Architectural Point Of View Research Articles

A Biomimetic Approach to Water Harvesting Strategies: An Architectural Point of View

In the current century, due to global warming, pollution, climate change and the exponential growth of the world population, water resources are consumed at alarming rates. For this reason, sustainable methods of water harvesting have become an important research topic of today. In built environments, which are known to account for a significant share of total water consumption, places the development of alternative solutions for the acquisition and effective use of water to the forefront of the agenda. On the other hand, “nature” offers clues about how plant and animal species manage to use limited water resources with sustainable methods while also providing innovative solutions for “water harvesting”. In this context, this research seeks to answer “Can water harvesting strategies of living organisms that manage to obtain water via sustainable methods be transferred to building design through biomimicry?” In this direction, considering the potentials of biomimicry in architecture, plants and animals that are successful in water harvesting have been researched. In addition, biomimetic designs inspired by these living organisms have been analyzed. As a result of this analysis, it has been concluded that, with the use of biomimetic design techniques effective water harvesting methods can be developed for buildings

Combining multiple granularity variability in a software product line approach for web engineering

Web engineering involves managing a high diversity of artifacts implemented in different languages and with different levels of granularity. Technological companies usually implement variable artifacts of Software Product Lines (SPLs) using annotations, being reluctant to adopt hybrid, often complex, approaches combining composition and annotations despite their benefits. This paper proposes a combined approach to support fine and coarse-grained variability for web artifacts. The proposal allows web developers to continue using annotations to handle fine-grained variability for those artifacts whose variability is very difficult to implement with a composition-based approach, but obtaining the advantages of the composition-based approach for the coarse-grained variable artifacts. A combined approach based on feature modeling that integrates annotations into a generic composition-based approach. We propose the definition of compositional and annotative variation points with custom-defined semantics, which is resolved by a scaffolding-based derivation engine. The approach is evaluated on a real-world web-based SPL by applying a set of variability metrics, as well as discussing its quality criteria in comparison with annotations, compositional, and combined existing approaches. Our approach effectively handles both fine and coarse-grained variability. The mapping between the feature model and the web artifacts promotes the traceability of the features and the uniformity of the variation points regardless of the granularity of the web artifacts. Using well-known techniques of SPLs from an architectural point of view, such as feature modeling, can improve the design and maintenance of variable web artifacts without the need of introducing complex approaches for implementing the underlying variability.

Prevention and Control of Airborne Infections; investigating the efficiency of hospital design using (AIC) evaluation tool

Our world is resisting the new pandemic “severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus 2” (SARS-CoV-2) causing the disease known as COVID-19. To date, more than two hundred and three million cases were confirmed out of who more than four million died. Sharing data that will help the community to intervene with measures that will decrease the spread of the virus and protect the population is an obligation. This will help the world cope with this pandemic. This research aims to highlight the different criteria that will determine that the building of a health facility is ready to control the infection of this virus and similar airborne viruses. The research developed an evaluation tool that can be used by hospital administration to assess the hospital building readiness to prevent and control airborne infection from the viewpoint of architecture if it is an existing one or alternatively it can assess the design in case of a new hospital building, determining required roles and responsibilities.

Simultaneous lightwave information and power transfer in optical wireless communication networks: An overview and outlook

Objectives:The main objective of this article is to provide a critical review of up-to-date contributions to simultaneous lightwave information and power transfer (SLIPT) in optical wireless communication (OWC) networks. Methods:The first section of this article emphasizes the need for the exploitation of optical signals for energy harvesting purposes in order to develop a sustainable OWC system. In the second section, we provide basic guidelines to be considered for designing an efficient SLIPT system. In the third section, SLIPT structure from the viewpoint of transceiver architecture is analyzed with respect to achievable rate and harvested energy. The fourth section provides a critical review of various articles on SLIPT in OWC networks. Results:Our main findings from the analysis in section three show that receiver diversity can be achieved using multiple photodetectors. Consequently, this leads to an improved achievable rate and harvested energy of the SLIPT receivers. Also, based on the limitations of papers presented in section four, we are able to unlock several open issues and potential solutions that can be explored as future research areas. Conclusions:SLIPT is considered to be a key promising technique that can be used in developing green OWC networks. In this article, the performance of SLIPT receivers and various articles on SLIPT-related designs have are presented. Based on the transceiver analysis, limitations and design challenges of the articles presented, several areas that can be explored for future research work are identified. Thus, more contributions are still needed toward developing efficient SLIPT-based systems.

