The Journal of Architecture and Urbanism publishes original research on all aspects of urban architecture. More information ...
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms that this article contains no violation of any existing copyright or other third party right or any material of a libelous, confidential, or otherwise unlawful nature, and that I will indemnify and keep indemnified the Editor and THE PUBLISHER against all claims and expenses (including legal costs and expenses) arising from any breach of this warranty and the other warranties on my behalf in this agreement; that I have obtained permission for and acknowledged the source of any illustrations, diagrams or other material included in the article of which I am not the copyright owner. on behalf of any co-authors, I agree to this work being published in Journal of Architecture and Urbanism as Open Access, and licenced under a Creative Commons Licence, 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode. This licence allows for the fullest distribution and re-use of the work for the benefit of scholarly information. For authors that are not copyright owners in the work (for example government employees), please contact VILNIUS TECH to make alternative agreements.
Design and experience: a typo-morphological case study of Maharishi Vāstu Architecture in Perú
Along with Feng Shui, Vedic architecture from ancient India (also referred to as Vāstu architecture by theorists and practitioners in the West) has become a design and construction approach of interest to architects in western countries. The most widely applied version of this approach is Maharishi Vāstu Architecture (MVA) as realized in not only hundreds of homes throughout the world, but also in the design of university campuses, commercial buildings and retreat communities in India, Japan, Netherlands and the U.S., as well as in the design of an entire city in Iowa. However, while applied in countries as diverse as Brazil, Ireland, Malaysia, Spain, Thailand and United Kingdom, this approach to architecture has not been the subject of detailed case study analysis. To rectify this situation, the present study investigates the application of MVA in Perú by examining not only the location, design and construction of two houses, but also the lived experiences of owner–occupants within them. The houses located in Cieneguilla and Pachacámac, the first two MVA urban developments in South America, were designed by this study’s second author, a Perúvian architect, and have been featured in arq: Architecture Research Quarterly, the preeminent architectural journal of Latin America. One house is oriented to the east, the other to the north; one is single story, the other two stories; one is a homage to tradition, the other more modern; and one includes local adobe materials, the other standard brick and render. However, both houses are consistent with the ancient Vedic precepts of architectural design (specifically the 3 × 3 Pīṭha diagram from the Mayamata) and the ancient Andean Chacana diagram. Results of lived experience from semi-structured interviews, consistent with findings from a previous international study of 158 MVA home–occupants, indicate that owner–occupants in Perú report increased health, vitality and good fortune, a range of practical benefits, and improved quality of life as a result of owning and living in an MVA-designed home.
Copyright (c) 2025 The Author(s). Published by Vilnius Gediminas Technical University. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The art of architecture wayfinding: navigating by objects, boundaries, and time
The purpose of this paper is to explore various forms of wayfinding through spatial reading. In particular, this article emphasizes how hidden clues play an important role in human movement and the wayfinding process. The purpose of this paper is to highlight hidden clues that are crucial to understanding architectural spatiality as a process of wayfinding. A film that contains a wayfinding narrative will be dismantled in this paper to explore various the arts of wayfinding. The selection of the films was based on the possibility of spatial reading, especially those that reflect the story of human movement and the wayfinding process. The analysis is based on observations of the film, particularly how spatial settings are compiled and used to wayfinding clues as the observed data. The data was collected by observing the actors about their wayfinding strategies. Using catalogs and diagrams, the results of the data were analyzed to obtain a spatial picture of wayfindings. Three aspects of hidden clues determine a person‘s wayfinding, namely objects, boundaries, and time. In terms of wayfinding, these three aspects may be considered outside of the physical form of architectural space. The results of the study contribute to the development of an architectural wayfinding system based on spatial narratives.
