Architectural Theory Research Articles

Home boundaries: a socio-spatial analysis of Cairo’s housing market. Using justified plan graph (JPG) theory

Purpose This paper aims to define the socio-spatial considerations of apartment users in Cairo, during their decision-making process. It provides a set of socio-spatial guidelines for professional architecture designers that are based on regionalist sociological theories and the evaluation of participant responses. These guidelines can also help users choose better plan configurations or make socially conscious adjustments as formal residential interiors in Egypt are not arranged based on social interaction at home or the cultural specificity of the region. On the other hand, users have little clue about choosing better plan configurations for sustainable social relationships. Moreover, the private housing sector has mostly neglected the social boundaries that traditionally shaped home interiors. This is because the designers focus on physical attributes to satisfy market demand and economic aspects. Design/methodology/approach The research reviewed past literature on the impact of different home arrangements relative to inhabitant and social relationships. Simultaneously, preliminary open-ended sorting surveys were undertaken at the Cityscape 2020 exhibition. Based on the results, a comprehensive online survey was developed to map the socio-spatial preferences of users. Finally, a sample of 150 apartment plans was analyzed by using the justified plan graph (JPG) theory to reveal the most common arrangements in the speculative market, measuring unit depth. Findings The findings of this study will benefit the following: practitioners, including architects and real estate developers, will be able to learn about end-user preferences and offer better products (residential units). Designers can rely on a reference that visualizes recommended home arrangements in the form of justified graphs. This research will expose the academic theories that currently shape residential plans and those that are overlooked and need to be applied. Academics, on the other hand, will learn about the market, and the extent of the influence of architectural theory. Originality/value The value of this paper lies in the gathering of theoretical recommendations on traditional home arrangements and investigating the preferences of both professionals and laypeople when choosing between apartments. The open-ended study in this research will test its efficiency in the Egyptian context and serve as a reference for future social studies. It highlights the importance of cultural adequacy and how to design homes related to local residents’ natural lifestyle, by doing so, people will be able to overview the options available in the market and how to manipulate their own houses to control or encourage different social interactions.

Relocating the Urban Center: Lessons of Vilnius

The article analyzes the recent relocation of the city center to another semi-central area, formerly a historical suburb of Šnipiškės in Vilnius, Lithuania, which took place in the context of post-Soviet transformations. This article is a continuation of the authors’ work in researching the Šnipiškės territory, where the authors emphasize that an ambitious political decision, poorly supported by data and based on a questionable vision, was not successful. This study employs a concept-driven, qualitative approach to analyze the urban transformation of the territory. Grounded in architectural theories, the research examines how relocating the city center to this historic suburb has impacted its character. The findings highlight the challenges encountered and derive lessons for similar post-Soviet and post-colonial urban transformations.

Challenges and opportunities for early career researchers: using the theory of practice architectures to unpack enabling and constraining conditions

ABSTRACT Globally, there are growing examinations of what it means to be ‘early career’ in contemporary academia. Across international contexts, the experiences of early career researchers appear to be similar. This paper explores the similarities and differences of the Australian early career experience, through the lens of pathways to the academy and career stage. We use the autoethnographic reflections of two early career researchers, one following the ‘traditional’ pipeline to the academy and the other as a ‘second career’ academic. We use the theory of practice architectures to frame the study and to generate and analyse our reflections: we identify the enabling and constraining conditions and how these differ depending on previous life and professional experiences. The autoethnographic reflections illuminate how practices are shaped by the organisational arrangements within the site of the institution. This study makes a theoretical contribution by using the theory of practice architectures to illuminate early career researcher experiences. By using a practice theory, our analysis and insight provide guidance for institutional policy, professional learning, and development strategies for early career researchers.

