The Beirut Dozen: traditional domestic garden as spatial and cultural mediator

Traditional domestic gardens in Beirut are associated with the detached house typology that appear in the second half of the nineteenth century. Inspired by rural origins, the domestic garden nevertheless evolved by taking on new spatial and cultural dimensions. This study explores these dimensions. The aim is to investigate the role of the urban domestic garden to determine whether it was intended as an appendage to the house or conceived and perceived independently. Space syntax analysis is applied to 12 central-hall, detached houses to investigate garden morphology in relation to house interior configuration and the public domain beyond. The findings demonstrate that far from passive backdrop, the domestic garden served as a spatial and cultural mediator, negotiating private domain and public realm, house and city, tradition and innovation. Analyzing garden spatial characteristics and house alignment point to the garden's role as a 'refuge', visually screening the house and its residents, and equally as a 'prospect' advantaging insiders over outsiders

Configuration and design in caring environments: syntax and quality of life in a sample of residential care homes for older people

Space syntax techniques for the analysis of spatial layouts were the first to demonstrate, in a numerical way, clear and systematic relations between spatial design and observedfunctioning across a range of building and urban types. In this project, the techniques have been applied for the first time to the problem of layout design in care homes for older people as part of a wider study of care home performance, Design in Caring Environments (DICE), carried out by Sheffeld University.We were able to do this because the DICE dataincluded both building plans and quantitative measures of the quality of life of residents and staff. The aim of the work that is reported here was to add the syntactic dimension and to test to see if this related to the DICE quality of life variables.Complex, multi-level regression methods (Gorard, 2003) had been used by the DICE team to plot relationships between the main physical features of each building and quality of life data for residents and staff. An identical approach was used to explore the relationship between a range of syntactic variables and the residents' quality of life scores for eachbuilding. In the final event, only two syntactic variables showed significant associations with quality of life outcomes, but these turned out to be the two most important configu-rational measures - axial global and local integration of the building. These measures are known to work well in predicting space occupancy, use and interaction in buildings thatembed a weak organisational programme, where unplanned movement and activity are likely to make a positive contribution to community formation, but prior to this study we were unsure of the extent to which building layout would be able to overcome the effects of a strong organisational programme of the kind that exists in the care home sector andwhich is usually backed up by rules restricting access to different parts of the building. The results from multi-level modelling revealed clear and positive correlations betweenspatial design variables and three critical performance variables: the proportion of the residents' active time, frequency of the residents' enjoyable activity and the extent of the residents' choice and control over environment. The research thus shows unambiguously that, as many designers and care home managers suspect, design is indeed a criticalvariable in care home management and performance. Space syntax techniques for the analysis of spatial layouts were the first to demonstrate, in a numerical way, clear and systematic relations between spatial design and observedfunctioning across a range of building and urban types. In this project, the techniques have been applied for the first time to the problem of layout design in care homes for older people as part of a wider study of care home performance, Design in Caring Environments (DICE), carried out by Sheffeld University.We were able to do this because the DICE dataincluded both building plans and quantitative measures of the quality of life of residents and staff. The aim of the work that is reported here was to add the syntactic dimension and to test to see if this related to the DICE quality of life variables.Complex, multi-level regression methods (Gorard, 2003) had been used by the DICE team to plot relationships between the main physical features of each building and quality of life data for residents and staff. An identical approach was used to explore the relationship between a range of syntactic variables and the residents' quality of life scores for eachbuilding. In the final event, only two syntactic variables showed significant associations with quality of life outcomes, but these turned out to be the two most important configu-rational measures - axial global and local integration of the building. These measures are known to work well in predicting space occupancy, use and interaction in buildings thatembed a weak organisational programme, where unplanned movement and activity are likely to make a positive contribution to community formation, but prior to this study we were unsure of the extent to which building layout would be able to overcome the effects of a strong organisational programme of the kind that exists in the care home sector andwhich is usually backed up by rules restricting access to different parts of the building. The results from multi-level modelling revealed clear and positive correlations betweenspatial design variables and three critical performance variables: the proportion of the residents' active time, frequency of the residents' enjoyable activity and the extent of the residents' choice and control over environment. The research thus shows unambiguously that, as many designers and care home managers suspect, design is indeed a criticalvariable in care home management and performance

Communities of Co-presence and Surveillance: how public open space shapes awareness and behaviour in residential developments

12-15 June 200

Meeting the needs of older peoplewith visual impairment: social care orsocial exclusion?