Glocalization challenges and the contemporary architecture: systematic review of common global indicators in Aga Khan Award’s winners
Local reports from different international societies have considered the achievement of the successful Glocalized architecture model in line with the 2030 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Aga Khan Cultural Foundation’s International Program for Islamic Architecture has also prioritized the understanding of the success drivers in architectural projects. This study aimed to detect the potentials of the common global indicators to access qualitative design assessment through analyzing the Aga Khan Award’s reports. The selected methodology in the present study is a quantitative approach using the systematic content analysis and coding techniques for qualitative data obtained from the technical. The physical, non-physical, modern, and traditional factors that have contributed to the success of the works as well as their combinations were extracted and analyzed using Sensible and Abstract international, national, and local indications. There is a relative superiority for Sensible indications (A combination of modern and physical factors). The hybrid data distribution provides the ground to assess the works, and this can be used to manage the globalization challenges in the contemporary architecture of Muslim societies.
Copyright (c) 2023 The Author(s). Published by Vilnius Gediminas Technical University. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
From engineering to aesthetics: morphology and constructive techniques of the New Bridge of Ronda (Spain)
This study analyzes the morphology and construction techniques of the New Bridge of Ronda, focusing on its key engineering elements. Existing publications on the bridge’s construction history, along with research on stone bridge technologies, were used to identify elements in the New Bridge. The morphological characteristics and materials used were analyzed to deduce the techniques employed. The research shows that the New Bridge follows construction methods typical of stone bridges from Roman times, despite being built in the 18th century. Its height required large abutments and multi-level vaults, resembling medieval bridge designs, resulting in a unique structure compared to most stone bridges. This paper fills the gap in knowledge about the construction techniques and morphology of the New Bridge, offering a deeper understanding of its design. The value of this study lies in its contribution to the understanding of the New Bridge’s construction methods, shedding light on its historical significance and aiding in its preservation. This study enhances the appreciation of the New Bridge, supporting efforts for its preservation for future generations.
Exploring spatial programming through modularity based evolutionary computation
The application of evolutionary computing in architecture has advanced beyond active feedback to designers by integrating natural processes with computation to synchronize input from the final solution. Following knowledge in digital morphogenesis, new approaches can be formed by examining design issues deemed non-pragmatic and abstract, such as function in spatial programming. The study presented in this paper explores an approach based on the principle of modularity, which describes a biological system’s ability to organize distinct, independent units to increase the system’s adaptability. By employing modularity in evolutionary computation, we can characterize function as an abstract feature of phenotypes. The basic modularity method is simulated by developing a spatial program with dynamic programmatic functions to see how adaptable units are as spatial program components.
Comparative study of social sustainability between Western cities and Iranian historical cities
This study compares the social sustainability models of Western cities with those of historical Islamic cities in Iran, exploring their theoretical foundations and practical implementations. The research investigates whether the principles underlying Iranian Islamic cities align with Western standards of social sustainability, identifying similarities and differences between these models. Using a comparative analysis and an interpretative-historical approach, the study reviews the evolution of sustainable practices in both contexts. Concrete examples from Western urban models and Iranian cities are examined to assess their effectiveness in fostering sustainable communities and promoting sustainable behaviors. The findings highlight significant parallels between Western and Iranian Islamic models, with an 83% overlap, particularly with the new urbanism models of Europe and America, despite distinct approaches rooted in cultural and historical contexts. The study concludes that modern urbanism in the West and the Safavid era cities in Iran represent the most sustainable models within their respective regions.
Copyright (c) 2024 The Author(s). Published by Vilnius Gediminas Technical University. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Structurally informed architectural designs defined by Catalan surfaces – examples of study projects
In the case of effective structural forms, characterized by a close symbiosis of architectural form and fabric solution, the properties of geometry not only enable the realization of the intention, but remain the main medium of shaping architectural expression in the aesthetic dimension. Moreover, geometric topological forms described by parametric equations provide many opportunities to model structures, also in digital spaces. Paying attention to these aspects was the goal of the academic design task specified in this paper.
The (re)making of a city centre: Jan Gehl and the transformation of Melbourne CBD
Jan Gehl, an eminent Danish Architect and Urban Designer, has worked in more than forty cities around the world and contributed to revitalising their city centres. Although his work in Australia has drawn considerable attention in recent years, not much is known about his early and exemplary work on revitalising the city centre in Melbourne. This paper explores Gehl’s urban design work in Melbourne by examining his engagement with the City of Melbourne after being invited to lead the ‘Places for People’ initiative in 1993. Gehl’s main contributions during his collaboration with the council include developing the methodology for the Public Space Public Life surveys and co-authoring of the Places for People study reports. Gehl made several key recommendations in the reports that turned out to be instrumental in formulating urban design approaches to help transform the Melbourne CBD into a vibrant city centre. This transformation, which led to the revival of the public realm, is evident in several significant changes made to some major public spaces between 1994 and 2004 and beyond. This paper contributes to the urban design discipline by adding new knowledge of Gehl’s work in Melbourne and widening its recognition in Australia and internationally.