Features of the Architecture of Modern Residential Buildings in the City of Vladimir

For the first time, an analytical review of examples of the inclusion of new residential buildings in different time periods from the 1930s to the first quarter of the XXI century in the development of the city of Vladimir is given. One of the most important tasks of modern architecture is to find a practical solution to the theoretical problem of the interaction of tradition and innovation. The study of this problem on the example of historical cities in Russia occupies a special place in the theory of architecture, since a valuable historical and architectural environment needs a delicate approach when integrating new objects into it. The valuable historical buildings of the city of Vladimir mostly consist of stone houses built in the classicism style of the XVIII–XIX centuries, which formed the image of the historical center. However, not only the conscious appeal of architects to historical examples of local architecture served to reflect classicism in the appearance of buildings of subsequent eras, but also political and socio-economic aspects. The peculiarities of environmental adaptation techniques used in the construction of residential buildings by Soviet and Russian architects are noted.

Superblock Model for Social Housing in the context of the Modern Movement Review: Lucio Costa’s proposal for Alagados

The approach to the urban development plan by Brazilian architect Lucio Costa for the Alagados neighborhood (1972) emphasizes the dimension of social housing in its urban planning, highlighting the incorporations carried out in response to the revisions of the modern movement. The study contextualizes revisionist approaches in urban plans, focusing on housing clusters in superblocks and their relationship with public facilities, bringing out the organicist paradigm, aiming for flexibility in urban planning. An approach is taken that includes a specific architectural historiography and design theory, reviewing Lucio Costa’s proposal through the analysis of documents, plans, and works. Given the disagreement between social housing policy based on utopian ideals and real estate interests, Lucio Costa’s superblock proposal presents its adaptable morphology, concluding that the implementation of Lucio Costa’s proposal could possibly have provided substantial positive results to Alagados.

Symposium 1: Doctoral education in a national network: providing an epistemic space?

In 2018 the Swedish National Graduate School for Digital Technologies in Education (GRADE) was initiated as a cooperative venture between six Swedish universities. In 2020, the Swedish national research school for the digitalisation of teacher education (in short called UPGRADE) was initiated. GRADE and UPGRADE aims to strengthen the expertise in these areas on a national level in Sweden and, in doing so, increase both national and international cooperation in research training activities. One of the fundamental pillars of GRADE and UPGRADE is the networked character of the doctoral studies, with joint courses provided by the participating universities and arranged using an interdisciplinary approach. The doctoral students are admitted to different disciplines, among others Applied IT, Computer science, Curriculum studies, Education, Educational Work, Informatics, Media technology, Technology and Learning, and Work Integrated Learning. This implies that several issues with a bearing on the digitalization of education, will be researched by the doctoral students from different epistemological and analytical perspectives and with different methodological approaches. At the 2020 Networked Learning Conference in Kolding, a first symposium was held where six of the doctoral students from the GRADE research school presented their work (Lindberg & Lundin, 2020). These reported on theoretical frameworks ranging from the theory of practice architectures (Kemmis et al., 2014; Mahon, Francisco, & Kemmis, 2017), basic conceptual underpinnings of behaviorism (Skinner, 1974); Actor-Network Theory (ANT) (Latour, 2005); Wenger's expanded theory of Communities of Practice; a multimodal perspective including things-to-things, things-to-human and human-to-human connections (Bonderup Dohn, Cranmer, Sime, de Laat, and Ryberg, 2018; Jones, 2015); and a focus on the technologies and their functions.

Making teacher educators’ experiences visible: seeing inside the hopeful and ambiguous dimensions of practice

ABSTRACT The field of teacher education is subject to intense scrutiny and policy reform and within this context, the voices of those working within the field are often marginalised. Drawing on our larger study of teacher educators, we addressed the key research question: “How do those who work in the field of teacher education articulate and represent the nature of their work?.” Using a fusion of arts-based and data science research methods and the theory of practice architectures, we examined the ways that teacher educators’ work is mediated within cultural-discursive, material-economic, and social-political domains. We argue that while ambiguous dimensions exist in teacher educators’ practices, they remain hopeful about their work and find spaces to create alternative sayings, doings and relatings as they prepare teachers for the profession. We contend that using both text-based and visual images facilitates the generation of enhanced meanings to highlight the complexity of teacher educators’ work to those within and outside the profession.

