Multifunctional Spaces Research Articles

INFLUENCE OF CENTRAL COURTYARD’S DAYLIGHTING ON VISUAL COMFORT AT TAMARIND SQUARE SELANGOR, MALAYSIA: A CASE STUDY

Current commercial buildings are designed in a compact and massive form leading to an unhealthy environment. Courtyard is an effective daylight passive design strategy implemented in a building that can contribute to a healthier environment. Moreover, courtyards can also act as a multi-functional space that can enhance social activities. These two potentials make courtyards relevant in solving the issues which arise in current commercial building’s design. However, Malaysia is a tropical country with bright sky condition. To make use of the potential of daylight in courtyards in a tropical climate, a design strategy is needed to adapt with the over exposure of sunlight. To study the influence of daylight in courtyards and the strategies needed to counter the issues of visual discomfort, Tamarind Square was chosen as a case study, as the building is considered as one of the best design practices in Malaysia, based on the recognitions given by the Pertubuhan Akitek Malaysia (PAM) and other notable bodies. Daylight design strategies are examined to verify whether courtyards in Tamarind Square do meet the criteria for good visual comfort. Visual comfort is analysed based on visual comfort parameters that include: available amount of light, light uniformity, shading strategy, risk of glare, choice of material, access to view, and colours. There were three courtyards involved in this study: the North Court, the Centre Court and the South Court. Each of these courtyards has its own strategies in adapting to tropical climate and providing good visual comfort, while at the same time meeting its purpose as part of the commercial space in Tamarind Square.

Spatial suitability evaluation and layout optimization of emergency shelter: A case study in Tianhe District of Guangzhou City.

Emergency shelters are multifunctional spaces that provide safe refuge, essential life protection, and rescue command for residents in case of urban disaster. These shelters constitute crucial components of urban public safety. This study, with Tianhe District in Guangzhou City as a case study, used data from emergency evacuation sites and other socio-economic sources to construct an evaluation system for spatial suitability evaluation and layout optimization of emergency shelters. This paper utilized from GIS-based methods including Grey Correlation Method (GCM) and Entropy Weight Method (EWM), the research process of "suitability evaluation -evacuation gap analysis-site selection-site optimization"is established, and the suitability evaluation results are calculated from the combination of effectiveness, accessibility and safety; based on the principles of fairness, accessibility, safety and feasibility, combined with the analysis of the current situation of land use and evacuation demand, the layout of urban emergency evacuation sites is adjusted. Finally, the spatial layout optimization plan for emergency shelters in Tianhe District was obtained. The results show that: (1) the overall suitability of the 50 emergency shelters in Tianhe District is favorable: 21 shelters are classified as "suitable," 25 shelters as "slightly suitable," and four as "unsuitable." (2) Most significant evacuation gaps are located in the peripheral areas of Tianhe District. By adding five new evacuation sites to optimize the existing layout, the evacuation coverage increased from 68.4% to 85.2%. Consequently, the number of people in need of evacuation decreased from 387,900 to 80,100, so the reasonable allocation of evacuation space has been significantly improved. At the same time, the optimised scheme increases the density of emergency shelters and reduces the overlap of services to some extent. Evaluating the appropriateness and optimizing the spatial layout of urban emergency shelters can enhance disaster prevention and response capacity in megacities. This approach is of great practical value for the construction of resilient cities and the implementation of sustainable development strategies.

