Architectural Design Practice Research Articles

Computational and conceptual blends: Material considerations and agency in a multi-material design workflow

The assimilation of functionally graded (or multi-) materials into architecture is deemed to enable the rethinking of current architectural design practice and bring back material considerations at the heart of the early design process. In response, the paper outlines a functionally graded material (FGM) design workflow that departs from standard early-stage CAD, which is typically performed via computer elements devoid of materiality. It then analyses this workflow from a theoretical perspective, namely through Edwin Hutchins' materially anchored conceptual blending, Lambros Malafouris' Material Engagement Theory (MET) and John Searle's concepts of intentionality. The aim is to demonstrate that due to the superimposition of material considerations that precede and succeed the CAD operation, working with material-less entities during early-stage FGM design is not logically sustainable. Additionally, multi-materiality allows for the questioning of authorship in the design process and leads to a repositioning of agency from the subject to the locus of engagement with digital materials and their affordances.

Designing with the Dialogic Self: A Framework for a Polyphonic Practice of Architectural Design

This paper questions the degree of inclusivity and equity in the treatment of voices at play in the architectural design process and advocates for an approach whereby architecture can be realized as a harmonious and polyphonic composition of multiple voices and values. Based on a dialogic ontology, the paper examines how a designer’s sense of self can contribute to their method of practice and proposes a new methodology (Narrative-based Dialogic Design-NDD) that can allow a decentralization of the sense of self to facilitate the uptake of narrative positions of others.

The role of Motives in choosing the formalist referencias in architecture

The research seeks to identify the most important Motives that can help the designer to choose the appropriate formalist referencias for his design. And it tries to prove its importance and its impact on the formulation and formation of architecture and expressive images in it. And it occupies a Special position in the practice of architectural design, due to its connection to the stage of composition and the derivation of ideas within the design process. After examining and analyzing a variety of examples, And the research has suggested classifying them into five main Motives: (Motives belong to the designer – Motives belong to the project - Motives belong to the site - Motives belong to the society - other Motives). showing examples of each type of these Motives. In the end, the research concluded the multiplicity and diversity of Motives that help the designer choose his formalist referencias. And their role in bringing creative ideas. In addition to the importance of Motives that belong to the society (as vocabulary of architectural heritage), especially in Arab projects, where the percentage of its use reached 45% of the studied cases. The research also concluded that the designer can also take advantage of all Motives surrounding him, and depended on more than one referencia in his design. Through it, we can develop the design process, by formulating Curricula based on starting from these Motives as a strategy for creative architectural design. To choose the appropriate formalist referencia for the design problem faced by the designer, and to achieve the goals he seeks, In a manner consistent with the project data and requirements.

Adaptive reuse of modern movement car parking structures for controlled environment agriculture: Results from an interview study for the innovative design process in cities

Adaptive reuse is an increasingly important part of sustainable urban regeneration. However, up-cycling a building whose architectural features are strongly connected to its original function and new use is perceived as an innovation in cities is challenging due to stakeholders' perceived uncertainties and risks. This article explores and assesses the stakeholders' knowledge and perceptions of repurposing inner-city modern movement car parking structures for controlled environment agriculture (CEA). For this purpose, 15 semi-structured interviews with stakeholders were conducted and analysed. The methodology allowed addressing the design approaches at the initial stage of the proposed adaptive reuse through defining the planning, architectural and environmental criteria that the process should meet in order to increase the acceptance and viability of such an innovative change in cities. The results show that the planning phase should explore planning documents and analyse how the opportunities and limitations of such retrofit may influence meeting the city's objectives. In the architectural phase, a modern movement garage should be analysed through identified opportunities or limitations to define modifications required for the implementation and efficient operation of CEA installations and associated facilities. The environmental phase should investigate the possibilities and constraints of a car parking structure to reduce the use of urban resources and implement sustainable technologies that increase the retrofit's environmental viability. The findings indicate that the planning, architectural and environmental categories are interrelated. It is recommended to include the developed data in a guiding tool that would constitute a viable foundation for the proposed innovative up-cycling design management. • Explores the stakeholders' knowledge on repurposing inner-city modern movement car parking structures for urban agriculture. • Reviews limitations and opportunities for the adaptive reuse of multi-storey garages for controlled environment agriculture. • Analysis 15 semi-structured interviews conducted with stakeholders. • Determines the criteria for the viable design scenario for the proposed up-cycling. • Highlights the role of research for developing innovative architectural design practices in cities.

