Architecture

Since the onset of the Syrian conflict in 2011, millions of Syrians have sought refuge globally, with thousands resettling in the UK. Despite their displacement, Syrians have brought with them a rich array of inherited knowledge and traditions, collectively known as intangible cultural heritage (ICH). The construction of domestic spaces by these settlers and their struggle to feel at home have emerged as important topics in migration studies, particularly when housing issues are considered as a critical aspect of their transcultural social engagement and the evolving boundaries of their identity and belonging. However, the role of ICH, along with the related crafts and movable objects, in the home-making practices of forced migrants remains under-researched. This gap is especially significant given that the UK recently ratified the 2003 UNESCO Convention on the safeguarding of ICH after a decade-long delay. Through in-depth semi-structured interviews conducted in the interviewees’ native Arabic within their home environments and supported by an observational study, this research explores how resettled Syrians in Liverpool integrate traditional ICH practices into their new homes, focusing on the dynamic relationship between the intangible and built heritage. By examining how intangible knowledge and movable objects interplay in creating a ‘Syrian home’, this study contributes to discussions on community engagement and the role of memory in conservation. The findings underscore the importance of ICH in maintaining cultural continuity and identity in the diaspora, providing insights into the inclusive heritage conservation practices in migrant contexts. This research highlights two key insights: first, the essential role that ICH, along with the associated crafts and movable objects, plays in constructing new homes in the diaspora, particularly in how these items serve as the carriers of cultural identity and continuity; and second, the symbolic significance of Syrian homes, especially their interior designs and decorations, as reflections of a blend of sociocultural practices that Syrians are committed to preserving. Full article

A youth-centric participatory mapping approach was employed to monitor the lower Mill Creek, an urban waterway located in Cincinnati, Ohio, by collecting geospatial data points on surface water quality and ecological assets. Utilizing the ArcGIS Field Maps application, a digital survey-based tool was developed to identify key areas related to ecological assets and urban water management challenges. The purpose of this citizen science approach was to allow researchers to capture and understand community perspectives and insights while engaging in scientific research that focuses on identifying geographic vulnerability areas and ecological assets. The primary objective was to empower local community groups and residents in an environmental justice neighborhood to understand the current opportunities and constraints of the adjacent waterbody, enabling informed decision-making for future planning initiatives that benefit both conservation and remediation efforts aligned with local values and needs. A youth-centric participatory mapping approach was employed to monitor the lower Mill Creek, an urban waterway in Cincinnati, Ohio, through the collection of geospatial data on surface water quality and ecological assets. The findings, based on hotspot analysis, revealed significant spatial clustering of heavy debris near the barrier dam and the lower portion of Mill Creek, where it converges with the Ohio River. This accumulation is attributed to the structural features of the barrier dam’s inner flood catchment area, which traps debris during rainfall events. Although no areas showed spatial significance for perceived ecological services, students identified specific areas with esthetic and biodiversity value, particularly at Mill Creek’s confluence with the Ohio River and along the northern stretch of the stream corridor. These findings provide valuable insights for guiding future conservation and remediation efforts that reflect both community values and environmental priorities. Full article

More than a century after Riegl took the first steps in the theory of value that characterised the 20th century, conservation is now being challenged from the perspective of understanding heritage intervention projects. Critical transformation of heritage, based on knowledge, modifies the characteristics of what is of value, its significance and its materiality. This work process deals with questions related to citizens’ perceptions, where consensus is sought to agree on what has value in a heritage context and how intervention projects affect this consideration. This article represents a revision of heritage methodology insofar as it establishes a contemporary dialogue between architectural practice and heritage studies through the identification and management of cultural values. It takes as a case study the Trinity College in Coimbra, by Aires Mateus. This work is framed within the declaration of the University of Coimbra as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This methodology can be extrapolated to other case studies, providing a necessary framework for understanding design action in different heritage contexts. This research attempts to equate the heritage asset’s initial values with those generated or activated after the intervention, highlighting the recognition of these values as a key objective of heritage studies and design action. Full article