Stairs as multifunctional spaces: cortical responses to environmental affordances incorporate the intention to act

Stairs as multifunctional spaces: cortical responses to environmental affordances incorporate the intention to act

The Social Role of Rooftops in Dense Neighborhoods. An Analysis of Daily Urban Practices in Amman

Residential rooftops in dense urban neighborhoods are increasingly recognized as multifunctional spaces that reflect the adaptability of residents in navigating spatial constraints and cultural traditions. This study aims to understand the social role of residential rooftops as an intermediate layer between public and private residential spheres in Jabal Al Ashrafieh. The research focuses on how inhabitants utilize, perceive, and socially construct these spaces in terms of production and social construction of theories on spatial use. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study combines qualitative insights into how rooftops form a social and spatial pattern of Amman’s urban life with quantitative analysis of usage frequency. Findings suggest that rooftops are mostly used as social spaces. Rooftops are essential social spaces, shaped by both tangible physical factors – such as the spatial setting, type of residential units, and the lack of open spaces like balconies or courtyards (with 42% of buildings lacking both) – and intangible social factors related to traditions and daily practices. More than half of the buildings whose residents use the rooftops as social spaces are multi-storey apartment blocks, but in most cases, this use is facilitated by the familial connections among the residents - in 77.5% of those buildings most residents are relatives, highlighting the role of familial connections in shaping usage. Social activities on rooftops are categorized into four main types: gathering and leisure activities (65%), environmental activities (18%), and service activities (17%), with gathering activities being the most prevalent. These findings highlight the importance of rooftops as vital extensions of living space, addressing both the social and spatial needs of urban residents. Future research could explore how these practices evolve within the broader context of urban development.

Multifunctional Space Conversion and Environmental Design in Modern Interior Design

In order to solve the contradictory nature of the limitations of small house space and multiple functional needs, this paper actively explores the variable space planning strategy in interior design. The environmental design scheme is proposed to realize the indoor ecological functional needs by utilizing space design with minimum energy consumption. The analysis of the functional needs of residential users reveals that it is feasible to meet the functional needs of different groups and different stages of residential use by dividing and combining indoor functional spaces. According to the results of a survey in a first-tier city, the average expectation of bedroom and living room area for 30-70m² houses is 20.7m² and 15.8m² respectively, which means that when small houses are designed, the important functional spaces such as bedrooms and living rooms under the limiting dimensions are prioritized to be combined. The results of the case study of four local houses of different sizes verify the effectiveness of the proposed strategy. 92.28% and 94.54% of space utilization is achieved in house 1 and house 2 respectively, while the energy efficiency of house 4 reaches 61.42%.

Models of ecological renovation of industrial buildings for the creation of shopping, entertainment or recreational complexes

The article examines the key features of the functional planning and spatial architectural treatment of the typological group of public buildings and structures during renovation of industrial buildings in coastal areas in order to create promising models of two different types of multifunctional spaces: a shopping and entertainment complex, and a public park. Both approaches exploit the structural and spatial advantages of these buildings and modern architectural-ecological techniques, such as: adaptive reuse, structural reinforcement, and integration of natural light and environmentally friendly materials. The key differences lie in their focus: shopping and entertainment centers emphasize commercial activities and leisure through a dynamic shopping environment, while public parks give preference to green areas and outdoor recreation, integrating extensive landscape design and environmental sustainability methods into the project. Overall, these renovation models not only improve the urban environment, but also contribute to the well-being of the population and restoration of the environment in the area.

Modern facade design for the renovation of Sabilul Muttaqin Mosque, Samarinda City

This community service activity focuses on the planning and design of the renovation of the Sabilul Muttaqin Mosque in Perum Gemilang, Samarinda City. The main objective is to enhance the capacity and aesthetics of the mosque through the expansion of interior spaces, the renewal of a more modern exterior facade, and the replacement of the dome. The method used is a participatory approach, involving the Mosque Committee (DKM) in every stage of planning. The results of field observations and in-depth interviews indicate the need for a flexible multi-functional space and a facade design that combines traditional and contemporary values. The technical drawing documents produced are expected to serve as a reference for the realization of the mosque renovation. The contribution of this activity is expected to provide direct benefits to the congregation and the surrounding community and to serve as a model for mosque renovation planning involving the community.

