bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Basic concepts and definitions of the PAS design and decision system
Authors: Arkesteijn Monique
Published: November 2023

In this chapter, using basic concepts and definitions from management science, decision theory and design methodology, I shall outline the methodological aspects, characteristics and features of the Preference-based Accommodation Strategy (PAS) design and decision system, which I developed for the formation of a corporate accommodation strategy.

This outline serves first and foremost as a simple way of representing and modeling the PAS design decision system. It also enables the methodological characteristics of PAS design and decision making to be set out in a way that allows analysis and evaluation of the suitability of the applications of this system in real life corporate accommodation strategy processes. Finally, it should be possible to incorporate past experience into the framework, and to generalize and summarize it in order to benefit the further development of the PAS design decision system. The PAS design decision system will be referred to as PAS.

In chapter 2 the existing alignment models were assessed on eight different assessment criteria and it has become clear that decision making receives very little attention in the models. The two main problems were that (1) it remained unclear how alternative CRE strategies are made on portfolio and building level and (2) most problems occur when selecting an alternative; none of the models has an overall performance measure that incorporates both quantitative and qualitative criteria, and uses correct measurement. Although in paragraph 2.2 all assessment criteria have been introduced, some of the concepts will be explained in this chapter. In chapter 2.3 the models have been assessed on their use of correct measurement for instance. In paragraph 3.2 it will be explained what correct measurement is and why it is important.

The chapter is structured as follows:

–– Fifteen basic concepts underlying the PAS design system are explained in paragraph 3.1;

–– Preference measurement as core concept is explained in more detail in paragraph 3.2;

–– Preference-Based Design as other core concept is explained in more detail in paragraph 3.3;

–– A comparison of the foundations in different scientific field in given in paragraph 3.4;

–– The chapter ends with a conclusion and comparison in paragraph 3.5.
PAS steps to achieve alignment
Authors: Arkesteijn Monique
Published: November 2023

The focus in this chapter is on the component steps of PAS (see Figure 5.1 and Figure 5.2). CRE alignment is achieved, as has been shown in chapter 4, if stakeholders can use PAS successfully. PAS is successful if the stakeholders are able to perform each step of PAS. I assume that the stakeholders can perform steps 1 (specifying decision variables), 3 (assigning weights) and 4 (determining design constraints) because these type of steps are part of other multi criteria decision analysis as well. However, it is not known if stakeholders are able to perform the new step 2 (determining preferences) and step 5a (design alternatives) and are willing to select the alternative with the highest overall preference score in step 6. Preferably, this new alternative has a higher overall preference score than the overall preference score in the current situation. However, if the boundary conditions are strict this is not always possible. PAS has been tested in three pilots.

This chapter has the following structure:

–– TU Delft pilot for the food facilities in paragraph 5.1;

–– TU Delft pilot for lecture halls in paragraph 5.2;

–– Oracle’s pilot for office locations in paragraph 5.3;

–– Pilot study comparison and conclusion in paragraph 5.4.
PAS mathematical models to achieve alignment
Authors: Arkesteijn Monique
Published: November 2023

The focus in this chapter is on the component mathematical models of PAS (see Figure 7.1 and Figure 7.2). PAS can only be performed if the system engineers are able to build a mathematical model of the problem situation for each of the pilot studies. In this chapter, I will show that the system engineers were able to do this for all three pilots.

Typically, a subset of the alternative is infeasible. When the feasible set of alternatives can be characterized mathematically, the PFM algorithm can search an optimal alternative within this set (either by an exhaustive search or by sampling, depending on the size of the feasible set). Otherwise, if a characterization of the feasible set is not available to the algorithm, the group decision makers – the stakeholders - can propose possible feasible alternatives for consideration. The algorithm can then rate these alternatives.

This chapter has the following structure:

–– TU Delft pilot for the food facilities in paragraph 7.1;

–– TU Delft pilot for lecture halls in paragraph 7.2;

–– Oracle’s pilot for office locations in paragraph 7.3;

–– Pilot comparison and conclusion in paragraph 7.4.

The mathematical models are explained for each of the pilots as follows: the model structure (first subparagraph), the model formulas (second subparagraph) and the optimization tool (third subparagraph).

Recall, that in step 5 alternatives are generated in two separate ways:

A The group of decision makers self-designs alternatives, use the design constraints to test the feasibility of the design alternatives, and use the PFM algorithm to yield an overall preference score of these feasible design alternatives;

B The system engineer generates feasible design alternatives and uses the PFM algorithm to find the feasible design alternative with the highest overall preference score.