This article introduces a methodology for a novel data-driven computational model aimed at aiding public administrations in managing and evaluating the adaptative reuse of buildings while tackling ecological and digital challenges. Drawing from the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the study underscores the significance of innovative approaches in harnessing the economic potential of data. Focusing on Barcelona’s Ciutat Vella district, the research selects five historic public buildings for analysis, strategically positioned to spur local entrepreneurship and counteract tourism dominance. Through an extensive literature review, the article identifies a gap in computational models for building adaptative reuse and proposes a methodological framework that integrates data collection, processing, and computational modelling, underscored by GIS technology and open data sources. The proposed methodology for a computational algorithm aims to systematise spatial characteristics, assess programmatic needs, and optimise building usage, while addressing challenges such as data integration and quality assurance. Ultimately, the research presents a pioneering approach to building adaptative reuse, aimed at fostering sustainable urban development and offering replicable insights applicable to similar challenges in other cities. Full article

This study explores Instagram’s influence on sensory and experiential engagement with architecture in the digital age. Using a phenomenological approach, we studied the impact of Instagram’s visual features, such as filters, geotagging, and hashtags, on user interactions and perceptions of architectural spaces. The research demonstrates that Instagram transforms traditional architectural experiences into dynamic visual narratives that integrate real and virtual elements, altering our understanding of space and time. While acknowledging that architectural experience encompasses form, function, and historical context, this paper specifically focuses on Instagram’s role in mediating perceptual experiences. By analyzing user engagement patterns and content trends, the study highlights how Instagram shapes architectural design practices and the creation of spaces tailored for digital interaction. This study offers a comprehensive view of the complex relationship between digital media and architectural perception, identifying both the opportunities and challenges presented by the platform in influencing our understanding of architectural spaces. Full article

During Ebola and Marburg outbreaks, treatment centers are essential for patient care and controlling transmission. While clinical care advancements have been well-documented, the design of these centers has been less explored. This study addresses this gap by analyzing technical drawings of 48 treatment centers constructed between 2014 and 2023, using a reverse-engineering approach. The findings highlight a shift toward smaller, more manageable centers, with improved privacy and infection control features. This review offers a framework for the future development of treatment center designs to enhance outbreak management. Key contributions include the identification of trends in center size and layout, providing a foundation for future design standards that can be applied in managing infectious disease outbreaks. The study emphasizes the need for continuous adaptation in treatment center design to meet outbreak demands and calls for future research to develop indicators that measure the impact of design on health outcomes and patient experiences. Full article

Housing is the most regulated type of building. Standards significantly influence the design and construction quality, often making universal design more expensive and challenging to implement. This study aims to review current Spanish regulations on accessibility in the housing sector, to promote non-discriminatory and independent access, while ensuring the safety of each resident. The research is exploratory and qualitative, involving a systematic bibliographic review through an exhaustive search of regulations in force until December 2023. In Spain, there are three laws (from 1999, 1960 and 2022), three decrees (from 2006, 2013 and 2015) and a national plan from the regulatory framework. The main regulation, the Technical Building Code, outlines the accessibility, safety and habitability requirements that buildings must adhere to. The most recent is Law 6/2022 on Cognitive Accessibility. Spain has robust legislation with innovative approaches and ambitious goals. However, there is a lack of societal awareness that housing is a fundamental right and that the regulations must be upheld. Several proposals for improvement have been made. These suggested changes address the specific challenges of each region and promote more inclusive and adaptable projects for all people from the early stages of design. Full article

In the post-pandemic era, following the recent global crisis, it is essential to recognize the heritagization pathways of built environments associated with epidemic events. By tracing the evolution of heritage linked to these events, analyzing the characteristics of epidemic-related built environments, and exploring methods of heritagization, this study proposes a foundational conservation principle. The establishment of concepts and components of built heritage during and after epidemic periods can serve as a guide for more effective societal management. These efforts offer valuable insights for addressing major public events and enhancing urban resilience. Full article