Theoretical Models of PV-EC Windows Based on the Architectural Analysis of PV-EC Technologies

Abstract The paper provides an architectural analysis of the switchable PV-EC glazing technology based on combining photovoltaic (PV) technology with electrochromic (EC) glazing. The integration of these technologies is considered to constitute future-oriented façade solutions in shaping buildings that are energy-saving and environmentally friendly. The paper aims to define theoretical models of windows using PV-EC technology as solutions adequate from the architectural point of view. To achieve this goal, a comparative analysis of three PV-EC technologies was conducted, i.e., side-by-side (SBS) technology and tandem technologies, namely tandem solid technology (TST) and tandem liquid technology (TLT). The analysis covered functional aspects related to such issues as thermal and visual comfort, energy and aesthetics. The analysis led to extracting the features of the three compared technologies; consequently, their strengths and weaknesses were determined. As a result, seven window models were developed which, based on the above analysis and the insights derived from it, were recognized as the solutions in which the potential of PV and EC technology is best used. The dominant advantages of SBS, being the most developed technology and one with the greatest flexibility in construction applications, are indicated. The research is of a contributory nature, as it constitutes the basis for further numerical and simulation research. Such studies may prove useful to architects in making design decisions, especially at the initial design stages. However, at the current stage of technological development, the study mainly serves as an introduction to further research on improving the PV-EC properties towards integration with the building and its architecture.

Fantastic Architecture in Cinema

Movies represent society's dream, which is to tell a story; characters interact with each other to create this story, their mere presence on screen creating space. Thus, filmmakers become architects in their effort to communicate these spaces, whether they are interior or urban, to enhance and add to their story telling. They are not constrained by the limits of the architect nor, especially in the case of Sci-fi and Fantasy movies, even by the constraints of reality, imagining and creating architecture from a wholly different perspective: a story perspective. The characters interact with their hypothetical spaces and this shows what they require of the architecture to convey their story. Thus, the hypothetical spaces represent people's aspirations and their deepest fears for architecture. Part of an architect's job is making dreams a reality. However, in the architectural industry, design is accomplished in a step-by-step process that has undergone little change since its establishment. While this makes the job easier, it also leads to recycling, putting limits on architects' imaginations. This research analyzed an array of fantasy and sci-fi movies from an architectural point of view and explored the inspirations behind them. Patterns were found in the arrangement of spaces and the urban characteristics in the films. Then, the themes and messages behind the architecture were explored. Findings indicate how the cinematic architectural designs have played off of real life architecture and inspired one another since the creation of moving pictures. From a practical lens, these findings reignite architects' imaginations, proposing new tools to achieve the fulfillment of society's dreams.

The Architecture of Colonialism

Colonialism has had a major impact on civilizations around the world. British colonialism and French colonialism have spread their influence throughout the world, and have become one of the world's major powers. In addition, these powers have influenced many countries in terms of culture, education, art, architecture and urban planning. The influences continued, however, even after independence. Thus, this paper presents an overview on the architecture of colonialism. This paper has explored the effects of colonialism on the architecture point of view among the nations, which were colonized, by the French and the British. This paper has looked into the history of colonization whereby the traces of French and British colonization were presented. Likewise, the architecture aspects of the French and the British on the colonized countries were also discussed. Thus, it is concluded that the countries, which were colonized, by the French and the British have adapted the architecture aspects of the colonizer.

ARCHITECTURAL CRITICISM AS A TOOL IN DEFINING ENVIRONMENTAL AESTHETIC

The attractiveness of physical settings covers from its initial concentration on ordinary settings to anthropogenic environments, including the beauty of everyday life in the late twentieth century. A mosque is a place of worship that tends to be influenced by the legacy of glorious Islamic civilization in Indonesia. The current modern architectural design shows the existence of environmental aesthetics and local culture without losing the essence of the mosque as a place of worship. This study aims to determine the public's perception of architectural criticism of mosques with unique designs based on modernity and local culture. The method used is a descriptive case study scrutinizing respondents' perceptions in criticizing the mosque building through online questionnaires. Twenty respondents with an architectural background and 20 without architectural knowledge were chosen to answer Likert scale-based questions. The questions refer to three architectural aspects: symbols or characters, attractiveness, and functionality of the mosque. The results showed that respondents with architectural education background dominantly perceived an eminent consensus on the three architectural features compared to the ones of non-architectural environment. This indicates that respondents with an architectural education background understood the symbolic facet of the setting's attractiveness of mosque better when viewed from architectural criticism's point of view.