Adapting the 15-minute city model in Cairo: mobility challenges and opportunities
The 15-minute city model, a visionary approach to urban planning, envisions neighbourhoods where residents can access all essential daily needs – work, education, healthcare, shopping, and leisure –within a 15-minute walk or bike ride. This study assesses the challenges and opportunities of implementing the 15-minute city model in Downtown Cairo, Egypt. The study examines the current state of public spaces, transportation, and walkability in the area through ethnographic research, including extensive field observations and frequent attendance at design workshops with developers, as well as numerous site visits and in-depth semi-structured interviews with diverse stakeholders. Stakeholders included the developer of the Cairo House project, the Cairo Bike project manager, urban researchers, tourists, residents and business owners within the study area. Data were analysed using thematic coding to identify recurring patterns and conflicting perspectives. The findings reveal significant challenges, including traffic congestion, limited public spaces, and inadequate pedestrian and cycling infrastructure. The study explores potential solutions, including enhancing public transportation, creating safe and accessible environments for pedestrians and cyclists, promoting mixed-use development, and developing vibrant and accessible public spaces. The main findings underscore the significance of community engagement and participatory planning in ensuring the successful and equitable implementation of the 15-minute city model within this unique and historic urban context.
The importance and effects of colors in accommodation units for homeless people
Designing accommodation for homeless people requires a specific approach based on analysis, based on knowledge of the mental and physical condition of a person, their needs, and demands. The color of the living space can play an important role in a person’s social inclusion, a faster and more continuous return of a person to a full life. The research aimed to verify how much the preferences for the use of color in the interior match among the homeless people and to draw recommendations for the color application. The theoretical analysis deals with the influence of architecture on our senses. Special attention is paid to the effects of sunlight, especially on the visible light spectrum, the originator of color vision. In the research methodology, the article defines the target group of homeless people using social service accommodation and data collection procedures. The results and discussion provide an overview of color preferences among respondents and the interpretation of findings. It has been shown that homeless people form a relatively homogeneous group for which it is possible to define general color selection requirements and to set key recommendations for the application of color schemes in social services accommodation units.
Schizophrenic urbanism: a quantitative approach for monitoring deviation in neighbourhood’s planning standards
Urbanism represents a new terminology and a unique approach that describes and encounters the challenges of rapid urbanization in modern developments in contemporary cities and its effect on urban planning standards. As a metaphor, this term connects schizophrenia as a specific mental disease with precise features of urban planning, such as the loss of identity, place recognition, and community interaction with the social and environmental context. The lack of consensus adds a layer of complexity to understanding the subject matter. To add to the intricacy, schizophrenia has varied presentations with an unpredictable course and recovery. Symptoms of schizophrenia are divided into three broad categories: positive symptoms, negative symptoms, and recognition symptoms. This paper attempts to draw parallels between the recognition symptoms of schizophrenia and urban planning and gain an understanding as to whether urban planning and development are indeed schizophrenic in nature or whether the interference of local authorities, planners, and certain circumstances initiates a kind of deviations that leads to schizophrenic urban symptoms. This is done through an overview of the symptoms of schizophrenia and a comparison of specific symptoms with contemporary urban planning and development, focusing on fragmentation, disconnection from reality, identity loss, adaptability and change management, environmental interaction and conflict and tension. This will be done through critically analyzing contemporary urban planning and development in relation to disorganization and intervention. The study methodology is joined by locating turf within urban planning, sociology, and cultural assessments, and the ethnography research is used that contains interviews, surveys, and content analysis, to study the outcomes of plan requirements deviation and its impact on the local perception. The paper proposed coherent Key Performance Indicators KPIs that can estimate the consequences of applying international planning standards without acknowledging local diversity and place identity. This study encourages a culturally sensitive and locally inclusive approach to local neighborhoods’ planning principles, emphasizing the need to engage local communities in decision-making. The use of this proposed KPIs system could preserve and enhance the unique identities of neighborhoods and address their social needs amidst the challenges of rapid urbanization. The paper concludes that there is a high compatibility between the symptoms of schizophrenia and contemporary urban planning and development and that a greater understanding of schizophrenia can assist in improving the way we plan and develop cities’ neighbourhoods.