This study investigates the current landscape of generative AI and LLM applications in architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC), focusing on trends, practical implications, educational strategies, and imperatives for upskilling. Employing a six-stage systematic review sourced from Google Scholar, Scopus and Web of Science, 120 papers were analyzed to provide a comprehensive understanding of the role of these technologies in shaping the future of the AEC industry. By addressing these objectives, the research contributes to enhancing knowledge about the potential impacts of generative AI and LLMs on the AEC industry and provides insights into strategies for leveraging these technologies effectively. This study underscores the transformative impact of AI and advanced technologies on the AEC sector and education. By enhancing learning experiences and optimizing construction processes, AI fosters personalized education and efficient project management. The study’s significance lies in its identification of necessary skills and competencies for professionals, ensuring effective AI integration. Implications include the need for continuous professional development, formal education, and practical training to leverage AI’s potential fully. This paves the way for sustainable, intelligent infrastructure and accessible, adaptive learning environments, driving innovation and efficiency in both fields. Full article

Researchers have explored primary colour–geometric shape associations since Kandinsky’s correspondence theory. However, there is a gap in the literature regarding interior colour applications on surface shapes. To address this gap, an online study was employed to gather data with 100 participants who were asked to choose their preferred colours for shapes on bedroom walls with follow-up questions on the colour–shape semantic associations, their preference of colours and shapes on bedroom walls independently in addition to their favourite colour, their favourite shape, and colour–shape pairs without interior context. The results revealed that colour–shape preferences in interiors differ from those found in psychology studies, other colour applications on bedroom walls, and other preferences, indicating that colour preference is context-dependent. Interestingly, the most popular colour for surface shapes on bedroom walls is purple, followed by brown and blue. The study contributes to the existing literature by providing colour charts for bedroom applications for professionals in the industry, their clients/users, and future studies. The study presents a preliminary exploration of the topic. Further research could compare various demographic properties (such as gender, age, and culture), different colour attributes (including saturation and lightness), and complex geometric shapes. Full article

The ongoing effects of climate change have led to a rise in global temperature, significantly reducing snow cover and resulting in the abandonment of numerous ski areas across Switzerland. As a result, many ski lifts have been decommissioned and left to deteriorate due to lenient local regulations. To address this issue, this paper presents a case study approach to repurposing steel trusses from abandoned ski lifts for a new structural application within the building industry. The design, sourcing, and construction of a new load-supporting column are described, focusing on reusing the ski lift steel trusses as a whole, without dismantling them into their components. After collection, these elements are adapted to comply with current building standards. By pouring out the hollow structure with the recently developed building material Cleancrete ©, a new load-bearing structure is developed. A comprehensive life cycle assessment (LCA) demonstrates the environmental performance of the steel–Cleancrete hybrid construction, which achieves a global warming potential (GWP) of 536.58 kg CO₂-eq. In comparison, alternative designs using wood and concrete exhibited GWP values of 679.45 kg CO₂-eq, +26.6%, and 1593.72 kg CO₂-eq, +197.02%, respectively. These findings suggest that repurposing abandoned ski lift structures can significantly contribute to sustainable building practices, waste reduction, and the promotion of circular economy principles. The process outlined in this paper holds potential for future applications, particularly in the reuse of other steel components, ensuring continued circularity even as the supply of ski lift structures may dwindle. Full article