Exploring a representative model for associations between health dimensions and home as an informal office

ABSTRACT The COVID-19 pandemic transformed homes into multifunctional spaces, highlighting their readiness to serve as informal workplaces and impacting the health of their inhabitants. Therefore, this study explores how architectural attributes influence self-perceived physical, mental, and social health and examines the mediated relationships among these health dimensions while working from home. Using survey data from 261 participants, we employed multiple regression and Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) analyses to address two key questions: Which combination of health dimensions best explains the work-from-home situation? What housing attributes directly and indirectly foster physical, mental, and social health? Our findings showed the full mediation and sequential precedence of mental health prior to physical and social health in the work-from-home situation, offering the most robust model for linking built environment features to health dimensions. The implications for architectural design and the importance of creating health-supportive environments, primarily through improving indoor environmental quality and sociospatial features, are elaborated in the discussion, providing a detailed analysis of how different features impact health.

The Impact of Café Lighting on Customer Comfort Perception

The evolution of cafés as multifunctional spaces for dining, socializing, and working has significantly influenced the standards for lighting. This study investigates the light intensity and customer comfort at Threelogy Coffee and Zybrick Coffee and Cantina, two cafés characterized by markedly different designs and lighting conditions. Field surveys and light intensity measurements were conducted to evaluate the lighting conditions at both locations, while questionnaires were used to assess visitor perceptions of comfort. At Threelogy Coffee, light intensity levels are notably high, with indoor measurements ranging from 360 to 465 lux and reaching up to 34,705 lux in semi-outdoor areas. This high level of illumination is attributed to natural sunlight and the reflective properties of white surfaces on ceilings and walls. Conversely, Zybrick Coffee and Cantina exhibits lower light intensity, with indoor levels between 65 and 70 lux and semi-outdoor areas ranging from 240 to 670 lux. This reduced illumination is due to limited natural light and the use of dark wall materials. Survey results reveal that customers to Threelogy Coffee generally express satisfaction with the bright lighting, although there is a potential risk of long-term monotony. In contrast, customers to Zybrick Coffee and Cantina report comfort despite the dim lighting, which is attributed to the private and intimate atmosphere fostered by the café's design. Both cafés exhibit comparable levels of overall comfort, highlighting the significance of atmospheric design elements, in addition to lighting, in creating a positive customer experience.

Designing Multi-Family Residences in the Post-COVID-19 Era: Addressing Workspace Privacy Needs

The COVID-19 pandemic profoundly affected every aspect of human life. Among the myriad changes, it catalyzed a significant shift in the way we perceive and use our living spaces. The home, traditionally seen as a refuge from work and external pressures, rapidly became a multifunctional space, doubling as an office, school, gym, and recreation center. Before the pandemic, open-plan living was on the rise, championing multifunctional spaces. However, with the sudden need for remote work, the demand for dedicated home offices or quiet corners became evident. People began to value having a distinct, quiet workspace that would not disturb other members of the household. In this paper, we highlight the importance of incorporating a separate room, distanced from the main private areas of a home, during the early design stages. This approach enhances privacy and subsequently boosts the psychological well-being of the household occupants. The research contributes to building-system integration by demonstrating how architectural configurations and spatial design elements can be optimized to enhance building performance, functionality, and occupant comfort in multi-family residential structures. The aim of this study is to explore the correlations between spatial design quality and occupants’ productivity while working from home. It employs a mixed-methods approach that combines various techniques to provide comprehensive analyses.

Features of architectural environment formation: A case study of public spaces in the regional context of Northern Kazakhstan

