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In the realm of architectural evolution, the paradigm of static built environments has progressively shifted towards adaptive, responsive, and intelligent spaces. This paper presents a pioneering government-funded applied research project, the 'Spatially Intelligent Arts Centre', which exemplifies the convergence of multiple disciplines in the pursuit of redefining the traditional notion of a static arts centre. This endeavour sought to transform an existing arts centre building into a dynamic and intelligent space, thereby redefining its agency to foster novel user experiences and optimize operational efficiency. The project transcended conventional boundaries by merging the expertise of architects, computer scientists, user experience designers, spatial computing specialists, technology developers, and interface designers. Through transdisciplinary collaboration and adopting a design-thinking methodology, the project not only challenges the conventional limitations of architectural design but also offers a tangible illustration of the burgeoning field of human-building interaction research and practice. This paper details the conceptual underpinnings, technical implementations, and experiential outcomes of the Spatially Intelligent Arts Centre project, underscoring its significance as a model for implementation of human-building interaction in the context of a cultural building. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This special issue of the International Journal of Architectural Computing presents selected papers from the 40th Education and research in Computer Aided Architectural Design in Europe (eCAADe) Conference, which explored the theme "Co-creating the Future." The focus of this issue is on approaches, roles, agents, and strategies for inclusion and co-creation using technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, the Internet of Things, smart buildings, autonomous devices, robots, and software. The papers in this issue cover topics such as enhancing human-building interaction, the benefits and challenges of AI image generators in architectural ideation, the use of chatbots in fostering community participation, collective cartography strategies for analyzing urban spaces, and community-driven design processes. These studies offer valuable insights into the potential of technology in creating more responsive, inclusive, and engaging built environments. [Extracted from the article]

Spectacle, once a key term for critical theories, has had limited theoretical development in recent decades. To make sure the concept remains relevant today, this paper turns to actor-network theory (ANT) and assemblage theories to reconceptualize what the spectacle is and how it operates today. Working with a case study of a controversial urban spectacle in southern Chile – a new shopping mall, the "Mall Paseo Chiloé" – this paper explores a set of findings that illustrate what these approaches have to offer. First, in viewing the spectacle as a hybrid entity, we uncover vital forces inside what might at first appear to be irrelevant features of the building's architectural design. At the same time, this approach includes the forces of ambivalent desire and fluidity that reveal the dynamics of resistance inside that same design. As such, this paper focuses on a specific aspect of this building that makes it a unique form of counter-spectacle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability of architects to collaborate and work in parallel on digital assets is limited by pessimistic strategies for managing shared files. The software engineering community has worked around this problem by adopting optimistic version control techniques, which rely on the ability to diff, patch, and merge versions of the files they manage. Unfortunately, the diffing, patching, and merging algorithms in existing version control systems are designed to work with text, and not with the types of files, such as 3D models, most commonly used by architects. This paper presents a high-level design for a command line program capable of diffing, patching, and merging openNURBS models, an open source 3D model format that enjoys widespread use among architects and other designers. Key algorithms are illustrated through simple geometric examples, and future plans to integrate the program into an existing version control system are described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to climate change conditions, natural ventilation potential may reduce over the years and increase dependence on HVAC systems. Moreover, occupants' behaviour regarding natural ventilation is a significant parameter affecting the thermal-energy performance of residential buildings as people tend to occupy their homes differently depending on their life, work and cultural routines. Therefore, in this study, the thermal-energy performance of a Global South (GS) housing case study located in Brazil was assessed in a future weather context. This paper included two major steps: (1) Optimization procedure to create optimized models based on different occupancy patterns; and (2) Parametric analysis to explore the building's thermal-energy performance for a given constructive design option, occupant behaviour and weather data. The optimization procedure included a multi-objective optimization based on the Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II (NSGA-II) to minimize discomfort hours and cooling energy demand, while parametric analysis explored the occupants' behaviour varieties derived from alternative occupancy patterns, ventilation availabilities and HVAC operation modes. The obtained future context simulation results indicated an increase in discomfort hours and cooling energy demand, while the most appropriate architecture design might vary depending on the occupancy behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a problem-based, digital-intensive learning environment, the increased proliferation of computational tools used for architectural design has led to a fundamental transformation in architectural studios. Many studies have shown that this has significantly led to the change in cognition of design environments in academia. Design