Frontiers of Architectural Research最新文献

Dutch housing associations are dealing with a growing number of tenants who are ageing in place. Meanwhile, there is a lack of suitable housing that meets the (social) needs of this target group. Clustered housing, which offers a socio-spatial context that facilitates encounters between residents, is considered a promising housing concept to (partly) fill this gap. However, clustered housing is a broad concept consisting of a variety of housing types that differ from each other in the extent to which people “live together”. Still little is known about which types of clustered housing can be distinguished in relation to the potential for social interaction. Therefore, in this article we distinguish between types of clustered housing based on social, organizational, and spatial building characteristics. We have mapped these characteristics by combining real estate data of housing association Woonzorg Nederland with survey data collected among their building managers. Based on this dataset, an explorative cluster analysis was performed, resulting in four types of clustered housing. Finally, further exploration of the data shows that, from the perspective of building managers, residents of certain types of clustered housing interact more often and feel more connected with each other than residents of non-clustered housing types.

The modern architectural heritage is the core carrier of city's historical inheritance and vitality. Its value is related to the spatial and temporal evolution of the urban landscape, along with the collective memory of society and transformation in public life. The contradiction between high-speed urban construction and architectural heritage preservation has proliferated, and the problems of loss of heritage culture and fading of relics are very significant, but there is a lack of research on modern architectural heritage. This study analysed in-depth the artistic archetypes and evolutionary characteristics of the architecture of Zhongshan Park in Xiamen through field research and historical data collation, adopting the theory method of architectural typology. Afterwards, we analysed the architectural typology of Zhongshan Park in Xiamen and the process of acculturation and translation with foreign cultures, explored the motives of its formation and the cultural meanings of the public space embodied in it. Based on this, we proposed a sustainable development heritage approach for the modern architectural heritage of Zhongshan Park in Xiamen. Our results indicate that modern architectural art has inherited classical Chinese historical and cultural traditions and ideological foundations. Its unique characteristics reflect the spirit of the times and result from the gradual development of Western influence. Moreover, it embodies a strong sense of national identity. These findings enrich the academic research on the cultural interaction between Chinese and Western architecture, offering valuable insights for the conservation and living heritage of modern architectural heritage in other regions.

Traditional Jiangnan garden architecture in China offers distinct spatial impressions that hold significance in contemporary architectural expression. Yet, the understanding and analysis of these spaces have historically relied on subjective, sensory experiences, often lacking precise, quantitative research. Consequently, establishing clear logical connections between visual cognition and emotional perception within these spatial experiences has been a challenge. This study introduces virtual reality spatial simulation and quantification techniques, summarizing key Jiangnan garden spatial characteristics and prototypes. It includes a series of virtual reality experiments focusing on cognitive experiences within Jiangnan garden spaces. A comprehensive analysis of isovisit quantitative data, questionnaires, and behavioral information explores the logical relationships between emotional perceptions (calmness, surprise, interest, confusion) and visual cognition qualities (openness, complexity, theatricality) in garden space impressions. This research aims to reveal deeper connections between garden space qualities, visual cognition, and emotional experiences, offering valuable insights for the application of historical traditional spatial features in contemporary architecture. It bridges the gap between sensory experiences and rational analysis, enhancing our understanding of the intricate spatial narratives within Jiangnan gardens.

This study explores the challenges faced by congenitally blind individuals in navigating urban environments. Specifically, this research investigates the factors that contribute to the construction of city mental mapping for individuals who are born blind. Thirty-one congenitally blind individuals from the University of Jordan were asked to define and describe specific elements of the city based on their personal experiences and imagination. Furthermore, participants were guided through two urban paths: familiar and unfamiliar. The participants were asked to complete a survey regarding their experiences during the tour. The collected data was analyzed by using thematic analysis. The results revealed that congenitally blind individuals construct their mental image of the city by using their three senses of touching, hearing, and smelling, as well as their safety and experience. This mental image consists of five key elements: links, reference points, areas, separators, and topography. Despite the small size of the study sample and the specificity of the context, the results of this study will tremendously help planners in designing highly inclusive urban environments. Incorporating characteristics that can be recognized by the blinds will enhance their accessibility of urban spaces, encourage independent mobility, increase the quality of life and social inclusion for them.

In this paper we present a research-through-design study where we employed text-to-text, text-to-image, and image-to-image generative tools for a conceptual architecture project for the eVolo skyscraper competition. We trained these algorithms on a dataset that we collected and curated, consisting of texts about and images of architecture. We describe our design process, present the final proposal, reflect on the usefulness of such tools for early-stage design, and discuss implications for future research and practice. By analysing the results from training the text-to-text generators we could establish a specific design brief that informed the final concept. The results from the image-to-image generator gave an overview of the shape grammars of previous submissions. All results were intriguing and can assist creativity and in this way, the tools were useful for gaining insight into historical architectural data, helped shape a specific design brief, and provoked new ideas. By reflecting on our design process, we argue that the use of language when employing such tools takes a new role and that three layers of language intertwined in our work: architectural discourse, programming languages, and annotations. We present a map that unfolds how these layers came together as a contribution to making machine learning more explainable for creatives.