Justice is Blind and So is Her Architect: Canadian Courthouse Designs and their Socio-Spatial Implications

The imposing design of modern Canadian courthouses reflects the adversarial nature of the Canadian criminal justice system. This paper critically examines how excessive surveillance and security tactics, physical segregation in courtrooms, and restrictions on religious clothing inadvertently harm court users. Drawing on a blend of social sciences and architectural design theory, the analysis recommends greater efforts on behalf of the courts to ensure safe and meaningful victim participation, allow room for agencies assisting accused individuals or victims, and support opportunities for restorative justice. Courts are living, breathing social spaces which influence the administration of justice. As such, this paper argues that courthouses should be adaptable and evolve to address the needs of a transforming legal landscape. Overall, the judicial process is a distressing experience for all of the parties involved. Shifting to a more progressive and inclusive courthouse design is a key step in embodying the justice system that Canada needs.

A response to Variyan and Edwards-Groves

ABSTRACT This article responds to ‘The theory of practice architectures and its discontents: disturbing received wisdom to make it dangerous again’ by George Variyan and Christine Edwards-Groves, published in Critical Studies in Education in March 2024. The authors use Foucault’s genealogical approach to explore the theory but do not show that or how the theory leads to misunderstandings of social realities, in the way that Foucault’s critiques did. I address the authors’ doubts about whether the theory is characterised by a ‘flat ontology’; whether it has a dualistic or dialectical understanding of the relationship between individuals and societies; and whether the visual depictions of the theory ‘reify and mystify’ social realities. I also consider the authors’ speculation about whether the theory has lost the critical and self-critical capacities necessary for its continuing development. I argue that, in general, researchers using the theory have not lost those capacities, although Variyan and Edwards-Groves are right that, in some hands, it has been used descriptively rather than critically or transformatively (with an emancipatory intent). The article concludes that the critique by Variyan and Edwards-Groves is a sceptical rather than a critical exploration of the theory and the empirical findings it has generated.

Anthony Vidler and the Occasional Writing of Architectural Theory

Anthony Vidler and the Occasional Writing of Architectural Theory

History of the development of theater architecture: (5th century BC – beginning of the 20th century)

The article analyzes the stages of formation and development of theater architecture (from antiquity to 1900) in accordance with the evolution of culture, historical, social and economic development of human society. A description of the technologies of the theater building of different eras, its design and construction norms are presented. The authors made an attempt to explain the evolution of architectural styles of theater buildings from ancient times to modern times. It helps to understand the influence of cultural, technological and social factors on architectural decisions. The impact of the development of architectural styles in the construction of theaters of different eras on cultural heritage is also considered. The authors emphasize the need for a comprehensive coverage of the importance of considering the architectural features of theater buildings as part of the cultural heritage of various peoples and eras. For this purpose, the authors reviewed architectural masterpieces that have become symbols of their cities or countries. The authors separately considered the issue of technical progress in the construction of theaters at different times. This part of the article is devoted to explaining the technological innovations that influenced theater architecture, such as improved acoustics, lighting, and construction methods. Also, the authors of the article reviewed modern trends in the use of materials and energy-efficient solutions. The article analyzes the relationship between the development of theater architecture and social aspects, such as changes in audience tastes, the role of theater in society, and the reflection of political and cultural trends in buildings. The authors of the article attempted to determine the influence of theater architecture on modern architecture and society. In particular, an overview of the influence of the heritage of outstanding architects of theater buildings and their contribution to the development of architecture in general is made. The article shows that the expansion of the typological structure of the architecture of various theaters created the prerequisites for a variety of compositional schemes and a fundamentally different presentation of architectural tasks. Different city-building conditions, typological foundations and individual characteristics of the theater led to the appearance of new buildings that contrast in their structure, style and means of artistic expression. Historical experience shows that theater architecture is as inexhaustible as theater art, as inexhaustible and complex multi-meaning concept of theater.