The decision makers are able to design alternatives (step 5a) with the model that is explained in the first and second subparagraphs. The system engineer is able to generate alternatives (step 5b) with the optimization tool is, as is explained in the third subparagraph.

The mathematical models for the pilot studies have been built by the system engineer and the facilitator. The author had the role of the facilitator. The system engineer for the first pilot was Binnekamp, for the second pilot it was Valks with the aid of Barendse, and for the third pilot the system engineers were De Visser with the guidance of De Graaf. Valks and De Visser cooperated in this study as graduate students with the author as their main mentor and Binnekamp, Barendse and De Graaf as their second and/or third mentors.
Using focus groups data to finalize the Archetypes
Authors: SANCHEZ Marco Antonio ORTIZ , Kim Dong Hyun , Bluyssen Philomena M.
Published: November 2023

A previous study clustered home occupants into archetypes with a questionnaire. This study uses qualitative methods to strengthen those previously-found archetypes with data pertaining to the participants’ home experiences. Focus groups were carried out where generative activities were conducted involving the generation of collages. The first activity dealt with the expression of ‘meaning of energy use at home’ and the second one with the ‘ideal home experience’. Analyses were done with content and thematic analysis. Codes were drawn from the data and were assimilated through an affinity diagram. The diagram produced two categories: building themes and human themes, along with five sub-categories (home, financial, energy, psychological, and behavioural aspects). The outcome shows that each archetype expresses needs and meanings of an ideal home experience and energy use differently from each other. The results provide evidence that generative techniques can be used in energy research. In this case, to validate and substantiate the quantitative archetypes previously produced with a questionnaire. Interpretive knowledge in energy research allows for a better understanding of occupants’ differing behavioural patterns in regards to energy use and comfort. It allows customizing interventions to the archetypes’ specific needs to decrease energy consumption while maintaining comfort.
Two Libraries at Jussieu, Paris
Authors: Jauslin Daniel
Published: November 2023

The lack of OMA’s Jussieu project in the reference literature could easily be interpreted as a sign of unimportance. However this design for a university library holds essential keys to our question how architecture is spatially composed using landscape strategies. This unbuilt design is an influential work at the turning point of the discipline, where new principles are explored. A whole series of projects by many architects in contemporary architecture could in some way or another relate to this project.

In the first section of this chapter I will introduce the argumentation of our various reasons for the choice of the Jussieu project as en example of architecture designed as landscape in regard to existing research in reference literature (4.1). Then I will explain the project in its larger context (4.2). Although Jussieu is an unbuilt design, I will describe the building in a guided walk through from my reading of the design in the sources and the specific ‘pro-construction’ imagery (4.3). I will describe the steps that lead to this imagery later in the chapter. I keep a brief a paragraph about the design (4.4) to explain more about why this project was not built. To analyse the Jussieu project’s workings I display the account of the 4-layer method with all relevant drawings (4.5) and our interpretations of them. As a specific method for this project I chose virtual representations of the design that will be explained in 4.6.

I will then test the concept of landscape in our framework of landscape architectural attitudes (4.7) to conclude with a theoretical framing of the essential contribution of proprietary design instruments of this project to architectures emerging landscape design strategies (4.8).
Research Design and Approach
Authors: Wandl Alexander
Published: November 2023

The following research questions are going to be answered to reveal the characteristics of TiB and their present state of sustainability and the potential for future sustainability to inform regional planning and design:

What spatial structures characterise dispersed urban areas in Europe?

Which morphological and functional structures of dispersed urban areas offer the potential for more sustainable development? If so, how can this potential be mapped and measured to inform regional planning and design?

Are there similarities and dissimilarities concerning potentials of dispersed urban areas in different locations, planning cultures, topographies and histories?

The core of the thesis at hand are four separate journal papers, see Figure 2.1. Therefore, this section presents the general approach of this research to bind the papers and their results together to provide the reader with a coherent story. Chapters three to six are predominantly composed of already published or accepted double-blind peer-reviewed journal papers. In all those papers, the specific research questions and methods and data used are explained. An atlas, complementing each chapter, presents additional maps, drawings and photos as well as statistical and analytical material and their interpretations. They were not used in the papers as such, but complete the comparative aspect of the research.

Chapter 3 defines and characterises territories-in-between and thereby, what constitutes a case for the cross-case comparison. Chapters 4, 5 and 6 present methods to assess the potential and possibilities for sustainable development in territories-in-between. Chapter 7 present a meta-analysis of the earlier chapter to identify similarities among cases and outliers to be able to generalise findings. Chapter 8 summarises the key findings of the research and provide, recommendations for planning practice and research.