Decoding the knowledge space of ‘Architectural and Urban Traditions’ utilising a metadata framework
This article explores the discourse on Architectural and Urban Traditions (AUT), examining its evolution expressions, and manifestations as a knowledge space. Utilising a Metadata Framework (MF) based on six lines of inquiry–scale, discipline, geographical diversity, typology, governance, and investigation methods–this research systematically examines the relationship between various research dimensions as perceived, researched, and interpreted by academics and scholars. It involves text mining and content analysis to enable deeper, data-driven exploration of evolving themes and patterns within the AUT knowledge space. The MF is implemented through the case of the International Association for the Study of Traditional Environments (IASTE), which is identified based on its focus and longstanding contribution to the discourse since the late 1980s. The study demonstrates how the two pillars of IASTE–Traditional Dwellings and Settlements Review (TDSR) and the biennale conferences (recently annual conferences) have shaped the discourse on traditional environments. It primarily contributes to the field by advancing the application of the Metadata Framework (MF) as a systematic tool for mapping the evolution of AUT discourse, providing valuable insights for future research. Key findings reveal a significant rise in technological integration and governance studies, sustained interest in studying intangible cultural heritage, and growth in linking this with advanced technologies. Conclusions are drawn to elucidate evolving, emerging, and declining themes and areas within the overall knowledge space of architectural and urban traditions.
A critical history of architectural modernism
Future generations deserve and need an honest accounting of architectural Modernism, and its Neo-Modernist and “Post-Modernist” variants, based on scientific analysis and the factual historical record. Reintroducing traditional tectonic culture and focusing on applying fractal and planar symmetries to design critique provides a more revolutionary account of the Modernist concept, its associated “propaganda”, and the physical legacy of the movement. The authors seek answers to two questions: (1) whether Modernist architecture justly conquered the world by its claimed “Zeitgeist” – or was its success due to other factors; and (2) to what extent Modernism brings about the originally promised cultural and social benefits today. This essay seeks to clear up the ambiguity of the Modernist architectural doctrine through facts, and includes criticisms regarding its massive detrimental impact on the world’s built and natural environments. A growing movement in Europe and elsewhere is challenging the legitimacy of many contemporary architectural designs. These critics attack the persistence of discredited Modernist theory, and the resulting harm to people and our planet. Defenders respond that the members of this movement are ignorant populists who do not understand the legitimate theoretical and cultural foundations of contemporary design. Here we examine this controversy and conclude that a considerable body of scientific evidence supports the critics. By focusing on the choices we do have today, we empower architects to implement drastic changes in new projects.
Single real estate developers’ innovations in housing design: an historical exploration based on China Vanke Co. Ltd.
This paper focuses on the practices, innovations and design regarding housing supply developed by a single Chinese private real estate company, China Vanke Co. Ltd. between 1979 and 2016. In the last 5 decades, China experienced a period of rapid urbanization, accompanied by the introduction of numerous economic and institutional reforms impacting the nation’s model of housing supply. Significant changes disrupted the urban housing sector in the country, shifting the main supply system from a public welfare model to a market-driven one. Within this time span, most new residential properties were developed and marketed by large real estate enterprises, which became crucial players in establishing the new housing market. While there is an extensive body of literature examining China’s housing market formation and progression, most of these studies focus on the economic and social aspects of housing, including factors such as affordability, inequality, governance, preferences and choices. Single real estate firms’ innovations, as well as the links between housing designs and market supply and demand, have yet to be thoroughly explored. This latter area represents thus the main focus of this paper. Expanding from the specific case of Vanke, this paper seeks to discuss the innovative processes of a real estate enterprise and the role of a single company in shaping new housing designs, based on supply and demand transformations.