Analisis Sistem Utilitas pada Bangunan Bandar Udara Suvarnabhumi Bangkok, Thailand

The purpose of the research entitled Analysis of the Utility System at the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport Building, Thailand to provide an overview of the utility system applied to the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport Building, Thailand using a descriptive method by direct observation to the research location, collecting literature studies taken from books, articles that are accessed from the internet and then analyze the data. The results show that Suvarnabhumi Airport Bangkok, Thailand has a fairly good utility system, but some of them need to improve their utility systems such as the Design System for Fire Prevention. Because the better the utility system, the visitors will feel comfortable when in the building and the Architect has succeeded in designing a building where from an architectural point of view, the structure and utility are in accordance with the standard design criteria.

An architectural viewpoint to user-centred work environment research to support spatial understanding in a transdisciplinary context through ecosystem-based approach

PurposeThis paper aims to build on the presumption that defining the spatial solution of the activity-based office environment through user-centred interdisciplinary dialog would strengthen understanding of interdependencies between the environment and the worker. Secondly, this presumption also contributes to the idea that the shared and clarified concepts of a spatial solution through location-specific structuring, would support the research outcomes in being communicated to the design practice, and further improve the work environment design in the future. Thirdly, this supposition is that understanding, documenting and communicating of the interdependencies between the environment and the worker would contribute to increased interdisciplinary understanding, ultimately benefitting the end-user, the worker.Design/methodology/approachThe driver of this conceptual paper is to encourage understanding across disciplinary boundaries and communication of work environment research results for implementation in design practice. The authors introduce an ecosystem-based approach to discuss the spatial solutions of activity-based office work environments. This approach is motivated by a need to understand the contradictory findings in former knowledge work environment research, such as ambiguities with shared concepts concerning interdisciplinary spatial discourse and shortcomings with user-centred methodologies in architectural design research. The transdisciplinarity forms the methodological framework of this paper, and it is reflected in relation to the design research approach Research by Design (RbD). RbD considers the professional designer’s viewpoint, which includes creative knowledge production, carrying out the operations of research in a real-life context with interdisciplinary interactions together with the worker’s user-experience.FindingsThe research outcome is the proposal of an activity-based office ecosystem-based approach, in which the physical environment is structured into two entities: architectural envelope and interior orchestration. In this twofold approach, both qualitative and quantitative contents are meant to be seen as part of the time-location-based framework of an office space. This integrative approach is intended to support the process of searching for understanding and unity of knowledge across disciplinary boundaries. The twofold structuring also has an essential role in supporting methodological choices and the communication of the research outcomes both between disciplines and to design practice. The twofold model also has a role in engaging users as participants and evidence providers in the design or research processes.Originality/valueThe location-specific ecosystem-based approach of the physical work environment compiles of a twofold entity architectural envelope and interior orchestration. This approach supports affordance-based thinking, understanding the ecosystem’s complexity and underpins spatial documentation. Furthermore, this location-specific ecosystem-based approach enables communication of the research outcomes to the design practice and participation actions with the users.

Smart Warehouse Management System: Architecture, Real-Time Implementation and Prototype Design

The world has witnessed the digital transformation and Industry 4.0 technologies in the past decade. Nevertheless, there is still a lack of automation and digitalization in certain areas of the manufacturing industry; in particular, warehouse automation often has challenges in design and successful deployment. The effective management of the warehouse and inventory plays a pivotal role in the supply chain and production. In the literature, different architectures of Warehouse Management Systems (WMSs) and automation techniques have been proposed, but most of those have focused only on particular sections of warehouses and have lacked successful deployment. To achieve the goal of process automation, we propose an Internet-of-Things (IoT)-based architecture for real-time warehouse management by dividing the warehouse into multiple domains. Architecture viewpoints were used to present models based on the context diagram, functional view, and operational view specifically catering to the needs of the stakeholders. In addition, we present a generic IoT-based prototype system that enables efficient data collection and transmission in the proposed architecture. Finally, the developed IoT-based solution was deployed in the warehouse of a textile factory for validation testing, and the results are discussed. A comparison of the key performance parameters such as system resilience, efficiency, and latency rate showed the effectiveness of our proposed IoT-based WMS architecture.

Influence of the Hinduism Religion on Architectural Identity of Hindu Temple

Architecture is a process, result of design and conception of needs and means. Chronicles demonstrate religious architecture has been beginning many centuries ago. Religion indirect ways impact every single part of the supporters' architectural life. In Hinduism , devotee has natural connection to the divine, so Hindu architecture temples are based on this standard, have constant plan from existence which is called mandala diagram , made of one square divided into eighty-one smaller squares, which describes environmental negative and positive energy and God is middle of big square, each part of God shows different energy and related to the special architectural space, and elements position which is effect on circulation space of the temple, Aim of this paper tries to figure out the effect of Hinduism religion on the architectural identity of Hindu temple. The study will show how Hindu temples are shaped by Hinduism God from architectural point of view.