A cross-case comparison as over aching approach was chosen in order to avoid what Geneletti et al. ( 2017) described as a setback of most studies dealing with sustainable development in peripheries, namely that they are often context-specific and solution-oriented and that it stays unclear whether the general ideas can be transferred to other geographical contexts. Therefore, after briefly introducing all chapters of the dissertation, section 2.6.1 provides a more detailed explanation of the advantages and disadvantages of a cross-case comparison. It also presents several cross-cutting methodological considerations, like the selection of the cases, data availability, reliability and limitations as well as general considerations on transferability.

Section 2.7 introduces the atlas of territories-in-between. The aim of the atlas, which is spread out between the article based chapters of the dissertation, is to provide additional information and material, which was not included in the original papers but which either provides maps for those cases the papers did not focus on, or photographic material in order to support the quantitative data with qualitative information.
The Art of Bridge Design
Authors: Smits Joris
Published: November 2023

It is hard to imagine a world without bridges. Bridges lie at the heart of our civilization bringing growth and prosperity to our society. It is by virtue of bridges that communities are able to physically connect to new people and to new places that were previously disconnected. However, bridges are more than mere functional assets. A well-designed bridge reflects mankind’s creativity and ingenuity.

The way that our bridges are commissioned, designed and procured is rapidly changing. Nowadays, a large number of experts from many different disciplines work on the design during different phases of the project. The segregation of knowledge into discipline-specific fields, and the fragmented approach to bridge procurement, have resulted in a general lack of cohesion in bridge design. The objective of this research is to identify a design approach, through all scales of the design, that leads to bridges that are well-integrated, that are integrally-designed and that are valued by society.

The methodology of this research is the reviewing of numerous projects from my own bridge design practice. By identifying design considerations on four levels, namely the level of the landscape, on the level of the bridge, on the level of the detail and on the level of the material, this research demonstrates how an overall approach to well-integrated, integrally designed and valued bridges can be achieved by addressing each of these scales of the design.

If the mutations in the field of bridge design that have occurred over the past 150 years have taught us one thing, it is that the field of bridge design has become far too complex to be embodied by one person, whether it be an engineer or an architect. The role that the master builder played up until the late renaissance, bringing together aesthetic design and building craft into one person, is nowadays fulfilled by a team of specialists. You could say that the integrated design team is the contemporary version of the renaissance master builder. The basis of the ideal team naturally consists of a lead architect and a chief engineer. Within this team, the architect should be the design integrator; he or she has the task of securing the equilibrium between Beauty, Utility and Solidity throughout every phase of the design process. This balancing act takes place at all scale levels and through all phases of the design.
Shaping Forces
Authors: Smits Joris , Eigenraam Peter , Gkaidatzis Rafail , Visser Dirk Rinze , Wong Kailin , Wassermann-Fry Stephan
Published: November 2023

This paper investigates the symbiotic relationship between the architectural appearance of a bridge and the structural design. The research is done by reviewing and comparing the design methodology employed by the first author in the conceptualization of two of his bridges; an early work from 1997 and a recent work from 2017. The review of the early work describes a design methodology that could be described as intuitive design, whereas the later work is the result of computational from-finding and optimization. Parallels are drawn and the historical development of the toolbox of the architect and the engineer is described. The paper analysis the way the two designs were achieved by looking from the perspective of the architect and that of the engineer. The paper concludes by identifying the key design considerations to achieve a beautiful yet structurally sound bridge. The question whether beauty can be the sole result of a rational design process towards the most efficient form according to the laws of mechanics, is addressed. This paper demonstrate the belief that when it comes to the design of a bridge, architecture and structure, form and force, are involved in an interdependable and symbiotic relationship.
Material compositions and production methods for solid cast glass components
Authors: Oikonomopoulou Faidra
Published: November 2023