Fuzzy-based escape route fire-vulnerability assessment model for indoor built environment

Fire safety evaluation is rarely involved in the iterative building design process except for legislative approval phases compared to other building objectives. However, regardless of architectural design priorities, all buildings should have adequate fire protection. This research develops a fire vulnerability assessment model based on the impact of architects on fire protection and effects of building design characteristics on fire safety. Inherent to the uncertain nature of fire safety evaluation practice, this study proposes a fuzzy vulnerability decision-making methodology to detect and visualize escape route vulnerabilities, which have the highest impact on the interoperability of fire safety and architectural design practices. The model was validated in an opera house building since the assembly occupancies have specific importance due to the significant number of fire causalities. The escape routes of the case study building were evaluated for materials’ fire reaction, route flow, route equipment, means of egress, dimensions and layout input variables. The output vulnerability levels were discussed to enhance the understanding of critical building design factors that contribute to fire vulnerability. The results confirm that the model is fairly effective in the detection and visualization of vulnerability sources by reducing communication time delays and preventing human-induced mistakes.

Use of Vastu Purush Mandala in Architectural Education

This paper is based upon the study of linkages between the traditional design knowledge concepts and the current Architectural education system in India. Especially the Vastu Purush Mandala, which is more relevant for today's architectural education. Vastu Purush Mandala will fill up the missing gap of theoretical components in contemporary architectural pedagogy. The importance of these ancestral architectural design principles and practices of architectural design has been neglected by current education systems. All the architectural principles and philosophy of architecture are explained in detail in various ancient Vedic treatises on Vastu Shastra. Linkages between various analytical indicators between classical architectural principles and current architectural principles are necessary. The conventional way of studying architectural design is easier as it is linked with nature, cosmos, astrology, and spiritual life. The current architectural education system will be easy to understand with the help of traditional systems or principles. These long-established architectural principles do not depend upon any mechanical part for its material and strength testing. Soil testing is a good example of it, in the Vedic age architectural study the strength of soil is tested by smell, taste, and look. Sthapati (Architect) fills a small pit with water on-site and as per the ratio of time and percolation of water; he identifies the strength of soil and suggests the load-bearing capacity of the soil. This paper does not say that contemporary methods for testing are not necessary but ancestral methods are easier and have quick results to start the design and construction. There are other criteria also for small buildings and multi-storeyed buildings and its various formulas give quick results for planning. The most important part of the Vedic architectural system is the Vastu Purush Mandala, in which all the day-to-day activity and its related spaces are given in a coded chart of squares. The Vastu Purush Mandala is a beautiful combination of climate, cosmos, spiritual life, and astrology. That's why the Vastu Purush Mandala has multi-dimensional qualities and is the most important tool for philosophy and practical use in current architectural education. Vastu Purush Mandala is a readily applicable tool for the architectural education system and will help literate newcomers in the architectural field as Mandala is a symbolic representation of their day-to-day life. An interesting thing is that when any person comes to plan a house or building he remembers the architect to use Vastu Shastra principles in his building. Common man's demand for the use of ancestral

An examination of people’s preferences for buildings and streetscapes in New Zealand

ABSTRACT The appearance of the built environment is an important matter for most people, as it can affect their physical, financial and psychological wellbeing. Many studies have been conducted to understand people’s visual preferences for buildings and streetscapes and the majority have used photographic or video representations to stimulate responses. Few have asked people for their preferences as they walk along the street. This research addresses that gap in knowledge, utilising a mixed methods research methodology. People were invited to indicate their preferences while walking along three streets in New Zealand cities. The survey responses were supplemented by two focus group discussions. This research found that people prefer streetscapes where differences in height and architectural composition vary within a narrow band of difference along the length of the street. At the scale of the individual building façade, people were found to prefer traditional cladding materials such as brick and those that could be painted or refinished. Compositionally, people preferred buildings with discrete window openings, a finding that was strongly supported by a dislike for horizontally banded façade treatments. The findings invite questions around contemporary architectural design practices and how these can be directed toward creating a better liked built environment.

