel architectural forms. Consideration of a recently conceived shear wall panel through an aesthetic lens prompted the authors to investigate the potential of the panel as an architectural design element and as a tool for collaboration between architects and engineers. The innovative shear panels, called Ring Shaped – Steel Plate Shear Walls (RS-SPSW), are characterized by a pattern of circular rings cut into a solid web plate. The resulting shear wall panel has a strong presence as a sculptural object, acts as a visual screen and defines spatial boundaries while providing lateral load resistance. This study develops this shear wall type into an architectural design element by identifying the variables in the shear wall panel design, creating a common vocabulary that encourages architect/ engineer collaboration, and outlining a design method based on the interior design vision. The design methodology addresses what elements can be modified, and to what degree, while preserving structural performance. A sample narrative explores the use of the proposed vocabulary to showcase how this new piece of architectural technology can be used to foster a more integrated and collaborative design process resulting in a contemporary interior space.

Human Behavior and Environmental Sustainability: promoting a pro-environmental behavior by harnessing the social, psychological and physical influences of the built environment

Recently, technological advancements in the sustainable design field have allowed us to reduce the ecological impact of the built environment, to reduce consumption of non-renewable resources, to create healthy environments and in some cases may even rehabilitate the ecosystem. Nevertheless, several studies have been carried out showing that sustainable technology does not automatically lead to environmentally friendly behaviors in its users.Various environmental problems threaten environmental sustainability and many of these problems are rooted in human behavior. Unfortunately, there is a lack in studies which take into consideration the human behavior influences within a sustainable built environment. We believe that the built environment should be used to support human goals and requirements, but at the same time we should consider it as a context in which human values and behaviors are cultivated.This research aimed to help in promoting environmental sustainability by using architectural design in changing relevant human behavior toward an environmentally friendly behavior. In order to achieve this, the research adopted Environment-centered Approach to gain more acute perspective into the relationship between the physical environment and human behavior, focusing on social, psychological and physical influences of the built environment.It appears that environmental psychology’s merits have high potential in changing behavior within the built environment. The research provides a systematic approach for selecting, assessing, evaluating the behaviors to be changed and the factors that determine them. Furthermore, this approach helps in choosing the best interventions that could be applied in built environment to encourage such a sustainable behavior.This study tried to construct an agenda for further researches to find particular architectural design elements and strategies that we can harness to develop a pro-environment human behavior.

방재 및 감재주택을 위한 건축 계획 요소의 설정

방재 및 감재주택을 위한 건축 계획 요소의 설정

A Method for Software Requirement Volatility Analysis Using QFD

Changes of software requirements are inevitable during the development life cycle. Rather than avoiding the circumstance, it is easier to just accept it and find a way to anticipate those changes. This paper proposes a method to analyze the volatility of requirement by using the Quality Function Deployment (QFD) method and the introduced degree of volatility. Customer requirements are deployed to software functions and subsequently to architectural design elements. And then, after determining the potential for changes of the design elements, the degree of volatility of the software requirements is calculated. In this paper the method is described using a flow diagram and illustrated using a simple example, and is evaluated using a case study.

ALLUSIONS TO MUGHAL URBAN FORMS IN THE MONUMENTALITY OF CHANDIGARH’S CAPITOL COMPLEX

The formative influence of the Mughal gardens on the urban spaces of the Capitol Complex, Chandigarh is discussed as part of Le Corbusier’s vision in realising new urban symbols to represent an independent India. Corbusier had not only “regionalised” Modernist elements of architectural design but had “modernised” past urban forms by artfully rejecting the traditional gridded patterns and urban traditions such as the Mughal gardens, and transforming them into a dynamic restructuring and interplay of urban forms and spaces. To disassociate the new capital from its Colonial past and to create a new sense of spatial drama symbolising the nation’s hopes for the future, Fatehpur Sikri’s renowned orthogonal and gridded urban plazas with its interconnected courtyards and cloisters, became part of Corbusier’s arsenal of precedents, and these were abstracted and reworked into a new orchestration of urban spaces; and integrated with Modernised concrete architectural forms. The garden archetype and recurring traditional Mughal devices such as the “chattri” and the trabeated terraces allusions were simplified and synthesised with overlapping “spaces-between-buildings” such as bodies of water, platforms and a series of roofscapes. The influence of the Mughal gardens is again seen in a subsequent project in later years by Corbusier i.e. the unbuilt proposal for the Venice Hospital, whose layout and planning carry similar overtones of overlapping courtyards but fused into a series of outdoor-indoor spaces due to the need to be cognizant of, and sensitive to, the historical fabric and tissue of an existing city.