The purpose of the study was to analyse the changes in approaches to the design and organisation of urban environment by comparing architectural solutions of the past and the present. The study examined key elements of the urban environment, including parks, squares, embankments, squares and boulevards, and their role in improving the quality of life of the local population. The methodology included analysing climatic conditions such as temperature fluctuations, precipitation levels and wind activity, as well as their influence on the choice of building materials and architectural solutions. The main results showed that the use of modern heat and moisture resistant materials is important to ensure the durability of facilities in the harsh climate of the region. The paper analyses the formation and development of public spaces in the cities of Northern Kazakhstan with a focus on architectural solutions and spatial organisation of urban environment. Modern approaches to design, including integration of natural elements into the urban environment, creation of pedestrian zones and improvement of transport accessibility are studied. The efficiency of multifunctional spaces was assessed, and examples of reconstruction of public spaces in such cities as Kokshetau, Pavlodar, Petropavlovsk, Kostanai and Astana were analysed. The results of the study showed that the introduction of environmentally friendly materials and technologies contributes to the creation of a sustainable and comfortable urban environment. The paper concludes on the importance of creating inclusive spaces that take into account the needs of different population groups, thus improving the quality of life in the harsh climate of the region. The results obtained can be used to develop recommendations for improving public spaces in similar climatic zones

Unraveling urban informality: the dynamics of value and space appropriation at pedestrian bridges in Islamabad, Pakistan

ABSTRACT This research explores the dynamics of urban informality and space appropriation at pedestrian bridges in Islamabad, Pakistan, offering new insights into how informal practices reshape the utilization and value of urban spaces. By focusing on both formal and informal uses, the study reveals a significant gap between the intended and actual uses of these bridges. Through observation and analysis of three key bridges, the study examines how informal activities – such as vending, resting, and social interactions – transform pedestrian bridges into multifunctional spaces. This research also uncovers informal modifications and analyzes the role of urban governance in shaping these practices. The findings contribute novel insights into urban informality in the Global South by focusing on Islamabad’s pedestrian bridges, an area that has received limited scholarly attention. The study is particularly valuable for urban planners and policymakers in guiding the design of more inclusive urban environments in Islamabad, Pakistan.

MODELLING STUDY ON CENTRAL COURTYARD SHADING STRATEGY IN TROPICAL CLIMATE REGION MALAYSIA

A courtyard is an open multi-functional space and an effective daylight passive design strategy in a building. However, to have a courtyard in a tropical country, it had to deal with the issue of visual discomfort, which requires some consideration in adaptation to the climate condition. These visual comfort issues include inconsistent light distribution, inappropriate illuminance levels, glare, and a lack of shaded areas. The focus of this research paper is to address the solution of shading strategies towards the visual discomfort issues associated with courtyard spaces. The solution is done by modelling study method on courtyard ratios and courtyard configuration to determine the effect on the internal courtyard percentage shaded area. This research aims to explore the potential benefits of using courtyards as a daylight shading design as a strategy in buildings. Besides, it is also to examine courtyard design variables in enhancing visual comfort, particularly in the context of commercial building design in Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur is chosen to represent the tropical climate region. The aim is achieved by identifying optimum courtyard ratios that can improve daylight, shading, and visual comfort that make courtyards functional and usable spaces. Results show that a small and deep courtyard is found to be best suited to tropical climate conditions with the configuration of the courtyard’s height being double the size or more than the size of the courtyard’s width. This courtyard ratio is able to produce a full shaded area during daytime. While courtyard length does not have any impact on the percentage of shaded area, wide and narrow courtyard need to adapt to the tropical climate constraint by having aided shading strategies such as multi-layered height of trees, independent covered structures like a canopy or gazebo, shading panels, awnings, and extended roof overhangs.

Green Corridors and Social Connectivity with a Sustainable Approach in the City of Cuzco in Peru