decisions are made through a recursive process that is cyclically refined by allowing constant feedback and testing. This paper represents an observational study with an aim to understand the impact of digital mediums on design processes and design outcomes focusing on associative modeling using VPL. It contextualizes the difference, the associative modeling system as a parametric subset brings to design thinking when used as a medium to explore architectural design. It analyzes specific attributes of associative modeling, otherwise native to computational thinking, that contribute to the legibility of the design process. The paper demonstrates how associative modeling allows the design process to be examined and edited at any stage during and even after algorithmic development, bringing in flexibility. It is argued that digital design tool affordances enable students to develop multilayered and more structured design logic that augments cognition bringing more legibility to the design thinking process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of using performance-based design optimization in early-stage architectural design to prevent poorly designed buildings has been increasingly recognized by researchers and designers. Recently, a large amount of research has been made focusing on technical advancement, which, however, also reflects the limited research on how this technique can be applied to the design process and how it can aid designers when confronting ill-defined design problems. In this regard, this paper centers on the design approaches assisted by using performance-based design optimization. The paper proposes two optimization-aided design approaches that were identified in the previous applications of a design tool, called EvoMass, and showcases these approaches in case-study designs. The case studies demonstrate how the use of performance-based design optimization can facilitate designers' reflection and exploration. With the demonstration of the design approaches, we discuss the utility of performance-based design optimization in assisting architects in the early design stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Humans have always sought to grasp nature's working principles and apply acquired intelligence to artefacts since nature has always been the source of inspiration, solution and creativity. For this reason, there is a comprehensive interrelationship between the philosophy of nature and architecture. After Charles Darwin's revolutionary work, living beings have started to be comprehended as changing, evolving and developing dynamic entities. Evolution theory has been accepted as the interpretive power of biology after several discussions and objections among scientists. In time, the working principles of evolutionary mechanisms have begun to be explained from genetic code to organism and environmental level. Afterwards, simulating nature's evolutionary logic in the digital interface has become achievable with computational systems' advancements. Ultimately, architects have begun to utilise evolutionary understanding in design theories and methodologies through computational procedures since the 1990s. Although several studies about technical and pragmatic elements of evolutionary tools in design, there is still little research on the historical, theoretical and philosophical foundations of evolutionary understanding in digital architecture. This paper fills this literature gap by critically reviewing the evolutionary understanding embedded in digital architecture theories and designs since the beginning of the 1990s. The original contribution is the proposed intellectual framework seeking to understand and conceptualise how evolutionary processes were defined in biology and philosophy, then represented through computational procedures, to be finally utilised by architectural designers. The network of references and concepts is deeply connected with the communication between natural processes and their computational simulations. For this reason, another original contribution is the utilisation of theoretical limits and operative principles of computation procedures to shed light on the limitations, shortcomings and potentials of design theories regarding their speculations on the relationship between natural and computational ontologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexible and adaptable spaces have been a field of interest in western architecture since the 1930s and Modernism's "Open plan." Even though it started as a design problem, as cybernetics became a more active part of the design process, adaptable space became dependent on technology and mechanical systems. A lot of methods tend to diminish the role of architectural design and offer deterministic implementations that limit the user's creative freedom and interaction with the adaptable system. This study explores how adaptable space can be approached through design and how adaptability can be implemented in existing spaces through a computational approach. The paper is structured in two parts, the analysis, and the concept method. The first part includes the literacy review and known architectural examples of adaptability. The second part focuses on proposing a design method for approaching adaptable spaces with a high degree of user creative freedom. The method is tested through a case study regarding the implementation of a spatial adaptable system in a 1970s apartment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of optimization-based design exploration in early-stage architectural design has been increasingly recognized and valued. It has been widely considered an effective approach to achieving performance-informed and performance-driven design. Nevertheless, there is little research into how such design exploration can be adapted to various early-stage architectural design tasks. With this motivation, this paper revolves around a computer-aided design workflow for early-stage building massing design optimization and exploration while presenting three workshop case studies to demonstrate how the workflow can be intertwined with the design process. The design workflow is based on EvoMass, an integrated building massing design generation and optimization tool