Architecture

How can computational tools support the proposition of 15-minute cities? This paper examines the implementation of computer-aided approaches that support the analysis and proposition of urban areas where residents can access all their basic needs within a 15-minute walk, bike ride, or public transportation ride—the ultimate goal of a 15-minute city. Although this concept has gained significant attention as a sustainable and equitable urban development model, more efficient implementations require complex spatial and temporal analysis. At the same time, computational approaches such as those within the generative and parametric logic can utilize algorithms to create and test design solutions quickly and efficiently, allowing designers to address a variety of scenarios and options for producing more walkable, integrated, and resilient urban environments. Exploring a systematic review of the scientific literature (n = 244 peer-reviewed empirical studies) on Scopus and Web of Science databases, this paper synthesizes approaches to support the analysis and design of 15-minute cities, emphasizing the use of computer-aided techniques. The work contributes to developing a knowledge base on computational tools for 15-minute cities, highlighting their strengths, limitations, and potential for further development. Full article

This article presents a detailed study of the stately palace of the Villa Giusti-Puttini, a building that, over the centuries, has undergone repeated transformations since its construction in the first half of the 15th century. For the study of this palace, owned between the 15th and 17th centuries by one of the most important families in the city of Verona (Italy), the authors have followed a methodology covering indirect sources (documentary and bibliographical) as well as direct ones (the building and constructive techniques, architectural and decorative elements, murals, etc.). This study expands the information available on the building as well as expanding knowledge on the history of architecture of the Veneto villa as a defining architectural phenomenon in 16th- and 17th-century architecture whose extensive influence was still felt in the 19th century. The history compiled through this research also contributes to a renewed interpretation of the phenomenon, which is viewed as a process for the transformation and adaptation of a pre-existing building to fit the needs of any given period. This methodology, which could potentially facilitate the interpretation of similar buildings, and its combination of documentary, material, constructive, decorative, and cultural elements could constitute an example for the historical and architectural reading of buildings and are not merely limited to Renaissance buildings. Full article

Adaptive Reuse of Historic Buildings (ARHB) is a new concept in developing countries like Sri Lanka. One of the main concerns for the intendancy of decision makers to ARHB is the operational energy. This paper analyzes the research gap of reusing historical buildings as office spaces by utilizing their structural and architectural designs and preserving the buildings’ authenticity for the future. It further aims to protect energy-efficient historical buildings from getting demolished and replaced with new modern buildings. A set of operational energy variables of modern office buildings and the potential historic buildings that can be reused as office spaces was established. During the early 1990s, old Dutch-era buildings in the country were mainly used as government office buildings. Three Dutch-era buildings in Galle Fort and three modern buildings in Colombo City have been selected as the case studies. Design-Builder (DB) software was used to comprehensively analyze sets of operational energy consumption variables. Selected historic buildings in Galle consumed 143.74 kWh/m², 156.34 kWh/m², and 209.39 kWh/m² while modern buildings consumed 337.29 kWh/m², 210.99 kWh/m², and 382.57 kWh/m² as operational energy, respectively. According to the analysis, the operational energy requirement of ARHB is comparatively lesser than that of modern buildings. This study, therefore, mainly concludes that the historical buildings saved more operational energy than the modern building envelopes while considerably reducing environmental impacts and saving the building energy cost. Full article

This article has aimed to analyze the intellectual structure associated with the contributions made by academics and practitioners of architecture in the association between housing and COVID-19 in the years 2019–2021. The main results reveal the possibility of establishing a classification, by topics that suggest the necessary interdisciplinary collaboration for housing, to meet the needs and desires of its users in the wake of this pandemic. The network analysis has allowed the identification of overlapping communities through interconnection concepts to other groups or clusters. Thus, it has been possible to explore the multidimensionality of the housing–COVID connection and the interrelationships for future research and its possible extension. In this sense, the importance of the specific concepts associated with very detailed elements, sensations and spaces in buildings has been identified, including concepts such as the air quality and the need for green spaces, the presence or not of balconies, the need for natural light, the existence of cross ventilation or the possibility of incorporating technology or home automation to facilitate and save resources in daily life. Full article