Analyze the usage of urban greenways through social media images and computer vision

Urban greenway is an emerging form of urban landscape offering multifaceted benefits to public health, economy, and ecology. However, the usage and user experiences of greenways are often challenging to measure because it is costly to survey such large areas. Based on the online postings from Instagram in 2017, this paper used Computer Vision (CV) technology to analyze and compare how the general public uses two typical greenway parks, The High Line in New York City and the Atlanta Beltline in Atlanta. Face and object detection analysis were conducted to infer user composition, activities, and key experiences. We presented the temporal patterns of Instagram postings as well as the group gatherings, smiling, and representative objects detected from photos. Our results have shown high user engagement levels for both parks while teens are significantly underrepresented. The High Line had more group activities and was more active during weekdays than the Atlanta Beltline. Stronger sense of escape and physical activities can be found in Atlanta Beltline. In summary, social media images like Instagram can provide strong empirical evidence for urban greenway usage when combined with artificial intelligence technologies, which can support the future practice of landscape architecture and urban design.

Re-evaluating Post-war Interior Design Practices through Client Histories: Loti Smorgon and Her Architect/Decorator Noel Coulson

ABSTRACT In 1947 in Victorian Modern, Robin Boyd named a group of leading modern architects, including many who had trained at Geelong’s Gordon Institute. Yet Boyd omitted successful graduates whose work did not fit his narrowly defined parameters of modern design. Significant amongst these was Noel Coulson, RAIA, whose architecture and interior design practice made him highly desirable to Jewish immigrant clients. Like many whose work traversed both aesthetic and professional boundaries, Coulson has been overlooked by an Australian historical field profoundly shaped by Boyd’s preferences. Via a detailed study of Loti and Victor Smorgon’s Toorak house designed by Coulson in 1953, this paper argues that previously under-researched client histories have value in contesting such historiographical limitations. Client-centred methodologies reveal interior designers’ roles as hybrid practitioners — both cultural producers and mediators — supporting an understanding of modernity determined by the home as the locale of modern life rather than prescriptive aesthetic values. This paper proposes a re-assessment of post-war interior design historically marginalised within hierarchies of cultural production; and the role of the client as integral to a more inclusive understanding of the modern interior in post-war Australia.

Determinants of the Adoption of Green Building Simulation Technologies in Architectural Design Practices in Taiwan

Critical decisions about whether and how to integrate sustainability measures into the life cycle activities of green buildings are made in the early architectural design phase. To this end, researchers have advocated the use of various green building simulation technologies (GBSTs) to perform sustainability analyses to support integrated architectural design processes, cross-disciplinary communications, and evidence-based decision making. However, the adoption of GBSTs in architectural design practices remains limited. Building on the technology acceptance model, this paper investigates the determinants and mechanisms that influence the adoption of GBSTs in practice. Empirical data collected from architectural designers in Taiwan through qualitative interviews and a quantitative survey show that perceived usefulness is a strong predictor of designers’ intentions to adopt GBSTs. Job relevance, result demonstrability, compatibility, and competitive advantage are also important determinants of GBST adoption. Practical recommendations are offered to encourage greater adoption of GBSTs in architectural design practices. Theoretically, this research extends the technology adoption literature in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry by broadening and deepening the understanding of context-specific determinants of GBST adoption.