Schools and New Learning Spaces in Milan. An Educational Experience

The article reflects on recent models for pedagogy and their impact on educational space, from an architectural design point of view. It starts by framing the present-day situation of the existing schools in Milan, built under legal requirements from the 1970s, resulting today in a great number of obsolete educational facilities.Recent programs and educational policies, both at national and local levels, are presented to frame the new programme “Inventing Schools,” a collaborative partnership between the Municipality and the Politecnico di Milano. The goal is to explore and apply these pedagogical models to the design of new educational facilities in Milan, thereby intended to replace or refurbish the (now) problematic old schools.Dealing with second year students of the Bachelor Programme in Architecture, the primary school at Via Massaua was selected for their project. The student design proposals are approached by exploring the link between the school and the public space, the school and the neighbourhood, and the school and the street. The students considered different pedagogical models translated into spaces, confronting them with theoretical models and reference case studies, ultimately contributing to the discussion surrounding the school of the future.The project experiences explore the possible forms and organisation of spaces, so that the school becomes a centre open to the inhabitants of the district, and a space for learning about society and the city. This requires a clear articulation between safety solutions designed to protect the very young pupils, while providing coherent and autonomous access to adults and other users from the community, so as to share the cultural and sporting facilities of the school. This avoids double investments from the municipality and, of paramount importance, strengthens the sense of sharing and belonging to a social community.

Մարդու պատկերով նորահայտ տապանաքարեր Նուռնուսում / NEWLY APPEARED GRAVESTONES With an anthropomorphic IMAGE IN NURNUS

The excavations carried out in 2018 by the state program of the RA Ministry of Culture in the territory of Nurnus Church gave satisfactory results, both from the architectural and archaeological point of view. In the eastern and southern parts, the walls of the church were opened upto the ground (in other parts it was not possible because of the rocks and tombstones near the walls). Layers rich in archaeological materials were examined as a result of excavations, from which a large number of pottery fragments, oil lamps, coins, khachkar (cross-tones) pedestals and tombstones were found. The opening of the walls and floor of the church porch located to the west was of great importance, in the interior of which a large number of flat gravestones were discovered. Some of them bear a depiction of human beings, moreover, in all three cases there are other details of face, necklaces, etc. The present list also encompasses a gravestone with no depictions, only inscriptions are present on it. One more gravestone with the outline depiction of human being was found on the south-east of the church, the inside of which is covered with zigzag patterns. These newly discovered tombstones enrich our understandings of medieval tombstone culture and complete the series of gravestones known to us so far, with a few remarkable specimens.

ELM: A Low-Latency and Scalable Memory Encryption Scheme

Memory encryption (ME) with authentication is becoming a key security feature of modern processors, as evident by the adoption of ME by Intel’s SGX. Recently ME is actively studied from the viewpoint of system architecture. This paper studies ME from the viewpoint of symmetric-key cryptographic designs, with a primal focus on latency. A significant progress in such a direction can be observed in the SGX Integrity Tree (SIT). Using a variant of AES-GCM, SIT achieves an excellent latency. However, it has a scalability issue. By carefully examining SIT, we develop a new ME scheme dubbed ELM. We present an AES-based instantiation of ELM, and show that ELM significantly reduces latency from SIT for large memories, and achieves the provable security and equivalent hardware-protected (on-chip) area. We also present preliminary hardware implementations to substantiate our advantages.

A Multiplex Conversion of a Historical Cinema

The cultural building Heritage is a valuable trace of the past social life in a city. One peculiar typology of building is the theatre or, more recently, the cinema. Within this indoor space, the community of people actively live an emotional feeling over the time causing memories linked to not only the show itself, but also to the place. Furthermore, cinemas are often located in city centers where buildings are historical‐oriented form the architectural point of view and, for this reason, their added‐value needs to be recognized. Currently, the modernization and the improvement of old cinemas is becoming an interesting topic in the field of civil engineering. In order to empathize this aspect, the structural strengthening for a multiplex conversion of an historical cinema is herein reported. The studied structure required a seismic joint (separating the masonry to the reinforced concrete structural bodies) and a severe strengthening of a very long span beam due to a relevant overloading (in seismic loads combination) caused by the new architectonical project. The numerical simulations demonstrated the validity of two bending strengthening systems (i.e. Fiber Reinforced Polymer‐plate and Beton Plaquè) in terms of both load bearing capacity and maximum deflection. This overview is a part of a larger study in the way of a global structural interventions which will also involve the masonry members.

