Re-scripting the streets in the sky : shifts in the typology of a listed building in Park Hill, Sheffield

Inspired by Le Corbusier’s ideas for vertical living, the concept of “Streets in the Sky” was created in the UK in the 1950’s to describe large-scale circulation at a level above the ground in high-rise buildings. The term was originally coined by the Smithsons, in their 1952 entry for the Golden Lane competition, but the first built manifestation in British social housing was in the design of Park Hill, Sheffield, in the late 1950’s. Park Hill was designed to encourage social interaction between residents and even allowed vehicles to move on the elevated decks. The new “Streets in the Sky” were the nearest social housing ever got to imitate ground level street conditions. In 1998 English Heritage assessed the building as being of international importance, and included as a listed entry. The importance of the elevated decks is evident throughout the listing report, and the historical significance of the “Streets in the sky” clearly stands out. A visit to one of the recently redeveloped flanks of Park Hill, however, reveals otherwise: the “Streets in the Sky” have been significantly altered. This paper will discuss the shift that I have observed in Park Hill’s redevelopment. What started as a listing based on a historical concept, shifted during the reconstruction in ways that have changed the typology of the building. Interactions between developers, altering user needs and limitations from existing materials have impacted on the historical associations of the new development and have re-scripted the narrative of the “Streets”

Using BIM to achieve Architectural Engineering undergraduate learning outcomes

Building Information Modelling is a process integrating 3D graphics and data. It is being adopted into the AECOO industries and by default into the delivery of undergraduate Architectural Programs. This object approach offers a range of benefits over the more traditional CAD approach that uses lines and arcs and manual techniques, by adding the third dimension and creating a database model. It redefines the ways of thinking and working for students and future architects and architectural engineers. The requirements of architectural programs are defined through their learning objectives to meet professional requirements such as those set by the ARB and the RIBA. This paper aims to investigate how the capabilities of BIM can be utilized to deliver the requirements of undergraduate architectural engineering programs in a more effective manner. . Purpose: to further develop an implementation strategy for BIM in the undergraduate program of architectural engineering that helps in achieving the learning outcomes. Design/Methodology/Approach: In order to ensure transparency and reliability in the formulated solutions, the adopted methodology for this research is the design science since it deals with explicit problems and provides solutions by creating an artifact. The design science method also provides validation for the proposed solution by peer assessment. At the educational level, the study explores the undergraduate curriculum by taking case studies of programs and their learning outcomes that are set under the criteria of ARB and RIBA. The research analyzes these case studies in an attempt to detect the problems and define the requirements to solve the gaps. Findings: The findings of the literature review identify the gaps that exist in the curriculum of the undergraduate architecture programs in the UK. The methodology is designed to develop a framework that acts as a guideline in implementing BIM in education. This paper sets the parameters for tutors to integrate BIM effectively into architectural undergraduate programs which shall promote the development of undergraduate students. Originality/Value: The adoption of BIM within the architectural curriculum has been partial or immature up till this time. This paper addresses the effective implementation of BIM within the undergraduate programs which shall act as an original guideline that can aid professional institutions

Modelmaking in architectural space production : studio interactions in the material and the digital realm

This paper will question and reposition what traditional model making practices in architectural education have enabled and how the transition to digital model making ultimately also means a paradigm shift in the ways we produce, manufacture, design, use and experience architecture. To do so, I will argue that the shift that has taken place in architectural production from physical model making to using digital means of fabrication has not only created a shift in the way architecture is produced but also a shift in the type of architecture produced. I begin by arguing that the change of medium from the physicality of a material to the terrain of a virtual environment, is at first glance a simple change of medium, a change in the tools and techniques used. But because it involves a different type of interaction, a different effect is produced. The paper investigates examples from student work and concludes that the physical handling of matter informs the development of ideas in architectural and design education in a different way than the engagement with a digital tool because of the different experience the software affords and because of the different embodied experience that an object’s materiality offers

Enhancing heritage and traditional architecture conservation through digital technologies. Developing a digital conservation handbook for As-Salt, Jordan

Heritage cities are facing unprecedented pressure, due to the combination of climate change impacts, rapid urbanization and uncontrolled growth. Historic urban centres in Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries are particularly exposed. This paper discusses the benefit of applying digital technologies, and in particular Building Information Modeling (BIM), in supporting heritage conservation, by developing a proof of concept based on a purposely chosen case study, i.e. the traditional Jordanian city of As-Salt near Amman. Building on and moving forward the tradition of paper-based Conservation Handbooks for historic cities, this study aims at exploiting the potential of digital technologies for enhancing the development and implementation of Digital Conservation Handbooks. Documentation and promoting of As-Salt will be conducted through developing a set of virtual models (3D models and BIM objects) suitable to support the construction sector and traditional architecture and heritage, framed and delivered in form of Digital Conservation Handbook. This will be achieved by: developing a new set of BIM (Building Information Modeling) objects related to the traditional architecture heritage in Jordan, suitable to be used by engineers and architects in the development of interventions on the built environment; creating a library of 3D models of exemplar buildings (Jordan heritage and traditional architecture), suitable to be used to promote the tourist image of Jordan. This will set a precedent for further documentation and heritage conservation of traditional cities in Jordan, MENA countries and internationally. Finally, the paper will discuss issues and challenges of documenting traditional heritage and architecture in As-Salt and the impact that such process may achieve in raising awareness across the local communities, thus offering insights to the larger community of architects, conservationists, and planners

Changes in Heterotrophic Picoplankton Community Structure after Induction of a Phytoplankton Bloom under Different Light Regimes

Bacterial and archaeal diversity and succession were studied during a mesocosm experiment that investigated whether changing light regimes could affect the onset of phytoplankton blooms. For this, 454-pyrosequencing of the bacterial V1-V3 and archaeal V3-V9 16S rRNA regions was performed in samples collected from four mesocosms receiving different light irradiances at the beginning and the end of the experiment and during phytoplankton growth. In total, 46 bacterial operational taxonomic units (OTUs) with ≥1% relative abundance occurred (22-34 OTUs per mesocosm). OTUs were affiliated mainly with Rhodobacteraceae, Flavobacteriaceae and Alteromonadaceae. The four mesocosms shared 11 abundant OTUs. Dominance increased at the beginning of phytoplankton growth in all treatments and decreased thereafter. Maximum dominance was found in the mesocosms with high irradiances. Overall, specific bacterial OTUs had different responses in terms of relative abundance under in situ and high light intensities, and an early phytoplankton bloom resulted in different bacterial community structures both at high (family) and low (OTU) taxonomic levels. Thus, bacterial community structure and succession are affected by light regime, both directly and indirectly, which may have implications for an ecosystem's response to environmental changes

Local habitat composition and complexity outweigh seascape effects on fish distributions across a tropical seascape

Context: The distribution of animals is influenced by a complex interplay of landscape, environmental, habitat, and anthropogenic factors. While the effects of each of these forces on fish assemblages have been studied in isolation, the implications of their combined influence within a seascape remain equivocal. Objectives: We assessed the importance of local habitat composition, seascape configuration, and environmental conditions for determining the abundance, diversity, and functional composition of fish assemblages across a tropical seascape. Methods: We quantified fish abundance in coral, macroalgal, mangrove, and sand habitats throughout the Dampier Archipelago, Western Australia. A full-subsets modelling approach was used that incorporated data from benthic habitat maps, a hydrodynamic model, in situ measures of habitat composition, and remotely sensed environmental data to evaluate the relative influence of biophysical drivers on fish assemblages. Results: Measures of habitat complexity were the strongest predictors of fish abundance, diversity, and assemblage composition in coral and macroalgal habitats, with seascape effects playing a secondary role for some functional groups. Proximity to potential nursery habitats appeared to have minimal influence on coral reef fish assemblages. Consequently, coral, macroalgal, and mangrove habitats contained distinct fish assemblages that contributed to the overall diversity of fish within the seascape. Conclusions: Our findings underscore the importance of structural complexity for supporting diverse and abundant fish populations and suggest that the value of structural connectivity between habitats depends on local environmental context. Our results support management approaches that prioritise the preservation of habitat complexity, and that incorporate the full range of habitats comprising tropical seascapes

Implementation of the Water Framework Directive: Lessons Learned and Future Perspectives for an Ecologically Meaningful Classification Based on Phytoplankton of the Status of Greek Lakes, Mediterranean Region

The enactment of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) initiated scientific efforts to develop reliable methods for comparing prevailing lake conditions against reference (or nonimpaired) states, using the state of a set biological elements. Drawing a distinction between impaired and natural conditions can be a challenging exercise. Another important aspect is to ensure that water quality assessment is comparable among the different Member States. In this context, the present paper offers a constructive critique of the practices followed during the WFD implementation in Greece by pinpointing methodological weaknesses and knowledge gaps that undermine our ability to classify the ecological quality of Greek lakes. One of the pillars of WDF is a valid lake typology that sets ecological standards transcending geographic regions and national boundaries. The national typology of Greek lakes has failed to take into account essential components. WFD compliance assessments based on the descriptions of phytoplankton communities are oversimplified and as such should be revisited. Exclusion of most chroococcal species from the analysis of cyanobacteria biovolume in Greek lakes/reservoirs and most reservoirs in Spain, Portugal, and Cyprus is not consistent with the distribution of those taxa in lakes. Similarly, the total biovolume reference values and the indices used in classification schemes reflect misunderstandings of WFD core principles. This hampers the comparability of ecological status across Europe and leads to quality standards that are too relaxed to provide an efficient target for the protection of Greek/transboundary lakes such as the ancient Lake Megali Prespa

Towards smart planning conservation of heritage cities : digital technologies and heritage conservation planning

Consensus exists on the importance of local identity and diversity in the sustainability discourse, including community resilience. As result, cultural policies are essential to enable sustainability goals. In the construction industry, digital technologies are playing a significant role in flattening the richness and distinctiveness of local contexts and homogenizing languages and practices, under the pressure of the constant urge to reduce costs and the necessity to comply with a sometime overwhelming plethora of technical and legal requirements and standards. The ambition of this paper is to shed light to the interplay between digital technologies, planning practice and tangible heritage conservation in the city, by clarifying the dynamic among the three fields and their implications in the practice. In so doing, this paper aims at offering recommendations that can inform the smart heritage conservation planning practice worldwide, and can be used by experts working for heritage conservation authorities, local authorities, professional practices, charities and digital technologies companies

Developing a heritage BIM shared library for two case studies in Jordan’s heritage: The House of Art in Amman and the Qaqish House in the World Heritage City of As-Salt

International research is moving towards the development of BIM (Building Information Modelling) libraries applied to the built heritage where one of the main issues to be addressed is the modelling of complex or unique shapes that represent the specific construction components of every single asset. This perspective addresses the generation of parametric families of representative architectural geometry in the context of the management and representation of a building of heritage value. Jordan’s architectural heritage has gone through a long period of evolution and development: the result is a mixture of influences and traditions, making a great stride to conserve its buildings and Historical Heritage but has never adopted advanced digital technologies such as Building Information Modelling. In this framework, the present research aims to bridge the gap in Jordan by applying digital technologies to support heritage conservation plans by creating a 3D library of BIM objects related to typical elements of Jordanian and Arabic architecture, specifically in two cases of study. Co-production and collaboration with diverse stakeholders were central to the development of the methodology and design of the research.As a result, the first open-access HBIM shared library of historical features of Jordanian built heritage will be consolidated; this is crucial because it will set a precedent for the further documentation and conservation of the heritage of traditional cities in Jordan, MENA countries and internationally by promoting social cohesion, economic and technological development, tourism and the awareness of Jordan’s cultural heritage