Green roofs are becoming popular in urban areas due to their potential benefits, including energy efficiency, urban heat island mitigation, and stormwater management. However, their water consumption can negatively impact water resources. Therefore, carefully managing the water consumption of green roofs is crucial to ensure they do not exacerbate existing water scarcity issues. This review explores the influencing factors and innovative solutions that increase the sustainability of water management on green roofs. A systematic quantitative review was conducted on published studies on green roofs. The review highlighted that while small-scale experimental studies are almost saturated, large-scale monitoring studies are still lacking. Modelling and assessing green roof settings based on climatic conditions and water availability and consumption are essential for successful water management. Using integrated technologies and sensing systems can increase water management efficiency and sustainability. Rainwater may be sufficient as a water source for green roofs in wet climates, while irrigation is still needed in other climates. Phytoremediation and biosorption can potentially increase runoff water quality. Improving hydrological performance by increasing rainwater retention and reducing water consumption capacity can reduce demand for other water resources and effectively manage small storms, mitigating pressure on city infrastructure and increasing water quality. Seeking non-potable sources, such as greywater, or harvesting enough rainwater to be used for irrigation during dry weather periods is highly advantageous for improving the sustainability of green roofs. Full article

Moving to a new country is often combined with issues such as stress and a sense of loss that affect the overall well-being of immigrants. Furthermore, immigrants have not yet developed strong attachments to the country and, more specifically, to the places in which they will settle. Researchers have already discussed the role of the built environment for well-being and the sense of belonging and attachment it can provide, specifically through public open spaces, such as parks, squares, etc. These problems are worldwide, and the World Health Organization (WHO) also recommends creating public places that improve human health, well-being, and social inclusion. Moreover, at local levels, designers and urbanists must understand how to evaluate the relationship between immigrants’ place attachment and public places in order to improve the design of these places. Consequently, this study reviewed methods used to understand the effects of public open spaces on immigrants’ attachment. A systematic quantitative literature review was conducted, and a total of 26 articles were extracted relating to immigrants’ place attachment and public open spaces. Research locations, participants’ nationalities, the types of public open spaces, the methods applied, and place attachment evaluations were retrieved from the articles and analysed. The results show that evaluating immigrants’ place attachment presents many challenges, and there is no consensus on what approaches are best practices. However, qualitative methods were most applied in human–environment interactions, and immigrants’ place attachments were primarily assessed based on their social bonds in public open spaces. To conclude, a framework was designed to understand how immigrants’ place attachment was evaluated in the reviewed literature, and the dimensions of place attachment were defined. Full article

Artificial intelligence and machine learning, in particular, have made rapid advances in image processing. However, their incorporation into architectural design is still in its early stages compared to other disciplines. Therefore, this paper addresses the development of an integrated bottom–up digital design approach and describes a research framework for incorporating the deep convolutional generative adversarial network (GAN) for early stage design exploration and the generation of intricate and complex alternative facade designs for urban interiors. In this paper, a novel facade design is proposed using the architectural style, size, scale, and openings of two adjacent buildings as references to create a new building design in the same neighborhood for urban infill. This newly created building contains the outline, style and shape of the two main buildings. A 2D building design is generated as an image, where (1) neighboring buildings are imported as a reference using the cell phone and (2) iFACADE decodes their spatial neighborhood. It is illustrated that iFACADE will be useful for designers in the early design phase to create new facades in relation to existing buildings in a short time, saving time and energy. Moreover, building owners can use iFACADE to show their preferred architectural facade to their architects by mixing two building styles and creating a new building. Therefore, it is presented that iFACADE can become a communication platform in the early design phases between architects and builders. The initial results define a heuristic function for generating abstract facade elements and sufficiently illustrate the desired functionality of the prototype we developed. Full article

Majapahit was one of Indonesia’s most prominent and last Hindu kingdoms in the 12–15th centuries. During this time, there was a process of changing religious beliefs among the Javanese population, who then embraced Hinduism to eventually become Muslim. In the 14th and 15th centuries, according to estimates, Islam began to spread throughout the Majapahit Empire. There was also a cultural shift in the Majapahit Kingdom’s society, from how they dressed to the shape of their houses. This study aims to determine how structures from that time were interpreted using a 3D model based on field surveys and previous studies. This documentation’s findings are divided into typology, spatial distribution, and architectural elements. Each of these three groups was further defined through Islamic law to determine the extent of Islam’s Influence on dwellings throughout the Majapahit Era. The impact of Islam on Majapahit architecture during that time was characterised by openness in terms of building typology, compactness in the internal layout of buildings, and the employment of ornamental architectural features based on plant and abstract patterns. Full article

