Physical, cultural and cognitive interactions in the conception and production of the built environment

Architecture has been pushed towards the realms of theorization, conceptualization and design methodologies. It is apparent that design is becoming interrupted and more associated with the manufacturing of ideas. It has lost its essence as a phenomenon whose roots are embedded in history and man’s relationship with his specific habitat. Hence, the aim of the thesis is to redirect architectural attention to Ecology and its various implications on design. The study puts forward the notion that human achievements are an outcome of the interaction between ecology, Culture and Cognitive Structure. These relationships are thought to set the principles behind environmental qualities of stability, compatibility and fitness. Once designers arrive at an understanding of these principles, they will be able to manipulate their design ideas to accommodate ever changing circumstances of their physical and cultural environments. The title “Physical, cultural and cognitive interactions in the conception and the production of the built environment” implies a significant theme which could indicate major traits that characterize modern practices and theorisation within the area of Architectural and Environmental Design Studies. In this work, it will be seen why and how: First, a lack of consideration for the physical environment, its requirements and its role in producing diversified architectural forms. The most significant outcome of a such position lies in divorcing nature, its laws and the ecosystems on which man has spent the preceding history elaborating building patterns on the basis of utilising them for his interest free of charge and without consequences to his survival. The fact is that different cultures, ways of life and differentiated built environments, which can only be attributed to man’s adaptation to different ecological conditions, have been widely swept away under the mythical notion of “International style”. Second, because the architects and theorists of the contemporary architecture admire mental constructions and abstract philosophies of their own, they have advocated an alien and distorted meaning of the concept of culture. The most likely interpretation of this vital concept is that it is viewed as related to a kind of abstract intellectual capacity in the human brain that does not lend itself to variation in the physical setting. Tragically, the adoption of such view has resulted in sweeping away subcultures which have been developed in remote areas in accordance with their geographical setting. The most acceptable meaning of culture has been to imply the role of physical environment in shaping social relations, the modes of thought, norms, beliefs, ways of life, the ideologies and the total range of customary behaviour, all of which have been influenced by people’s adaptation to their environment. Therefore, building forms, patterns of growth, town morphology, in short, architectural phenomenon, has, like culture, evolved characteristics from its natural habitat. We now often observe that such an argument is totally diminishing in the present architecture and in the environmental activities of those in charge. Third, the interruption of continuity and flow of human cognitive knowledge by introducing techniques and thoughts whose practical values, aesthetical capacities and meanings do not correspond with people’s knowledge of the environment, building behaviour or activities associated with the history of people’s relation to their own habitat. This work is structured in two main parts; the first one will deal with the contribution of the different disciplines such as Ecology, Culture, Economy, Psychology, Architecture and Urban Design from the theoretical point of view in the development of the different concepts. In the second part, we will discuss the impact of these disciplines on the production of our built environment and we will end up by suggesting a model highlighting the interactions of these disciplines in the evaluation and the production of our built environment through a chosen case study which is Algiers. The main methods used in this study are: Descriptive for the first part which is dealing with the review of the current literature on Ecology, Culture and Cognition; Analytic for the proposed model and the case study; the third method is predictive and concerns the last part of this work.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Drivers for managing sustainability-related knowledge

As organisations try to meet sustainability challenges, they need to be innovative. This often calls for the creation, use and exploitation of new knowledge. Therefore, knowledge resources must be properly managed to enable well-informed decisions. There is, however, little empirical research on the key drivers for managing sustainability-related knowledge in the UK industrial sectors – which is the core aspect of this paper. For this study, four industry sectors: energy and utilities, transportation, construction and not-for-profit organisations were considered, based on the environmental, social and economic impact on UK society. A semi-structured interview method was used to collect industry perception, which was then analysed at both aggregate and sector levels using content analysis for inference and conclusion. The data analysis revealed four key drivers that have fuelled the need for managing sustainability-related knowledge. They are: to improve access to knowledge associated with sustainability initiatives, to identify knowledge assets associated with sustainability initiatives, to improve the flow of knowledge associated with sustainability initiatives and to capture key knowledge associated with sustainability initiatives. The paper concludes that identifying and understanding the key drivers for managing knowledge within the context of sustainability is a complex process. Before embarking on a knowledge management journey, decision makers have to understand what they would like to achieve with their knowledge management programme and what value it needs to add to their organisation in the context of sustainability

