Process not product: Arc, Hull's architecture centre

This paper discusses the Arc project in Hull. It takes the form of a case study of a building conceived from the outset as having no fixed final form or indeed permanent location. The first iteration of the building, designed by Niall Mclaughlin Architects, was completed in 2006 and houses the events space and offices for Arc, the Architecture Centre for Hull and the Humber Region. The project grew out of an initiative formed by collaboration between academics from the two local Universities, plus Community and Business representatives. The intention was that the organization would act as a catalyst for change, and raise architectural aspirations underpinned by an ethos that local people were experts in their own lives. Arc did this through a series of interlinked programmes including Design Review, and the Learning and Public Realm programmes. In addition the building hosted exhibitions, debates and workshops. This is a timely moment to revisit this project as the particular set of circumstances that enabled the building to be realized have already passed into history. Arc both as a building and as organization can now be seen as representative of a particular political and cultural moment in the UK, one that is now firmly over

Volunteer tourism and architecture students: what motivates and can best prepare them

This paper explores student attitudes toward volunteering in the context of university-led building development programs, raising questions about the practice of volunteering and its contribution to community development. Focusing on students undertaking tertiary education in Western countries, this literature-based study firstly explores the perceptions and motivations behind volunteering, and secondly discusses its developmental impact on low-income communities

Evolution of Technological Capabilities: A study of Indian products based Telecom start-up firms

New technology based start-ups play a very important role in developing the economy of a country. However, product based B2B start-ups in India are rare and existing ones have to undergo several challenges in commercializing. Present study explores the evolution of technological capabilities that enable commercialization among such early stage start-ups by adopting a multiple case based (four independent start-ups) inductive methodology with Indian telecom start-ups as the context. We have identified architectural design, algorithmic implementation and product adaptation as components of technological capability of such start-ups. We explore the link between knowledge acquisition, telecom specific knowledge and capability evolution in present work in a regulated and knowledge intensive context. Finally, we put forth a three stage framework mapping the evolution of technological capabilities among telecom start-ups, as well as identify regulatory bodies, standard making bodies and social network as facilitators in the capability evolution process.

Risk Appetite Discriminated Investors Wealth Accumulation: Regime-Switching versus Non-Regime-Switching Models-Based Strategies

Main objective of current research is to assess which strategy from Regime-Switching and Non-Regime-Switching Models is better for wealth accumulation by investors who are discriminated based on their risk appetite having portfolio in Sharia-Compliant cement stocks listed on PSX. The sample is consisting of 14-Sharia-Compliant cement stocks which are registered on Pakistan Stock Exchange while the daily closing balances of selected companies are retrieved from different reliable secondary sources of data for the period 18-Nov-2015 to 15-Dec-2021 and the collected data is being processed though statistical tools. The ending wealth attained through Regime-Switching Model of risk-averse investors, risk-neutral investors and risk-taker investors are 1.443, 1.340, and 1.476 respectively which are higher than attained through Non-Regime-Switching and sharp ratios are also better of all investors in RS.  Hence, the results indicate that Regime-Switching Strategy is better than Non-Regime-Switching for wealth accumulation. This is very helpful for investors in making investment decisions wisely and policy maker in formulating of policies to rescue the investors from risk. Uniqueness of study derives from focus on risk-appetite investors wealth maximization problem, for which two entirely different models used

A research study on Hong Kong's building services engineering profession: a review of the building services engineering profession in the United Kingdom

A review of the building services engineering profession in the United Kingdom is considered in this document. It provides supporting information for a comprehensive study into the profession in Hong Kong which is being conducted by Hong Kong Polytechnic University on behalf of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers. The overall aim of the work is to investigate mechanisms for raising the profile of building services engineers in Hong Kong

REFORM OF THE INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL SYSTEM AND INSTITUTIONS IN LIGHT OF THE ASIAN FINANCIAL CRISIS