in Rhino-Grasshopper. The case study illustrates task-specific applications of the design workflow for synthesizing building design, finding design precedents, and understanding the interrelationship between formal attributes and building performance. The paper concludes by discussing the relevant efficacy of the design workflow for architectural design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper expands on the potential of using Augmented Reality (AR) for the design and customization of bridges. Following a literature review on the use of AR in architectural design, and in particular in design education, the authors discuss educational experiences gained in two digital design studios. These two courses were taught remotely at the University of Thessaly and the Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences and cross-informed each other. The teaching experiences of the authors were evaluated and subsequently used to develop the curriculum of "Augmented Bridges", an experimental AR design studio. The aim of the paper is to present current research in AR and the interactive design process of site-specific bridges, using digital and augmented media. The studio results offered valuable insight into the educational and creative value of AR technologies in architecture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we propose a novel controller architecture and design for the automatic control of agricultural mobile robots to be used in farms and greenhouses. There are two novelties of this study. The first novelty is a completely new type of controller architecture proposed in which reference inputs and measured outputs are fed separately independent from each other to the controller. The controller architecture currently used in the literature uses only the difference between reference and measurement which is the error signal. The proposed architecture in this study is completely novel in the sense that not only the error information is used in the controller but also the information in reference inputs and information in measured outputs are used separately. This means a completely new type of look to control system by utilizing the information maximally in order to achieve superior performance. This performance boost is shown in the paper where the proposed architecture achieves up to 2000% better performance compared with state-of-the-art controllers. Second, controller architecture is grown to a complex structure from an initially simple PID structure. Using the maximal information comes with the cost of computational complexity to design the controller. The second novelty of growing the controller from initially simple PID equivalent controller tackles this difficulty by making the problem tractable and efficient to compute. This way the proposed novel controller can be designed within minutes in a commercially available laptop computer. The proposed controller is tested on a simulated agricultural mobile robot and results are compared with a previous state-of-the-art optimal controller. It is believed that the proposed architecture will be dominant in future automatic controllers and make current state-of-the-art controllers obsolete. This is because of the full utilization of information in controller design which results in robust disturbance rejection performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inappropriate architectural lighting exposures in workplaces are causing light-induced health and performance-related problems among healthy, urban individuals. This paper presents part one of an integrated tropical architectural lighting design framework for improving dayshift individuals' psychophysiological wellbeing in windowless workplace in Malaysia. The paper discusses five architectural lighting factors, namely intensity, spectrum, timing, duration, spatial distribution. The daytime lighting characteristics that influence individuals' psychophysiological wellbeing indicators (IPWI) were analysed. Findings indicated a dearth of literature in the lighting characteristics to support IPWI in the tropics, as evidence was predominantly from seasonal climate contexts. This motivated a critical discussion on the lighting factors and recommendations of alternative design consideration for a tropical Asian context. Potential daytime architectural lighting characteristics likely to support dayshift IPWI in windowless workplace in tropical Malaysia were also recommended for further investigations. These recommendations in the framework are expected to facilitate healthier windowless workplace design in Malaysia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spatial ability, defined as the ability to visualize, imagine, translate, and interpret 2D and 3D spatial information, is a crucial building block required for the interior design and architecture professions. In this paper, we report on the development process as well as the validity and reliability of the Architecture and Interior design domain‐specific Spatial Ability Test (AISAT), a new instrument that measures domain‐specific spatial ability in the field of architecture and interior design. A total of 142 college students in Korea and the U.S. engaged in the final stage of the development process—the validity and reliability check—by taking both the AISAT and two general spatial ability tests. The results from the split‐half correlation and internal consistency showed that the AISAT reached a desirable level of reliability. Face, content, concurrent, and convergent validity were achieved to verify the AISAT. The authors hope that the AISAT will be used to measure domain‐specific spatial ability, ultimately expanding our understanding of the role of spatial ability in spatial design thinking and performance. The AISAT has the potential to benefit (1) researchers who seek a credible tool to assess design students' spatial ability, (2) educators investigating the effect of their intervention in spatial design performance in relation to spatial ability, and (3) researchers in spatial ability who would like to extend their interest in spatial design beyond the traditional psychometric approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