The present research aims to propose the design of a green corridor with a systemic/sustainable approach to function as an ecological lung for the city of Cuzco. A lack of planning has resulted in uncontrolled urban development, with a shortage of green areas, negatively affecting the quality of life. Green corridors stand out as solutions that encourage social interaction and improve public health. This approach recognizes the need for balanced resource management and institutional, economic and social organization. In the specific case of Cusco, the lack of social interaction highlights the importance of addressing these challenges to improve the quality of life for both residents and visitors. The methods developed were an extensive literature review, urban analysis and climate analysis, applying sustainability strategies supported by digital tools (Google Earth, Climate Consultant 6.0, Autocad, SketchUp and 3d Sun Path). As a result, this proposal presents green areas covering 69.96% of the total area, aimed at providing recreational spaces and connecting residents and visitors with nature. Additionally, biolakes were designed, accounting for 3.18% of the area, serving as ornamental elements and contributing to the environmental quality of the urban environment. The botanical zone, encompassing 18.14% of the project, was designed to accommodate a diverse range of plant species, providing an educational and aesthetic environment. The convention area, representing 9.7% of the total area, was designed to host events and community activities, promoting social and cultural interaction. Finally, 0.98% of the space was allocated to the cultural zone, where artistic exhibitions, cultural events, and related activities can be planned, enriching the cultural and social life of the community. These percentages reflect careful consideration of the needs and aspirations of the population, as well as a comprehensive approach to sustainable urban design and the creation of multifunctional spaces. In conclusion, through a green corridor, the aim is to counteract uncontrolled urban expansion and environmental degradation by generating a green lung in the city of Cuzco, naturally regulating the climate and contributing to air and water purification. The absence of green corridors and sustainable approaches to social connectivity in Cusco could reduce the quality of life of residents, affecting their physical and mental health. The lack of green and recreational spaces could increase segregation and alienation in the community, weakening social cohesion. Without green corridors, the city would also face environmental and biodiversity challenges, as well as a reduced ability to respond to extreme weather events. The lack of implementation of these strategies could compromise comprehensive development and quality of life in Cuzco.

Urban Market Metamorphosis: A visionary Design for Community Engagement

The city of Delhi transcends time, a harmony of rich history and pulsating contemporary life, unfolding its narrative asthe very extension of people’s souls. The heart of Delhi are its markets, bridges connecting diverse cultures throughchanging times. The markets allow people to become threads of a communal fabric, knitting tales of sharedexperiences. Prioritizing community input through interviews and site studies establishes a clear understanding oflocal desires. The visionary urban market design titled “Mehfil” creates versatile spaces, incorporating traditional rolesto meet the city’s diverse needs. The market is a fusion of enchanting urban design and romantic allure, blendingmodern functionality with local culture. Aiming for social engagement and economic growth , the market features aplethora of spaces hosting varied activities. Through multi-functional spaces, charming pathways, green spaces andcourtyards, artistic murals and intricately decorated facades, “Mehfil” turns every visit into a celebration.

Multifunctional Space–Time-Modulated Metasurface for Direction of Arrival Estimation and RCS Manipulation in a Single System

Multifunctional Space–Time-Modulated Metasurface for Direction of Arrival Estimation and RCS Manipulation in a Single System

Strong and flexible MXene-based nanocomposite films for atomic oxygen resistance and electromagnetic interference shielding

MXene has garnered considerable attention as a promising candidate for multifunctional artificial materials, owing to its exceptional mechanical performance and superior electric conductivity. However, macroscopically layered films assembled by MXene nanosheets are usually accompanied by serious degradation of mechanical properties. Moreover, there is a notable paucity of investigations on MXene in low Earth orbit (LEO) environment. Inspired by the layered structure of nacre, we applied polyurethane (PU) as an interfacial crosslinking agent to improve the mechanical properties of MXene films. The optimized MXene/PU (MP) nanocomposite film exhibited a tensile strength of 298.02 MPa and a toughness of 13.81 MJ m−3, surpassing those of the pure MXene film by 260 % and 1300 %, respectively. The atomic oxygen (AO) erosion yield of MP was approximately one order of magnitude lower than that of commercial Kapton films, which was attributed to the shielding effect of MXene against AO attacks. Remarkably, the MP nanocomposite film demonstrated exceptional retention of tensile strength under various extreme conditions including AO irradiation, cryogenic-high temperature, cyclic thermal shock and hot water. Contributed by multi-layer structural design and high conductivity, the MP exhibited a high electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness (EMI SE) of 48 dB and a specific SE divided by thickness (SSE/t) of 13,479 dB cm2 g−1 at the thickness of 20 μm. Consequently, the nacre-like MP nanocomposite film with exceptional mechanical properties and high-level functional performance holds substantial promise as a multifunctional space material for LEO environments.