When East Asian countries came under speculative attacks in 1997, some of them were not able to defend themselves, and subsequently had to seek the financial assistance of IMF and accept its stabilization programmes. These crisis-hit countries were criticized for not having restructured their financial, corporate, and public sectors along the lines suggested by the Washington consensus. This failure was singled out as the main cause of the crisis and, understandably, these crisis-hit countries were subject to heavy doses of structural reforms. The East Asian crisis became contagious, even threatening the stability of major international financial centres. The severity and contagiousness of the East Asian crisis underscored the importance of, and renewed interest in, reforming the international financial system. Numerous proposals have been put forward. The G-7-led reform, however, has concentrated its efforts on reforming the financial and corporate sectors of developing economies, while by and large ignoring the problems of the supply side of international finance. As was the case in the Mexican crisis of 1994/95, the appetite for radical reform of the international financial system has receded considerably in the wake of global recovery. The ongoing debate on the future direction of the international financial reform in fact suggests that most of the problems that beset the international financial system are likely to remain unchanged. This pessimistic outlook arouses deep concern in developing countries lest they remain vulnerable to future financial crises, even if they faithfully carry out the kinds of reform recommended by IMF and the World Bank. Given this reality, developing countries may have to develop a defence mechanism of their own by instituting a system of capital control and adopting an exchange rate system that lies somewhere between the two corner solutions.

Design-led procurement: linking the design process with procurement of construction projects

Separation of design from construction has led to serious coordination and communication problems in our industry, which are unlikely to be resolved by BIM without significant changes. Although collaborative design and construction methods have been developed for major projects, over 80% of all construction projects still suffer from a divisive risk management culture, which perpetuates problems of integration between briefing, design and construction. Design-led procurement facilitates the engagement of trade and specialist contractors in the briefing and design process. Designers lead the supervision of work on site, thereby bridging the gaps between briefing, design and construction. Network governance supported by Project Insurance, instead of Professional Indemnity Insurance, facilitates the optimization between briefing, design and construction. A new paradigm has to be established to disentangle long established routines across the design and construction professions

Childhood Memories of the Domestic Foodscape: The Home as a Site of Mindful Eating

This essay explores the home as an interactive built environment that dynamically stimulates and reflects food-related ideas and practice. The question we are asking is whether and how the architecture and design of the home can be conducive to “mindful eating,” a term defined here as having health-related implications but also as related to the creation of richly sensorial food-borne experiences encouraging communality and commensality. Our approach is a hybrid application of theory and methods derived from our respective domains of architecture and design studies, and marketing analysis: it analyzes the answers to a questionnaire that interrogates adult food behaviour, and also prompts the participants to document memories related to childhood eating experiences in the home. Our findings suggest that certain characteristics of domestic material culture do indeed anchor mindful eating practices, with the kitchen table having particular significance in this regard. Résumé Cet article envisage le foyer comme un environnement interactif qui exerce une influence dynamique sur les idées et les pratiques reliées à l’alimentation, tout en les reflétant. Nous cherchons à savoir si, et comment, l’architecture et la conception de la maison peuvent favoriser une « prise de conscience de l’alimentation », terme défini ici comme recouvrant à la fois des implications de santé, mais aussi d’expériences alimentaires de qualité sur le plan sensoriel, qui nourrissent le sentiment de communauté et de convivialité. Notre approche est hybride, consistant à appliquer des théories et des méthodes dérivées de nos champs d’études respectifs d’une part en architecture et en design, et d’autre part en analyses de marché : elle part des réponses à un questionnaire portant sur le comportement des adultes face à la nourriture, mais en enrichissant ces participants par des souvenirs liés aux expériences alimentaires de l’enfance à la maison. Nos découvertes suggèrent que certaines caractéristiques de la culture matérielle domestique contribuent de manière effective à ancrer des pratiques alimentaires conscientes, et que la table de la cuisine détient une signification particulière de ce point de vue