Examining the direct effect of the use of traffic safety technologies in Abu Dhabi highways on other traffic safety dimensions

his paper presents the findings of a study, implemented in Abu Dhabi, which aimed to examine the direct effects of the use of traffic safety technologies on the mitigation of risks associated with traffic accidents. The study adopted the use of a questionnaire-based survey with traffic safety experts in Abu Dhabi Emirate. The views of more than a hundred respondents were collected on areas such as the status of existing traffic safety technologies in Abu Dhabi’s highway network, the impact of traffic safety technologies on enforcement, existing highway design practices, effects of driver education on safety and the impact of safety technologies on the efficiency of emergency responses. Factor analysis and Freidman tests were employed for the interrogation of the data in order to extract findings from the views of different experts on the aforementioned areas. The analysis showed that the deployment of traffic safety technologies has a positive impact on the efficiency of enforcement practices and improvements on traffic safety, and on enhancing operators’ efficiency and capability in taking appropriate and prompt action in situations calling for emergency responses. Moreover, speed cameras and VMS deployment are highly favoured in addressing engineering design shortfalls. Also, training and awareness enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of traffic safety technologies

Examining the satisfaction level of construction workers on safety management in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

The importance of the construction industry in Saudi Arabia cannot be overemphasised as it provides the infrastructure required for other sectors of the economy to grow, thus reflecting the level of economic development in the country. However, in Saudi Arabia, the construction industry is recognized to be the one of the most hazardous with high levels of accidents and fatalities. This research aimed to examine construction Health and Safety practices in Saudi Arabia, and to identify means of facilitating improvements within the practices. It also discusses about safety climate. The research adopted a quantitative approach in which a survey questionnaire was distributed and returned at 60% response rate. The survey data was analysed through descriptive statistics using the SPSS statistical software. The findings showed that the Saudi construction industry has made improvements in Health and Safety standards, however there are opportunities for further improvements. There are on-going efforts to maintain reasonable Health and Safety standards of employees on-site, their conditions off-site particularly those of migrant employees on fixed term contract labour are difficult. Unpaid wages and lack of welfare facilities contribute to physical and psychological stresses that are linked to impaired on-site performance, lack of motivation, lack of productivity and a lack of interest in adhering to Health and Safety guidelines. The study concludes that it is possible to improve construction Health and Safety through effective enforcement of existing Health and Safety laws, enacting legislation for off-site Health and Safety for migrant workers, maintaining a fund for social security and improving regulation of commercial and contractual transactions. This study contributes to knowledge in the areas of government policy and decision making in health and safety implementation for the construction industry

A novel methodology for e-learning space design in HEI campuses

The Higher Education Institution and the Construction Industry are yet to define the most appropriate and effective design parameters for E-learning spaces. Those which exist, focus mainly on cost, budget and timely delivery i.e. the process only not the product. An effective approach to E-learning space design is needed to address the problems of space efficiency, effectiveness, quality, innovativeness, performance and client satisfaction. This study aimed to develop a novel methodology for e-learning space design, by investigating: the impact of e-learning on facilities and design; the impact of e-learning on the design of future spaces; the impact of blended learning on space design; designing for the learn anytime, anywhere paradigm; security issues of e-learning and e-learning space design, the levels of design risk in an e-learning infrastructure and inclusive design issues. A Grounded theory approach was used during initial desk studies, synchronized with a three part forum and pilot survey of 33participants. From this process, two hypotheses emerged; firstly, e-learning space design could affect users‘ learning outcomes and secondly that; user‘s learning requirements were different and varied. To investigate further, site based analyses of 11 HEI‘s, 10 interviews and subsequently a questionnaire survey was administered. Users‘ and stakeholders requirements and good examples of e-learning space design were identified. Data were analysed using a mixed-method research design approach. Three main constructs, Space design, Technology and the E-learning Space Design research focus (ELSD focus), emerged as significant components in the development of a novel framework for the design of e-learning spaces. The relationship between the components is such that the design of spaces with consideration of the ELSD research focus would ensure the effective identification, interpretation and delivery of users‘ requirement while maximising the benefits of the adoption of appropriate technology within HEI facilities. This was therefore proposed as the realistic framework/model for future design of E- learning Spaces in HEI campuses. The framework was adapted into a conceptual design guide to provide guidance for future space design. It is expected the study will support the HEI sector globally as it moves towards achieving best practice solutions to future E-learning space design in HEI campuses.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Relationship between building intelligence and sustainability

A number of buildings worldwide are achieving ‘sustainability scores’ on being assessed by green building rating systems. These buildings employ a range of intelligent building technologies (IBTs) to varying degrees. To determine the relationship between building intelligence and sustainability, it was strategised that the IBTs used in these buildings would be analysed to assess their impact on sustainability scores. Forty Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Methodology- and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certified buildings were chosen from the UK and Europe. The data was subjected to qualitative and quantitative analysis methods. Bivariate correlation, regression analysis and fivefold cross-validation provided a best-fit logarithmic model that predicts the sustainability score of a building as an estimate value, based on the number of IBTs. Two overarching themes emerged: how the number and type of IBTs affect the sustainability score and how there needs to be an optimisation between the user’s needs, the building’s functionality and the core intelligence function of the technology against the prescriptive parameters imposed by the rating systems. A positive correlation was observed between the variables. The buildings reported reduction of 41% in energy consumption, 39% in water consumption, 36% carbon dioxide emissions and significant economic and social benefits