Investigating climate responsive solutions in vernacular architecture of Bushehr city

As the main concern in sustainability is consideration to climatic conditions, climatically compatible design is the closest way of getting the maximum advantage of renewable sources of energy, while at the same time the design minimizes the undesirable effects of the construction in the environment and causes coordination with sustainability. From this point of view, the Bushehr traditional fabric, which is located in northern side of the Persian Gulf shore in south of Iran, is distinguished as a city with a unique vernacular architecture and climatically adapted urban design.Climatic design in Bushehr traditional city is seen in several characteristics including urban morphology and urban orientation, as well as architectural design and architectural elements of buildings such as Shenashir. The main reason of using all these solutions and strategies in vernacular architecture of Bushehr was to be adapted to climatic condition (a hot and humid climate) and therefore using the environmental potential to provide comfort for its occupants, which are the main purposes of sustainable development.As a result, this research attends to investigate these climatic solutions and their advantages as an idea to develop and use in contemporary architecture in order to reach sustainability. To this end, qualitative methodology based on a descriptive–interpretative approach is applied in this research for analyzing appropriate climatic solutions in vernacular architecture of Bushehr.

Facilitating well-being at the second home: the role of architectural design

Many studies have examined the benefits of second home ownership (here taken to mean those used primarily for the purpose of leisure and recreation rather than investment), and references to such second homes as sanctuaries and places of physical and psychological rejuvenation are common. This is frequently attributed to the physical landscape and natural environment the second home is located in; it is argued that re-connecting with nature has both tangible and intangible therapeutic benefits. However, the significance of the architectural design element of second homes in facilitating a sense of well-being has been overlooked in the literature. Representations of well-being at the second home in an architectural context are examined in this study, through a thematic analysis of second home articles in New Zealand’s first architecture and lifestyle magazine (Home New Zealand) from 1936 to 2015. The paper presents evidence that design elements may enhance benefits for well-being – whether those elements are architect-initiated or in response to a design brief from the owners. Furthermore, through taking a longitudinal approach, the study finds that designing for well-being at the second home has changed over the years, from a focus on physical well-being (health) to increasing emphasis on psychological well-being.

The process of holism: a critical analysis to bridge the gap between sustainable architecture design principles and elements defining Art of Sustainability

ABSTRACTIn 2004, Jason F. McLennan, in his book, The Philosophy of Sustainable Design, stated that ‘Sustainable design is the philosophy that simply asks, what is the most we can do on a given project to enhance the quality of the built environment’ or ‘it is a design philosophy that seeks to maximize the quality of the built environment, while minimizing or eliminating negative impact to the natural environment’. Such philosophy is a simple translation to ‘Sustainable Design’ in terms of ‘Sustainable Development’. In 2013, in SudBE international conference held in China, our research team coined the term ‘Art of Sustainability’ as the key element for sustainable design development. It links the concept of sustainable development to sustainable design principles. The aim of this research work is to establish a new model that links the six major sustainable design principles (The respect for: 1 – The wisdom of natural systems, 2 – The human vitality principle, 3 – The ecosystem principle, 4 – Cycle of life 5 – Energy and natural resources, and 6 – And finally the process – Holistic thinking principle) to the elements defining the Art of Sustainability which are: (1 – The meaning of space, 2 – The innovative structures, 3 – The innovation in construction and building material, and 4 – The contextual and cultural values). Such model can define the state of paradigm shift in sustainable design in architecture, where sustainable design seeks better building performance in terms of sustainability while Art of Sustainable design model would seek a better sustainable design performance, which is a step forward towards more sustainable practice.

Typowe czy wyjątkowe? Odkrywane elementy wystroju średniowiecznej architektury Torunia

The aim of this article is to present the little – known elements of architectural and coloristic design which were revealed during the restoration work in Torun within the last years. However, these are not the “great art” monuments but as so-called “pictorial media” – they should be taken into consideration widely in the framework of art history discipline. The understanding of these information signification and the analysis of preserved examples by proposed methods of the latest history of art is treated exactly as the searching postulate. From the stage of factual information gathering we ought to proceed to the reflection stage.

Relationship of Hospital Architecture to Nursing Staff Caring for Self, Caring for Patients, and Job Satisfaction

Historically, the fields of architecture (design) and nursing (health) have been separate disciplines without much intersection. In recent years, the healthcare building boom has created a specialty practice for architects, focusing on healthcare design. With this new focus and specialty within architecture, the science of evidence-based design and the collaboration with clinical care staff have created a new partnership paradigm that is improving the built environment.
 Ten dimensions of caring have been espoused by Watson’s Caritas Theory to comprise the construct of caring, which in turn facilitates healing for both the care giver and care recipient (Nelson & Watson, 2012). This article describes a study that examined the relationship between selected elements of architectural design and other factors (recent architectural change, unit size and shape, intersecting hallways, number and proximity of bathrooms and supply rooms, availability of nourishment, number and availability of computers, and rooms for staff gathering, for solitude, and for practice of Watson Caring Factors) and outcomes of caring that are important to nursing, including clinical staff caring for self, caring for others, and job satisfaction. The study took place in a hospital that was implementing Watson’s concepts of caring within their framework of care delivery. Statistically significant relationships were:
 Caring for self was negatively related to number of supply rooms and number of Watson rooms or boxes. Caring for patients as reported by staff was negatively related to number of Watson rooms or boxes. Job satisfaction was positively related to number of bathrooms and negatively related to number of supply rooms. A small sample size required adjustment of the alpha to .15 and an effect size of .25, suggesting that replication studies with larger sample sizes may assist with development of a model of architecture that promotes behaviors as proposed by Watson and better outcomes for both patient and staff.