Analysis of Additional Building Effects in Historic Buildings with Visual Attention Software: The Case of Dresden Military History Museum

Modern additions to historic environments/buildings have been designed from the past to the present. In thiscontext, it is always questioned which architectural elements attract more attention: historical elements or modernelements. When a person encounters an image, their subconscious mind instantly decides what exactly attracts theirattention. According to the theory of Cognitive Architecture, there are architectural principles that peoplesubconsciously prefer. Considering these principles, it is assumed that traditional buildings attract moresubconscious attention than modern buildings. This assumption constitutes the hypothesis of the study. In the study,the visual attention method was used to analyze the additional building effects in historical buildings. To predict theobservers' reactions to the visuals, the Military History Museum in Dresden, Germany was selected as a case study.For visual attention, 3M's VAS (Visual Attention Software), an artificial intelligence application developed usingexperimental data from eye tracking, was used. Diagrams and analysis from 3M eye tracking are presented to explainwhich architecture is more interesting and why.

Semantics of light as a tool for shaping the architecture of the modern era

The semantics of light is considered through the prism of a cultural phenomenon, as an object of research, as well as a tool for the formation of visual and spatial characteristics of architecture from ancient times to the architecture of the modern era. It is emphasized that light, as a tool, is semantically perceived in mythological representations, aesthetic and philosophical treatises, in the theory of architecture. An analysis of the use of light in the formation of an artistic image in the architecture of the latest era is provided from the point of view of physical-spatial, aesthetic-emotional and figurative-semantic aspects according to the levels of scale: macro-scale, meso-scale, micro-scale. The perception of architecture is revealed through the semantics of using natural light as speech, which conveys meaning through light-spatial plasticity and generates certain emotions and feelings. Spaces, objects, exhibits, parts of structures illuminated in one way or another reveal the semantic meaning of light as a powerful tool and show the external (physical) and internal (sensory) beauty and aesthetics of the object. The semantics of light in architecture affects the formation of design and general atmosphere, contributes to the creation of emotional depth and cultural significance of buildings and structures. The following semantic principles of light are highlighted in the work: the interaction of light with the urban context – the lighting design of buildings and structures is integrated into the existing urban environment to convey one or another message; conveying the symbolic meaning of light through metaphor and narrative – light is used to reinforce a key idea or theme of buildings and structures, and its meaning influences cultural identity by reflecting local features and national symbols; emotional impact and creation of an atmosphere - a variety of lighting techniques contributes to the enrichment of emotional and personal experience.

Main principles of the socio-psychological phenomenon in housing architecture research: an overview of scientific theories

This study conducts an analytical review and systematization of modern scientific theories of the 21st century related to various aspects of contemporary housing space development. A detailed analysis of literary sources and academic interests in this field has established that a comprehensive description of the socio-psychological phenomenon in the context of housing architecture requires the integration of positions based on theoretical approaches from architecture, urban planning, psychology, sociology, and political science. The primary focus of scholarly interest is the systemic consideration of key theoretical positions that represent the socio-psychological phenomenon, as well as the explication of scientific models capable of integrating the intangible aspects of the "human dimension" into the research context of architectural space and urban planning. The aim of the article is to identify key positions and regularities that exist in modern urban-architectural theories. To achieve this goal, the article outlines the following main tasks: Systematization and critical analysis of 15 scientific theories concerning the socio-psychological aspects of architecture and urbanism; Identification of the main regularities on which the researched theories are based; Integration of diverse disciplinary perspectives (architecture, urbanism, sociology, psychology) into a unified theoretical framework for a comprehensive study of the interrelations that influence the architectural organization of the human residential environment. These tasks will allow for the identification of connections and regularities in the scientific theories of architecture and urbanism, theoretical approaches, and facilitate their application in the process of creating more harmonious living spaces. The object of the study are 15 scientific theories in the field of architecture and urban planning, which were either created or have become widely recognized in the scholarly literature in the 21st century. The subject of the study is the interrelationships between the socio-psychological aspects of human life activity, which directly influence the formation of the residential environment. Among the research methods used in this article is a scientific review of academic literature, including scientific articles, books, conference abstracts, dissertations, and other scholarly publications. This stage involves the identification and selection of relevant sources focused on architecture, sociology, psychology, urbanism, and political science with an emphasis on the residential environment and its socio-psychological aspects. After conducting an exhaustive integrative analysis, fundamental principles describing the socio-psychological dimension in the architecture of urban residential spaces were highlighted. Based on the obtained data, the conceptual foundations of the socio-psychological theory of architecture were characterized. Thus, this study focuses on the necessity of forming the foundations of socially oriented architectural practice that reflects modern human needs in the context of rapid social changes and the evolution of the spatial-cultural environment.