Examining the Satisfaction Level of Construction Workers Regarding Safety Management in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

The importance of the construction industry in Saudi Arabia cannot be overemphasised, as it provides the infrastructure required for other sectors of the economy to grow, thus reflecting the level of economic development in the country. However, in Saudi Arabia, the construction industry is among the most hazardous, with a high level of accidents and fatalities. This study examines health and safety practices in the construction industry of Saudi Arabia and identifies opportunities for improvement. It also discusses the safety climate. The study adopted a quantitative approach in which a survey questionnaire was distributed and returned at a 60% response rate. The survey data were analysed using descriptive statistics with SPSS statistical software. The findings show that the Saudi Arabia construction industry has made improvements in health and safety standards; however, there are opportunities for further improvement. There are on-going efforts to maintain reasonable health and safety standards for employees on-site, but conditions off-site, particularly those of migrant employees on fixed-term labour contracts, are difficult. Unpaid wages and lack of welfare facilities contribute to physical and psychological stresses that are linked to impaired on-site performance, lack of motivation, lack of productivity and a lack of interest in adhering to health and safety guidelines. The study concludes that it is possible to improve health and safety in the construction industry through the effective enforcement of existing health and safety laws, enacting legislation regarding off-site health and safety for migrant workers, maintaining a fund for social security, and improving the regulation of commercial and contractual transactions. This study contributes to the knowledge of government policy and decision making in implementing health and safety regulations in the construction industry

Iconographic architecture as signs and symbols in Dubai

This study seeks to investigate the impact of architectural icons on the cities that they are built in, especially those in Dubai to understand the perceptions and associations of ordinary people with these icons, thus analysing their impact on the quality of life in the city. This is an important study with the advent of ‘iconism’ in architecture that has a growing acceptance and demand, wherein the status of a piece of architecture is predetermined as an icon by the media and not necessarily by the people. There is no denying that the fastest means of appearing on the world map is through icons, which Dubai evidently achieved, and there are many supporters of this phenomenon as a means of progress and development, the bonus being instant fame and status. But the symbolism employed in these icons, specifically for this part of the world, many argue may not be relevant to the people or the region, thus leading to a loss of identity and sense of belonging that is a vital component in the overall sense of pride. This study thus evaluates architecture as a service industry that is not only to satisfy the personal egos of the architects or the clients. It has an important role to leave a mark on the end users and not only on the glossy architectural journals. The study presents views on what really leaves a mark on the people’s memory, addressing the scale, the grandness, the location, the size, the technology and the materials that may or may not contribute to the iconic status of an architectural project from the people’s perspective. Further the study investigates if an icon is one that could be a forced landmark or it is one that people associate with, relate to and one that gives them the sense of belonging and pride, binding them together. The expressive iconic forms with the metaphors emerging, may or may not add to the quality of a place, create places of spaces or it may result in more of form accommodating functions.Thus it is imperative to understand that though today Dubai with its multiple icons that are jewels in the crown of Dubai, reflecting awe and splendor, what does this architecture do for the people and thus in leaving an imprint on the peoples mind collectively. The study analyzes the dimensions that make certain kind of architecture stand out. Some of these dimensions are physical and others are difficult to measure, thus it addresses the tangible and intangible factors that result in the icon and the associated symbolism with it. The relevance and meaning of these symbols will have to stand the test of time to leave an ever-lasting impression on generations to come. The literature review was the first part of the study and the theoretical studies were divided into three pivot areas in this thesis: evolution of architecture as signs and symbols, international iconic architecture and its impact, architecture as identity through symbolism. The study also focusses on Dubai as an emerging iconic city concentrating on the needs of people and impact of these icons on people specifically, further highlighting the issues of legibility, context and identity in Dubai. The empirical study examines this argument about iconic architecture through questionnaires and interviews. A comparison is drawn between different segments of people in the community, one set of samples being those who are closely associated with these icons through the process of decision making or building, the others who have very minimal knowledge and association with these icons. The findings thus indicate both the well-established criteria for awarding an iconic status and also the intangible often ignored aspects in iconic image building. Thus, the study suggests a paradigm that could provide more human based elements in the iconic architecture and the selected symbols in representing these icons. Certain recommendations supporting the perception of people towards icons, their needs and local considerations are further made to make cities more liveable and joyful for the people they are intended for.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo