Scipedia: Documents published in 2017

Contribution of City Prosperity to Decisions on Healthy Building Design: A case study of Tehran

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 12:10:14 +0200

In this paper, the city prosperity manifest is analyzed through a logical process and a framework is then proposed for designing healthy buildings in Tehran. The current status of urbanization in terms of the number of people living together and the changes in old behavior and perspectives have resulted in deficiencies to the health and hygiene of buildings apart from their surrounding environment. Consequently, these problems have affected people׳s well-being. This study mainly aims to determine policies and strategies for the architectural design of healthy buildings according to health and safety conditions that influence the quality of internal spaces and external environment of cities. The study is conducted based on logical reasoning and uses focus group and in-depth interviews to assess the final result. The result is a framework that suggests a number of policies that can promote the mental and physical health as well as hygiene of residents through healthy buildings.

Optimizing energy efficiency and occupant comfort with climate specific design of the building

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 12:10:07 +0200

Designing energy efficient and comfortable buildings requires harmonizing the complex interactions of architecture, construction and building service engineering. The building envelope has a particular importance, since it integrates many functions and has direct influence on indoor climate. Focusing on satisfaction of the user means that the indoor climate is a key for a holistic design approach. Only a satisfied user will not intervene with the designed energy concept or the indoor climate control, dissatisfaction results in multiple system interventions which may cause waste of energy and sometimes even damage to building envelope components. Satisfaction with the indoor environment also increases working productivity or enables effective recreation of residents. The paper deals with international research activities in the field of climate specific building design. Various comfort and energy monitoring surveys of office buildings as well as residential buildings provide substantial information about the occupants' behavior and their needs during specific situations under different outdoor climates. This information allows summarizing basic climate dependent design principles which architects should keep in mind during the early stages of the design process. It also helps to develop strategies aiming at reducing building energy demand and at the same time consider comfort aspects. The second part of this paper demonstrates application of the climate dependent design principles in a housing project in Dubai.

Castle architecture in Anatolia: Fortifications of Diyarbakir

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 12:09:53 +0200

The ancient walls of Diyarbakir are the citys most important urban element, exhibiting an artistic grace through the arrangement of the towers, architectural values, dimensions, materials, and decorations. Diyarbakir is located at the crossroads of important trade routes, one connecting the Western World to the Far East and the other connecting North to South. Architecturally, its defensive walls and towers make it one of the most important surviving castles. In this study, the history, location, architectural and building properties of fortifications of Diyarbakir were explained and technical dimensioning typology studies on towers and city walls were submitted.

Designing for change: The poetic potential of responsive architecture

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 12:09:47 +0200

The integration of responsive components in architecture offers the potential to enhance the experience of the building by giving expression to fleeting, changeable aspects of the environment. Responsive buildings enable a physical response to changes in the environment through specific building elements, in rare cases these responsive elements become an integral and poetic element of a culturally significant work of architecture. In this paper I examine two types of responsiveness, one which concerns the changing environment and another the activities and needs of the building׳s inhabitants. I look at two examples of buildings that illustrate a potential poetic role for architectural components responding to these two types of change, and propose that architects will need to acquire experience with designing for specific rates, scales and types of change before responsive elements will more frequently appear as a poetic and integral part of the building.

Tree-inspired dendriforms and fractal-like branching structures in architecture: A brief historical overview

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 12:09:29 +0200

The shapes of trees are complex and fractal-like, and they have a set of physical, mechanical and biological functions. The relation between them always draws attention of human beings throughout history and, focusing on the relation between shape and structural strength, architects have designed a number of treelike structures, referred as dendriforms. The replication and adoption of the treelike patterns for constructing architectural structures have been varied in different time periods based on the existing and advanced knowledge and available technologies. This paper, by briefly discussing the biological functions and the mechanical properties of trees with regard to their shapes, overviews and investigates the chronological evolution and advancements of dendriform and arboreal structures in architecture referring to some important historical as well as contemporary examples.

Community spaces in the minds of traditional craftsmen in a pottery village in Japan

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 12:09:19 +0200

At present, the planning for the conservation or development of Japanese traditional crafts is based on administrative districts or water catchment areas. However, the conservation of Japanese traditions relies not only on the access to relevant natural resources but also on artisans׳ ability to manufacture crafts in specific environments. The perspectives of artisans on their work environments have a significant influence on traditional crafts. In this study, we aimed to investigate the changes in natural resource use in a village recognized for Koishiwara-yaki -style pottery. We employed a questionnaire and conducted interview surveys to collect data on the perceptions of the artisans working in the said village. The findings were as follows. 1) The area commonly regarded by the artisans as their place for pottery was identified. The identification of areas that are significant to local tradition can serve as a vital contribution to spatial planning. 2) The birth place of the local ceramics tradition in a local water catchment area was regarded as critically important in the preservation of the traditions of the village. 3) Several potters emphasized the value of their work environment to ver administrative support because of the historical connection between the place and their traditions. Highlighting this connection can attract historical and cultural tourism to this area.

Measuring LEED–NC applicability in design for hospitality

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 12:09:12 +0200

Mounting awareness of climate change in recent years has led the construction industry to initiate new approaches toward sustainable building design, yet stakeholders in hospitality development still hesitate to build green. This reluctance is due to perceived high guest expectations of comfort levels and amenity access among these properties. Research was conducted to determine precisely which green building innovations present the most significant barriers to incorporating sustainability into design for hospitality. Average LEED credit implementation rates among 28 existing LEED hotel projects were calculated and compared with average credits employed among common commercial building projects. 15 of those projects’ designers also offered survey opinions on which sustainable innovations were most commonly avoided in their approaches for hospitality. The results indicate that certain credits do experience decreased popularity among hospitality projects, yet guest comfort was not the only barrier identified. Cost of implementation and local applicability affected by climate and local bylaws were also found as major role players in the selection of credits specific to hospitality design. Conclusions are presented according to the data and recommendations made to support further growth and success in future applications of LEED sustainable design in hospitality.

Comparison between lighting performance of a virtual natural lighting solutions prototype and a real window based on computer simulation

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 12:08:55 +0200

This article discusses the measurement and simulation of a first generation prototype of Virtual Natural Lighting Solutions (VNLS), which are systems that can artificially provide natural lighting as well as a realistic outside view, with properties comparable to those of real windows and skylights. Examples of employing Radiance as a simulation tool to predict the lighting performance of such solutions are shown, for a particular case study of a VNLS prototype displaying variations of a simplified view of overcast, clear, and partly cloudy skies. Measurement and simulation were conducted to evaluate the illuminance distribution on workplane level. The key point of this study is to show that simulations can be used to compare an actual VNLS prototype with a hypothetical real window under the same sky scenes, which was physically not possible, since the test room was not located at the building׳s façade. It is found that the investigated prototype yields a less rapidly drop illuminance distribution and a larger average illuminance than the corresponding real window, under the overcast (52 lx compared to 28 lx) and partly cloudy (102 lx compared to 80 lx) sky scenes. Under the clear sky scene, the real window yields a larger average illuminance (97 lx) compared to the prototype (71 lx), due to the influence of direct sunlight.

Narratives in Mamluk architecture: Spatial and perceptual analyses of the madrassas and their mausoleums

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 12:08:46 +0200

Mamluk sultans were known for their patronage of the arts and architecture. Their educational institutions were among the wide array of architectural projects that linked them as ruling elites to the religious scholars of their times. Their tombs were placed in a mausoleum attached to their educational–religious complexes to attest to their legacy. The evolution of their buildings such that both educational and memorial functions are integrated with the dense surroundings is scrutinized through chronological–spatial analysis. The configuration of the built form, the disposition of its boundaries, its patterns of accessibility, and its visual properties are the features that present the buildings to one’s experience and bring certain perceptions into play. In this study, various spatial descriptor tools of space syntax are employed to analyze the data of 14 Mamluk examples (1260–1517A.D.) and capture the differences in the experience where the expression is preserved. Analyses of the configurational characteristics, axial attributes, visibility structures, and isovists highlight how the spatial and formal properties of the layouts were used to express certain representational relationships. The advantages of combining different spatial investigations allows for understanding historical design principles and how the geometry of forms could hide in its abstract rules, conceptual and perceptual qualities.

Architecture as spatial–textile storytelling: Metamorphosis of frieze as a narrative medium mediating the Panathenaia festival

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 12:08:36 +0200

Classical temples constructed by an entire class are considered as a democratic artifact that symbolizes social and communal beliefs and embodies religious significance. In contrast with these meanings that existing scholars have addressed, this paper investigates the extent to which architecture, as both shelter and artwork, serve as a medium of spatial–textile storytelling, providing a rich sensory context that represents and mediates culture. This study is drawn from a case study of the Ionic frieze in Parthenon, Athens, considered both a textile and spatial storytelling device. The research method applied in this paper consists of a literature review of references on the ideas on the links between textile-making and architectural ornament by Gottfried Semper, as well as the historical development of the frieze in both textile weaving and classical architecture. The paper concludes that the significance of the religious Panathenaia festival is not merely depicted by the peplos identified on the central east Ionic frieze, but is also expressed in the entire representational scheme of the Ionic frieze, along with the overall spatial configuration of the Parthenon. Architecture, instantiated by the Parthenon, is regarded as spatial–textile storytelling to communicate meanings.

Architectural vanguard stone

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 12:08:27 +0200

The modern and updated use of traditional materials in the building industry often proves to improve the performance of the buildings through the economy of management, duration, conditions of comfort and safety, appearance and shelf life. Within this problem a search has allowed us to verify a new building procedure based on the use of reinforced masonry with blocks of natural stone and steel bars and mortar. Then a new phase of research has defined the building procedure of prestressed reinforced masonry with dry-assembled blocks of natural stone. This paper reports the results from a test phase of the research relating to the execution of a full-scale prototype of a panel, with a curved shape, called “stone sail”. This testing allows us to verify the real feasibility of the new building procedure.

Restoration of modern buildings

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 12:08:12 +0200

The present paper is part of a research that is developed within the sustainable building design through the revisiting of the traditional construction materials. The results obtained show that the natural stone, enhanced by technological innovations, are often capable of providing excellent performance. Based on the tests, it was possible to verify and validate the hypothesis that the proposed new system of external vertical opaque enclosure consisting in a panel in dry-assembled and pre-compressed blocks of natural stone through reinforcing steel has good performances when used both in the case of new design and in the case of recovery of modern buildings, when the intervention is being addressed within of an overall building improvement regarding the security, sustainability, functionality and image. This paper reports the first results obtained by the study of the feasibility of the envelope being tested, through the definition of all the details of links with the existing building structure.