Glass can be made by different manufacturing processes and by numerous of varied recipes that in return provide the material with different properties. Owing to their workability in lower melting temperatures and the corresponding decreased manufacturing costs, soda-lime and borosilicate glass types are preferred for cast glass applications in structures. Glass can be cast in two ways: primary and secondary casting. In primary casting, glass is molten from its primary raw ingredients, whereas in secondary casting, solid existing pieces of glass are re-heated until the (semi-) liquid mass can flow and be shaped as desired. The main process of primary casting is hot-forming (melt-quenching) and of secondary casting is kiln-casting. The principal difference between the two methods, besides the initial state of glass, is the required infrastructure. In hot-forming, molten glass from a furnace is poured into a mould and is then placed in another, second furnace for annealing. In contrast, kiln-casting employs a single kiln for the melting of the (already formed) glass into the moulds and for the subsequent annealing process and requires lower operating temperatures. In both methods the annealing process is similar. The annealing schedule is influenced by numerous factors that cannot be easily simulated as a complex non-linear time dependent multi-variable analysis is required. As a result the annealing schedule of large 3-dimensional cast units is commonly empirical. Different mould types, disposable or permanent, can be used for casting glass objects. The choice of mould mainly depends on the production volume and desired level of accuracy of the glass product, and is in practice usually cost and time driven. Currently, there is no standard to determine the design strength of solid cast glass objects for structural applications in architecture. Based on the assumption that the increased volume of cast glass can lead to a higher amount of randomly distributed flaws in the mesostructure, the bending strength of cast glass is expected to be comparable but slightly less than that of standard float glass.
An adhesively-bonded cast glass system for the Crystal Houses façade
Authors: Oikonomopoulou Faidra
Published: November 2023

Chapter 4 provided an overview of the three structural systems utilizing cast glass components in architecture, including a brief overview of the work presented in this dissertation. This chapter presents the design principles and experimental work for the first of the two systems explored in this work: a transparent, adhesivelybonded glass block system designed for self-supporting envelopes. The proposed system was developed for the Crystal Houses façade in Amsterdam, designed by MVRDV Architects. The system is exclusively constructed by solid cast glass blocks, bonded with DELO Photobond 4468, a colourless, UV-curing adhesive. This allows for a system of an increased transparency, sparing the necessity of an opaque substructure. In contrast with previous realized projects, solid soda-lime glass blocks are used rather than borosilicate ones.

Initially, several architectural prototypes, comprising glass elements of different tolerance ranges, are built to evaluate the visual performance and the thickness of the adhesive that allows for an even spread. The prototypes indicate that a homogeneous bond thicker than 0.3 mm cannot be obtained by the selected adhesive due to the latter’s flow properties and low viscosity. Based on the adhesive’s optimum application thickness, it is determined that the glass blocks’ top and bottom surfaces should be flat within 0.25 mm for guaranteeing an even adhesive layer of the highest strength.

The structural verification of the system is demonstrated by physical testing of prototypes in compression, 4-point bending, hard-body impact and thermal shock. Compressive tests on individual blocks highlight the need for proper detailing and uniform load distribution of the system. Compressive tests on columns made of adhesively bonded glass blocks further confirm that strict size tolerances are essential for maximizing the load-bearing capacity of the system: specimens with larger size deviations fail in considerably lower stress values than specimens with smaller size deviations. Furthermore, series of 4-point bending tests on adhesively bonded glass beams demonstrate that the chosen adhesive enables the glass brick wall to behave monolithically under such loading when the adhesive is applied in a constant layer of the optimum thickness.

Overall, the results show that the adhesively bonded glass block structure can provide the required structural performance, but only if strict tolerances are met in the geometry of the glass blocks so that the chosen adhesive can be evenly spread in a constant thickness.
Countercurrent Heat Exchange Building Envelope Using Ceramic Components
Authors: Vollen Jason Oliver
Published: November 2023

Research and development in building envelope design have promoted the convergence of two system types, Thermo-Active Building Systems and Adaptive Building Envelopes, that re- conceptualize the envelope as a distributed energy transfer function that captures, transforms, stores, and even re-distributes energy resources.

The widespread deployment of Thermo-Active Building Systems as a building envelope will depend on several factors. These factors include the value of the design attributes that impact energy transfer in relation to the performance of the building envelope assembly and the return on investment that these attributes individually or in the aggregate can provide as a reduction in Energy Use Intensity. The research focus is on the design development, testing, and energy reduction potential of a Thermo-Active Building System as an adaptive countercurrent energy exchange envelope system using ceramic components: the Thermal Adaptive Ceramic Envelope.
Impact of design factors on user satisfaction
Authors: Kwon Minyoung
Published: November 2023

Personal control was one of the influential parameters for user satisfaction presented in chapter 5. Personal control is not related to architectural office design, and in this thesis it is not associated with privacy and communication with colleagues. Thermal and visual comfort is analysed exhaustively in this chapter. Psychological comfort is an extra parameter for user satisfaction studies since the design factors such as office layout could be correlated to privacy, communication and so on. As a next step, chapter 6 investigates influential office design factors on user satisfaction related to thermal, visual, and psychological comfort and predicting which design factors may bring better satisfaction to users.