Research on Range of Appropriate Spatial Scale of Underground Commercial Street Based on Psychological Perception Evaluation

Developing and utilizing underground space is a vital direction for urban growth. Underground commercial streets, as a significant component of underground space accommodating extensive human social activities, consequently necessitate the creation of human-scale spaces. In the evolution of urban design development towards more significant, more terrific refinement, applying architectural theories and excessively subjective designs has resulted in a deficient human-centered design and a disordered spatial environment. This study merges environmental psychology and architectural theory to determine the appropriate length of spatial scale. Two experiments focusing on spatial perception evaluation were conducted using a virtual experimental platform that featured varying dimensions of spatial scale combinations. These quantified combinations were correlated with the perception evaluation, and a regression analysis was employed to identify appropriate scale ranges, which were superimposed with the range of length selection. Finally, the optimal length and scale combination for underground commercial street spaces was established, providing a reference for the human-centered design of these environments.

Mentoring with research-based tools—A holistic approach

ABSTRACT Mentoring aimed at professional development of preservice teachers (PTs) in teacher education is a complex practice. The use of tools has potential to enhance mentoring practices; however, research on using tools in mentoring is often focused on applying a single tool. This qualitative study analyses two dyads of mentor and PT’s structured and holistic mentoring with tools. The tools were developed to elicit PTs’ diverse needs in practicum; the three tool-packages build on a a) simulator-based tool, b) response-based tool, and c) video-based tool. Further, the theory of practice architecture (TPA) provided a frame to understand mentoring practices with the holistic use of tools as interplay among cultural – discursive, material – economic, and social – political arrangements. The findings indicate that tools prefigure participants’ talk as well as how they act and relate to each other and the tools. This paper presents new insight on how tools can enhance quality in mentoring.

Pedagogical Leadership in Finnish Early Childhood Education and Care through the Lens of Practice Architectures

This research examines how practice architectures, i.e., cultural-discursive, material-economic, and social-political arrangements both enable and constrain the pedagogical leadership practice of early child-hood education (ECE) center directors (N = 3). The data were collected by a qualitative shadowing method and analyzed deductively using the theory of practice architectures. The findings revealed that social- political arrangements were fundamental for directing pedagogical leadership practice, affecting both material- economic and cultural-discursive arrangements. The social- political arrangements of pedagog-ical leadership were grounded in the municipality’s organizational structure; in turn, this structure organ-ized daily pedagogical leadership practices. Social-political arrangements were narrated as the directors emphasized the importance of national guidelines, legislation, and implementation of the national and local curricula. These were related to the material-economic arrangements because they required organizing time for discussion and further training of personnel. The national guidelines combined material-economic and social-political aspects as well as cultural-discursive arrangements in leadership practice, as pedagog-ical development aligned with legislation and national curriculum demands in a wide range of leadership functions in ECE centers. The essence of pedagogical leadership practice was the focal point of joint dis-cussions regarding pedagogy and the implementation of curriculum in the ECE centers. Most significantly, the quality of these discussions could enable or constrain pedagogical leadership and were influenced by cultural-discursive arrangements and leadership philosophy of the center directors alike.

The SEN industry and teachers’ CPD: ideal elements of teaching and enabling arrangements

ABSTRACT In this study, we explored the special educational needs (SEN) industry in relation to teachers’ continuing professional development (CPD) by analysing invoices generated by CPD providers in Sweden. Guided by the theory of practice architectures (TPA), we examined the characteristics of the offered SEN content, focusing on the implied elements of ideal teaching practices and the arrangements that have led to SEN becoming a key component of the teacher CPD market in Sweden. The results provided evidence of a SEN industry operating in the interests of private economic growth rather than the needs of teachers or the teaching profession.