Unknown interiors of ancient Egypt: producing by artificial intelligence in the context of light-space relationship
This study presents a design method aimed at visualizing cultural heritage through the architecture of ancient Egypt using modern technologies. With the deepening of the digital age, the use of digital technology and artificial intelligence in cultural heritage research has become an important tool for renewing and disseminating period architecture. The reason for choosing the interior spaces of ancient Egypt as a sample in this study is that, in addition to leaving a rich heritage in the field of architecture, ancient Egypt offers distinct period architecture in terms of space-light relationship. As a result of literature review, keywords related to architecture and the relationship between space and light in the Ancient Period were identified, and the study was visualized using the state-of-the-art artificial intelligence technology of today, namely human-computer interaction combined with text-to-image technology. The motivation and aim of this study is to demonstrate the role of reanimating cultural heritage like ancient period architectures in the computer environment based on interpretation, contributing to architectural sustainability, and spreading to future periods.
Decoding spatial layout patterns of traditional houses in urban kampung settlements
Understanding and identifying the spatial layout patterns of traditional houses is a pivotal feature for preserving and enhancing the cultural heritage of twelve houses which have been an object to be studied. This research investigates a comprehensive study to understand a particular architectural plan in a participative community of design processing on decoding spatial layout patterns through a generative Justified Plan Graph (g-JPG) as a grammatical spatial approach. This research examines the grammar using the rule-based spatial structure of traditional housing in three urban kampung in Indonesia. This method applies three procedures, such as collecting data, extracting jpg grammar, and formulating jpg grammar. Regarding the investigated result, indigenous and non-indigenous dwellers have mostly constructed the spatial configuration axially and created a spatial penetration or intersectional space on movement by generating and distancing social concept long models in their traditional houses. Another finding is that the houses’ spatial layouts are integrated as spacious hall-centred, representing a rule-structure and form-based. It is found that this study can serve as a valuable resource for architects and researchers who are interested in preserving and revitalizing the architectural identity of traditional housing.
Evaluation of physical-spatial characteristics affecting the quality of apartment housing
Housing quality is one of the most important domains of quality of life. One of the most important qualitative aspects of housing is paying attention to the residents’ satisfaction with their place of residence. The purpose of the upcoming research is to know the physical-spatial characteristics that affect the quality of apartment housing. The research method is combined and based on two quantitative and qualitative approaches. In this way, in the first part and the qualitative approach of the research, the text content analysis method was used. In this section, with the help of the content analysis method, the most important sources of the first category related to the quality of apartment housing are reviewed and the physical-spatial characteristics affecting the quality of the housing are identified. In the second stage of the research, with the help of a quantitative approach, the evaluation of people’s characteristics has been done with the help of TOPSIS method. The statistical population university professors related to housing was used to evaluate the physical-spatial characteristics. The findings of the research show that the characteristics related to housing quality are not only physical.
The significance of public space in assessing architectural heritage
This study examines the relationship between public spaces surrounding heritage buildings in Arequipa, Peru, and social perceptions of these structures. Focusing on buildings recognized as significant architectural landmarks by the magazine “El arquitecto Peruano” founded by Belaunde Terry. The research reveals a weak correlation between the quality of the surrounding public space and the society’s appreciation of the architectural edifice. However, certain buildings stand out in public esteem, notably Plaza de Armas, Convento de Santa Catalina, Iglesia de la Compañía, Templo de Yanahuara, Iglesia de San Agustín, and Iglesia de Cayma, primarily due to their Ba-roque-mestizo architectural style. The text emphasizes the pivotal role of public spaces in the evaluation of architectural heritage. This research sheds light on the complex interplay between architectural heritage, public spaces, and social perception, offering valuable insights for urban planning and heritage preservation initiatives.