As most people spend their days indoors, it is indeed important that buildings provide residents with a higher standard of health, convenience, and safety. As a result, many practices are implemented into buildings to improve the comfort of occupants, particularly thermal comfort; nevertheless, the energy required to run and maintain these applications is a significant constraint. Renewable energy sources offer alternative solutions to energy demand problems, and selecting the best renewable energy sources is crucial. In this article, we examine the health and well-being advantages to the occupants, as well as the surrounding environment, of a variety of novel strategies that may be integrated into buildings to increase occupants’ thermal comfort for conventional practices using solar power. The key discoveries explored in this article include daylighting, passive ventilation, thermal applications, cooling applications, and power generation. For this, the information was gathered by a systematic review of the relevant prior literature. In addition, the detrimental effects of existing practices on the health and well-being of residents and the environment are included. While there are still some practical obstacles to overcome in the extraction of solar energy, the technology exists. Potential future obstacles to the broad acceptance and usage of solar energy systems in buildings are highlighted, as well as possible solutions. Full article

Local parks are widely used to mitigate urban heat islands. However, the increase of dry weather periods in subtropical climates has caused natural grass failure, leading some city councils to replace it with artificial grass. Therefore, this study investigates various local park settings to assess the performance of different ground covers (i.e., irrigated and non-irrigated natural grass, bare soil, and artificial grass) and the influence that tree proximity has on them, as well as the total thermal performance of the investigated local parks. This study finds that non-irrigated parks could harm park users’ health due to the high concentration of mean radiant temperature (MRT) around trees. Although the surface temperature of the artificial grass was higher (2.60 °C) than that of asphalt during periods of peak temperature, the parks using artificial grass performed better at reducing air temperature and enhancing thermal comfort than the ones with dry grass or bare soil, where both tree proximity and soil water content played significant roles. However, artificial grass negatively affected night cooling, resulting in a poorer daily performance. This study discusses the influence of various park settings on air temperature, MRT, thermal comfort, surface temperature, soil temperature, and water content. In addition, various recommendations and settings are offered to direct decision makers and future studies. Full article

The outbreak of the novel coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19) in 2019 and the 2022 war in Ukraine have had profound global impacts on travel and logistics, disrupted the material supply chain, significantly influenced the cost and progress of construction projects, and further impacted the operational effectiveness of firms. Despite some existing studies providing valuable insights into the impact of COVID-19 on the construction industry, there remain research gaps that need to be addressed. Prior studies have mainly focused on the immediate impact factors of the pandemic, such as supply chain disruptions and workforce shortages, and strategies for effectively reducing or eliminating these risks. However, there is a need for research that delves into the long-term implications of these disruptions. So far, no relevant research has quantified the broader impact of the epidemic. Thus, this study aims to analyze the effects of the pandemic and the war on 136 construction industry professionals, their projects, and firms through literature review, questionnaire surveys, and expert interviews. The study compiles a list of significant risk factors for construction projects between 2019–2022, including their probability of occurrence, impact over time, and overall cost. The study also analyzes and discusses the impact of these high-risk factors as of 2022. To quantify the impact, cost, and level of exposure to these risks suffered by actual construction projects over this period, the Monte Carlo simulation method is introduced. This approach provides contractors with early prediction of risks and appropriate responses to mitigate risks. Full article

Although voxel models have been applied to address diverse problems in computer-aided design processes, their role in multi-domain data integration in digital architecture and planning has not been extensively studied. The primary objective of this study is to map the current state of the art and to identify open questions concerning data structuring, integration, and modeling and design of multi-scale objects and systems in architecture. Focus is placed on types of voxel models that are linked with computer-aided design models. This study utilizes a semi-systematic literature review methodology that combines scoping and narrative methodology to examine different types and uses of voxel models. This is done across a range of disciplines, including architecture, spatial planning, computer vision, geomatics, geosciences, manufacturing, and mechanical and civil engineering. Voxel-model applications can be found in studies addressing generative design, geomatics, material science and computational morphogenesis. A targeted convergence of these approaches can lead to integrative, holistic, data-driven design approaches. We present (1) a summary and systematization of the research results reported in the literature in a novel manner, (2) the identification of research gaps concerning voxel-based data structures for multi-domain and trans-scalar data integration in architectural design and urban planning, and (3) any further research questions. Full article