Section 6.2 presents design factors affecting user satisfaction based on literature review. Five office cases in the Netherlands with 579 office occupants were studied using questionnaires, and interviews with facility managers and architects (section 6.3). Different statistical analysis tests were conducted to summarise satisfaction factors (section 6.4). The relative importance of design factors is described in section 6.5, and a regression analysis was used to predict profound outcomes in section 6.6.
Business Innovation Towards a Circular Economy
Authors: Konietzko Jan
Published: November 2023

We currently live in a carbon intensive linear economy. On the basis of burning fossil fuels, we take, make and waste an increasing amount of materials. This has pushed us against serious planetary boundaries. Radical reductions in environmental impact are needed over the coming decades. Entire economies and societies will have to reorganize. A promising candidate to support this reorganizing is a circular economy. It cuts waste, emissions and pollution, and it keeps the value of products, components and materials high over time.  Companies can innovate towards a circular economy by following five key resource strategies: narrow, slow, close, regenerate, and inform. This thesis explores these strategies – through case research and a design science approach. It shows that an ecosystem perspective is necessary to implement these strategies – and provides tools and methods that can help to put an ecosystem perspective into action. This can help companies to develop circular ecosystem value propositions: that propose a positive collective outcome, fulfill user needs in exciting ways, and minimize environmental impact.
Housing Refurbishment for Energy Efficiency and Comfort
Authors: Nguyen Phan Anh
Published: November 2023

The housing stock in Vietnam has boomed in the last few decades, especially in urbanised areas. However, the increasing number of housing units did not go along with housing quality, a healthy living environment or a sustainable building stock. Recent legislation only applies to public buildings but not the private housing sector, which accounts for the majority of the building stock. Therefore, this research aimed to contribute to a more sustainable building stock in Vietnam by improving the energy efficiency in new and renovated urban houses. This research started with examining the energy upgrade potential of the existing houses in Vietnam. Both passive and active refurbishment design measures were investigated for the Vietnamese context. Among the measures, a green facade has a large potential in energy saving. Effect of a green facade on thermal and energy performance was tested by conducting a physical experiment on a real tube house in Hanoi. Next, a stepped design strategy was introduced in a student design workshop in Vietnam. The participants were trained to apply sustainable and energy efficient design measures for Vietnamese tube houses. In addition, the vision for designing future tube houses was discussed on several sustainability aspects: urban densification, energy efficiency, circular economy and social interaction. This research is also expected to contribute to the establishing of a future national technical regulation for private housing in Vietnam.
Spatial Planning and Design for Resilience
Authors: Dai Wei
Published: November 2023

Faced with the highly overlapping factors of the external disturbances -- natural disasters caused by extreme climate change, and internal interactions -- the contradiction between natural conditions and rapid urbanization, traditional spatial planning and design used to pursue economic development could not be flexible enough to respond to the dynamic and uncertain future of the Pearl River Delta (PRD). Therefore, spatial planning and design should pay great attention to the fragile natural base layer and unexpected external disturbances that will negatively impact the PRD caused by increasing natural disasters, such as flooding and land subsidence situation. Based on the idea of spatial resilience, this doctoral dissertation aims to give an answer to the research question: What are the theories and methods of spatial planning and design for resilience? How is it possible to apply the theory and method of spatial planning and design for resilience to the PRD? Five major research contents are conducted. First of all, literatures on exploring the physical context, the crucial stages of spatial transformation, as well as spatial planning and design practices of the PRD are reviewed. Secondly, the theory of spatial planning and design for resilience is systematically researched. Thirdly, implementation method for spatial planning and design for resilience is provided. Fourthly, the empirical research of the theory and method of spatial planning and design for resilient PRD is conducted and possible new schemes are produced. Fifthly, the corresponding principles and strategies of resilient flood control and drainage on Hengli Island are proposed. The research outcomes obtained from this doctoral dissertation can be possibly applied to the further spatial planning and design practice for establishing a resilient PRD.
STACKED
Authors: Graamans Luuk
Published: November 2023