Characteristics of open public spaces and examples of car storage in the conditions of the historical center of the city

The article considers theoretical approaches to the study of open public spaces by foreign and domestic authors. The main focus is on public spaces in the structure of the citys transport and communication framework. The importance of such spaces for the organization of pedestrian traffic is emphasized. The definition and urban planning features of open public spaces are formulated. The factors that determine the need to improve methods of storing light vehicles in historical parts of cities in the immediate vicinity of pedestrian zones are considered. The examples of the most interesting from an architectural and technical point of view of projects of urban underground parking in recent years are given.

Improving the analysis of technical risk factors using the integrated FLDS model on the example of the construction of multi-storey residential buildings

Introduction. This study is aimed at developing a model of the life cycle of a multi-storey residential building, taking into account the factors of technical risks. This model makes it possible to identify the main factors of technical risks at different stages of a project’s life and predict its behavior. After examining an extensive list of both domestic and foreign literature, it is clear that the systematization and classification of the elements of the life cycle of a construction object in conditions of technical risk factors is an urgent task in the construction industry. The purpose of the study is to develop the most effective mathematical model for determining and predicting the influence of technical risk factors on the life cycle of a multi-storey residential building. Materials and methods. The study is based not only on an extensive review of scientific literature, whose attention is focused on technical risks, but also analyzed the stages of the life cycle of buildings and structures, used the method of analogies and the method of diagrams, based on the theory of fuzzy set and the Dempster-Schafer theory, a mathematical model of FLDS is formed, so an expert survey was conducted with leading experts in the construction industry, on the basis of which the selection of the main factors of technical risks is formed. Results. The problem of analyzing technical risks in the construction industry plays a significant role, this is due to the construction of a significant number of modern structures that are unique in their kind, both from an architectural point of view, and from the point of view of the originality of design and technological solutions. Conclusions. Due to the uncertainty of experts’ opinions regarding the likelihood of occurrence and the degree of impact of risk factors, a demonstrative mathematical model of FLDS based on two theories is proposed, which allows numerically determining and distributing the influence of a risk factor by ranks. The result of the study shows that the application of the FLDS mathematical model will significantly increase the success of the project, allowing you to see the critical factors of technical risks at the initial stage of the life cycle of a construction project.

On the Radix-2 Syndrome Generators for Varshamov-Tenengolts-Coded Vertical Racetrack Memories

A promising candidate for 3-D solid-state storage is a vertical racetrack memory (VRM) which is capable of storing hundreds of bits within a tiny footprint. The stored bits are able to shift spintronically along the racetrack. However, their probabilistic movement inflicts positional errors, manifested as random bit deletions (or insertions) that necessitate Varshamov-Tenengolts (VT) codes which are able to correct these positional errors. VT syndrome generation (SG) is an iterative process and its latency grows linearly with the length of a VRM cell. In this article, we focus on the parallelization of SG, in order to bring a dramatic reduction in latency. We propose a radix-2 SG that processes a pair of data bits simultaneously in its compute engine, effectively reducing the number of iterations to half. The incident data block is partitioned and the two bits are selected from different partitions which are either stacked or folded. This partition space is explored with mathematical and architectural viewpoints in this work. The careful evaluation shows that a radix-2 folded SG is superior to other choices as it not only achieves the anticipated 50% reduction in delay, but also dramatically reduces the energy consumption when compared with recent state-of-the-art syndrome generators.

DDS and OPC UA Protocol Coexistence Solution in Real-Time and Industry 4.0 Context Using Non-Ideal Infrastructure.

Continuing the evolution towards Industry 4.0, the industrial communication protocols represent a significant topic of interest, as real-time data exchange between multiple devices constitute the pillar of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) scenarios. Although the legacy protocols are still persistent in the industry, the transition was initiated by the key Industry 4.0 facilitating protocol, the Open Platform Communication Unified Architecture (OPC UA). OPC UA has to reach the envisioned applicability, and it therefore has to consider coexistence with other emerging real-time oriented protocols in the production lines. The Data Distribution Service (DDS) will certainly be present in future architectures in some areas as robots, co-bots, and compact units. The current paper proposes a solution to evaluate the real-time coexistence of OPC UA and DDS protocols, functioning in parallel and in a gateway context. The purpose is to confirm the compatibility and feasibility between the two protocols alongside a general definition of criteria and expectations from an architectural point of view, pointing out advantages and disadvantages in a neutral manner, shaping a comprehensive view of the possibilities. The researched architecture is meant to comply with both performance comparison scenarios and interaction scenarios over a gateway application. Considering the industrial tendencies, the developed solution is applied using non-ideal infrastructures to provide a more feasible and faster applicability in the production lines.