Integrative analysis of Text-to-Image AI systems in architectural design education: pedagogical innovations and creative design implications
This study explores the potential of Text-to-Image (T2I) AI systems in architectural design education, particularly during the conceptual design phase. Through a structured two-stage workshop, architecture students used T2I AI to conceptualize a public building project, focusing on the bird’s eye and interior perspectives. These AI-assisted designs were subsequently refined to align with specific site conditions and programmatic requirements. The study reveals T2I AI’s ability to expand creative possibilities in architectural design while highlighting its limitations and biases. The findings emphasize the necessity for a critical and informed approach when integrating AI into architectural education and practice, addressing ethical considerations. Future research directions are proposed to optimize T2I AI applications in architectural design, address inherent biases in AI systems, and enhance the discourse on AI’s role in shaping the future of architectural practices.
History in the void: Giuseppe Samonà’s 1967 proposal for Montecitorio competition
Giuseppe Samonà was one of the most influential figures in 20th century Italian architecture and urban culture. In 1967, Samonà and his team submitted a competition proposal for the extension of the Camera dei deputati in Rome, considered by many to be one of the most significant and conceptually mature projects of his career. By examining the design and the report appended to the competition submittal the author explores the concept of the void that is the backbone of the project and finds that it has a twofold interpretation. Apart from the obvious physical manifestation of emptying, the void is also a meditative device, an incorporeal entity that relies on the body of the new insert to show the complexity of the history of the Roman site. It is in this inversion of the usual interpretation of the concept of void as being independent nothingness that allure of the project itself lies. By presenting the archival material and contemporary research, the author brings into focus a part of Samonà’s extraordinary contribution to the architecture and urban culture of the 20th century that surprisingly remains unrevealed to non-Italian audiences.
A theoretical approach to endorphin-stimulating architecture
As with the other creative and design industries, architecture is mainly aimed to solve users’ needs. However, in the current practice, the design transformation process is less responsive to user feedback and primarily relies on the architect’s perceptual skill that tends to be subjective. Innovative architectural problem-solving strategies can be derived from neuroscience knowledge, allowing a more scientifically proven user-centered design. The interdisciplinary collaboration in architecture design, neuroscience, and artificial intelligence may offer a new concept generation to design our built environment. The neuroarchitecture design approach, combined with artificial intelligence engineering, can create an environment that produces impulses that directly affect the human brain’s response and induce happiness. Endorphin, called the happy hormone, can be stimulated to develop happy feelings essential for today’s stressful life. This theoretical study aims to determine how architectural elements affect happiness through endorphin stimulation. An interdisciplinary literature study involving architecture and neuropsychology of both theoretical and methodological was adopted to explore this possibility. The result showed that the architectural environment could generate happiness, potentially indicating the endorphin presence. This study recommends using Virtual Reality apparatus to experiment and a blood test to check the endorphin level in the human body.
Transforming Medellín: architecture and urban design as agents of social change
This article examines the transformative impact of Sergio Fajardo’s mayoral administration (2003–2007) in Medellín, Colombia, focusing on architecture and urban design projects that have promoted equity. Central to this urban renaissance was the Proyecto Urbano Integral (PUI) Nororiental, which revitalized informal settlements in the city’s northeastern zone. The initiative leveraged financing from Empresas Públicas de Medellín (EPM), a city-owned utility company, ensuring sustainable investment in public works without reliance on international loans. This financial model enabled the redistribution of funds to Medellín’s poorest neighborhoods, fostering transparency and combating corruption. Key to this urban strategy was the involvement of the Empresa de Desarrollo Urbano (EDU) which implemented the PUI with an intersectional planning approach combining public transit, education, culture, recreation, health, and safety initiatives. The PUI emphasized community participation through “Imaginary Workshops” promoting ownership and engagement among residents. The PUI Nororiental, enhanced by the Metrocable transit system and associated public spaces, has successfully integrated isolated neighborhoods while reducing violence and fostering social cohesion. Despite critiques of high costs, this article argues that quality public spaces and civic buildings promote community pride and destigmatization. Medellín’s “social urbanism” serves as a model for addressing inequity in Latin America and the broader Global South, demonstrating how architecture and urban design can drive social change.