One of the most important challenges faced by any listed cultural heritage is the development of a management system that conveys a resilient and integrated approach that can sustain its values for future generations. Management is one of the main factors affecting World Heritage Sites; thus, the increased complexity of a serial nomination enhances this risk. By integrating different stakeholders, a Joint Management Plan (JMP) is a key tool to settle common procedures and help different managers maintain a satisfactory balance in safeguarding the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) in each component part. This paper aims to provide a framework for the development of JMPs for serial nominations, with support on the nomination proposal “Álvaro Siza’s Architecture: A Modern Contextualism Legacy”. Methods result from the cross-analysis of (i) policy analysis; (ii) archival research and digital documentation; (iii) collaborative strategies (surveys, interviews, workshops, meetings, consultations); (iv) fieldwork. Results confirmed that the development of JMPs must be sustained by an open and dynamic process, where engagement, mediation of conflicts, and flexibility are key principles. This work approaches a significant subject concerning the management of World Heritage serial nominations, focusing on JMPs for serial nominations, which are a rising trend in heritage management. A demonstration is applied to the WH nomination of works by Álvaro Siza, a prominent figure in worldwide contemporary architecture. Full article

This research examines the evolution of Japanese residential architecture throughout the 20th century, focusing on the transformation of house plans in response to changing societal needs. This study specifically examines how traditional spatial configurations adapted to urbanization, modernisation, and shifts in the family structure. By analysing house plans across three distinct periods—the pre-war and post-Kanto earthquake period, the post-war period, and the post-oil shock period to the present—this research illustrates the transition from detached houses to modern collective housing. Utilising a space syntax methodology, this research quantitatively analyses threshold spaces, circulation, and family gathering spaces to understand their social and architectural implications. Historical analyses are paired with a network analysis of selected house plans, highlighting the persistent significance of traditional elements such as the doma (vestibule) and the en-gawa (verandah) in contemporary designs. The findings demonstrate a significant reduction in the size and complexity of living spaces over time, reflecting broader trends towards efficiency and modernisation in public housing. This research contributes to architectural scholarship by providing a detailed account of how Japanese customary spaces have been reconfigured to accommodate evolving lifestyles, offering insights into the balance between tradition and modern living. Full article

Architecture can be very influential in enabling health and wellbeing in the residential built environment. In arid regions, health-supportive design would consider major environmental hazards, such as heat and dust, as well as social and cultural factors that influence household size and composition. Under current and projected conditions, the effects of climate change will increase, presenting opportunities and challenges to architects to demonstrate and deliver best practice in climate-appropriate and culturally appropriate housing design. This paper brings together a multidisciplinary team of researchers to identify the current and future needs for tropical semi-arid zone design with a focus on Indigenous communities in northern Central Australia. In a narrative review of the literature and exploratory fieldwork, current and projected impacts of climate change on housing, health, energy systems and behavioural practices are explored in a holistic way. Our findings demonstrate the growing awareness of climate-related issues for remote Indigenous housing but also the lack of place-based studies that might inform adaptation strategies. Overwhelmingly, there is limited understanding of local lived experiences that may be highly significant for developing resilience in a changing climate. Consideration of the beliefs, values and practices of Indigenous people will be integral to design solutions. Full article

Some wrong decisions and faulty practices applied during the repair and restoration of traditional buildings cause more damage to the structures due to the materials used in the repair. The aim of this study is to establish a scientific basis for material selection in the repair of traditional buildings in the Konuralp region through chemical and petrographic analyses. In this study, brick, mortar, plaster, and wood samples were taken from one registered building in the Konuralp neighborhood of Düzce Province that has survived to the present day by preserving its original structural features and reflecting the characteristics of traditional housing. Chemical and petrographic analyses were carried out on the samples. In line with these analyses, a scientific basis was created for selecting material properties in the repair and reuse processes of traditional buildings and suggestions are made for the analysis of materials specific to traditional buildings in Konuralp. Full article