A brief analysis of spatial constitution and functional organization of museum architecture: A case study on museums in Hefei

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 12:08:05 +0200

Cultural architecture, specially, museum architecture, is of significant social value and importance for the improvement of city image, and for the optimization of peoples living environment. Consequently, it is significant to analyze such kind of architecture from various perspectives so as to explore its spatial constitution and functional organization. This paper generalizes and puts forward methodology to design interesting exhibition space, convenient traffic space and diversified rest space.

Investigation of the relationship between place characteristics and child behavior in residential landscape spaces: a case study on the Century Sunshine Garden Residential Quarter in Hefei

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 12:07:57 +0200

This paper reviewed child behavior in Chinese residential landscapes. A field survey was used to investigate place characteristics, whereas fixed-point observation and visualization records were utilized to analyze child behavior. Children were then classified into two categories, namely, those with action capacity and those with little capacity. Based on the classification and comparative analysis of place characteristics, along with the quantitative and visualized analysis of child behavior, the relationship between these two aspects was determined, and the effect of spatial elements in the selected residential areas on such a relationship was clarified. Additionally, the designing of a comprehensive landscape space that satisfies childrens needs was also discussed. The conclusions are as follows: (1) Waterside is the element that most significantly affects child behavior. Children who can act on their own prefer to play along the waterside. (2) Open spaces attract children with action capacity, whereas children with little capacity tend to choose more private spaces. (3) Despite the presence of facilities for various activities, an extremely open space or one that is separated by a road still affects child behavior. (4) A comprehensive space with a water landscape, fitness facilities, high accessibility, and a number of cultural events may significantly affect child behavior. Both types of children were found to enjoy a place with such characteristics. Therefore, the evaluation of residential landscape space should be integrated with landscape design.

Study on conservation of mural paintings in Tumulus: Numerical analysis of heat behaviors of stone chamber after excavation

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 12:07:49 +0200

In 1972 mural paintings of Takamatsuzuka tumulus were discovered and have been conserved on site for 35 years, but fungi growth on the mural paintings was not suppressed. In 2007 the stone chamber was dismantled and removed to the facility for conservation and restoration. The purposes of our study are to clarify the main cause of the deterioration and to propose a suitable method to prevent the deterioration for preserving them on site. In this paper, we developed the two-dimensional analysis model by considering the actual change of the surrounding mound because of the excavation in 1972, and perform the analysis of heat behavior of Takamatsuzuka tumulus before and after excavation and compare effects of different sun-shading methods on heat behavior of the stone chamber. The main results are as follows: (1) after the excavation, the inside surface temperature distribution of the stone chamber and the amplitude of indoor temperature become larger. (2) Using the sun-shading panel in the area of excavation is an effective method to reduce the average indoor temperature, however, it has no influence on reducing the temperature distribution of the stone chamber and the temperature difference between the inside wall and indoor.

The optimization of architectural shape based on Genetic Algorithm

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 12:07:39 +0200

Genetic Algorithm (GA) is widely adopted in optimization and the improvement of its optimization performance is attracting many researchers’ attentions. In solving practical problems in the process of architectural design, the ways of converting design problems into mathematical models that can be addressed by GA are of great significance in achieving final optimal results. However, no such rule that can be applied to such conversion has been developed so far. In general, problems which can be addressed by GA can be divided into combinatorial problems and numerical problems. In this paper, by means of attempting to disintegrate a complicated architectural problem into combinatorial and numerical problems, the author discusses feasibility and practicality of solving these two types of problems simultaneously utilizing GA and discloses both advantages and disadvantages of GA by comparing with other algorithms.

Characteristics of road network forms in historic districts of Japan

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 12:07:30 +0200

This study focused on the structure and the platform of the road space of historic districts. We analyzed the road networks of 16 historic districts in Japan from the perspectives of circularity, accessibility and indirection based on graph theory. By calculating and comparing the indexes of each road network (NW1 and NW2) forms, we quantitatively describe the effects of the main prefectural roads (more than 4 m in width) and narrow streets (less than 4 m in width) on the spatial characteristics. And it turned out that we could divided the 16 objective historic districts into 4 types. Moreover, we qualitatively studied the characteristics of each type of historic districts based on their development background and the structure of road network.

Agent-based simulation of alternative classroom evacuation scenarios

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 12:07:19 +0200

Due to the growing number of emergency accidents occurring around students, evacuation issues have become significantly important for both school officials and architects. Simply following construction codes cannot ensure that a building׳s layout is suitable for evacuation behaviors, therefore, to discover the suitable planning schemes, we have introduced an agent-based simulation model via Netlogo to investigate the interrelationships between evacuation efficiency and classroom layouts. Before conducting modeling experiments, both the simulation structure and the sensitivity to its parameter settings are examined by validation research and sensitivity analysis. Furthermore, to demonstrate the importance of conducting fire drills with students, two different types of behavior rules are designed to reflect the distinctive characteristics of students evacuating without instructions and students evacuating in good order. The general comparison results show us that the classroom layout with two exits shortens students׳ evacuation time, and the premeditated behavior rules, meaning that students who follow preset instructions to arrange their activities, not only escape faster but also have some advantages in ensuring their safety during the evacuation process. Moreover, at the end of this paper, several methods of improving this simulation model are proposed for more complex research in the future.

Visual comfort is affected by urban colorscape tones in hazy weather

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 12:06:58 +0200

People׳s visual perception and recognition of urban colorscape tones change significantly in hazy weather. A psychological experiment is conducted in this study to investigate visual comfort related to commercial and residential buildings. Visual observations are performed on the tones of an urban colorscape during hazy weather and air pollution in Harbin, China. Fifty-eight color samples selected through an orthogonal method are evaluated through a Likert scale by 30 subjects in a laboratory setting. Statistical analysis is performed with the maximal information coefficient and R language. Experimental results show that the changing threshold values of color tones are related to the visual comfort levels of the subjects. The influence of the three factors of color tones on visual comfort level is relatively independent, and the effects of value and chroma contrast on color comfort level are greater than that of hue contrast in hazy weather. Furthermore, the comfort recognition threshold values of color tones in hazy weather are determined through data comparisons and analyses.

The development of residential space in the old town of Nanjing since 1978

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 12:06:49 +0200

Since the 1990s, with peoples living requirements getting more and more advanced, the speed of the residential commercialization gets higher and higher, which promotes the residential construction deeply. To some extent, the construction of residential area has accelerated the urbanization and impacted the progress of urban renewal. It has already happened in most Chinese major cities and is progressing right now. But it has not been shown clearly in existing researches how and how deeply it impacts the development of urban construction. This article discussed how the development of urban residential space impacted the progress of urban renewal, based on the theoretic researches of urban renewal, taking the old town of Nanjing for example, and using the methods of quantitative evidence method and kernel density estimation.

Building Guastavino dome in China: A historical survey of the dome of the Auditorium at Tsinghua University

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 12:06:34 +0200

Established in 1909, Tsinghua College was built on the base of a royal garden, and developed into a modern university through campus designs produced by Henry Murphy. The Auditorium, one of the Four Grand Buildings during Tsinghua׳s formative times, was a significant part of early construction and has become a symbol of the school. However, no thorough measuring work has ever been done to it since its completion in 1921. This paper delves into archives with combination of field survey and measurement, aiming to better understand the historical background in which the construction of the Auditorium was embedded, and technological and structural features of the Auditorium. Though the Guastavino system was indicated in the original design drawn by Murphy, concrete shell was applied in the end. The first part combs up the intellectual origins and precedents of the campus planning by Henry Murphy. As the dome is a focal point of the study, a brief course on the history of dome construction in the West is needed. The third part, based upon field measurement in July 2013, compares the actual dome with its original design featured by the Guastavino method, deducing possible reasons that resulted in the differences, including architect׳s unfamiliarity with Guastavino Company and its parameters, considerations about cost, and local construction tradition.

The technical development of architectural drawing in modern China

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 12:06:24 +0200

Western architectural drawing techniques were introduced to China in the 1870s, when their importance was increasingly recognized by the Chinese. The development of architectural drawing in the nation led to the dissemination of knowledge on engineering drawing and enhanced the integration of different theories of drawing from both China and the West. Based on the translation of two western classical texts—Shi Xue (The See ) and Qi Xiang Xian Zhen (The Engineer and Machinist’s Drawing Book )—this study examines the technical development of architectural drawing in modern China.

Architectural technology in modern China from a global view

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 12:06:19 +0200

A chronology of the field of modern Chinese architectural history, 1986–2012

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 12:06:07 +0200

The research of modern Chinese architectural history formally started in the mid-1980s and the first conference held in 1986 in Beijing marks the establishment of the field. Over the past 26 years, this emerging field has developed fast and steadily. As a result, thirteen biennial conferences have been held since 1986, and academic products of various forms with over ten million characters have been published. This article surveys the development of modern Chinese architectural history as a field of scholarly inquiry in China and outlines some of keystone events in the past 26 years. It also charts out how some key concepts of the field, such as timeline, geography and research approaches have been evolving over time. The article introduces some of the most significant studies in modern Chinese architectural history from the middle 1980s to the present.

Research on parametric design method for energy efficiency of green building in architectural scheme phase

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 12:05:50 +0200

Based on a large number of researches and engineering practices both domestic and overseas, it is shown that the building parameters to be determined during scheme phase can exert a great effect on the building energy consumption. In this paper, through a combination of the popular design method of building parameterization at present and the design goal of energy saving during the scheme phase, the author carries out researches on the design methods and tool development which are applicable to parameterization of building energy saving in this stage. In connection with the characteristics of both modeling process of parameterization and energy saving design, and by means of steady calculation as well as simulation, this paper establishes an simplified model to calculate the overall energy consumption of air-conditioning, heating, lighting and equipments, and ultimately gives suggestions on design of scheme for energy saving by optimization with the genetic algorithm (GA). On the basis of the model, a software platform is developed by computer language QT and openGL interface and is oriented to the design users and sets up the MMI (human–computer interaction) software interface for parameterization of building energy saving, which achieves automatic modeling of parameterization and promotes research on practical design cases.

“Wheelchair slow transit” system-based elderly auxiliary travel mode

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 12:05:37 +0200

Based on research of the current situation and analysis result of a case study in the Nanjing region, this paper proposes a “wheelchair slow transit”(WST) system-based elderly auxiliary travel mode. The system involves three fundamental composition frames, namely, support, transit components, and connection components. Each component is designed as an armrest, ground track, or vertical type to respond to actual demands. Thus, this system may be adaptable to diverse conditions. Taking Xiangpuying community as a case study, the author examined the application of the WST auxiliary mode in particular communities. The WST system helps to increase the accessibility of existing public areas, creates a safe community traffic environment, improves municipal facilities, and strengthens universal design. The study intends to provide a reference to obtain a complete aged care design and to build a comfortable and livable aged care community environment.