Empirically Modeling Enterprise Architecture Using ArchiMate

Enterprise Architecture (EA) has evolved based on the practice of information systems architecture design and implementation. EA is a rigorous description of a structure, and the objectives of EA modeling not only include clarifying corporate strategies, visualizing business processes, and modeling information systems to manage resources but also include improving organizational structures, adjusting information strategies, and creating new business value. Therefore, EA models cover a wide scope that includes both IT and business architectures. Typically, EA modeling is the initial and most important analysis step for researchers, architects, and developers. ArchiMate is the dominant modeling language for EA and it has been shown to improve visualization of EA models. However, few studies have systematically introduced general modeling methods using ArchiMate to meet a broad range of needs and few studies have empirically evaluated the modeling method using ArchiMate. This paper introduces an EA visualization approach to fill that gap and conducts a case study on a wilderness weather station system. Strict controlled experiments are conducted to verify the effectiveness and feasibility of this modeling method, and the experimental results show that this modeling procedure is not only feasible, but also can effectively transform the system metamodel and restore the EA scene.

Bejah tu u praskozorje vrletnog početka

This text explores the intersection of architectural design and artistic practice, delving into the transformative power of transitions and the importance of bodily experience in understanding spaces. Drawing inspiration from Chinese philosophy and alternative approaches to efficacy, the author challenges the traditional separation of theory and practice and argues for a fluid and adaptive approach to design. The concept of 'inducing' is introduced as a means to discreetly trigger a process of transformation that leads to a silent and profound change in the built environment. Through performative fieldwork and a nomadic existence, the author engages with spaces in a holistic and intuitive manner, emphasising the importance of corporeal presence and the acceptance of the untranslatable. This exploration ultimately calls for a re-evaluation of established architectural norms, emphasising the importance of human activities, dialogue, and the rediscovery of the embodied experience in the design process.

Displacement and placemaking in design studios

This article explores how placemaking took place in architectural and design studios working with migrant and displaced communities at universities in three countries. Placemaking is a dimension of architectural and urban design practice that is emulated in architectural design studios – and often takes the form of a top-down and expert-driven exercise. In contrast, bottom-up placemaking is constituted through spontaneous and everyday practices in a given locality. The studios engaged with social scientists with a particular focus on displaced and immigrant communities. In Delhi, a multi-disciplinary social design studio at Ambedkar University applied community engagement and a service design approach to sustainable social interventions with a physical design component. At the University of Brighton, UK, an architectural design/build studio aimed at actual construction and transgressed the studio boundary to work closely with a charity supporting young refugees. In Norway, architecture students in an urbanism studio at the Oslo School of Architecture and Design surveyed an immigrant-dominated modernist housing district and proposed architectural and urban space interventions. Across the studios, student projects ranged from visualising futures to physical and social interventions. Learning outcomes varied, including design and planning skills, community engagement methods, co-design approaches and training in reflexivity. Venturing beyond the studio entailed engaging in sociocultural learning practices, engaging urban complexities and challenging expert authority and epistemologies in architecture and design education.

Country‐Led Approaches in Land Management and Design

AbstractLiam Mouritz, of global multidisciplinary architecture, landscape and urban design practice Hassell, and landscape architect Alex Breedon look at the Australian context of the Green New Deal, arguing that a decolonial cultural shift is occurring and is much needed if methods to mitigate the climate crisis can be equitably sustained. In short, caring for Country is also caring for our collective selves.

Design of Human-Machine Interaction Interface for Autonomous Vehicles Based on Multidimensional Perceptual Context

The objective of the study is to provide guidance for automobile human-computer interface design through the research, practice, and evaluation of intelligent driving automobile human-computer interfaces. In this study, the methods of intelligent vehicle automatic cruise control function, theoretical models of the situation analysis, and a three-level information architecture are proposed and designed. During the study, interface space layout is combined with the interactive interface design. The results obtained on the basis of the proposed three levels of perception and prediction of situation awareness are combined with typical application scenarios. The information on AR-HUD and W-HUD in anterior cingulate cortex (or ACC) function is analyzed. The feasibility of the theory is verified through the design practice of information architecture design, key prototype, and typical effect diagram. The human-computer interaction interface based on situational awareness can effectively clarify the display content and process of information and improve the usability of the interface.

Principles of Somatic Movement Education for Architectural Design

An architect trying to predict the spatial effect of their design on its inhabitants often faces a dilemma. Their professional experience and personal feeling allows them to intuit its effect. Such intuition, however, might lack legitimacy in the dominant design practice. For over a century, the question of the felt space in architecture has been a topic of theoretical discussion, which led to the insight that the answer might lay not so much in studying the architectural structures, but rather in studying the bodies that inhabit them. And still the dominant architectural practice follows the outdated dualistic (mis-)understanding of the felt space. Another historical development took place in dance. Here, since the 1960s,the traditionally formalistic and objectifying understanding of dance has been strongly influenced by techniques of bodily sensitization, stemming from the field of somatics. In themselves rather diverse, these techniques have been institutionally delineated through the principles of somatic movement education. One of their characteristics is that somatic techniques are constantly re-emerging - not from a priori knowledge but from the study of one's own body and its interactions with the environment. This article envisages how such principles might be applied to architectural design practice and give rise to new embodied design practices - which might foster architects' sensory expertise and thus legitimize the felt knowledge in professional contexts.

Parametric analysis of the mechanism of creating indoor thermal environment in traditional houses in Lhasa

Traditional Tibetan houses exhibit a response to the unique local climate, reflecting a green wisdom in terms of architectural design. This paper therefore aims to investigate the mechanism of creating indoor thermal environment of traditional houses in Lhasa. Field measurements indicate passive design methods can improve the thermal environment in winter. Simulation was used to analyze the winter comfort time ratio (WCTR) and indoor average temperature on the coldest days of two typical traditional houses. Then parametric analyses were deployed to clarify and rank the effects of individual passive design methods related to architectural form design and thermal design of envelope. Based on the criteria from current regional standard, the WCTR of was 32.1% and 10.7% for the L-shaped house and the oblong-shaped respectively. For the two houses studied, the importance of individual passive design method is different. Specifically, as to the four architectural form design methods, orientation and depth-width ratio (DWR) are two most important methods for the two house types. Additionally, the semi-open space is also considered as a significant method. Regarding the five thermal design methods, the window-wall ratio (WWR) and the external wall thermal resistance are the two most important methods in the two houses. These results contribute to a deepened understanding of the thermal mechanism in traditional houses and of select passive design methods and offer implications for architecture design practice.

Performative design processes in architectural practices in Turkey: architects’ perception

ABSTRACT During the last decades, the increasing need to ensure building performance during architectural design has led to highly interactive relations between architecture and various other disciplines, in which concepts of sustainability and building performance are tightly integrated into the design process. However, the adoption of these concepts in architectural practices and the recent advancements in the field have remained rather slow. This research aims to understand performative design (PD) in the context of existing design practices and investigate integrated design strategies and potentials of computational design throughout the whole design process. In this research, a qualitative study was carried out, focusing on PD processes in architectural practices based on semi-structured interviews and case studies. The collected data from nine selected architectural practices is analyzed through a thematic coding approach. The findings reveal that the widespread use of computational tools and technologies and the increasing awareness of both architects and clients on building performance have changed the design priorities in architectural practices. The results also show that the competence of the design team, the tools used during design processes, the involvement of direct and indirect stakeholders, shifting client demands, and market values are effective in pursuing an integrated PD process. Consequently, this research contributes to the current understanding of performative architectural design practices by investigating the key performance concepts, supporting computational tools, and finally the current practices of PD.

Inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility in the built environment: A study of architectural design practice

Accessibility is generally recognised as an important element of architectural design practice. However, studies suggest that the adoption of Inclusive Design by the architectural design community is still quite limited. Inclusive Design embraces the principles of accessibility and its extended definition considers key sociological and behavioural aspects such as physical, sensory and cognitive needs.This paper presents the results of an ethnographic study, conducted amongst 26 professionals from the building industry, on the adoption of Inclusive Design.This research aims to explore the challenges and limitations that professionals experience in their daily working practice and to identify strategies to expand the use of Inclusive Design and its extended definition.The findings emphasise how education and awareness are essential factors to encourage an inclusive mindset amongst architectural design professionals and other stakeholders. In particular, holistically mapping the user journey during the design phase and collecting and evaluating post-occupancy user feedback are complementary strategies that can foster a design process based on inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility principles for the built environment.

Morphogenesis – “The Riddles of Form” in Twenty-First Century Science

Morphogenesis – “The Riddles of Form” in Twenty-First Century Science