If we understand architecture as a three-part system formed by the building, its image, or drawings and images describing buildings, and the critical discourse around architecture, then the texts or ways of speaking about architecture play a key role in understanding the field and its development. By analysing a corpus of around 4.6 million words from texts written between 2005 and 2020 that form a part of critical discourse in computational architecture (understood as the result of the intense digitalization of the field), this paper aims to map ways of speaking about computational architecture. This contributes to architectural theory and might help gain a better understanding of the evolution of the digitalization of construction in general. Findings show that computational architecture is surrounded by a specific way of speaking, hybridized with words from fields such as biology, neuroscience, arts and humanities, and engineering. While some topics such as 'sustainability' or 'biology' come up consistently in the discourse, others, such as 'people' or 'human', have periods when they are more and less popular. After highlighting open research questions, the paper concludes by presenting a map of periodic and recurring topics in ways of speaking about computational architecture over the last 15 years, thus tracking and documenting long-term trends, and illuminating patterns in the broader field of digital construction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to their growing importance, digital infrastructures (DIs) are increasingly subject to governmental regulation due to concerns over the downside risks posed by digital technologies to individuals and society. There is a general paucity of studies that address the impact of regulations on DI innovation. In addition, existing research presents seemingly contradictory findings on regulations governing digital technologies as both enabling and inhibiting innovation. This paper, therefore, elaborates on how different types of regulation impact various forms of DI innovation. We draw on modular systems theory to enrich extant conceptualisations of DIs and develop a related conceptual model that demonstrates the paths by which two types of DI regulation influence DI architectural modularity, which is proposed as a mediating mechanism that influences DI innovation. Our model makes a theoretical contribution through an in-depth explanation of the relationship between regulation and DI innovation by articulating and illustrating the effects of regulatory provisions and thereby extends the extant DI literature. In terms of practical implications, our model can help stakeholders both create DI regulation and respond to regulatory provisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The process of architectural design aims at solving complex problems that have loosely defined formulations, no explicit basis for terminating the problem-solving activity, and where no ideal solution can be achieved. This means that design problems, as wicked problems, sit in a space between incompleteness and precision. Applying digital tools in general and artificial intelligence in particular to design problems will then mediate solution spaces between incompleteness and precision. In this paper, we present a study where we employed machine learning algorithms to generate conceptual architectural forms for site-specific regulations. We created an annotated dataset of single-family homes and used it to train a 3D Generative Adversarial Network that generated annotated point clouds complying with site constraints. Then, we presented the framework to 23 practitioners of architecture in an attempt to understand whether this framework could be a useful tool for early-stage design. We make a three-fold contribution: First, we share an annotated dataset of architecturally relevant 3D point clouds of single-family homes. Next, we present and share the code for a framework and the results from training the 3D generative neural network. Finally, we discuss machine learning and creative work, including how practitioners feel about the emergence of these tools as mediators between incompleteness and precision in architectural design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces modular and context-aware evaporative cooling for the outdoor urban environment as a physical structure that could be implemented at various scales and physical contexts. We propose a technique for collecting occupancy and climatic data to create a computational context and optimise its operation. We then outline a concept for developing a predictive algorithm that would further enhance its performance. The research focuses on the interaction between the proposed system and the environment and establishes an evidence-based technique to balance the temperature drop and the humidity it generates. The study combines architectural design, mechanical engineering and computer science to enable the upscaled application of evaporative cooling to help reduce local heat accumulation in cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public buildings that house large populations are easy targets for terrorist attacks, the primary issue of architectural blast-resistant design is how to get blast loads on the surface of structures, and the shapes of blast waves and buildings both have important effects on it. In this paper, experiments and numerical simulations were carried out on blast loads on the surface of the cylindrical shell. blast loads, detonation products, and blast waves were well recorded and simulated, blast loads at the edge of cylindrical shells were attenuated by about 75%, and vortex rings were accidentally photographed nearby. blast loads are much affected by the location of the detonation point, charge shape, and charge size. The original shape of structures rather than deformation determines the distribution of blast loads, the air viscosity also needs to be scaled when using a scaled model to test blast loads. Experimental and simulation methods can offer a reference for building a standard database of blast loads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses various reports within the issue on topics including computer aided design, architectural design, and cognitive skills in architecture.