Rooftop photovoltaic (PV) systems for industrial halls: Achieving economic benefit via lowering energy demand

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 12:05:29 +0200

Industrial halls are characterized with their relatively high roof-to-floor ratio, which facilitates ready deployment of renewable energy generation, such as photovoltaic (PV) systems, on the rooftop. To promote deployment of renewable energy generation, feed-in tariff (FIT) higher than the electricity rate is available in many countries to subsidize the capital investment. FIT comes in different forms. For net FIT, in order to maximize the economic benefit, surplus electricity generation at each hour is desirable. One way to achieve surplus electricity generation is by increasing generation capacity, which is synonymous to higher capital investment. In fact, surplus electricity generation can also be achieved by lowering the energy demand of the building. This particularly the case for industrial halls, which are usually subject to high energy demand for space conditioning in order to remove the excess heat gain due to the many power-intensive processes. Building energy performance simulation tools can be used to explore the different building design options that could lower the energy demand. In this paper, single-objective optimization on investment return will be deployed to study the cost effectiveness among different options in lowering energy demand. It will be demonstrated with a case study of a warehouse.

Visitors׳ perceptions on the important factors of atrium design in shopping centers: A study of Gandaria City Mall and Ciputra World in Indonesia

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 12:05:23 +0200

Atriums as quasi-internal public spaces in shopping centers play an essential role as an identity provider and offer spatial orientation in shopping center architecture. This study aims to examine the significant factors of atrium design, which can provide a sense of place for shopping center visitors. The research was conducted with the sequential exploratory method, which involved a qualitative study, followed by a quantitative study. The objects of this research were two shopping centers located in the two largest cities in Indonesia, namely, Gandaria City Mall in Jakarta and Ciputra World in Surabaya. A total of 43 informants were a part of the qualitative data collection, and 350 respondents served as survey participants. The survey research shows that the design factors considered by visitors at the Gandaria City Mall are atrium legibility, atrium decoration, event decoration, social image and interaction, and event ambience, whereas the visitors at Ciputra World considered atrium legibility, social image and interaction, atrium ambience, and atrium decoration.

A GIS-based methodology for safe site selection of a building in a hilly region

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 12:05:14 +0200

Worker safety during construction is widely accepted, but the selection of safe sites for a building is generally not considered. Safe site selection (SSS) largely depends upon compiling, analyzing, and refining the information of an area where a building is likely to be located. The locational and topographical aspects of an area located in hilly regions play a major role in SSS, but are generally neglected in traditional and CAD-based systems used for site selection. Architects and engineers select a site based on their judgment, knowledge, and experience, but issues related to site safety are generally ignored. This study reviewed the existing literature on site selection techniques, building codes, and approaches of existing standards to identify various aspects crucial for SSS in hilly regions. A questionnaire survey was conducted to identify various aspects that construction professionals consider critical for SSS. This study explored the application of geographic information systems (GIS) in modeling the locational and topographical aspects to identify areas of suitability. A GIS-based methodology for locating a safe site that satisfies various spatial safety aspects was developed.

Simplified thermal and hygric building models: A literature review

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 12:05:01 +0200

This paper provides a systematic literature review on simplified building models. Questions are answered like: What kind of modelling approaches are applied? What are their (dis)advantages? What are important modelling aspects? The review showed that simplified building models can be classified into neural network models (black box), linear parametric models (black box or grey box) and lumped capacitance models (white box). Research has mainly dealt with network topology, but more research is needed on the influence of input parameters. The review showed that particularly the modelling of the influence of sun irradiation and thermal capacitance is not performed consistently amongst researchers. Furthermore, a model with physical meaning, dealing with both temperature and relative humidity, is still lacking. Inverse modelling has been widely applied to determine models parameters. Different optimization algorithms have been used, but mainly the conventional Gaus–Newton and the newer genetic algorithms. However, the combination of algorithms to combine their strengths has not been researched. Despite all the attention for state of the art building performance simulation tools, simplified building models should not be forgotten since they have many useful applications. Further research is needed to develop a simplified hygric and thermal building model with physical meaning.

Occurrence factors of large vacant lots in central districts and their utilization by local governments in Japan

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 12:04:53 +0200

In Japan, local cities experience a number of problems related to deterioration of residential environment, quality of public service, and vitalization of commercial land. Specifically, the presence of large vacant lots behind sizable stores, office buildings, hospitals, and factories devitalize urban activity and its landscape. Many local cities are seeking to actualize a sustainable compact city with an integrated population, commerce, traffic and other public services in ways that promote a low carbon and energy-conserving society. Against the backdrop of these issues, this study examines the occurrence of large vacant lots and their utilization by local governments in Japan based on a questionnaire and field survey. It highlights several cases in which a large vacant lot is used to forward the development of a compact city by a local government.

Development of a smart city planning support tool using the cooperative method

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 12:04:47 +0200

A reduction of environmental burdens is currently required. In particular, proposing a new approach for the construction of a smart city using renewable energy is important. The technological development of a smart city is founded building equipment and infrastructure. However, planning methods and their techniques using the collaboration approach with residents are only just developing. This study aimed to develop a support tool for the construction of a smart city using renewable energy while facilitating consensus-building efforts among residents using the method for a cooperative housing development. We organized the supporting methods for the construction of residential area using the cooperative method. Then, we developed supporting tools that interface the computer with these methods. We examined the support techniques for the construction of a residential area using renewable energy technology by analyzing Japanese cases of a smart city. Moreover, we developed a support tool for the construction of a smart city on a trial basis. We integrated the smart city construction tools and the cooperative housing construction support tool. This tool has a 3D modeling system that helps residents to easily understand the space image as a result of the examination. We also developed a professional supporting tool that residents can consider for cost-effectiveness in renewable energy and its environmental load reduction rate for the planning of a smart city.

Visual perception on the architectural elements of the built heritage of a historic temple town: A case study of Kumbakonam, India

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 12:04:16 +0200

This paper aims to investigate the changes in the virtual perception on the built heritage at the traditional core settlement of Kumbakonam Town at Tamilnadu and to analyze their implications. Specifically, the major objectives of the study are (1) to identify the architectural elements that manifest the built heritage of Kumbakonam Town and (2) to assess the contributions of these elements to the changes in the visual perception of the town. To achieve these objectives, this study adopts an empirical model that analyzes the architectural elements of the buildings in the study area. Direct observations and documentations of 373 buildings are collected to analyze those elements that contribute to the changes in the visual perception on the built heritage of Kumbakonam Town. An ordinary regression model is used to examine the characteristics of the built heritage across the chariot processional route of the town. Several architectural elements, including pilasters, horizontal cornices, arched windows, and ornamental parapets, improve the image of the town. These empirical findings support the policy framework that enhances the visual perception of Kumbakonam Town.

A support tool incorporating a district disaster mitigation performance evaluation method for the examination of improvement plans in built-up areas

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 12:04:04 +0200

Approximately 20, 000 ha of densely built-up areas still remain in Japan. However, the advance of improvements in these areas has been very slow. Thus, making draft improvement plans through citizen–administration partnerships is indispensable to promote improvements. The planning support tool proposed in this study supports a consensus-building process during the creation of draft improvement plans. We develop a disaster mitigation performance evaluation method (DMPEM) for built-up areas at the district level and incorporate this method into a disaster mitigation support Web-GIS. However, DMPEM requires lengthy calculation time because it uses the probabilistic Monte Carlo computation method. Using this tool in real-time planning is therefore difficult. In this study, we first develop a system that reduces the calculation time required by DMPEM. Second, the support tool is used to make draft plans through citizen–administration partnerships in districts where residents are conducting various disaster mitigation activities. Finally, we investigate the usefulness of the tool for consensus building through the promotion of lively discussions among residents and clarify the issues associated with practical use of the tool.

Uncomfortable prototypes: Rethinking socio-cultural factors for the design of public housing in Billiri, north east Nigeria

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 12:03:51 +0200

Public housing delivery in developing countries often involves the provision of government-funded housing units. Over time, occupants transform such units to suit their changing needs or to increase and improve housing stock—a practice that has been the focus of several documented studies intended to inform policy makers about changing housing trends. Abandoned units have, however, received comparatively less attention. The present paper reports findings from the documentation and analyses of abandoned and modified prototype units in Billiri, the main town occupied by the Tangale community in north east Nigeria. The methodology involves space syntax methods, as well as the analyses of space use patterns in 45 randomly selected compounds built by the community and in two sets of prototype housing units in the study area. Results suggest that socio-cultural factors related to kinship, security, and basic needs, which form part of the community heritage, are inadequately reflected in the location and design of the units, accounting for their abandonment and modification. These findings have implications for future housing policies in the area.

Using transient plane source sensor for determination of thermal properties of vacuum insulation panels

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 12:03:31 +0200

The energy use in buildings has to be decreased to reach the targets and regulations in the European Union. One way of reducing the energy demand is to use vacuum insulation panels (VIP) in the building envelope. To make sure the declared thermal properties of the VIP are valid for the mounted panels, in situ measurements are needed. The transient plane source (TPS) method allows fast measurement of the thermal properties of a variety of materials. However, the large anisotropy of the VIP makes it hard to interpret the temperature increase in the TPS sensor. This paper presents a comparison between an analytical solution, numerical simulations and TPS measurements of polystyrene and polystyrene with aluminum film. Polystyrene and aluminum were used instead of VIP to increase the number of setups. The numerical simulation model was validated by comparing the simulated temperature increase with an analytical solution for the polystyrene sample. The simulated temperature increase in the polystyrene sample after 40 s was 7.8% higher than the TPS measurements. For the case with polystyrene with aluminum film, the deviation was 5.7%. Losses in the wires of the TPS sensor, uncertainties regarding the material parameters and surface resistances could explain the deviations.

External wall structure of green rural houses in Daqing, China, based on life cycle and ecological footprint theories

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 12:03:12 +0200

Daqing is situated in one of the severely cold regions of China. The living environment in this region is extremely poor because of the harsh climate and the backward economy. The external wall is an important component of the external envelope of buildings, and it greatly contributes to the indoor thermal environment. By taking the external wall as the research object, this study summarizes the characteristics of the external wall structure and analyzes the common materials used in existing rural residences. Specifically, we combine life cycle theory and ecological footprint (EF) theory and introduce the green external wall structure, as well as its application in practice, in accordance with the local ecosystem. Results show that anecological residence offers a better environment and greater economic benefits than a traditional residence. The annual energy consumption, CO2 consumption, and EF of the ecological residence in this study are lower than those of the traditional residence by 69.61%, 17.5 t, and 99.47%, respectively.