This study aims to study the conditions for the architectural form of vernacular houses of Thai Korat, Laotian, and Tai Yuan ethnic groups living in the central Lamtakong watershed. Nineteen stilt houses with the age of fifty-three to one hundred years were incorporated in the case study. Data were meticulously gathered through methods such as observation, photography, surveying, architectural drawing, three-dimensional modeling, and interviews. The analysis, conducted within the frameworks of ethnic identity and cultural diffusion, involved morphological and comparative assessments. The findings showed that the houses in the present case study could maintain their ethnic identities as can be clearly seen in the space planning and the shapes of the houses passed down from generation to generation. In addition, there was cultural acceptance among these ethnic groups through exchanging, adopting, and borrowing house construction techniques, in order to express the common traits in the larger social context in a friendly and smoother way. This phenomenon indicates that the co-existence in a multicultural society is the key that makes different ethnic groups be able to maintain their ethnic identity and live with the larger society in a friendly way. Hence, the cultural significance of stilt vernacular houses in the study area is embedded in the dynamic process of exchanging house construction techniques, fostering harmony within the broader social context. This preservation simultaneously safeguards the essential elements and key attributes of ethnic identity in architecture.

Urban heat stress profoundly affects the health of residents. However, current research primarily focuses on quantifying the risk of urban heat based on LST, T_a, etc., overlooking the crucial and intimate influence of continuous intense solar radiation on human thermal comfort and health. Simultaneously, there is a lack of smaller units to support more precise planning. This study utilized the radiant heat stress intensity (RHSI) metric concentrating on the intensity and duration of thermal radiation, to develop a thermal-radiation induced health risk (TIHR) assessment system. Leveraging technologies such as the SOLWEIG model, Python, BERT, and GIS enables precise calculations of 12 spatial indices, including RHSI and Weibo heat. This facilitates a more accurate assessment of health risks at the smallest urban units (blocks) and directly guides planning. The application of this workflow in the case of Suoyuwan, Dalian, China, confirms its value, as it can be used to determine which blocks should be prioritized for specific aspects of risk prevention and control. The results show that some blocks exhibited differences in TIHR even within close proximity, with disaster-causing factors varying according to locations. This study proposes a novel assessment framework based on the interactive perspective of thermal radiation-human-activity-space.

For the significant energy consumption and environmental impact, it is crucial to identify the carbon emission characteristics of building foundations construction during the design phase. This study would like to establish a process-based carbon evaluating model, by adopting Building Information Modeling (BIM), and calculated the materialization-stage carbon emissions of building foundations without basement space in China, and identifying factors influencing the emissions through correlation analysis. These five factors include the building function type, building structure type, foundation area, foundation treatment method, and foundation depth. Additionally, this study develops several machine learning-based predictive models, including Decision Tree, Random Forest, XGBoost, and Neural Network. Among these models, XGBoost demonstrates a relatively higher degree of accuracy and minimal errors, can achieve the RMSE of 206.62 and R² of 0.88 based on testing group feedback. The study reveals a substantial variability carbon emissions per building's floor area of foundations, ranging from 100 to 2000 kgCO₂e/m², demonstrating the potential for optimizing carbon emissions during the design phase of buildings. Besides, materials contribute significantly to total carbon emissions, accounting for 78%–97%, suggesting a significant opportunity for using BIM technology in the design phase to optimize carbon reduction efforts.

The study of organic stabilization is crucial for understanding its impact on the durability and effectiveness of earthen plaster. Analyzing natural admixtures' effects on plaster properties provides insights that aid in optimizing plaster composition and application for desired characteristics. The addition of biopolymers, known to enhance plaster performance, necessitates further investigation to understand their role in earthen plaster stabilization.

This study focuses on Tata Somba homes in Benin and Togo, recognized as UNESCO World Heritage sites. These unique architectural examples embody “architecture without architects”, relying solely on local traditional knowledge. The objective is to explore and revive Tata Somba's ancient eco-technology for earth plaster stabilization. Research shows that biopolymers' combined stabilization and application techniques can improve earthen plaster performance. Seven promising bio-stabilizers were identified, suggesting their potential as sustainable, effective options for CO₂ mitigation in buildings. These findings not only deepen our understanding of earthen architecture but also underscore the potential of merging traditional, eco-friendly building methods with modern scientific insights to create sustainable solutions for cultural heritage preservation and contemporary built environments.

Flexible housing resolves the fundamental conflicts between the long-standing structure and the evolving demands. We propose a computational method of optimizing the structural layout of high-rise residential buildings. Chinese high-rise apartment buildings have widely employed shear wall-frame structure in which one big room or multiple small rooms could occupy the same span. Fitting multiple floor plans into a fixed sparse scheme of shear walls and columns is feasible. We developed a computational framework to seek flexible structural schemes. A building scheme consists of a circulation core, shear walls, columns, and boundaries. The computer program automatically adapts floor plans to any drawn or generated scheme. Based on a large dataset of apartment layouts, the number of apartments that fit into a building scheme statistically reflects the flexibility of the scheme. If many hypothetical plans can fit into a wall-frame structure in computer simulation, this structure could probably support several generations of unknown plans. Such a data-driven computational method provides the possibility of creating a one-to-many mapping between permanent structure and evolving apartment plans.