Investigating the hidden geometry system at the entrance of the historical houses of Kashan from the Qajar period to the beginning of the Pahlavi period
Geometry is one of the most important aspects hidden in the design of historical buildings in a way, it can be said that architecture without the presence of geometry is meaningless and lacks functional validity. The ratio and proportion that can be seen in the entrance and front facade of the historical houses of Kashan is a function of geometry, which is named hidden geometry in this research. The geometric system at the entrance of historical houses is one of the most important topics that help to better understand the historical building. The findings show that the entrance design of the houses is under the hidden geometry system, and five types of geometric systems are used to shape it, including symmetry, Fibonacci in golden triangles, Fibonacci in golden rectangles, dynamic rectangles, and regular polygons.
What do the contrasting views of Harries and Eisenman add to architectural culture in bringing aesthetic impressions back to the built environment?
In the era of modernism, the natural symbols of art – expressed through aesthetic elements – have been seen replaced by the verbal notations of communication. The replacement forced the postmodernists to deconstruct the concept of modernism to bring back the notion of symbolic art superficially and to revitalize the meaning of art and its cohesive presence in the built environment. The revitalization process, however, does not seem to have gone without raising questions in the academic community. Does the aesthetic impulse come from the structural spirit of a built form alone? Is just aesthetics deeply rooted in built-form identity? Is aesthetics not associated with the social environment and economic living? Can aesthetics exist in isolation? Can aesthetics be more of a by-product of functionality than the product itself? Using the works of Harries and Eisenman, the paper develops a review sketch exploring these questions. Many other attributes, such as aesthetics production, aesthetics generation, and environmental aesthetics, and their roles in art appreciation have ensured positions in the discussion. The conclusions seem to warn that the influence of social co-existence in defining built-form aesthetics in the postmodern era and later, divorced from reality – avoiding the presence of the different layers in the social fabric and their relationships among themselves – seldom helps to produce any futuristic vision but invites chaos in thoughts and perceptions crossing over between studies and practices in architecture.
An exploratory study of the evolution of urban green spaces in Lisbon using diachronic analysis of orthophoto maps
Green urbanism, namely in the form of consolidated urban green spaces (UGSs), has gained traction along with the reformist impetus of urban design, based on the ideal of efficient, functional, sustainable cities that promote a better quality of life for their citizens and on the notion of making urban expansion compatible with natural resources. Using a diachronic analysis (1995–2020) of the orthophoto maps of 38 UGSs included in the last version of the main municipality’s legislation, framed within the Plano Director Municipal (PDM), whose first version was approved in 1994, we assessed the situation and evolution of the UGSs in the centre of Lisbon, Portugal. We conclude that with fewer or more incidences, depending on the periods analysed, the structure of UGSs in the centre of Lisbon has undergone significant changes, whether in terms of the implementation and requalification of existing UGSs or in terms of the increment and quality of UGSs (space created), thus respecting to a lesser or greater degree the strategic lines defined in various plans, as is the case of the PDM itself, but also of other important documents, such as the Carta Estratégica 2010–2024, Estratégia de Reabilitação Urbana 2011–2024 and Estratégia Regional de Lisboa 2030.
Evolving research method in three-dimensional and volumetric urban morphology of a highly dense city: assessing public and quasi-public space typologies
An appropriate urban density is a vital part of a sustainable urban fabric. However, when it comes to measuring the built urban fabric and how people walk through it and use, a difficulty has been observed in defining applicable measurement tools. With the intention of identifying the variables that will allow the best characterization of this fabric and movement, a multi-variable analysis methodology from the field of artificial intelligence (AI) is proposed. The main objective of this paper is to prove the capacity of AI as an evolving research method in urban morphology and specifically to evaluate the capacity of such a methodology to measure the way in which people travel through defined multi-levels of typologies of public urban space. The research uses the case of Hong Kong as a dense city that is three-dimensionally activated in terms of its public realm, not just at street level, but also via below ground subways and upper-level walkways, public and quasi-public spaces. This includes the three-dimensional volumetric assessment of public and quasi-public space typologies within a highly dense city. For the purpose of the study, a characterization and term definition of these spaces has been further developed: “Junctions”, “Landmarks”, “Intersections”, “Districts”, “Passages” and “Lobbies” (both outdoor and indoor) based on Lynch’s 5 main key elements (District, landmark, path, edges, node). The results obtained using AI prove to be more robust and rational than those based on a more limited range of tools, evidencing that using AI can offer operational opportunities for better understanding of morphological and typological evolution within the vertical and volumetric built urban fabric.
