Book Review: Unified architectural theory: Form, language, complexity, Nikos A. Salingaros

Unified Architectural Theory: Form, Language, Complexity is a compendium of scientific knowledge and practical insight into architectural theory and how it is taught to students. In this guide, Nikos Salingaros, Professor of Mathematics at the University of Texas, offers a succinct summary of his extensive course focusing on how to intelligently approach architectural design by aid of scientific evidence. Unified Architectural Theory seeks to establish a clear articulation of the perdurable framework behind “all of architecture” through centuries that is based on hard scientific facts rather than personal sentiments. The book contains 44 sections and is organised in two parts that respectively give an overview of the course lectures and assignments. The concise format of the sections as well as the apprehensible writing tailored to meet students’ needs make it a great companion for anyone who wants to learn

Sustainable Approaches in Built Environment in Preparing for Global Environmental Change

No Abstrac

Design Creativity: Future Directions for Integrated Visualisation

The Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) sectors are facing unprecedented challenges, not just with increased complexity of projects per se, but design-related integration. This requires stakeholders to radically re-think their existing business models (and thinking that underpins them), but also the technological challenges and skills required to deliver these projects. Whilst opponents will no doubt cite that this is nothing new as the sector as a whole has always had to respond to change; the counter to this is that design ‘creativity’ is now much more dependent on integration from day one. Given this, collaborative processes embedded in Building Information Modelling (BIM) models have been proffered as a panacea solution to embrace this change and deliver streamlined integration. The veracity of design teams’ “project data” is increasingly becoming paramount - not only for the coordination of design, processes, engineering services, fabrication, construction, and maintenance; but more importantly, facilitate ‘true’ project integration and interchange – the actualisation of which will require firm consensus and commitment. This Special Issue envisions some of these issues, challenges and opportunities (from a future landscape perspective), by highlighting a raft of concomitant factors, which include: technological challenges, design visualisation and integration, future digital tools, new and anticipated operating environments, and training requirements needed to deliver these aspirations. A fundamental part of this Special Issue’s ‘call’ was to capture best practice in order to demonstrate how design, visualisation and delivery processes (and technologies) affect the finished product viz: design outcome, design procedures, production methodologies and construction implementation. In this respect, the use of virtual environments are now particularly effective at supporting the design and delivery processes. In summary therefore, this Special Issue presents nine papers from leading scholars, industry and contemporaries. These papers provide an eclectic (but cognate) representation of AEC design visualisation and integration; which not only uncovers new insight and understanding of these challenges and solutions, but also provides new theoretical and practice signposts for future research

Cognitive Transformation Mediated By Digital 3D Sketching During Conceptual Architectural Design Process

To optimize the level of cognition and collaboration during conceptual architectural design phase, novice designers need to employ more flexible and intuitive digital media. This thesis studied the feasibility of using VR 3D sketching interface in order to replace current non-intuitive Computer Aided Design (CAD) tools. For this purpose a sequential mixed method research methodology including a qualitative case study research and a cognitive-based quantitative protocol analysis experiment was conducted. Foremost, it was pertinent to understand how novice designers make intuitive decisions. Hence, a case study research comprising of ethnography for data collection and artifact and protocol analysis for data analysis was employed. The purpose was to understand knowledge flow characteristics among mentors and apprentices in real-life architectural conception in studio projects. The ethnography study documented the failure of conventional sketching methods in articulating complicated design ideas. Whereas, it found that current conventional CAD tools do hinder novice designers’ creativity due to their limitation in intuitive ideation. Moreover, the subsequent artifact analysis affirmed established constructs about advantages and disadvantages of each medium in providing “solution quality” and also “certainty about correctness of solution”. The case study’s findings then became the theoretical foundations for the development of a VR 3D sketching interface for enhancing novice designers’ cognition and collaboration during the conceptual design process. This phase of study evaluated the designers’ spatial cognition at four different cognitive levels: “physical-actions”, “perceptual-actions”, “functional-actions”, and “conceptual-actions”. It also evaluated the designers’ spatial cognition in two different collaborative levels: “cognitive synchronizations” and “gestures”. The results and confirmed hypotheses showed that compared to traditional design interfaces, the utilized VR-based simple and tangible 3D sketching interface improved novice designers’ cognitive and collaborative design activities during conceptual architectural phase. In summary the thesis has evaluated inherent characteristics of the conceptual architectural design process and documented influences of current external representation tools on designers’ cognition and collaboration. It has developed the necessary theoretical foundations for cognitive and collaborative aspects of implementing VR 3D sketching interface for future implementation. Results of this thesis are limited to implementation of VR 3D sketching interface to improve cognition and collaboration during conceptual architectural design process at the novice level.In conclusion, this thesis contributes towards transforming conceptual architectural design phase from analogue to digital by proposing a new VR design interface. The author claims that this transformation can fill in the existing gap between analogue conceptual architectural design process and the remaining digital engineering parts of building design process hence enhancing the streamlining of digital design process. Finally, the author claims that the identification and documentation data on designers’ cognitive and collaborative conceptual design behaviors in the Malaysian context can be used as reference in future design studies. It is envisioned that the findings of this study can help the development of cutting-edge information technologies for design or education in the architectural field. Moreover, they will guide in the creation of future professional training programs to enhance capacity and capability of multidisciplinary professionals in using digital interfaces due to increasing global practice