With the intensification of population aging and the increasing awareness of public health protection in the post-epidemic era, the renewal of the old urban community neighborhood space is facing many new challenges and problems. Neighborhood Public Open Space (POS) is the main place for people to carry out various social activities in community life. The quality of the social interaction environment that a neighborhood POS can provide can have a vital impact on people’s well-being, as well as their physical and mental health. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to identify and clarify the key physical environmental design attributes/features of the old urban community neighborhood POS, and to explore the relationship between them from the perspective of creating a high-quality social environment. Through the investigation of relevant cases in Shenzhen and Guangzhou, China, the classification performance of each case on the key physical and environmental elements is used as the conditional attribute, and the quality of the social interaction environment in the current situation of each case is used as the decision making attribute to conduct a data mining analysis. Using rough set theory, this study screened out four important elements: greenbelt form planning (C₁); ped and bike system (C₂); space organization and zoning planning (C₆); Public facilities (C₈). Moreover, this study also presents a set of hierarchical decision rules to describe the classification status of the matching physical environmental design elements when the social interaction environment reaches a high quality in the neighborhood POS. This study provides local policy makers with key current situation assessment and diagnostic tools in urban-built environmental renewal projects. The results of this study can help designers draw up the renovation design plans of neighborhood POS on the basis of efficiently obtaining the practical experience of relevant cases, and then create a high-quality social interaction environment. Full article

One of the highest risk groups the highest during COVID-19 were chronic patients. In addition to being a population at risk, in the lockdown they had to combine the pandemic with their own disease. Through a qualitative study of visual–emotional analysis, the perception of patients and their social environment (immediate support network) about the domestic confinement in Spain was requested during the State of Alarm in the Spring of 2020. For this, 33 participants filled out an online questionnaire with narratives and images describing their experiences. They were asked to share their experiences about quarantine from several perspectives of the housing spaces: the workplace (or alternatively, if they did not work, the most used occupational space), the least pleasant spaces or aspects of the dwelling and the most pleasant or comfortable area. The results suggested the importance for participants of natural and adequate lighting in spaces and tidiness, with both being linked to well-valued spaces. Moreover, rest was the activity most undertaken, for those who did not telework. Likewise, the narratives provided by participants were mostly positive, despite their condition, maybe due to their own coping with the disease. Dwellings were the adaptive means to tackle the situation of physical isolation as a place of protection against an external threat. The living room and bedrooms were chosen as the most prominent places. The characteristics of the dwellings conditioned the experiences lived during the quarantine of chronic patients. Full article

Radical cities have historically been hotbeds of transformative paradigms, political changes, activism, and social movements, and have given rise to visionary ideas, utopian projects, revolutionary ideologies, and debates. These cities have served as incubators for innovative ideas, idealistic projects, revolutionary philosophies, and lively debates. The streets, squares, and public spaces of radical cities have been the backdrop for protests, uprisings, and social movements that have had both local and global significance. This research project aims to explore and reimagine radical cities and urban activism using a variety of visual and collaborative pedagogical approaches. This project will study and categorize these cities through comparative case studies from different regions, including North America, and Latin America, and beyond, in order to better understand and interpret pivotal societal transitions. Full article

In Denmark, appropriate architecture for aging is an engaging topic, often explored through the use of architectural competitions. Since 2013, national guidelines for homelike architecture for eldercare have been in place, open for use in contemporaneous competitions. This study is focused on architectural competitions prior to 2013 and the development of modern architecture for aging. Based on reports on competitions in professional publications for architects, this study covers the period of 1899–2012. Inspired by the French philosopher Paul Ricoeur’s view of architecture as a spatial practice that ‘does not invoke what no longer is there but what has become through what is no longer present’, the present study revisits competitions on architecture for aging in search of inspirational input and links to the national socio-political discussion. This study uses case study methodology with a mixed method approach. A total of 76 competitions are identified, mainly organized by Danish municipalities, and are linked to four paradigms in social legislations. It is concluded that early competitions defined spatial prototypes, both for the homelike setting and the institutional environment, which have been continuously revisited. Since 2008, homelikeness has become the main design criterion for architecture for the frail aging population with an increasing dependency on caregiving. Full article

This paper is based on 8 months of sociological participatory fieldwork at the office of Gottlieb Paludan Architects, following the design process of a new concourse area for Ny Ellebjerg Station in Copenhagen, Denmark. The study aims to trace what presence users with physical disabilities possessed during a design process in which they were not physically present or explicitly involved. The study bases its findings on the visual material produced during the design process by the employees of Gottlieb Paludan Architects as well as the thoughts and discussions of practitioners. Drawing on actor-network theory, the study describes and analyses these human and non-human actors as they constitute and contribute to the design process. The study finds that users with physical disabilities were present within the design process through an implicit generalized presence and an explicit required presence. Generalized presence refers to those instances where the architectural qualities that were strived for in the project implicitly aligned with the needs of users with physical disabilities. Required presence refers to those instances during the design process where accessibility demands from client guidelines or building regulations played an important role. Full article