This paper investigates making as a process that brings together diverse materials and combines their flow in anticipation of what might emerge. Ingold calls this approach the textility of making, which gives priority to the formation of materials as a process, in which form is generated through interventions within fields of forces and currents of materials - not through a predefined notion of an ideal outcome. The approach opposes the Aristotelian hylomorphic approach, which focuses on final products. This paper investigates textiles techniques and their potential for simultaneously creating ornamental and structural systems. This work is conducted through a sequence of architecture design studios, producing the case studies found in this paper. Within the paper different examples of textile systems are introduced ranging from a Semperian approach (wall as dress) to form finding experiments with active textile materials - demonstrating the potential for methods utilizing material agency to inform architectural design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper introduces a framework for decentralised architectural design in the context of the fourth industrial revolution. We examine first the constraints of building information modelling in regard to collaboration and trust. We then introduce Blockchain infrastructure as a means for creating new operational and business models for architectural design, through project governance, scaling collaboration nominally to thousands of agents, and shifting trust to the infrastructure rather than the architectural design team. Through a wider consideration of Blockchains in construction projects we focus on the design process and validate our framework with a prototype of BIM design optimisation integrated with a Blockchain mechanism. The paper concludes by outlining the contributions our framework can enhance in the building information modelling processes, within the context of the fourth industrial revolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concave building structure (CBS) featured with a partial sunken façade is prevalent in the high-rise residence and comprehensive buildings. The building is a 3/4 enclosed longitudinal shaft that creates a new channel for longitudinal fire propagation. The objective of the paper is to reveal the dynamic mechanism of fire propagation in CBS. A small-scale experiment and Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS) were conducted to investigate the fire behaviour. The results show that CBS could enhance the longitudinal propagation velocity of the flame and smoke with a slender profile. It could reduce the heat loss and create a higher space temperature than no-concave building structure (NBS). The maximum temperature and smoke concentration extended from the external facade centre to two flanks with the building height increase. Raising the structure factor extended the flame length from 7.0 m to 8.6 m. It exhibited a typical three stages of entrainment velocity growth: rapid growth, medium growth and slow growth. The flame transferred from the external façade to the lateral façade when the heat release rate was 8–10 MW. The research is essential to distinguish the hazardous region and provide a basis for architectural design and personal safe evacuation in the CBS fire scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial intelligence (AI) provides advanced mathematical frameworks and algorithms for further innovation and vitality of classical civil engineering (CE). Plenty of complex, time-consuming, and laborious workloads of design, construction, and inspection can be enhanced and upgraded by emerging AI techniques. In addition, many unsolved issues and unknown laws in the field of CE can be addressed and discovered by physical machine learning via merging the data paradigm with physical laws. Intelligent science and technology in CE profoundly promote the current level of informatization, digitalization, autonomation, and intellectualization. To this end, this paper provides a systematic review and summarizes the state-of-the-art progress of AI in CE for the entire life cycle of civil structures and infrastructure, including intelligent architectural design, intelligent structural health diagnosis, intelligent disaster prevention and reduction. A series of examples for intelligent architectural art shape design, structural topology optimization, computer-vision-based structural damage recognition, correlation-pattern-based structural condition assessment, machine-learning-enhanced reliability analysis, vision-based earthquake disaster evaluation, and dense displacement monitoring of structures under wind and earthquake, are given. Finally, the prospects of intelligent science and technology in future CE are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extra-terrestrial infrastructure design and architecture are experiencing a resurgence due to the prospect of permanent human presence on celestial bodies such as our moon and Mars. There, the conditions and constraints within which structural design and assembly should be developed are extreme – for example, scarcity of processed structural material, labour, machinery and imports from Earth. Consequently, the guiding design principles for building off-Earth should include efficient In-Situ Resource Utilisation (ISRU) and reusability. Significantly, these aspects have