This paper is based on the research study ?Housing and supportneeds of older people with visual impairment ? experiences andchallenges? (Hanson et al, 2002).1The full findings of this study are reported in another occasionalpaper produced by Thomas Pocklington Trust.2 It is, however, usefulto state that this study found evidence that sight loss in later life hassignificant emotional consequences, often unacknowledged byprofessionals. It also showed how older people with visionimpairment often have their own coping strategies, but are less ablethan sighted peers to carry out certain daily tasks.The study suggested that professionals should offer sensitive andtimely support, in a more collaborative manner, and that serviceshave to be monitored and evaluated to avoid wide-ranging needsremaining unmet. In respect of the home environment, researchindicated that adequate and accessible domestic space in which todo housework safely, low vision equipment and the provision ofovernight accommodation for guests and carers was required.Most participants in the study wished to stay in their homes andneighbourhoods. When asked about possible alternative options,participants emphasised the importance of location and sufficientspace. If they were considering supported housing, they requiredfull information about how it addressed their particular needs.This paper focuses on whether older people with visual impairmentare vulnerable to social exclusion if their social care needs are unmet. In particular, this paper argues that:? Greater professional collaboration is required to improve eyeclinic and community support services.? Relevant staff should aim to provide timely and holisticassessments of need.? Older people with vision impairment have significant needs asregards home care support, access to information, psychologicalstress and social isolation.? Initiatives such as peer support groups and resource centres offeropportunities to tackle social exclusion arising from unmetneeds. This paper is based on the research study ?Housing and supportneeds of older people with visual impairment ? experiences andchallenges? (Hanson et al, 2002).1The full findings of this study are reported in another occasionalpaper produced by Thomas Pocklington Trust.2 It is, however, usefulto state that this study found evidence that sight loss in later life hassignificant emotional consequences, often unacknowledged byprofessionals. It also showed how older people with visionimpairment often have their own coping strategies, but are less ablethan sighted peers to carry out certain daily tasks.The study suggested that professionals should offer sensitive andtimely support, in a more collaborative manner, and that serviceshave to be monitored and evaluated to avoid wide-ranging needsremaining unmet. In respect of the home environment, researchindicated that adequate and accessible domestic space in which todo housework safely, low vision equipment and the provision ofovernight accommodation for guests and carers was required.Most participants in the study wished to stay in their homes andneighbourhoods. When asked about possible alternative options,participants emphasised the importance of location and sufficientspace. If they were considering supported housing, they requiredfull information about how it addressed their particular needs.This paper focuses on whether older people with visual impairmentare vulnerable to social exclusion if their social care needs are unmet. In particular, this paper argues that:? Greater professional collaboration is required to improve eyeclinic and community support services.? Relevant staff should aim to provide timely and holisticassessments of need.? Older people with vision impairment have significant needs asregards home care support, access to information, psychologicalstress and social isolation.? Initiatives such as peer support groups and resource centres offeropportunities to tackle social exclusion arising from unmetneeds

The Housing and Support Needs of Older People with Visual Impairment

Visual impairment is one of the most prevalent anddisabling conditions among older people, and yet verylittle research has been conducted that could inform thedevelopment of appropriate public services. In order toaddress this deficiency, Thomas Pocklington Trust fundedresearch to examine the housing and support needs of 400visually impaired people aged over 55.The study found that:? There is little professional recognition, or offers of help andadvice for the anxiety, depression, and sense of profoundloss that people experience with late onset of visualimpairment.? Both blind and partially sighted people need timely andholistic assessment, rehabilitation, affordable equipment andregular review.? People with sight loss do not wish to leave their homes.Home is the epicentre of a mental map that assistsorientation and continuity following sight loss.? Social isolation and lack of human contact are majorproblems for people with sight loss.? People with sight loss have poor knowledge of supportgroups, community services and/or specialist housingoptions for older people with visual impairment. Visual impairment is one of the most prevalent anddisabling conditions among older people, and yet verylittle research has been conducted that could inform thedevelopment of appropriate public services. In order toaddress this deficiency, Thomas Pocklington Trust fundedresearch to examine the housing and support needs of 400visually impaired people aged over 55.The study found that:? There is little professional recognition, or offers of help andadvice for the anxiety, depression, and sense of profoundloss that people experience with late onset of visualimpairment.? Both blind and partially sighted people need timely andholistic assessment, rehabilitation, affordable equipment andregular review.? People with sight loss do not wish to leave their homes.Home is the epicentre of a mental map that assistsorientation and continuity following sight loss.? Social isolation and lack of human contact are majorproblems for people with sight loss.? People with sight loss have poor knowledge of supportgroups, community services and/or specialist housingoptions for older people with visual impairment