‘Finding the play’ – exploring with occupational therapists practice possibilities in the context of Irish schoolyards

Background Research has identified diverse constraints to the adoption of school-based occupational therapy approaches and a lack of attention to addressing the barriers to children’s play opportunities. Critical contextualised research is advocated to inform practice possibilities. Aims/Objectives This inquiry aimed to explore with occupational therapists their existing practices in Irish schoolyards to generate practice possibilities concerned with play, as an issue of occupational justice. Materials and Methods Using the theory of practice architectures, six occupational therapists from diverse sites of practice participated in the first phase of a critical action research process using dialogical focus group and occupational mapping methods. Results Three themes were generated (1) Existing practices as situated (2) (Re)mattering play and practices as occupations and (3) Practice possibilities – ‘Finding the play’ between responsiveness and responsibilities. A further interrelated dimension was how the research methods provided mechanisms of raising consciousness. Conclusions, and Significance Alongside constructing knowledges on existing practices in an Irish context, this inquiry contributes to understandings of practices as socially embedded generative processes of ‘finding the play’, highlighting ethical responsibilities to make visible inequities reproduced in habitual practices and engage in relationships of solidarity to (re)construct alternative shared practices.

EXPERIENCE IN THE ORGANISATION OF DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION WORK IN THE RELIGIOUS ARCHITECTURE OF SLOBOZHANSHCHYNA

In developing the sacred component of modern cities of Ukraine, new problems arise that go beyond the traditional understanding of church architecture as purely parochial and create numerous searches for solutions. Foremost, it concerns the functional expansion and activation of the role of church architecture in modern large-scale urban planning conditions. In the city, where predominantly chaotic interpretation of the urbanised space has returned, there are no other means of overcoming the crisis of new uniformity than turning to the complex development of similar-scale sacred structures. Such an understanding of urban problems requires the development of a new typology of sacred complexes and centres for their solution. No centralised construction organisation existed in Slobidska Ukraina in the 17th or 18th centuries. Professional architectural education in Slobozhanshchyna appeared in 1768 with the creation of additional classes at the Kharkiv Collegium, which produced architects P. A. Yaroslavskyi, S. P. Chernyshov, and others. With the introduction of the Kharkiv Provincial Government on December 12, 1796, Yaroslavskyi became the first Kharkiv provincial architect. He designed and supervised the construction of dozens of churches in the province. Gradually, the provincial authorities took over architectural and construction control and design. The Construction Department that emerged in the province in 1865 became the central institution that monitored the construction and acceptance of projects of places of worship for which the provincial engineer was in charge. The creation of controlling and regulatory institutions and the increased professionalism of architects made it possible to establish the organisation of design and construction work. In 1863, the position of diocesan architect emerged. The first to hold this position was the architect Kraievskyi, followed by F. I. Danylov (1865–1885). Each author had a concept of creativity and a thorough knowledge of architectural typology and theory. High professionalism stemmed from an excellent architectural education and knowledge of the basics of architectural craftsmanship, including expertise in architectural structures and forms drawn from regional Ukrainian traditions. The architect exercised constant control over all churches under construction, which allowed churches to be built precisely according to the project and meet the specified deadlines. The study found that architects had to follow the established rules, or their projects would not receive consideration. The Construction Department of the Kharkiv Provincial Government, responsible for overseeing the construction of churches, headed by the provincial engineer, strictly monitored the documentation of the building. The study reveals aspects of design and construction in the religious architecture of Slobozhanshchyna and presents the methods of design and construction work. The article discusses several architects engaged in design and construction work in Slobozhanshchyna and the functions of architectural and construction control and design. It provides examples of explanatory notes to the projects of religious buildings. The considered aspects of design and construction make it possible to assert that all these design and construction work methods aimed at creating highly sophisticated religious buildings. Keywords: design and construction work, religious buildings, architectural and construction control, explanatory note.