striking similarities to some characteristics of our vernacular construction history on Earth, such as inherent material efficiency and use of local materials. The majority of contemporary proposals for off-Earth design concern 3D-printed monolithic structures which are not reusable nor reconfigurable. As a result, there is scope for developing component-based, recyclable infrastructure which is based on efficient ISRU. In this research paper, we propose a two-fold assembly and structural design methodology which synthesises three-dimensional geometries in static equilibrium and vernacular construction techniques for deriving scaffoldless, component-based structures. This framework is underpinned by the development of a bespoke mechanically interlocking system which enables mortarless construction. This minimises the need for importing material binders and maximises the reconfigurability and reusability of off-Earth infrastructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital design and analysis tools are continually progressing, enabling more seamless integration of climatic impacts into the conceptual design stage, which naturally means enhanced environmental performance of the final designs. Planning sustainable urban configurations and, consequently, environment-derived architectural forms becomes more rapid and requires less effort enabling smooth incorporation into day-to-day practice. This research paper presents a wind prediction-based architectural design method for improving outdoor wind comfort through urbanism and architecture. The added value of the environment-driven design loop consisting of parametric design, wind flow analysis, and necessary design modifications lies in leveraging the newly developed wind prediction tool InFraRed. As is demonstrated in the application study in Kosice, Slovakia, iterating through various design options and evaluating their impact on the wind flow is swift and reliable. That enables the designer to explore the best-performing design alternatives for outdoor wind comfort, yet the extra time required for the analysis is negligible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a method to tailor computational design algorithms to evaluate human-centric outputs in architectural projects by presenting a case study that evaluates teamwork affordance for primary care clinics. We argue that computational design assessment techniques fall short of evaluating those human experiences that stem from multiple interactions between individuals and the surrounding environment. This research suggests that future computational design algorithms could benefit from incorporating scenario-based methods developed in the field of evidence-based design, in which studies are concerned about improving qualitative goals. Through this case study, we describe the process of prototyping a computational design algorithm based on the Functional Scenario Analysis approach, applying the algorithm to evaluate case studies, visualizing findings, and extracting design strategies based on the analysis results. This method offers a new vision of how computational design can benefit informed decision-making processes and generate design alternatives aligned with a project's design goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Generative design is emerging as an important approach for design exploration and design analysis in architectural practice. At the interior design scale, although many approaches exist, they do not meet many requirements for implementing generative design in practice. These requirements include the need for end-user accessible tools and skills, rapid execution, the use of standard inputs and outputs, and being scalable and reusable. In this paper, we describe a hybrid process that uses both space allocation and shape grammar algorithms to solve workplace and space planning interior design problems. Space allocation algorithms partition spaces according to program requirements while shape grammar automates the placement of inventory and the production of high-resolution drawings. We evaluate using three real world example projects how this hybrid approach meets the identified requirements of generative space planning in architectural practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Generative Architectural Design permits the automatic (or semiautomatic) generation of architectural objects for a wide range of applications, from archaeological research and reconstruction to digital sketching. In this paper the authors introduce design constraint systems (DCS), their approach to the generation of architectural design with the help of a simple example: The development of the necessary formalisms to generate a family of architectural designs, i.e. simple houses and pagodas. After explaining the formal system the authors introduce an approach for the generation of complex form based on the application of transformations and distortions.Architecture is bound by the constraints of physical reality: Gravitation and the properties of the used materials define the limits in which architectural design is possible. With the recent development of new materials and construction methods however, the ways in which form and physics go together get more complicated. As a result, the shapes of architecture gain more liberty, and more and more complex shapes and structures become possible. While these advances