Expanding cities across the world rely increasingly on the global food network, but should they? Population growth, urbanisation and climate change place pressure on this network, bringing its resilience into question. For decades urban agriculture has been discussed in popular media and academia as a potential solution to improve food security, quality and sustainability. The new idol in this discussion is the plant factory: A fully closed system for crop production. Arrays of LEDs provide light and hydroponics provide water and nutrients to vertically stacked layers of crops, hence the term vertical farming. The plant factory features more extensive climate control than high-tech greenhouses. The question remains whether this level of climate control is necessary, effective and/or efficient. The scope of this research is therefore to investigate the potential and limitations of plant factories for urban food production. The STACKED method was developed to address the performance of plant factories across multiple scales, from leaf to facility to city. The role of plant processes in the total energy balance was outlined first. Performance was assessed by analysing the resource requirements, including energy, electricity, water, CO2 and land area use, for the production of fresh vegetables. The impact of façade and cooling system design was analysed in detail. Lastly, the effects of local food production on the urban energy balance were assessed for various scenarios. The results of this dissertation can serve as a foundation for future studies on the application of plant factories in both theoretical and real world applications.
The balancing act
Authors: Kuitert Lizet
Published: November 2023

Public bodies acting in the construction industry have to deal with major transitional issues, such as globalization and urbanization, population ageing, climate change and digitalization. Moreover, the public domain, private parties and society are becoming increasingly interdependent. As a result, safeguarding public values in the built environment has become ever more complex. Public bodies face the challenge to adhere to collective public values while confronted with private and societal values of external partners. This means that they have to deal with value pluralism and value-conflicts. In research, scarce attention has been paid to providing guidance to practitioners for dealing with multi-value trade-offs in operational processes. Hence, this research provides a construction-sector specific operationalization and a network perspective to the field of public value research. This research highlights the important role to be played by public commissioning in terms of safeguarding public values. It consists of three qualitative studies that utilize a range of different methods, including interviews, observations and document analysis. By this the research provides a contemporary perspective through which to study and execute the safeguarding of public values by public clients in the transition towards network governance in the construction industry. The dynamics of the sector-specific value interests of public construction clients, the occurrence of value conflicts in commissioning, and the safeguarding processes within both internal and external commissioning are studied. The practical implications derived from the research were translated into a value dialogue tool that can be used by public construction clients to professionalize safeguarding in their daily practice.
Hybrid Intelligence in Architectural Robotic Materialization (HI-ARM)
Authors: Mostafavi Sina
Published: November 2023

With increasing advancements in information and manufacturing technologies, there is an ever‑growing need for innovative integration and application of computational design and robotic fabrication in architecture. Hybrid Intelligence in Architectural Robotic Materialization (HI-ARM) provides methods and frameworks that target this need. HI-ARM introduces methodologies and technologies that incorporate computational, fabrication and material intelligence in integrated design-to-robotic-production workflows. The intelligence is explored at multiple architectural scales (Macro, Meso, Micro) through hybridization of building processes or multi-mode robotic production and multi-materiality. Porosity, Hybridity, and Assembly are introduced as main constituents for materialization frameworks relying on computational design and robotic production. These are tested in a series of original experiments that are presented in this thesis together with four peer-reviewed published papers discussing the process of developing integrated design-to-production methodologies in detail. The contributions show how both architectural materialization processes and building products can be customized in different phases and scales. Moreover, the developed discourse and definitions address the impacts of this research through the lenses of computation and automation in research, education, and practice in the fields of Architecture, Engineering, and Construction.
Solar Geometry in Performance of the Built Environment
Authors: Alkadri Miktha Farid
Published: November 2023

As part of the passive design strategy, the development of computational solar envelopes plays a major role to construct a cooperative environmental performance exchange between new buildings and their local contexts. However, the state-of-the-art computational solar envelopes pose a great challenge in understanding site characteristics from a given context. Existing methods predominantly construct 3D context models based on basic architectural geometric shapes, which are often isolated from the surrounding properties of local contexts (i.e., vegetation, materials). Thus, they only focus on context-oriented buildings and energy quantities that unfortunately lack a contextual solar performance analysis. It is clear that this condition may result in a fragmented understanding of the local context during the design and simulation process. With the potential application of attribute point cloud information, it is necessary to consider relevant parameters such as surface and material properties of existing contexts during the simulation of solar geometries, which are currently absent in computational frameworks. As such, the new method is required to enable architects not only to measure specific performances of the local context but also to identify vulnerable areas that may affect the proposed design. This research focuses on exploring an integrated computational design method for solar geometry based on solar and shading envelopes, and geometric and radiometric information from point cloud data. In particular, two computational models consisting of SOLEN (Subtractive Solar Envelopes) and SHADEN (Subtractive Shading Envelopes) are developed, which are applied to temperate and tropical climates, respectively. In design practice, these models help architects to produce informed-design decisions towards high-performed building massing.
Challenges of prefabricated housing in China
Authors: Wu Hongjuan
Published: November 2023

