On finding widest empty curved corridors

Open archive-ElsevierAn α-siphon of width w is the locus of points in the plane that are at the same distance w from a 1-corner polygonal chain C such that α is the interior angle of C. Given a set P of n points in the plane and a fixed angle α, we want to compute the widest empty α-siphon that splits P into two non-empty sets.We present an efficient O(n log3 n)-time algorithm for computing the widest oriented α-siphon through P such that the orientation of a half-line of C is known.We also propose an O(n3 log2 n)-time algorithm for the widest arbitrarily-oriented version and an (nlog n)-time algorithm for the widest arbitrarily-oriented α-siphon anchored at a given point

Dockland Transformation Adaptive Reuse of the Free Trade Wharf, River Thames, London

Introduction. This project is an entry for an ideas competition for the adaptive reuse of a warehouse as a community recreation center in London\u27s Docklands..

Early Architecture on the Mediterranean Island of Pantelleria

On the Mediterranean island of Pantelleria, there are the remains of a Neolithic settlement that built a fortress city and monumental tombs on volcanic lava flow.Their mining of obsidian (volcanic glass) and its trade with Malta and Sicily endowed them with prestige and wealth visible in the majestic megalithic type tombs called sesi, constructed with rational planning and similar to those found on many Mediterranean islands (Malta, Crete, Sardinia, Corsica, Balearic Islands).The settlement subsisted on agriculture, livestock and obsidian mining. Work tools were mainly stone (knives, blades, scrapers, chisels, and axes), large millstones and obsidian sickles have been found along with many ceramic items of various sizes and shapes in large quantities as bowls, plates, cups, vases, jugs, jars in various shades of red. They possessed no ligands nor metal utensils.The sesi tombs situated outside the citadel numbered 58 in 1894 but only 27 remained in 2010. They are shaped as overturned boats on a shore, recalling the expert navigation of this 5,000 year old settlement and the other tombs found in the Balearics (navetas).On Pantelleria man seems to pass from the trilithic or dolmens system to dry arrangements of stone blocks. It is likely that Pantelleria was the starting point or one of the first stages of megalithic civilization, which led to other examples with the same characteristics in Sardinia, Mycenae, Crete, Malta, and the Balearics. More archaeologic research is needed to bring to light this civilization’s accomplishments and we urge the authorities to support this further research and to preserve the remains.. Keywords: mediterranean island, early architecture

Row-sensing Templates: A Generic 3D Sensor-based Approach to Robot Localization with Respect to Orchard Row Centerlines

Accurate robot localization relative to orchard row centerlines is essential for autonomous guidance where satellite signals are often obstructed by foliage. Existing sensor-based approaches rely on various features extracted from images and point clouds. However, any selected features are not available consistently, because the visual and geometrical characteristics of orchard rows change drastically when tree types, growth stages, canopy management practices, seasons, and weather conditions change. In this work, we introduce a novel localization method that doesn't rely on features; instead, it relies on the concept of a row-sensing template, which is the expected observation of a 3D sensor traveling in an orchard row, when the sensor is anywhere on the centerline and perfectly aligned with it. First, the template is built using a few measurements, provided that the sensor's true pose with respect to the centerline is available. Then, during navigation, the best pose estimate (and its confidence) is estimated by maximizing the match between the template and the sensed point cloud using particle-filtering. The method can adapt to various orchards and conditions by re-building the template. Experiments were performed in a vineyard, and in an orchard in different seasons. Results showed that the lateral mean absolute error (MAE) was less than 3.6% of the row width, and the heading MAE was less than 1.72 degrees. Localization was robust, as errors didn't increase when less than 75% of measurement points were missing. The results indicate that template-based localization can provide a generic approach for accurate and robust localization in real-world orchards

A historical and social overview of the traditional houses: Riad in Fez medina and Hanok in Seoul

Some Korean and Moroccan institutions have taken essential steps to preserve the traditional houses: the Hanoks in Seoul and the Riads in Fez. Previous research on the development and rehabilitation of the traditional dwelling only includes interventions on the structural part and thermal characteristics of the traditional habitat and thus ignores the spatial configuration of the house and its transformation according to the practices and needs of today’s consumers. However, the newly developed structure and construction technology has not yet been developed and has not been activated in the market. In particular, it is causing a social debate about the authenticity of the traditional dwelling structure (Hanok and Riad). This research is to deal with the modernization process in which Hanoks and Riads are newly changing in the 21st century and will tackle the traditional dwelling about the spatial quality and social transition by using space syntax to rethink the spatial layout of the Riad and Hanok for a more flexible, durable, multi-functional space reflecting today’s lifestyle. The main problem would be to answer How to find the balance between the old and the new and how can architecture reflect the culture of a society