In 1994, Enric Miralles published From what time is this place?, a brief text where the relationship between space and time is claimed through the form of the Igualada Cemetery Park and different conditions of time are considered. The title is presumably written after the book by Kevin Lynch What time is this place?, where the human sense of time and the relationship between the innate consciousness of time and place and the objective time of the world are addressed. Related to this concept arises the notion of the chronotope—from kronos, time, and topos, place; literally timeplace, defined by Mikhail Bakhtin as the intrinsic connectedness of spatial and temporal relationships assimilated in the artistic form. Approaching Miralles’ own words, this text examines the condition of architectural form as a chronotope in the Igualada Cemetery Park and in three of his projects to analyze, firstly, the strategies used and, secondly, the consequences of the connection of space and time in the form and in space and time themselves: the spatialization of time, temporalization of space, and temporalization of time. As a result, some reflections contribute to the contemporary debate on form in architecture as a spatiotemporal discipline: a chronotopic architecture. Full article

Successful urban school design includes green space to counterpoint the built form in cities, where parks and reserves are well frequented. Further integration of landscape and buildings is an aspect of urban development that could improve how architecture is experienced by the wider community. Above all, evidence shows that it enhances the health and wellbeing of inhabitants. By providing green space in buildings, nature can be accessed more directly by its occupants and allow connection with nature to occur more easily. Integrating nature with architecture can improve a building’s self-regulation, energy consumption, and overall performance. Architecture that integrates nature can have a distinctive appearance and character. The co-existence of bricks and mortar with plants and vegetation is one example of integration, whereas the use of natural materials such as timber as part of the building fabric can create distinctive architecture. It is this individuality that can provide a sense of identity to local communities. Access to the outdoors in urban settings is a critical requirement for successful urban school design. This paper focuses on the architectural practise of designing biophilic schools and illustrates how optimising playground opportunities can provide the highly sought-after connection between architecture and nature. Connecting classrooms and pedagogy to the outside environment during the design phases of projects can create unique responses to a place, enhancing the learning experience in environments where architecture and nature can be informed by emerging biophilic evidence. This study strives to develop a strategy where educational clients can be convinced to actively embrace a biophilic school approach. It also seeks to convince architects to adopt a biophilic approach to school design across design studios using the emerging evidence based on biophilia and biomimicry. Full article

This study investigates a parametric architectural design methodology that arises from the relationship between humans, architecture, and nature and utilizes modern technological means and sustainable construction materials. Specifically, it concerns a structure of mycelium bio-composite, produced at the lowest possible environmental cost. The design uses an optimal structural form to maximize the material’s efficiency. The development of the structure is initially modular, using two different types of geometric blocks. At the same time, the whole structure gradually becomes monolithic with the help of the plant part of the fungi, the mycelium. The basic 2D arch structure is initially assembled using two different geometric blocks. More complex configurations can be derived from this foundational module to meet various requirements for applications and structures. The structure will be constructed entirely of load-bearing mycelium blocks, with its geometry specifically designed to emphasize compression forms, enhancing the structural performance of the inherently weak material. This approach reflects an innovative vision for construction materials grounded in the principles of cultivation and growth from natural, earth-derived resources. Full article

Stairs are among the key elements in architectural composition, both aesthetically and spatially. They are also one of the main innovations in architecture and building, allowing pedestrians to bridge considerable height differences with relative efficiency. It is, therefore, surprising that, in spite of all stair regulations in building codes, stairs are responsible for a huge number of accidents—second only to motorcars. The extent of safety failures suggests that user interaction with stairs is poorly understood by designers and policy makers. This is not unrelated to the lack of research into the design and use of stairs. Templer’s seminal work is the exception, but it dates from 1992, and since then, little has been done to understand the relation between architectural design and stair performance, including safety. The paper reviews the literature on stairs in multiple domains and proposes that to redress poor stair performance, research and practice should build on affordance-based analyses of stair climbability, which establish a clear connection between the form of a stair and the perception of both action possibilities and dangers by all kinds of users. By doing so, affordances establish a comprehensive and consistent framework for the analysis of architectural designs, which utilizes both domain and psychological knowledge, including as a foundation for computational applications. Full article