Urban landscapes as therapeutic landscapes: the transforming conceptions of care environments

Psychiatric hospitals are increasingly being built in urban landscapes, in contrast to many of the old hospitals which were located in peripheral areas close to nature. This indicates a change in the conception of therapeutic landscapes: rural natural landscapes have been replaced by a more relational and fluid understanding and practices where therapeutic environments are created in relation to society, communities, networks and everyday urban life. We examine how the conception of therapeutic landscapes was constituted in the planning process of the urban psychiatric hospital in Turku, Finland, by analyzing the arguments and discourses on therapeutic elements in the planning materials. The findings reveal how the shift from inpatient care towards outpatient care has redirected attention away from hospitals. Instead of relying on healing by natural elements in remote locations, everyday environments, artificial landscapes and multifunctional spaces are now expected to create therapeutic atmospheres.

Farmer-Centred Multi-stakeholder Platforms: From Iterative Approach to Conceptual Embedding

AbstractResearch on knowledge exchange in multi-stakeholder platforms (MSPs) within smallholder farmer settings has primarily focused on adaptive designs and increased innovation rates. This paper addresses a knowledge gap by providing insights into the limited understanding of how knowledge sharing in MSPs can be inclusive of smallholder farmers’ knowledge. It shares experiences with a farmer-centred approach to learning and knowledge-sharing with smallholder farmers in Ghana and places this iteratively developed approach within a theoretical perspective. We relate the farmer-centred approach to five design principles inspired by human-centred design rules and inclusive development dimensions. Findings from observations, interviews, and focus group discussions illustrate how the farmer-centred approach creates multifunctional spaces for peer-to-peer learning, interaction with institutional actors, and network building (design principle 1). Prior farmer-centred research ensured that themes addressed were relevant to participant farmers and brought their innovations ‘from below’ to the table (design principles 2 and 3). A majority representation of farmers, facilitation by local researchers, and organising platform meetings at the district level created a safe space for farmers to share their knowledge and feel included and empowered (design principle 4). Several local institutional actors took ownership of the platform principles, which created opportunities for their manifestation in future collaborations with farmers (design principle 5). However, challenges remain in engaging crucial actors from higher scale levels and reducing donor dependency. The design principles presented in this paper contribute to the genuine inclusion of farmers’ knowledge and innovations. We recommend government agencies at the national and district levels incorporate these design principles into their work plans and budgets and prioritise farmers’ knowledge and innovation capacity for inclusive learning and knowledge co-creation.

Insights into citizens’ experiences of cultural ecosystem services in urban green spaces based on social media analytics

Urban green spaces (UGSs) facilitate the interaction of residents with blue and green infrastructure. Various cultural ecosystem services (CESs) generated by UGSs are reflected in social media data, and continuous efforts are needed to consistently characterize citizens’ perceptions of CESs by mining increasingly available social media data. For 50 UGS sites in Shanghai, we established a perception lexicon to cluster CESs, and we analyzed the impacts of landscape elements on citizens’ sentiments via text analytics. Nine types of landscape elements and five types of CESs were identified. Among the five CES types, recreational activities and social interaction were perceived the most frequently, while aesthetic appreciation was perceived the least frequently. Furthermore, the UGS sites were classified into social interaction-oriented, outdoor workout-oriented, history and culture-oriented, or multi-functional spaces. Multivariate regression analysis on the sentiments expressed by reviews revealed the significant impacts of natural landscape elements (plants, animals, and water bodies) and supporting facilities on the perceived sentiments. This study demonstrates the utility of social media data for identifying the CESs experienced by citizens, and the information generated through this approach is potentially useful for urban planners, landscape architects, and policymakers.