Therapeutic landscapes and healing gardens: A review of Chinese literature in relation to the studies in western countries

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 12:03:05 +0200

The paper deciphers the Chinese literature to English speaking scholars and bridges the gap between China and the western countries on the topics of therapeutic landscapes and healing gardens. Three parts of contents are included in the paper. Firstly, four schools of theories explaining how and why nature can heal, are introduced based on the studies in western countries with the examination of terminology used. In the second part, 71 publications in Chinese are systematically reviewed, with 19 significant studies analyzed in details, including focus areas, the research method, and major findings. In the final part, Chinese studies are evaluated in relation to the theories in western countries.

Feasibility of upgrading the energy performance of recent massive brick houses

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 12:02:57 +0200

Climate change policies imply significant reductions of energy use in buildings. For this, prevailing energy performance standards fall short, notwithstanding the emergence of stricter national building regulations. Regulations cover new built and renovation projects. New built houses that miss the best energy performance are soon candidate for energy upgrading. We investigate the architectural and economic aspects of upgrading recently built detached massive brick houses in Flanders (Belgium). For representing actual building practices, consecutive upgrading steps from lower to higher energy performance levels are considered. Questions addressed are: What is technically feasible in upgrading such houses? Which construction works are easy, which difficult? What are the architectural and financial consequences of a thorough upgrading? The analysis shows that deep energy transformations are financially unacceptable, related to the irrevocable character of investments in energy efficiency attributes of massive brick houses. This confirms that energy performance endowment measures should be designed and implemented at the time of first construction of a building.

Double criterion optimisation of transparent façades based on solar thermalprocesses

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 12:02:39 +0200

This work aimed to find the best possible solution for transparent façades. The evaluation was formulated to assure the highest user comfort criteria corresponding to energy efficiency—two criterion optimisation. The analyses were based on BESTEST, south-oriented zone geometry. Computer model was designed using Finite Control Volume Techniques with assumptions for applied materials and specified boundary conditions, plus reference year for energy calculation (WYEC2). The natural ventilation façade system was designed to determine airflow network inside the façade. The adjustable size of openings (inlets and outlets) was selected at the level of 80% for the cold season and totally closed during the hot season. Environmental parameters for thermal comfort evaluation were: zone resultant temperature and solar radiation in zone space. Energy efficiency was assessed based on heat flux between the zone with controlled temperature and external environment. Results showed that well selected design of buffer zone section could improve energy efficiency of adjacent zones for both winter and summer periods. The most profitable Double Skin Façade solution is DGC (double glazing with low-e coating) combined with single glazing with internal blinds (SGB) or coloured glazing.

Reinforced concrete in Louis Kahn’s National Assembly, Dhaka: Modernity and modernism in Bangladeshi architecture

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 12:02:29 +0200

Louis Kahn is often credited with having in his National Assembly in Dhaka (1962–1983) introduced modern architecture to Bangladesh. In fact at least as technologically advanced construction as any he employed was already in use there. Nor was he the first to use a sophisticated abstract esthetic in what was from 1947 to 1971 East Pakistan. The importance and originality of the National Assembly instead resides in the care with which he built in reinforced concrete and the forms into which he required that it be cast. These were esthetic decisions rooted in a particular theoretical position, they were located outside established modernist practice of the time in both South Asia and the United States. Indeed operating at such a great remove from home may have heightened Kahn’s authority to implement these forms even as it substantially complicated their execution.

Beyond postcolonialism: New directions for the history of nonwestern architecture

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 12:02:24 +0200

Overturning assumptions that nonwestern architecture has been static over time, new scholarship focused on colonial and postcolonial architecture and urbanism and on nonwestern modernism has made a significant contribution to our understanding of the history of architecture. Much more, however, remains to be done. Comparative studies of colonialism, especially between empires, attention to innovation outside Europe and the English-speaking world and more consideration of memory and migration are among the most exciting possible new directions.

Integrated design approach for improving architectural forms in industrialized building systems

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 12:02:17 +0200

An architectural design process is investigated to achieve form flexibility in industrialized building systems (IBS), as IBS constructions do not have sufficient flexibility to develop varied architectural forms. The ethnography method has been used to examine the issues related to “form” flexibility in the design life cycle of IBS constructions by observing the constructions of live experimental models. The major tasks and respective design aspects that facilitate form flexibilities in architectural design have been identified. Furthermore, an integrated life cycle model has been developed to effectively address the interfaces between the design tasks and eventually fulfill the needs of IBS in the design life cycle.

A structural project: Redevelopment of the historic center of Wuhu

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 12:02:04 +0200

Restoration and redevelopment are difficult when traces of things that require preservation have been minimized. Such operations are even more complex whenever a portion of an ancient city is involved. This essay describes the redevelopment project of the historic center of Wuhu through the different themes raised during the drafting of the project: from the cultural opportunity of a wide reconstruction work, to the definition of the main design strategies, and the question of memory and identity. The results show that the field of intervention in this project is broader than that of most restoration projects, that is, an evolving city center, which is impossible to consider with traditional restoration parameters or with pure conservation. The only possibility of intervention is on the city structure, which allows the city to develop itself continuously within a well-defined system of rules.

The effect of optical anisotropies on building glass façades and its measurement methods

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 12:01:19 +0200

Commonly, in the evaluation of the optical appearance of glass panes in building envelopes, anisotropies are a reason for a dispute between the architect or client and the façade manufacturer. Sometimes each party has a different perception, how strong the anisotropies are and what is permissible. This paper discusses in the first part the formation of the anisotropies and their natural sources. It is shown that the appearance of this phenomenon is dependent on the environmental conditions of the building site as well as the glass quality. If the application of thermally tempered glass cannot be avoided, the quality assurance of the production process has to be carefully planned. Furthermore a method for the quantitative measurement of anisotropies is proposed and prescribed in detail. This method can assist in the quality assurance process. Measurements are showing that probably the best tempered glass offers slight anisotropies and that under unfavorable conditions these anisotropies can become evident.

Improving acoustical characteristics of a Gothic cathedral using simple public address system: A case study of Myeong-dong Cathedral in Seoul, Korea

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 11:56:54 +0200

In the present study, improving acoustical characteristics of a Gothic cathedral (Myeong-dong Cathedral, which is the first built Western Gothic-style architecture in Korea) using simple public address system were investigated. Acoustical measurements were conducted at 11 selected points inside the cathedral and seven acoustical parameters were calculated: sound pressure level (SPL): 64.6 dBA (the measurement value with regard to the omni-directional speaker sound source), 74.5 dBA (the measurement value with regard to the public address speaker sound source), early decay time (EDT): 4.04 s, 3.76 s, reverberation time (RT60 ): 3.58 s, 3.89 s, clarity (C80 ): −6.2 dB, −2.8 dB, definition (D50 ): 18%, 29%, initial time delay gap (ITDG): 47 ms, 23 ms, and rapid speech transmission index (RASTI): 32%, 42%. Parameters showed that the acoustical characteristics of a typical Gothic cathedral include rich reverberation and diffusive sound fields. Meanwhile, there was improved speech intelligibility when using simple public address system. Based on subjective evaluation, there was overall satisfaction with voice and music recognition and the highest satisfaction with clarity with respect to voice recognition and with reverberation with respect to music recognition. This is a good solution of optimized acoustic environment through harmony between natural reverberation and reinforced clarity using simple public address system.

Conservation of the Guang Sheng Si Pagoda of the Liao Dynasty in Liaoning Province, China

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 11:56:46 +0200

The current paper discusses the conservation and restoration of the Guang Sheng Si Pagoda of the Liao Dynasty in Liaoning Province, China. The Southeast University, together with the Conservation Center of Liaoning Province, the Sapienza University of Rome, and the IUAV University of Venice, organized a workshop on the current project, which consists of a preliminary investigation, the restoration design, and on-site construction. The current study attempts to introduce the expressing procedure through precise on-site investigations and the rendering of restoration drawings based on the integral definition of the structural damages. This project is a new technique in the field of traditional restoration in China.

Special report on the international conference and exhibition on Architectural Algorithms & Applications (the AAA conference) in Nanjing

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 11:56:39 +0200

Planning meets self-organization: Integrating interactive evolutionary computation with cellular automata for urban planning

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 11:56:34 +0200

The experiment carried by the author in 2010 is to test if self-organizing systems could be systematically regulated according to the users preference for global behavior. Self-organizing has been appreciated by architects and urban planners for its richness in the emerging global behaviors, however, design and self-organizing are contradictory in principle. It seems that it is inevitable to balance the design and self-organization if self-organization is employed in a design task. There have been approaches combining self-organizing with optimization process in a parallel manner. This experiment strives to regulate a self-organizing system according to non-defined objectives via real-time interaction between the user and the computer. Particularly, cellular automaton is employed as the self-organizing system to model a city district.

Protocol analysis of designers using an interactive evolutionary computation

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 11:56:28 +0200

This paper explores the problem-solving behavior of people in design activities through a protocol analysis of verbal reports on the interior work design process simulated by an interactive evolutionary computation (IEC). The protocol analysis method was used to explore the ways of thinking of the participants throughout the process. The analysis reveals that different parts of the interior scene have different effects on the evaluations, and people tend to use the same evaluation criteria continuously on several images. This kind of behavior is consistent with that of professional designers in past studies and is revealed applicable to non-professionals in the current research.

The protection project of Hanyuan Hall and Linde Hall of the Daming Palace

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 11:56:23 +0200

This paper expounds the consideration to the design of protection and exhibition of Hanyuan Hall and Linde Hall of the Daming Palace. Based on in-depth study on their existing conditions after archeological excavation, and in combination with comprehensive considerations in terms of the protection of the main body of sites, the restoration research of existing bases and superstructures, the requirement of site open exhibition, etc., it proposes the design to restore the rammed earth bases by surrounding them with bricks and stones or rammed earth. Besides the protection and exhibition of the site of Hanyuan Hall bases, it also integrates the features of landform there to design the protection and exhibition of brick and tile kiln of Tang Dynasty within the relic area. Under the condition at that time, a semi-underground small exhibition center is designed by taking advantage of the height difference of base side slopes, satisfying the requirement of exhibition, and meanwhile preserving the overall landscape of the site. The integration of the design of protection project with archeology as well as the science and technology of heritage preservation is a brand-new probe into site protection design.