Transformability in Post-Earthquake Houses in Iran: with Special Focus on Lar City

Earthquake is considered as one of the most catastrophic disasters in Iran, in terms of both short-term and longterm hazards. Due to the particular financial and time constraints in Iran, quickly constructed post-earthquake houses (PEHs) do not fulfill the minimum requirements to be considered as comfortable dwellings for people. Consequently, people often transform PEHs after they start to reside. However, lack of understanding about process, motivation, and results of housing transformation leads to construction of some houses not suitable for future transformations, hence resulting in eventually demolished or abandoned PEHs. This study investigated housing transformations in a natural bed of postearthquake Lar. This paper reports results of the conducted survey for comparing normal condition housing transformation with postearthquake housing transformation in order to reveal the factors that affect post-earthquake housing transformation in Iran. The findings proposed the use of a combination of ‘Temporary’ and ‘Permanent’ housing reconstruction models in Iran to provide victims with basic but permanent post-disaster dwellings. It is also suggested that needs for future transformation should be predicted and addressed during early stages of design and development. This study contributes to both research and practice regarding post-earthquake housing reconstruction in Iran by proposing new design approaches and guidelines

CONSTRUCTION PARTNERING: MOVING TOWARDS THE RATIONALISATION FOR A DOMINANT PARADIGM

This paper critically reviews seminal literature on ‘traditional’ and non-market partnering exchanges, in order to identify core congruent issues, drivers and agents of change. It draws out a number of key themes to better understand why the construction industry has remained relatively unchanged; even though successive reports have tried to rectify the industry’s challenges. Acknowledging that there is no one clear definition, strategy or template for the effective implementation of partnering, findings from extant literature highlight eight dominant drivers deemed integral to augmenting project performance and profitability. So, whilst the construction industry invariably conducts its business with a smaller ratio of strategic partnerships than commonly believed, and accepting buyer dominance has predominantly remained, it is advocated that there is an exigent need to disentangle the project partnering initiative through some form of deterministic model. The case for this is presented through a relationship schema that maps the fabric, reliance and drivers for partnering success

OFFSITE MANUFACTURING: THE WAY FORWARD FOR NIGERIA’S HOUSING INDUSTRY

Nigeria is one of the most developed countries in Africa, with construction contributing to approximately 9 of its Gross Domestic Product. From a housing perspective, new initiatives are now being explored, one of which is Offsite Manufacturing (OSM). Globally, the OSM market uses several terms interchangeably, the most prevalent of which include: prefabrication, offsite production, industrialised building systems, dry construction, modern methods of construction etc. These collective approaches have been successfully used in many countries as means of improving housing delivery, particularly in countries like the UK, USA, Australia, Sweden, Japan and Malaysia. Despite the myriad of benefits associated with OSM (e.g. speed of construction, improved quality, reduced risk etc.), there are various barriers identified in the course of adopting OSM; some of these barriers include: client resistance, lack of established codes and standards, negative perception etc. Given these opportunities and barriers, this study investigates the feasibility of adopting OSM and ways of overcoming the barriers hindering its uptake in Nigeria based on the experiences of developed countries. The first part of this paper presents a synthesised literature review which explores the benefits and challenges of using OSM in different countries (including Nigeria as a comparator). Research findings highlight core OSM uptake barriers, including issues such as: reluctance to innovate, paucity of codes and standards, lack of guidance and information, high capital cost, supply chain integrations, skill requirements etc. Whilst many of these countries have now established strategies to offset these uncertainties, it was also observed that governmental support was pivotal in helping to establish OSM as a viable alternative to traditional approaches. From a Nigerian context, similar parallels are observed, most notably the need to encourage OSM through greater awareness, better government policies, and through skilled supply chain partners in order to help improve the problem of housing shortage

Housing Stakeholders Perspective on offsite manufactiring in Nigeria

Despite several mitigation attempts, Nigeria is still facing a deficit of 17 million houses. Seminal literature argues that this problem is predominantly due to a myriad of issues, including high construction costs, skills shortages, slow pace of construction, lack of infrastructure and logistics, poor quality of available housing stock etc. Offsite manufacturing has been proffered as an innovative method for addressing such issues. This paper reports on the findings of a feasibility study, which investigated the Nigerian stakeholders’ perceptions on the needs, promises and barriers of adopting offsite manufacturing in Nigeria. To achieve this, in-depth interviews were conducted with experts directly involved in housing delivery. Data gathered from the experts were analysed using exploratory thematic analysis. Nvivo software was used to transcribe and analyse research data. Findings from the in-depth interviews showed that the housing deficit in Nigeria is on the increase and nothing significant is being done at the moment. Stakeholders also posited that although OSM could improve housing delivery efforts in Nigeria, it is still considerably low; and this is as a result of a myriad of issues, such as negative local perception about OSM, client’s resistance, lack of infrastructure and skills shortage. This study concludes that for OSM to be adopted in Nigeria, there is a need for proper sensitisation, collaboration and encouragement from government. This study presents additional understanding of OSM in Nigeria based on expert opinion, the results of which will become a stepping-stone for the development of a roadmap for the adoption of OSM in Nigeria. It is proffered that adopting OSM can help support housing delivery efforts in Nigeria, and may also leverage wider benefits to the construction industry and associated supply chain