Opening up the open spaces through space syntax

In many parts of the world, housing and neighbourhood developments of the latetwentieth century have been shaped by the belief that it is important to createcommunal open spaces that can provide a physical focus for local communities.This has given rise to a range of modern housing typologies that are based on anethos of building community through design, using concepts such as a ?privacygradient?, the separation of pedestrian and vehicular movement and the notion of?enclosure?, amongst others, to shape the public open space of the estate. Thispaper examines the contribution of such public spaces to community awareness intwenty-eight English city-centre housing estates with differing housingmorphologies, built between the middle of the nineteenth century and the earlytwenty-first century. As a manifestation of the complex social relationships thattake place within the domain of public space, we suggest that the above conceptsand their physical realisation need to be complemented by careful consideration ofsocial notions such as the constitutedness of the spaces, co-presence andsurveillance. The methodology used is based on a detailed analysis of the builtforms and spatial layouts of the estates, combined with a ?space syntax? analysis ofthe interconnectedness and accessibility of the public realm within each estate,representations that show the extent of visual fields from key public open spacesand an appraisal of the types of physical boundaries surrounding each of theseopen spaces and the openings that give onto them. The juxtaposition of thesedifferent analyses provides insight into the interfaces maintained spatially betweenresidents and non-residents and the possibilities that are thereby created formutual awareness and encounter. In many parts of the world, housing and neighbourhood developments of the latetwentieth century have been shaped by the belief that it is important to createcommunal open spaces that can provide a physical focus for local communities.This has given rise to a range of modern housing typologies that are based on anethos of building community through design, using concepts such as a ?privacygradient?, the separation of pedestrian and vehicular movement and the notion of?enclosure?, amongst others, to shape the public open space of the estate. Thispaper examines the contribution of such public spaces to community awareness intwenty-eight English city-centre housing estates with differing housingmorphologies, built between the middle of the nineteenth century and the earlytwenty-first century. As a manifestation of the complex social relationships thattake place within the domain of public space, we suggest that the above conceptsand their physical realisation need to be complemented by careful consideration ofsocial notions such as the constitutedness of the spaces, co-presence andsurveillance. The methodology used is based on a detailed analysis of the builtforms and spatial layouts of the estates, combined with a ?space syntax? analysis ofthe interconnectedness and accessibility of the public realm within each estate,representations that show the extent of visual fields from key public open spacesand an appraisal of the types of physical boundaries surrounding each of theseopen spaces and the openings that give onto them. The juxtaposition of thesedifferent analyses provides insight into the interfaces maintained spatially betweenresidents and non-residents and the possibilities that are thereby created formutual awareness and encounter

Nanoscopic and Photonic Ultrastructural Characterization of Two Distinct Insulin Amyloid States

Two different conformational isoforms or amyloid strains of insulin with different cytotoxic capacity have been described previously. Herein these filamentous and fibrillar amyloid states of insulin were investigated using biophysical and spectroscopic techniques in combination with luminescent conjugated oligothiophenes (LCO). This new class of fluorescent probes has a well defined molecular structure with a distinct number of thiophene units that can adopt different dihedral angles depending on its binding site to an amyloid structure. Based on data from surface charge, hydrophobicity, fluorescence spectroscopy and imaging, along with atomic force microscopy (AFM), we deduce the ultrastructure and fluorescent properties of LCO stained insulin fibrils and filaments. Combined total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (TIRFM) and AFM revealed rigid linear fibrous assemblies of fibrils whereas filaments showed a short curvilinear morphology which assemble into cloudy deposits. All studied LCOs bound to the filaments afforded more blue-shifted excitation and emission spectra in contrast to those corresponding to the fibril indicating a different LCO binding site, which was also supported by less efficient hydrophobic probe binding. Taken together, the multi-tool approach used here indicates the power of ultrastructure identification applying AFM together with LCO fluorescence interrogation, including TIRFM, to resolve structural differences between amyloid states

Altered versican cleavage in ADAMTS5 deficient mice : a novel etiology of myxomatous valve disease

AbstractIn fetal valve maturation the mechanisms by which the relatively homogeneous proteoglycan-rich extracellular matrix (ECM) of endocardial cushions is replaced by a specialized and stratified ECM found in mature valves are not understood. Therefore, we reasoned that uncovering proteases critical for ‘remodeling’ the proteoglycan rich (extracellular matrix) ECM may elucidate novel mechanisms of valve development. We have determined that mice deficient in ADAMTS5, (A Disintegrin-like And Metalloprotease domain with ThromboSpondin-type 1 motifs) which we demonstrated is expressed predominantly by valvular endocardium during cardiac valve maturation, exhibited enlarged valves. ADAMTS5 deficient valves displayed a reduction in cleavage of its substrate versican, a critical cardiac proteoglycan. In vivo reduction of versican, in Adamts5−/− mice, achieved through Vcan heterozygosity, substantially rescued the valve anomalies. An increase in BMP2 immunolocalization, Sox9 expression and mesenchymal cell proliferation were observed in Adamts5−/− valve mesenchyme and correlated with expansion of the spongiosa (proteoglycan-rich) region in Adamts5−/− valve cusps. Furthermore, these data suggest that ECM remodeling via ADAMTS5 is required for endocardial to mesenchymal signaling in late fetal valve development. Although adult Adamts5−/− mice are viable they do not recover from developmental valve anomalies and have myxomatous cardiac valves with 100% penetrance. Since the accumulation of proteoglycans is a hallmark of myxomatous valve disease, based on these data we hypothesize that a lack of versican cleavage during fetal valve development may be a potential etiology of adult myxomatous valve disease