Shanghai College: An architectural history of the campus designed by Henry K. Murphy

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 11:56:15 +0200

American architect Henry Killam Murphy contributed extensively in designing college campuses, making him a significant figure in the history of modern Chinese architecture. This study investigates the influence of Western architecture on modern Chinese architecture based on the master plan of Shanghai College and its architectural design by Murphy. Shanghai College has been maintained by American Baptists since 1906. Its campus is the largest missionary college in China. The Shanghai municipal government designated the campus as a “HERITAGE ARCHITECTURE.” Thus, studying the design characteristics of Shanghai College is important to understand the history of Chinese architecture. From an architectural-historical point of view, studying the design of Shanghai College also helps describe the propagation and development of Western architecture in China. This study determines the historical significance of Shanghai College to help enhance the value of its buildings.

Field survey on energy consumption due to hot water supply and cooking in Nanjing and Hefei, China

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 11:56:05 +0200

A field survey on energy consumption by hot water supply and cooking was conducted in two cities in China, Nanjing, and Hefei. In each city, 5 housing complexes were selected, and approximately 100 or 200 residential units were selected from each of them. The following items were surveyed: (1) fundamental information, such as number of family members, data on residents, etc., (2) bathing style, and (3) frequency of cooking and cooking time. Most of the residents take showers seven times a week in the summer, but less frequently in the winter. In contrast, the frequency of taking baths increases to several times a week during the winter, compared with 0 or 1 times a week in the summer. These results differ slightly depending on the heating and cooling systems used in the houses. The frequency with which people cook in their own houses ranges from 4 to 7 times a week, which means that “eating out” is relatively frequent, although the result differs significantly among the housing complexes. Distribution of the cooking time has usually two peaks at 20 to 30 min and 50 to 60 min (or 30 to 40 min and longer than 60 min) for lunch and dinner, respectively. The high energy consumption for cooking might be due to the long cooking time.

Thermal physiological response to local heating and cooling during sleep

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 11:55:58 +0200

For a healthy and productive life, good sleep is essential, which has prompted studies on how comfortable sleep can be achieved. Understanding the relationship between thermal environment and physiological responses such as skin and core temperatures, and psychological responses such as thermal and sleep sensations is necessary to identify the most suitable thermal environment for sleep. As an energy-saving and practical method of creating the most appropriate thermal environment for sleep, local heating or cooling is sometimes used, which takes into consideration the differences in local thermal responses. We performed this study to identify the most effective thermal environment for inducing comfortable sleep by identifying the physiological responses during sleep on the basis of sleep experiments conducted under local body heating or cooling conditions. We also used a human thermal model, which can be applied for predicting physiological responses. In the experiments, the feet of the subject were the primary area to be heated or cooled, which was achieved by installing a flexible duct with an outlet placed close to the subjects feet and inlet connected to an air conditioner. Differences in the fluctuation of body temperature and sleep stage depended on the airflow direction from the duct to the feet. When air was blown downward towards the feet, body temperature decreased and the subject was able to sleep well. Measured skin and core temperatures were calculated using an improved 27-node human thermal model that was originally developed for use in subjects who are not in sleep. Although skin temperature fluctuated significantly under local cooling, the results calculated using the proposed model agreed well with the measured results since the changes in heat conductance between the skin surface and surrounding environment as a result of the changes in the posture and feet position were taken into account. This result indicates that posture-associated changes in the heat conductance significantly influence skin temperature.

Conservation of architectural paintings at Xiaonan Garden, former residence of Weng family in Changshu

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 11:55:49 +0200

Xiaonan Garden is the back garden at the Weng family’s former residence, a famed mansion in Jiangnan. Various architectural colored paintings in the Jiangnan style, including a rare paster colored painting, are preserved in the garden. This study examines the wooden support, pigments, and structure of the painting and conducts a series of conservation experiments in situ and in the laboratory. Several conservation problems, such as the manually brushed lime, re-adherence of flaking painting layers, and consolidation of gold foil, were solved, and good results were obtained. Virtual recovery provided a solid foundation for protection and example of research on architectural colored paintings in Jiangnan.

Planting design for urban parks: Space syntax as a landscape design assessment tool

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 11:55:43 +0200

Trees are a major factor in defining the spatial qualities of outdoor spaces. This study investigates the influence of spatial configuration produced by the proposed tree planting design on the visual fields of an urban park using space syntax theory. Space syntax theory assumes that an urban area can be represented as a matrix of connected spaces. The quantitative properties of this matrix in the form of syntactic measures can be measured using computer simulations. This research investigates how space syntax techniques can help assess the effect of tree configurations on the social structure of a small-scale garden in an urban park. Such techniques are assumed useful in predicting the social structure of the proposed space and in assessing design alternatives. An experimental study using three different planting design proposals for an urban park is conducted. Data are analyzed using space syntax techniques. Results reveal a significant effect of planting configurations on syntactic measures across the three proposals. This study suggests that space syntax techniques may have a significant value in the assessment of schematic planting design, especially at the pedestrian movement level.

Evolutionary approach for spatial architecture layout design enhanced by an agent-based topology finding system

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 11:55:29 +0200

This paper presents a method for the automatic generation of a spatial architectural layout from a user-specified architectural program. The proposed approach binds a multi-agent topology finding system and an evolutionary optimization process. The former generates topology satisfied layouts for further optimization, while the latter focuses on refining the layouts to achieve predefined architectural criteria. The topology finding process narrows the search space and increases the performance in subsequent optimization. Results imply that the spatial layout modeling and the multi-floor topology are handled.

Thermo-physical behaviour and energy performance assessment of PCM glazing system configurations: A numerical analysis

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 11:55:21 +0200

The adoption of Phase Change Materials (PCMs) in glazing systems was proposed to increase the heat capacity of the fenestration, being some PCMs partially transparent to visible radiation. The aim of the PCM glazing concept was to let (part) of the visible spectrum of the solar radiation enter the indoor environment, providing daylighting, while absorbing (the largest part of) the infrared radiation. In this paper, the influence of the PCM glazing configuration is investigated by means of numerical simulations carried out with a validated numerical model. Various triple glazing configurations, where one of the two cavities is filled with a PCM, are simulated, and PCM melting temperatures are investigated. The investigation is carried out in a humid subtropical climate (Cfa according to Köppen climate classifi-cation), and “typical days” for each season are used. The results show that the position of the PCM layer (inside the outer or the inner cavity) has a relevant influence on the thermo-physical behaviour of the PCM glazing system. PCM glazing systems (especially those with the PCM layer inside the outermost cavity) can be beneficial in terms of thermal comfort. The assessment of the energy performance and efficiency is instead more complex and sometimes controversial. All the configurations are able to reduce the solar gain during the daytime, but sometimes the behaviour of the PCM glazing is less efficient than the reference one.

Nature of urban interventions in changing the old center of a globalizing Doha

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 11:55:15 +0200

Doha, Qatar is continuously positioning itself at the forefront of international urbanism with different qualities of expression in terms of economy, culture, and global outlook, and is characterized by fast-tracked urban development process with large-scale urban interventions in the old center. Although the unprecedented urban growth of this city continues to be a subject of discussion, little attention has been given to investigate the new interventions and the resulting effects they have on the old center. This study aims to examine three important urban interventions, namely, the Museum of Islamic Art, the reconstruction of the traditional market called Souq Waqif, and the Msheireb urban regeneration project. It examines local and global issues, universal standard practices, and traditional knowledge. This study employs a descriptive analysis of these interventions to explore the impact of change in the old center, exemplified by socio-spatial and typo-morphological aspects. Reference is made to a number of empirical studies, including behavioral mapping, GIS population statistics, and analysis of historical maps. Results analytically narrate the reactions of these interventions to the possibility of simultaneously adopting universal practices with local knowledge, and whether prioritizing local influences would represent narrow-mindedness in shaping the city.

Vapour retarders in wood frame walls and their effect on the drying capability

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 11:55:07 +0200

Wood frame walls typically need a vapour barrier at the warm side to avoid interstitial condensation due to vapour diffusion and air leakages from the interior. A more vapour open material than the traditional vapour barriers, here called vapour retarder, could allow condensed moisture, built-in-moisture or moisture from minor leakages to dry to the interior in addition to the outward drying. The application of permeable vapour retarders in wood frame walls have been investigated in this study by the use of a hygrothermal simulation tool. A traditional wood frame wall usually has good drying possibilities to the exterior. If a vapour retarder should have an effect on the total drying, it must not be too vapour tight. The purpose of this study was to find some threshold value for the maximum vapour resistance of a vapour retarder—when a requirement is that it should have a relatively large effect of the total drying of the wall. The increased risk for condensation as the vapour resistance decreases has however not been investigated in this study. In general it was found that permeable vapour barriers have relatively little effect on the total drying of ordinary wood frame walls in a Nordic climate.

Improvement of registration accuracy of a handheld augmented reality system for urban landscape simulation

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 11:54:56 +0200

The need for visual landscape assessment in large-scale projects for the evaluation of the effects of a particular project on the surrounding landscape has grown in recent years. Augmented reality (AR) has been considered for use as a landscape simulation system in which a landscape assessment object created by 3D models is included in the present surroundings. With the use of this system, the time and the cost needed to perform a 3DCG modeling of present surroundings, which is a major issue in virtual reality, are drastically reduced. This research presents the development of a 3D map-oriented handheld AR system that achieves geometric consistency using a 3D map to obtain position data instead of GPS, which has low position information accuracy, particularly in urban areas. The new system also features a gyroscope sensor to obtain posture data and a video camera to capture live video of the present surroundings. All these components are mounted in a smartphone and can be used for urban landscape assessment. Registration accuracy is evaluated to simulate an urban landscape from a short- to a long-range scale. The latter involves a distance of approximately 2000 m. The developed AR system enables users to simulate a landscape from multiple and long-distance viewpoints simultaneously and to walk around the viewpoint fields using only a smartphone. This result is the tolerance level of landscape assessment. In conclusion, the proposed method is evaluated as feasible and effective.

Circular causality and indeterminism in machines for design

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 11:54:50 +0200

Presenting a hard-to-predict typography-varying system predicated on Nazi-era cryptography, the Enigma cipher machine, this paper illustrates conditions under which unrepeatable phenomena can arise, even from straight-forward mechanisms. Such conditions arise where systems are observed from outside of boundaries that arise through their observation, and where such systems refer to themselves in a circular fashion. It argues that the Enigma cipher machine is isomorphous with Heinz von Foersters portrayals of non-triviality in his non-trivial machine (NTM), but not with surprising human behaviour, and it demonstrates that the NTM does not account for spontaneity as it is observed in humans in general.

Restoration of the outer treasury and exhibition of the section of arms and armours in Topkapı palace museum

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 11:54:42 +0200

This article aims at telling the story of restoration and exhibition of the Section of Arms and Armours (the Outer Treasury) in Topkapı Palace Museum. During this process, not only was the structure experiencing restoration and consolidation, but also was the first archeological excavation being realized in a closed space in the Topkapı Palace complex, with the discovery of Byzantine reminiscences underground becoming a significant part of the new exhibiton. After being restored between 2008 and 2010, the Outer Treasury was transformed into a new exhibition project, aiming at the integration of contemporary strategies of exhibition design and technology. Its purpose was not simply to highlight the glory of the Ottoman history, but to engage visitors in a complete sensory experience by making full use of the esthetics of the work of art on display of the Ottoman legacy. Topkapı Palaces architecture, archeology and selected collection of arms and armours are being exhibited by means of contemporary media instruments, such as film, music, graphics and costume arts.

Interactive design computation— a case study on quantum design paradigm

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 11:54:32 +0200

The ever-increasing complexity of design processes fosters novel design computation models to be employed in architectural research and design in order to facilitate accurate data processing and refined decision making. These computation models have enabled designers to work with complex geometry and numeric design constraints to explore a whole new design field that is impossible to explore without computation techniques. However, most current design computation models follow an automation-oriented paradigm that only deal with strictly defined problem solving and optimization, but fail in establishing an intuitive and interactive communication with designers. This lack of interaction leads to an unconscious rejection of non-parameterizable design factors, which, reduces design computation models to specific design problem solving tools instead of operating as active design partners. This paper presents a non-deterministic design computation modeling approach derived from a discussion on quantum design paradigm, which employs real-time user interaction as the co-driver to evolve user+computation driven informed design outputs. A case study of such a design computation model, QPC Toolset, developed and applied in a QuantumPointCloud workshop, will be illustrated in this paper. Expanded discussions on fabrication optimization and construction techniques from the QPC workshop will be addressed to conclude a comprehensive report.

Effects of outdoor shared spaces on social interaction in a housing estate in Algeria

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 11:54:26 +0200

This study aims to identify how the characteristics of shared outdoor spaces in housing estates influence residents to interact with one another. The study specifically focuses on a housing project called la cité des 1000 logts, which is situated in a zone d'habitat urbaine nouvelle in Biskra, a city in South Algeria. The investigation draws on two sources of information, observations of the ways in which the residents use their neighborhood spaces and a questionnaire survey with residents about the perceived adequacy of these spaces for social interaction. Data for the survey was collected from the owners of flats in the apartment blocks surrounding the open spaces. Housing samples were taken from a total of 1000 housing units identified within the study area. Twenty five percent (25%) of the total housing units were selected. Out of the 250 questionnaires administered to household-heads who were the respondents, only 230 were subsequently retrieved for data analysis. Results showed that the high degree of “openness” of la cité des 1000 logts and the poor quality of communal outdoor spaces in the area discourage all forms of spatial use and reduce these outdoor spaces to transit areas. Furthermore, findings indicated that the layout of buildings and the quality of common outdoor spaces in residential neighborhoods substantially affect the use of these spaces and the social interaction among residents.

Systematic framework for the efficient integration of wind technologies into buildings

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 11:54:17 +0200

The renewed interest that is being paid by architects, project developers and local governments to integrate wind turbines with buildings is mainly required a framework to unify much data, criteria and variables to ease the design process to many architects. Therefore, this paper introduces and elaborates the systematic framework towards the efficient integration of wind technologies into new building. Moreover, it evaluates the framework effectiveness by comparing the current status of wind technologies integration into a building with the suggested status if the framework is followed.

Acoustic improvement on two lecture auditoria: Simulation and experiment

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 11:54:07 +0200

Based on the commonly used indicators for speech intelligibility, this work acoustically evaluates the two largest auditoria in the Faculty of Engineering, Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt, using experimental and digital simulation techniques. Design treatments were also suggested to improve the acoustic performance of the auditoria, where the impact of these treatments was checked using the simulation as well. The models that were analysed using the CATT software were first validated utilizing the results of the field work in the unoccupied rooms. The results showed that the acoustic quality of the two auditoria are far from the optimal conditions due to their improper acoustic characteristics and the high noise levels as well. The results of improvement proposals showed that altering the ceiling shape and adding efficient absorptive materials to the rear surfaces successfully reduced the excessive reverberation time to the optimal values, increased the early reflections and eliminated the shadow zones. In addition, decreasing the noise levels by 20 dB due to improving the window insulation noticeably improved the speech intelligibility at all receivers.

Effect of façade systems on the performance of cooling ceilings: In situ measurements

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 11:53:57 +0200

This article presents an innovative façade system designed to increase the thermal comfort inside an office room and to enhance the cooling capacity of the suspended cooling ceiling. A series of measurements is conducted in an existing office building with different façade systems (i.e., a combination of glazing and shading). An innovative façade system is developed based on this intensive set of measurements. The new system enhances the thermal comfort and cooling capacity of the suspended cooling ceiling. The main usage of the new system is the refurbishment and improvement of existing façade systems.

One or two things about architecture: Restoration works at Trajan׳s Market

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 11:53:51 +0200

One of the objectives of the redevelopment project for Trajan׳s Market, which spanned from 2000 to 2002, was to rearrange the market׳s accessibility and the visiting paths that connect and cross the entire site. The purpose was to extensively expose its beauty and thus invite more tourists into the area. The project design consisted of a series of catwalks placed at different levels and was conceived with respect to three criteria: (1) the didactic significance of forms and materials, (2) the coherence between architectural forms, techniques, and materials with the identity of the place, and (3) the possibility of removing, if necessary, newly added elements without damaging the relics. The project also involved the rearrangement and reconstruction of the former “Giardino delle Milizie” (2002–2007) to allow public access to the archaeological stratification and to the ancient Roman street located at its bottom. Consequently, the vaults of the convent were suspended upon a system of steel beams, which, together with several wooden pillars, also support the glass roof of the space, offering a close view of the ancient Roman walls. The structure and architectural forms coincide, implying that each of these elements is necessary and genuine.

Urban growth: Changes, management, and problems in large cities of Southeast China

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 11:53:43 +0200

Compared with medium-sized cities, megacities play an increasingly important role in the rapid urbanization process in China. Owing to the expanding scale of large cities, urban sprawl leads to unsustainable practices that cause ecological, social, and environmental problems. Urban planning and land use planning are major driving forces of land use and land cover change in China. However, the goals of these two types of planning are different, and coordinating them is a challenge for local government decision makers. Thus, we use the SLEUTH model to simulate the implementation scenarios of future urban growth in Nanjing in the Jiangsu province of China. Using the scientific simulation data of the model, we contrasted the alternative futures of the two planning types for local government decision makers to achieve sustainable urban planning. The objective of our study is to explore the problems and possible solutions for urban management in the context of a megacity in China. The results of our study confirm the value of SLEUTH, which provides extensive exploratory knowledge in evaluating the effects of possible local government decisions.

Cell-space model of Xi-di spatial evolution

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 11:53:36 +0200

Spatial evolution in ancient Chinese villages is always one of the most interesting research topics in the field of architectural design, urban planning and history of architecture. Xi-di village exemplifies traditional settlements in ancient China. For many years, numerous researchers have explored its built form, origin and evolution process from different perspectives. This paper attempts to position the spatial evolution process of this village in the context of complex system theory, which views the process of space self-organization as a form of disequilibrium and non-linear development process. Through analyzing the mechanism of village space changes, we develop the dynamic evolution modeling based on the theory of cellular automata. The purpose of the paper is to provide a new perspective for the conventional architectural research of space self-organization.

Design support tools to sustain climate change adaptation at the local level: A review and reflection on their suitability

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 11:53:31 +0200

For mid-latitude cities, higher summer temperatures due to climate change are a cause for concern because they aggravate the urban heat island phenomenon and reduce thermal comfort inside buildings. By acquiring the appropriate knowledge and skills, architects and urban designers can become key actors in adaptation to climate change. Two workshops bringing together architects and urban designers provided evidence of deficiencies in this area. We hypothesize that a design support tool (DST) focused on the issue of adaptation of mid-latitude cities to rising summer temperatures could help improve knowledge and skills of professionals in the field. The first section presents the results taken from a review and classification of DSTs, which highlight the tools׳ features that are likely to reach this goal. Tools of the “hybrid” category seem most appropriate. To verify this, seven DSTs were selected and tested by fourteen students enrolled in a graduate-level architecture design studio. The second section presents the results from this test, including an analysis of the final projects, a web-based questionnaire and two focus groups. The relevance of hybrid approaches is established, but the results bring into question the capacity of a single DST to meet the individual and multiple needs of professionals.

Professional practice in programming large public buildings in China: A questionnaire survey

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 11:53:24 +0200

Chinas large public buildings (LPBs) often become problematic after only a few years' operation, leading to shortened building lifespans. Lacking architectural programming was identified by the industry regulators as a contributing factor to this. Despite a policy shift on the government side since 2007, little evaluation of the actual situation has been made. To raise awareness and attention to this pressing issue from the building industry, its regulators and the general public, a questionnaire survey focusing on the top-tier sector of professional practice in programming LPBs was carried out in Shanghai, China in 2009. The objectives were to evaluate current trends and pressing issues, identify major challenges and opportunities, and make recommendations for improvement. This paper presents a six-part analysis of the surveys findings from 57 professionals and clients who shared their hands-on experience on various programming issues and provided first-hand data of 90 LPBs developed in the 2000s. This pioneering study revealed significant gaps between the real and best practices as well as the mental reluctance and skill mismatch in delivering quality programming services. Given the persisting nature of identified problems, more research work should be done to catalyze a paradigmatic shift among industry players.

Conceptualizing mega-event flagships—A case study of China Pavilion of Expo 2010 Shanghai China

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 11:53:17 +0200

Mega-event flagship (MEF) is a dual instrument for staging a mega-event and catalyzing regional urban renewal. Despite its unfailing popularity and controversial nature, many initiators seem to equate MEF development with signature architecture, resulting in a persistent issue of underuse among MEFs in the post-event era. Although research findings indicate that the early stages hold the key to the future of MEFs, insufficient research on this crucial matter has been done to provide useful analyses as to how to achieve this. To rectify this, this paper presents a case study of China Pavilion (CP) as the most spotlighted MEF initiated by Expo 2010 Shanghai China. Through participant observation, archival records, and documentation, the case of CP was extensively explored to learn how the client organization has addressed the issues of form, function, and future positioning at the early stages. By linking the pre-Expo conceptualization with its post-Expo performance, the case brings a renewed attention to the early stages of MEF development. Although it is a single-case study, this research yields results that indicate the possibility of having beneficial spillover impact on broader-scale urban renewal by balancing an MEFs dual mandate.

An arctic low-energy house as experimental setup for studies of heat dynamics of buildings

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 11:52:58 +0200

This paper addresses the difficulties in pinpointing reasons for unexpectedly high energy consumption in construction, and in low-energy houses especially. Statistical methods are applied to improve the insight into the energy performance and heat dynamics of a building based on consumption records and weather data. Dynamical methods separate influences from outdoor temperature, solar radiation, and wind on the energy consumption in the building. The studied building is a low-energy house in Sisimiut, Greenland. Weather conditions like large temperature differences between indoors and outdoors throughout long winters, strong winds, and very different circumstances regarding solar radiation compared to areas where low-energy houses are usually built, make the location very interesting for modeling and testing purposes. In 2011 new measurement equipment was installed in the house, which will be used to develop more detailed models of the heat dynamics and energy performance in relation to different meteorological variables, heating systems, and user behavior. This type of models is known as a graybox model and is been introduced in this paper.

Significance of house-type as a determinant of residential quality in Osogbo, Southwest Nigeria

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 11:52:53 +0200

This study investigates the effect of house-types on the assessment of residential quality in Osogbo, Nigeria. Through a questionnaire survey, this study employs a stratified systematic sampling method to select 406 (10%) households from three (3) major residential districts of Osogbo. Data are analyzed using descriptive statistics and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The study showed that 80% and 14.8% of the respondents live in contemporary vernacular houses, that is, the “face-me-i-face-you” house, and western apartment houses, respectively. Meanwhile 2.5%, 1.5%, and 1.2% of the respondents live in duplexes, single family houses, and traditional courtyard dwellings, respectively. This result suggests that in Osogbo, the Yoruba traditional courtyard house-type is gradually being replaced by the contemporary vernacular house and the western apartment house-type. Confirming the linear relationship and level of significance among the variables, the ANOVA Test F -value is 2.17 (where p

Post-occupancy evaluation of residential satisfaction in Lagos, Nigeria: Feedback for residential improvement

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 11:52:49 +0200

This study is a post-occupancy evaluation of residential satisfaction in Oniru Estate, Lagos, Nigeria. It conceived residents’ satisfaction as a measure of people’s attitudes towards certain aspects of their residential environment. The very important role of certain physical quality or characteristics of the environment as a dominant predictor of satisfaction is emphasized. Apart from the measurement of residential satisfaction through post-occupancy evaluation, it also utilized respondents’ satisfaction scores as indices for evaluating the performance of residential development in the study area. Analysis was done using Chi-square statistics (p =0.05 with a level of significance of 0.000) to confirm the relationship between the quality of housing physical environment and level of residents’ satisfaction. The results show and confirm that the quality of certain physical characteristics in the housing environment is imperative thereby influencing the level of residents’ housing satisfaction. The need to consider relevant inputs emanating from the end-users or occupants of residential developments in the planning, design and development of satisfactory dwellings is highlighted.

Responsive envelope tessellation and stochastic rotation of 4-fold penttiles

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 11:52:43 +0200

This paper reports on the design and control of a responsive envelope based on the rotation of tessellated components. The study investigates responsive and dynamic approaches for building facades and envelopes to regulate solar shading, light control, views and thermal gain within the building. It is well known that near real-time visual output from computational simulation can significantly impact the prediction of dynamic building-environment interactions and lead to the development of smart, adaptable, net zero energy buildings. To address these motivations, this paper reports the development of an experimental simulation of a responsive envelope based on using a 4-fold penttile scheme. The simulation is developed using a novel pentagonal approach involving component (tile) design, tessellation and control methods. The paper further elaborates on the geometry and control aspects of the facade subdivision and presents the results of applying this tessellation geometry to a building envelope shading study based on facade components with rotation. Finally, it tests the “responsiveness” to multiple performance metrics by applying a non-deterministic exploration method for the stochastic rotation of individual panels. The sophisticated evaluation of alternative envelope configurations for a set of performance criteria require a tighter computational coupling between modelling and control of dynamic geometry.

Land cooperatives as an approach of suburban space construction: Under the reform of Chinese land transfer market

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 11:52:37 +0200

In China, the urban–rural dual structure of land market has resulted in urban sprawl caused by industrial diffusion. Urban sprawl disintegrated agricultural communities in suburbs, thereby increasing the unemployment rate among farmers who lost their lands. To address this problem, the Chinese government proposed a reform program to analyze the monopoly of the government in the land market and guarantee the property rights of farmers. This study analyzed the connection between land market mechanism and suburban space formation. Results concluded that the current land transfer system caused industrial urban sprawl, and the reform program may promote the urban sprawl of population. Two typical models of rural land development were studied. A model called land cooperatives based on land pooling joint stock system was proposed to build a compact and sustainable suburban space.

Geometric proportions: The underlying structure of design process for Islamic geometric patterns

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 11:52:28 +0200

This paper discusses geometric proportions which serve as a design tool, especially for Islamic pattern design. The key role of geometry in Islamic patterns is discussed with relation to proportions which act as the underlying structure of the design process. Evaluations based on spatial structure and esthetic criteria are integrated into the conceptual phase of the design process. Proportions serve two objectives, firstly, in pattern design, proportions are strongly linked to geometry, which can be viewed as a self-guiding method of esthetically proven design. Secondly, geometric proportions regulate primarily the order of patterns, while at the same time they mediate between the two poles of order and diversity as well as among different esthetic levels. This paper analyzes geometric principles and design features of traditional Islamic patterns, involving geometric proportion analysis. It also describes the syntheses of Islamic patterns from the perspectives of Islamic cosmology, philosophy and metaphysics of geometry, which can be seen as following a pre-established principle of geometric and proportional design with high accuracy and great precision. Furthermore, the underlying relationship between cosmology and geometry is manifested in Islamic patterns where geometry acts as the vocabulary underpinning the pattern language. These findings support the argument that geometry was independently discovered and applied by Islamic culture as a universal language, constituting one of the most important multicultural symbols in design.

A pragmatic approach to church construction in Northern China at the time of Christian inculturation: The handbook “Le missionnaire constructeur ”, 1926

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 11:46:34 +0200

In 1926, French Jesuit missionaries from Daming published at Xianxian (Hebei province) a little handbook for church construction in Northern China: “Le missionnaire constructeur, conseils-plans” (“The missionary builder: advice-plans”), containing 67 pages of text and 54 plates. After a short introduction about handbooks and pattern books of churches, this paper describes and analyses the handbook׳s content and its different practical aspects about building materials, masonry, roofs, etc. The book, however, is more than a compilation of technical hints and reveals a lot about the missionaries’ perception of Chinese building traditions as well as the transmission of Western techniques to Chinese workers. The paper also contextualizes the handbook and tries to identify both the authors and the addressees. In the mid-1920s, the Vatican launched the Christian inculturation process in China, which concerned architecture too. Nevertheless, many missionaries resisted, preferring Gothic or Italianate architecture to a new Sino-Christian style. The handbook participated in this debate.

Development of an adaptive thermal comfort equation for naturally ventilated buildings in hot–humid climates using ASHRAE RP-884 database

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 11:46:27 +0200

The objective of this study was to develop an adaptive thermal comfort equation for naturally ventilated buildings in hot–humid climates. The study employed statistical meta-analysis of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) RP-884 database, which covered several climatic zones. The data were carefully sorted into three climate groups including hot–humid, hot–dry, and moderate and were analyzed separately. The results revealed that the adaptive equations for hot-humid and hot-dry climates were analogous with approximate regression coefficients of 0.6, which were nearly twice those of ASHRAE and European standards 55 and EN15251, respectively. The equation using the daily mean outdoor air temperature had the highest coefficient of determination for hot–humid climate, compared with other mean temperatures that considered acclimatization of previous days. Acceptable comfort ranges showed asymmetry and leaned toward operative temperatures below thermal neutrality for all climates. In the hot–humid climate, a lower comfort limit was not observed for naturally ventilated buildings, and the adaptive equation was influenced by indoor air speed rather than indoor relative humidity. The new equation developed in this study can be applied to tropical climates and hot–humid summer seasons of temperate climates.

Smart partition system – A room level support system for integrating smart technologies into existing buildings

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 11:46:20 +0200

We proposed a support system called the “Smart Partition System” for infill elements that integrate smart technologies according to the Open Building principles. The design requirements were collected from design practitioners. These design requirements consisted of both architectural and information subsystems. The Smart Partition System was composed of the following multiple levels of smartness: the foundation/core level with an embedded design knowledge in the support system and the utility level with a modular infill that integrate smart technologies. We constructed functional prototypes to demonstrate the feasibility of our proposed support system and some of the possibilities of the smart infill elements. Furthermore, the prototypes were evaluated by design practitioners. We compared our approach with current practices of smart building developments, and we also discussed some future prospects.

Academic origins and characteristics of the Chinese stylistic restoration

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 11:46:15 +0200

The conservation practice in China, termed “Chinese stylistic restoration” in this study, has been influenced by the traditional Chinese philosophy and construction principles, the modern Chinese conservation theory of Liang Sicheng and Liu Dunzhen, and Western and international theories and policies concerning conservation. This study uses three case studies, namely, Shanghai Zhenru Temple, Jianfu Palace Garden, and Angkor Wat Chau Say Tevoda Temple, to demonstrate the main characteristics of the Chinese stylistic restoration, including its emphasis on style over authenticity, pursuit of a gestalt form, and flexible attitude toward reconstruction. Accordingly, these practices have shaped the current Chinese conservation theory as reflected in the case studies reported in “Principles for the Conservation of Heritage Sites in China” and the Qufu Declaration.

The rescue, conservation, and restoration of heritage sites in the ethnic minority areas ravaged by the Wenchuan earthquake

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 11:46:07 +0200

Stockaded villages of the Qiang nationality that are made up of watchtowers and watch-houses are an important part of its cultural heritage. The earliest documentary records of its blockhouse-styled construction can be found in Biography of the Ethnic Minority Groups in Southwest China of History of Eastern Han. In 2006, watchtowers and stockaded villages of the Qiang nationality was placed in the preparatory declaration list of world cultural heritage in China and became a minority architectural heritage that is of potential value for world cultural heritage. The Wenchuan earthquake, which happened on May 12th, 2008, caused severe damage to settlements of the Qiangs in the upper reaches of Min River, including the “Tangping Qiang village, ” which plays a prominent role in Qiang stockaded villages. In conserving this important architectural heritage, we observe the idea “everything for heritage value”. We discuss and draw up a series of salvage conservation countermeasures and research for antiseimatic key technology during post-earthquake reconstruction period of Tibetan and Qiang settlement engineering projects, including six engineering principles on priority of structure rescue, heritage value, former address maintenance, traditional way of use, protection against and mitigation of earthquake disasters, and spot cleaning and separating. We draw up three rules in engineering strategy, namely: (1) we should follow ultimate orientation of heritage value protection in rescue, maintenance, and protection engineering, (2) degrees of priority of engineering measures should be differentiated according to the situation of the disaster and residential situations of stockaded villages and, (3) we should keep local smiths and conventional art as the base, and modern technology as a supplement in rescue, maintenance, and protection engineering.

Agent-based modeling in urban and architectural research: A brief literature review

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 11:46:01 +0200

Agent-based modeling (ABM) is an emerging modeling approach. In the past two decades, agent-based models have been increasingly adapted by social scientists, especially scientists in urban and geospatial studies, as an effective paradigm for framing the underlying problems of complex and dynamic processes. As a result, the literature of ABM research is growing rapidly, covering a diverse range of topics. This paper presents a systematic literature review of ABM research, and discusses both theoretical issues such as ABM definition and architecture, and practical issues such as ABM applications and development platforms. A comprehensive and up-to-date bibliography is presented.

Xianfeng?Houfeng?Youfeng?—An analysis of selected contemporary Chinese architects, Yung Ho Chang, Liu Jiakun, and Wang Shu (1990s-2000s)

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 11:45:49 +0200

The three contemporary Chinese architects, namely Yung Ho Chang, Liu Jiakun, and Wang Shu, have often been labeled as the ‘avant-garde’ or xianfeng architects in China. In response to the xianfeng architect label, Wang claims that he is a houfeng (rear-guard) architect because of his obsession with traditions. This paper aims to discuss the appropriateness of labeling these architects as ‘avant-garde, ’ xianfeng, or houfeng . Through the theoretical analysis of western discourse, notable attributes of the western architectural avant-garde are identified, and a tentative framework is developed to test its validity and usefulness in a non-western context. The term youfeng is arguably a better phrase to describe these three Chinese architects considering the heterogeneous trajectory of modernity in China.

Progress in research on Chinese urbanization

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 11:45:42 +0200

This paper is a comprehensive study on the progress in research on Chinese urbanization. On the basis of the concept and connotation of Chinese urbanization defined by Chinese scholars, the paper systematically collects the research results on the issues concerning urbanization in China from the different approaches of demography, geography, city planning, economics and history, reviewing the process of research on Chinese urbanization made both domestically and internationally. In this paper, the domestic studies fall into five periods as follows: the initial period of research on urbanization in China (1978–1983), the period with both domestically constructed and borrowed theories on urbanization (1984–1988), the period of research on leading urbanization factors and localization (1989–1997), the period with the research greatly promoted by the government (1998–2004), and the period featuring flourishing studies on the science of urbanization in China (2005 till today). In contrast, the overseas research on Chinese urbanization can be divided into three periods: the period studying the history of urbanization in China (before the 1970s), the systematic research on Chinese urbanization (1970–1999), and the comprehensive research on Chinese urbanization (2000 till today). The paper focuses on the key results of research on Chinese urbanization, including nine issues as follows: the guidelines and road for urban development in China, the features of Chinese urbanization, the mechanism driving the growth of Chinese urbanization, the process of Chinese urbanization, the spatial patterns of Chinese urbanization, the urbanization in rural areas in China, the comparison of urbanization in China and other countries, and globalization and regional urbanization. Moreover, the paper also summarizes key academic activities and important events concerning Chinese urbanization, including documents, activities, and events of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the State Council, National Development and Reform Commission, the State Ministry of housing and Construction, the State Ministry of Civil Affairs, the State Ministry of Science and Technology, and National Fund on Science, as well as major international cooperation projects and conferences, concluding that the studies of Chinese urbanization have distinct characteristics, that is, foreign scholars have conducted many studies on Chinese urbanization, while the studies made by Chinese scholars in the field mainly feature practicability, and the interaction between Chinese and foreign scholars as well as the application of international practice in China yield satisfactory fruits. However, there are also several problems in the studies of Chinese urbanization, such as the ambiguity in understanding the concept of urbanization, the lack of fundamental statistics, the emphasis on the research of actual phenomena and the neglect of theoretical exploration, the focus on regional urbanization and the inadequate studies on national and global background. China is in the transitional period from planned economy to market-oriented economy, making it hard for the direct introduction and application of the framework of urbanization that emerged in developed capitalist countries. At the same time, the domestic framework of urbanization created under the conditions of previous planned economy is also inapplicable. Therefore, the promotion of Chinese urbanization faces a series of theoretical issues. In comparison with the western developed countries and most developing countries, Chinese urbanization faces more complicated backgrounds and more problems. The theories and framework of urbanization developed in both developed and most developing countries cannot be directly applied in China. So the research purpose in China is to form unique theories on urbanization based on actual conditions and characteristics in this country and the research shall adopt a multiple approach focusing on the impact of the progress of society, economy, population, politics, culture, environment, technology and public policies on Chinese urbanization.

Phenomenology of rhythm in design

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 11:45:31 +0200

Rhythm in design, as explored in this research, is proposed to be the result of cognitive performance generated stylistically by creators and recognized consciously by beholders. This study describes the phenomenon of rhythm, how it is created, the factors that comprise rhythm, the types of rhythms created by human cognition of repetition, and why repetition is recognized as a part of human cognition. Images of seven buildings designed by Alvar Aalto are used to demonstrate the creation and expression of rhythm in building compositions. Evidence gathered in this research explains that rhythm in design is a result of the design method consciously applied by human cognition of repetition. Rules of generating the phenomena of rhythm are also summarized. Designers could apply these rules to generate harmonious patterns through the effective usage of repetition. In sum, rhythm is ingrained in the human conscience and therefore should be a key component of design applied universally.

Computational architecture: Connecting the physical and virtual worlds

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 11:45:27 +0200

Rumeli fortress from the perspective of architecture history

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 11:45:19 +0200

The Rumeli Fortress has a unique place in world history. This study presents information on the castle and Fatih period, explains the aspects of castle thought to be important, and discusses the gradually ruined areas of the castle.

The image of the Shanghai 2010 Expo the contribution of single pavilions to Shanghais global image

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 11:45:12 +0200

This article offers a retrospective of the Shanghai World Expo 2010, placing it within an historical framework and hence comparing it to the other major World Expos from 1851 on. The study analyzes various national contributions through an architectural lens with regard to their relationship with the Chinese mega-event and finds that the single images generated by each national pavilion contribute to the construction of the general picture of the 2010 Expo, resulting in an enhancement of Shanghais international reputation on the global stage.

An Italian view on architectural and archaeological conservation

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 11:45:09 +0200

An Italian contribution to architectural restoration

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 11:45:05 +0200

The essay provides an up-to-date review of the realities of Italian restoration. Restoration work feeds off the doubt that stems directly from historical and balance, and a conceptual rigour and practical approach at the same time. Restoration is carried out always and only on the original, with all the attendant risks of error and damage, and thus with all the prudence that demands. One of the most recent definitions of restoration is put forward: “By restoration, therefore, is meant any intervention that has the aim of conserving and transmitting to the future works of historical, artistic and environmental interest, facilitating the reading of them while not erasing the traces of the passage of time this is based on a respect for ancient material land the authentic documentation that such works constitute and, moreover, is to be seen as a critical act of interpretation that is not verbal but expressed concretely in the work carried out. Or, more precisely, it is a critical hypothesis and a proposition that is always modifiable, without it ever altering irreversibly the original”. The true nature of restoration is a complete fusion of historical and technical-scientific expertise. It is therefore artificial to distinguish between a ‘project of consolidation’ and a truly described restoration project. This is a distinction based on the assumption (to be demonstrated) that in an ancient building static problems and those related to the materials can be isolated and treated separately from an overall understanding of the architectural ensemble. So the paper stresses research methodology, the project and specific skills. As part of the principle of unity of methods in restoration, interdisciplinarity is viewed as the principal tool for bringing together consistently and fully the different skills necessary for the study and conservation of monuments. In summary, there are three fundamental components: (1) the history of architecture and theory of restoration, (2) the techniques of survey, analysis, diagnosis and intervention on the materials and the structure, and (3) legislative and regulatory aspects. The author emphasises the link between restoration and access to the monumental heritage. The definition of restoration as ‘an act of culture’ (fundamentally critical-historical and technical-scientific) leads to the reflection that culture is, by definition, exchange, communication and opening up to people without distinction. So restoration, because of its cultural nature, has need of recommendations, trends and orientations rather than regulations. Restoration looks to the future, not to the past. It has educational and commemorative functions for future generations, for young people, it ultimately is concerned not with satisfaction with research per se but the preparation of all citizens and their quality of life, viewed in the widest possible spiritual and material sense. In conclusion, some perspectives for the new millennium are offered. We have to ask ourselves whether society today is still able to guarantee a role for memory, for history and for the value of traditions, or for beauty itself. At first sight, it seems that interest in conservation and restoration has been reinforced in recent times. At the same time, we are aware of dominant pressures wanting to renovate and redesign our environment, giving priority above all to economic factors and revenue. To recall an earlier declaration by Renato Bonelli: contemporary society is not interested in historical and artistic things in themselves, whether they are ancient or modern. It is practical and consumerist, but it is also a society of complexities, and that however opens up some vents.

Choosing heat sinks for cooling in tropical climates

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 11:44:59 +0200

Efforts to limit CO2 emissions from buildings in the tropics either focus on reducing energy demand, i.e., air-conditioning, or on replacing fossil with renewable sources. The link between energy demand and supply is often overlooked, especially the effect of the temperature lift of air-conditioning systems on energy consumption. But while heat and humidity gains define energy demand, operating temperatures of the system define the necessary energy input. We aim to transfer our experience of using the LowEx paradigm for heat pump systems in moderate climates to the tropical climate of Singapore. In this paper, we took a systematic overview of a range of heat sinks, to which we refer to as anergy sinks. We analysed their thermal properties and their effect on the performance of air-conditioning systems, expressed as COP. The predominantly used dry air-cooled condenser units performed worst, especially when subject to a stack effect in (semi-)confined spaces. The performance is highest for cooling towers using the wet bulb temperature followed by water body based anergy sinks and the soil. The wide spread of results confirms that the heat rejection temperature is a decisive factor for the performance of the overall cooling system and the input of primary energy.

The university graduate training for the future engineering as exemplified by VEC–BEN collaboration (12 institutes from 4 continents)

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 11:44:55 +0200

The energy conundrum of modern buildings

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 11:44:51 +0200

Heat, air and moisture interactions

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 11:44:47 +0200

Glows and shadows of thermal insulation

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 11:44:44 +0200

Building science or building physics

Scipedia content — Fri, 12 May 2017 11:44:41 +0200