Recently, the implementation of prefabricated housing (PH) has become prevalent in China to achieve sustainability while ensuring green construction, innovative products, and higher quality. However, numerous challenges arise, such as the overrun costs, inexperienced workers, and the inefficient management process. High transaction costs (TCs) occur in the PH project supply chain since additional efforts are consumed for overcoming these challenges. This study aims to seek insights into TCs of PH and investigate strategies for minimizing the TCs thus smooth the development process of PH projects. Three key elements have been addressed throughout the thesis: supply chain, stakeholders, and transaction costs. Four-step research is employed to uncover the TCs in the PH supply chain, collect the stakeholders’ perceptions, investigates the causes of TCs, and explore decisions for reducing TCs. This thesis identifies three types of TCs in Chinese PH projects by their nature: due diligence costs, negotiation costs, monitoring and enforcement costs. Private stakeholders in China’s PH industry put more of their attention on TCs related to the specificity of prefabrication. The simple and joint strategies are provided for reducing their benefits lost from the unexpected TCs. Additionally, the value of the governmental TCs has been revealed for reducing the TCs of PH, which inspires and supports the policymakers to develop a healthy policy environment.
Understanding comfort and health of outpatient workers in hospitals, a mixed-methods study
Authors: Eijkelenboom AnneMarie
Published: November 2023

Against the backdrop of an increasing need for healthcare, staff shortages and relatively high rates of sick leave, understanding of wellbeing (comfort and health) of hospital workers is important. This research aims to provide a contribution, through a mixed-methods approach, with broad and in-depth insights into comfort and health. Therefore, data have been collected from questionnaires, building inspections, interviews, and photos, and analysed with several techniques. Personal, work, and building-related aspects were included in data collection, because a preliminary literature review identified mutual relations with comfort and health. As previous studies on outpatient workers were missing, while staff is generally less satisfied with comfort than patients, this research focuses on staff in outpatient areas. To gain insights into the outpatient workers’ comfort and health, four important aspects are highlighted: differences in comfort in relation to room types, occupant profiles differentiated by the individuals’ preferences and satisfaction, changes of preferences due to contextual changes, and associations of health with building-related aspects. This research builds on previous studies which identified indoor environmental quality (IEQ) profiles of home occupants and school children. New are social comfort profiles, comparison between room types and contextual influence on preferences, as well as the studied occupant group and building. The study enables academical and practical exploration of preferences and perceptions of comfort and their integration in the design process.

AnneMarie Eijkelenboom, architect with 25 years’ experience, is determined to improve wellbeing of occupants through expansion and integration of academical knowledge and practical experience in design of buildings.
From the Village to the Neighbourhood
Authors: García Toni
Published: November 2023

This publication presents the study of urban transformation and opportunities for urban upgrading through the rehabilitation and recycling of neighbourhoods, exploring the past and present of the housing estates of the main Galician industrial cities in order to discover, on different scales, how the public housing projects built in the second half of the twentieth century were formed, how their urban integration process has taken shape, what the open spaces associated with public housing are like, and if they have served as a bridge between the public, the collective and the private, to end with recommendations that can help in participative processes of integral urban regeneration for better articulation, integration and urban cohesion of the open spaces included in the public project.

The research proposes an alternative to urban development that avoids the need for new growth, the demographic abandonment of existing neighbourhoods, and their social and physical degradation. Housing estates with obsolete structures offer the greatest opportunities to rehabilitate and recycle open spaces and buildings based on the value of their intrinsic qualities, allowing for the introduction of new and efficient typologies in the city core. On a social level, the recycling and adaptive reuse of housing estates would improve the quality of the urban environment, the consolidation of civic networks and the strengthening of social cohesion. At the environmental level, this would reduce land use for real estate development, infrastructure construction and mobility needs, as well as waste production and energy consumption.
Ronda
Authors: Andrade Castro Óscar
Published: November 2023