BLINC: Designing Bicycle Path Protection for Accessible Transportation Networks

The City of Rochester is defined by both poverty and renewed development in its center city. Often overlooked, access to transportation systems plays an important role in the prevalence of poverty. Accessing areas of Rochester that offer higher paying jobs, better schools, and a greater variety of services is directly related to car ownership, a luxury that Rochester’s poorest cannot afford. This transportation inequality is considered a contributing factor to Rochester’s poverty rate. In addition, the discontinuous urban fabric of downtown Rochester is designed for automobile, not pedestrian or bicycle traffic. Safe and continuous pedestrian and cycling pathways are often absent, though Rochester contains major employment districts, academic institutions, cultural and entertainment venues, public spaces, and basic amenities. Wide streets, city-bisecting highways, and large areas of surface parking contribute to continued use of automobiles, restricting efforts to develop Rochester into a sustainable, accessible, human-scale, and lively city. Bicycle transportation offers a viable alternative to automobile ownership and bus transportation, filling in the gap between accessibility and efficiency in Rochester’s transportation network. However, ridership deterrents such as the risk of inclement weather and lack of cycling-specific infrastructure must be addressed. A bicycle lane canopy is a potential solution for fulfilling these goals. Projects in London and Berlin have shown that investment in cycling infrastructure is effective at promoting cycling as a mode of transportation. Tensile fabric architecture and textile projects in Boston, Detroit, Denver, and New Zealand have shown that tensile structures are able to define urban spaces in expressive ways. In order to encourage bicycling as a mode of transportation by protecting cyclists and pedestrians from weather events and automobile traffic, a canopy structure was proposed. This Bicycle Lane Intelligent Network Canopy (BLINC) consists of a connected series of individual tensile fabric structures that interact to create an urban network of bike lane coverings. Potential tensile fabrics, designs and routes were analyzed to meet the needs of the tensile fabric structure; a PTFE triangular tee structure was determined to best fulfill the design intent. A BLINC route network was proposed along several existing roadways that provide access to the urban fabric of employment, education, amenity, and recreational opportunities in the city. It is designed to provide efficient, convenient, and continuous cyclist access to the core and extents of Rochester, while enhancing the sense of place that the urban framework provides. By encouraging cycling as a mode of transportation, the tensile fabric BLINC structure and proposed BLINC route network also improve community health, increase cyclist safety, lower greenhouse gas emissions, promote the local economy, and contribute to Rochester’s innovation in urban renewal

Implications of the Spatial Design of School Buildings on Student Interactions and Student Self-Directed Learning Activities

The importance of school buildings is rooted in the vitality of education for societal development. Literature perceives learning as a social process, enriched by student interactions and self-directed activities, and the school design should afford those learning practices. Therefore, research on school buildings requires a broad investigation of the spatial design from the early design decisions, uncovering the design potentiality and reaching the actuality of school operation. This investigation outlines the research scope, while more attention is drawn towards informal learning spaces outside classrooms, including corridors, libraries, dining spaces and play areas. This research focused on secondary school buildings. It performed quantitative spatial analysis on eleven UK schools, designed by three architecture firms; alongside qualitative interviews with one architect from each firm. This data explores the school design potentiality for possible learning practices. The research, thereafter, studies two (of the eleven) buildings through quantitative onsite observations and student questionnaires; and qualitative interviews with the school managements and teachers. These explain the building actuality of occurring student interactions and self-directed activities, relative to operational managerial schemes (regulations, teacher guidance and supervision) and student preferences. Findings discuss the influence of functionalities allocation, configurational accessibility and the furniture setup on student interactions, activity types and distribution. Nevertheless, regulations, supervision and student preferences still influence the occurring activities. Shallow corridors afford interactive learning if connected to open learning spaces. Libraries incubate collaborative or quieter (and focused) self-directed activities. Dining spaces accommodate student intellectual practices beyond eating activities. Play areas have the highest activity diversity. The research outcome explains the school actual operations, and how they correspond to (or divert from) the original design potentiality. This outcome contributes to the existing knowledge on the student social life in schools, and how the spatial design and school rules impact activity types across informal spaces. This possibly links to future work on interactive design processes as a methodology that reduces the gap of understanding between design intentions and actuality