Social production and consumption of space: study of public-market in Bandung, Indonesia
This paper aims to examine the role of architecture in social production and consumption of space, using public markets –architectural artifacts with rich social contents– as cases. This research adopts Low’s (2017) concept of social production of space and Dovey’s (2010) social constructivism of place to uncover the social production and consumption of public markets’ space. Cihapit and Pamoyanan market in Bandung, Indonesia, are selected as research cases, due to their cultural contents, appealing to consumers from middle to upper class society. It is found several roles of architecture in social production and consumption of public market space: building typology and morphology signifies historical context of development; architectural buildings contributes to formalize trading activities and elevating social class of market traders; commodities zoning is organized based on functional and socio-historical consideration; spatial intensity is determined by access and commodities zoning; informal atmosphere emerges as a distinctive advantage of public markets; and spatial quality is relative depends on governance capacity. Although normative criteria for good design can be formulated, in practice, spatial quality of public market is relative and depends on its capacity for spatial governmentality. By exploring social production and consumption of space and place provides broader perspective on the social practices of architecture, emphasizing its contribution for social and humanity studies.
Complex revitalization of historically formed industrial territories in Kyiv in post-war recovery
The article is aimed at considering revitalization as a complex renewing method and a component of the complex process of restorative-reconstructive transformations of the historical urban environment. The effectiveness of complex revitalization with the involvement of various restoring and renewing methods has been proven. It allows at different system levels to revive and improve the quality of heterogeneous in terms of historical and architectural value and destruction of the historical urban environment, which usually includes the historically formed industrial territories. Such heterogeneity of the historical urban environment, reinforced over the last year by the devastating consequences of the war, today is characteristic of Kyiv and many cities of Ukraine, and therefore the proposed methodology is extremely relevant. The analysis of the experience of revitalizing former industrial territories of Lodz, as the most successful among the cities of Poland – the country with the closest historical, cultural, and architectural ties to Ukraine, is extremely valuable for pre-project studies of neglected and ruined historically formed industrial territories of Kyiv. The proposed concept of revitalizing degraded former industrial territories in Podil and on Radyshcheva Street in Kyiv has demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed methodology.
historically formed industrial territories
A city shaped by modernist architecture: Sümerbank Textile (Cotton) Printing Factory and its worker settlements
At the turn of the 20th century, the ideas of the English garden city movement influenced the designers and the governments not only regarding the design of the cities but in different aspects, including the design of industrial settlements. The factories built in the early 20th century mostly employed the ideals of the modern movement and turned the factories into a social reform for workers and the cities where these factories were located. Nazilli Sümerbank Textile (Cotton) Printing Factory is one of these social factories, which can be recognised as a self-contained factory complex that was participating in the social transformation of the area. The aim of this paper is to conduct research regarding the impact of the social factories on the cities and society through the case study of Nazilli Sümerbank Textile (Cotton) Printing Factory and document its workers’ settlements.
The divided brain and ways of building the world: parallels in the thought of Iain McGilchrist and Christopher Alexander
What might have led to the fundamental changes in the built environment during the 20th century? While factors such as postwar reconstruction, urbanization, industrialization, shifts in style, or socio-political changes are surely involved, there may be deeper influences that are associated with the structure and dynamics of the human brain. Iain McGilchrist’s hemisphere hypothesis proposes that the differences between the left and right hemispheres are not functional but embody opposing approaches to the world: the left sees an atomized world made of things to be controlled and manipulated for survival; the right sees an interconnected world of wholes with which it is deeply related. McGilchrist observes that in recent centuries, there has been an increasing shift in the West towards the left hemisphere’s approach. Christopher Alexander’s lifelong quest for wholeness in the built world resonates with McGilchrist’s observations as applied to the field of architecture. Alexander observed that today’s built environment is an expression of our civilization seeing the world as a giant mechanism made of parts rather than an indivisible whole. In response, Alexander developed design methods that approach the world as a unified whole and the building of new places as a further unfolding of that whole.