This dissertation focuses on architectural education and practice as a collective experience, examining the particular case of the PUCV School of Architecture and Design and Ciudad Abierta in Chile. The study asks whether the culture of collectivity that characterises the school has served as a supporting structure for its artistic and pedagogical project and if so, which elements configure the collective ways of studying and practising at this school. The dissertation delves into these questions by following the trail of a concept that crystallises the school’s collective ethos: The Ronda. This notion refers to a collective working format practised by the members of the school and Ciudad Abierta, through which they carry out their fundamental proposals and projects. As a result, the school set the conditions for the formative experience by constructing a creative milieu in common, understood as a specific environment shaped by commonality across the spheres of life, work, and study. By comprehending a school as an expanded network of communities, this dissertation provides insights on how architectural training can diversify its practices, spaces, and frameworks in new configurations beyond the academic realm and complementary to university institutions. Furthermore, proposing the school as a constellation of communities offers a perspective on alternative modes of and articulations between architectural pedagogy, practice, and research.
Green Climate Control
Authors: Armijos Moya Tatiana
Published: November 2023

Several studies have demonstrated the potential of botanical biofiltration and phytoremediation to remove indoor pollutants and improve overall comfort. However, there is a lack of evidence on how indoor greenery affects the Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ), particularly on Indoor Air Quality (IAQ). The main goal of this research project was to explore and evaluate the efficacy of an active plant-based system in terms of IAQ and being able to answer the main research question: “Can an active plant-based system improve the Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)?” This was achieved through laboratory studies of several plant-based systems, including chemical, physical and sensorial evaluations as well as qualitative and quantitative assessments. Some of the outcomes of this research are described below:

– To develop an effective plant-based system the proper selection of its components is essential.

– In real settings, the concentration of the gaseous pollutants is present in lower levels and current equipment are not able to detect them. Therefore, it is clear and confirmed that physical, chemical and sensory assessments are crucial to evaluate the real impact of plant‑based system in the IAQ.

– In this project, different substrates and plants were tested and it became clear that the substrate is an important ally in reducing gaseous pollutants, such as formaldehyde.

– The polluted air needs to be transported to the vicinity of the plant-based system to be able to uptake the gaseous pollutant. Therefore, an active plant-based system is needed to potentialize the impact of such systems in the IAQ since the air has to be forced to go through the system to achieve the biofiltration process.

– An indoor forest is required to meet the minimum standards for ventilation rates in breathing zones just with plants without any extra mechanical ventilation.
The Making of the Modern Iranian Capital
Authors: Jafari Elmira
Published: November 2023

This dissertation puts together planning documents and multiple archival sources to demonstrate how urban planning and the role of planners have evolved in an ever-changing transnational context of Iran. It challenges the prevailing approach in the literature of Tehran urban studies that simply flattens the complexity of local-foreign collaboration and labels transnational planning of Tehran a top-down “Westernization” project. To depict a more nuanced picture of Tehran master planning at the time of transnational exchange and rapid urban growth, this dissertation introduces a new engaging and argumentative periodization with four distinct phases which brings transnational planning of Tehran to the fore, while reflecting on diverse political and socio-economic upheavals between 1930-2010. Dissection of Tehran master plans in each period through the lens of multiple actors offers a unique opportunity for a renewed interpretation of transnational planning of Tehran and the way Iranian planners steered Tehran urban developments while engaging with foreign experts and their planning systems. It presents a detailed analysis of overarching ‘ideas’ behind each plan, their translation to urban ‘policies’ and later on their broader (un)wanted ‘impact’ on the city and its regions. By recognizing a great diversity in transnational approach in Tehran planning practices, the dissertation concludes with how transnationalism first gave rise to the formation of the modern planning system and how later on led to contestations against it which revolutionized the role of urban planners and the political agenda for Tehran urban growth.
Discomfort glare from daylight in classrooms
Authors: Viula Raquel
Published: November 2023

Provision of daylight without the risk of discomfort glare is one of the aspects that determine the quality of the classroom environment. Although discomfort glare from daylight is under investigation for a long time, a knowledge gap concerning the applicability of the existing metrics to the spatial conditions of the classroom is identified in this work. An investigation on the applicability of existing metrics to the prediction of discomfort glare in classrooms has been carried out based on two experimental studies. The analysis shows that the existing metrics have poor predictive ability particularly in the sitting positions away from the window light source. A study is then carried out to investigate how can more appropriate predictive models of discomfort glare be developed, based on three different methods. A modification of the Daylight Glare Probability (DGP) equation produced a significantly better discomfort glare model than any of the metrics that have been studied in this work. Following this finding, a new metric, DGPlog(Ev)new, is proposed. The produced metric suggests that discomfort glare in the classroom is better identified based on a range of equations for different sitting positions or that new variables that account for sitting position need to be included in a predictive model of discomfort glare for these spaces. A set of architectural design guidelines towards a discomfort glare free classroom is then proposed, based on the newly produced model and on the collected data.