allow for new ways of architectural expression, they also make the design process much more challenging. For this reason new tools are necessary for making this complexity manageable for the architect and enable her to play and experiment with the new possibilities of complex shapes and structures. Design constraint systems can be used as tool for experimentation with complex form. Therefore, the authors dedicate the final part of this paper to a concise delineation of an approach for the generation of complex and irregular shapes and structures.While the examples used are simple, they give an idea of the generality of design constraint systems: By using a two-component approach to the generation of designs (the first component describes the abstract structure of the modelled objects while the second component interprets the structure and generates the actual geometric forms) and allowing the user to adjust both components freely, it can be adapted to all kind of different architectural styles, from historical to contemporary architecture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses various papers published within this issue including one by Johan Woordouw on the use of digital models in representing design, one by Inti Baeza Sagueiro and Bernard Ferries on architectural schematic design and one by Anastasia Globa, Michael Donna and Jules Moloney on reusing design knowledge to assist architects.

Throughout 2018/2019, The Futures Lab, Inc. (TFL) was commissioned to undertake a comprehensive foresight study on the potential futures for universities in Norway. For the most part, the project followed the full, TFL comprehensive six-stage foresight process and a number of customized approaches that leveraged the specificities of the Norwegian Education System. The foresight project covered two future time horizons, namely 2025 to 2030 and 2031 to 2040. Rather than focus here on the Future of the University project itself, this paper considers five experimental foresight methods that produced an extra edge to the creative inputs to this project and delivered some unexpected and critical insights that became decisive platforms and framing cues for the ultimate seven futures scenarios that were delivered, and for which strategies and action plans were created. The term experimental foresight is interpreted as freeform thinking, testing the boundaries, incorporating unorthodox, disparate approaches, tools, artifacts and environment, and real-time improvization, it is about testing new techniques and repurposing and updating older ones. Experimental foresight is closely allied with and some would claim often indistinguishable from experiential futures, which has become prominent within foresight. We distinguish the two insomuch that experiential refers to the way the foresight is conducted, whereas experimental is what is conducted. The paper describes the five experimental foresight methods and techniques based upon theory, practice and proprietary development processes, reflecting various approaches to creative thinking. The paper outlines the design and architecture of each method as well as how it was applied to the Future of the University project, the outcomes, values and benefits. Where appropriate examples of the outcomes have been used to explain or underpin the purpose and benefits of the method under discussion. The methods selected are always harmonized with the more linear, mathematical and modeling applied in the practice of foresight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The design studio and the associated design review can be regarded as the signature pedagogy of architectural education, where students garner the essence of what it means to be an architect. Here, novices are transformed into architects through the acquisition of architectural cultural capital. This paper investigates the design review in East African schools of architecture from a student's perspective, garnered from focus group discussions carried out in five schools of architecture, and corroborated through observations. Findings indicate challenges in the design review, vis-à-vis the broader goals and objectives of architectural education. However, it did uncover attempts at change, via a 'back seat instructor approach', for example, breaking down the stereotype of the design review as a hostile environment for students. The paper concludes with a few recommendations to help recast this signature pedagogical approach as a truly discursive environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction to the journal is presented in which the editor discusses the various articles published within the issue on such topics as machine learning in architectural design, multiscale modelling, and information modeling.

Self-learning is receiving great attention internationally in different fields, along with the best utilization of different computational applications or methods. This paper introduces a novel computational approach for supporting Architectural Design Education (ADE) in its early stages; a computational implementation through MATLAB has been developed to conduct the proposed processes. As a scope, spaces' furnishing design has been selected to demonstrate the proposed computational approach and implementation, while office workspaces have been selected as a representative case. However, the proposed approach provides and enhances ADE through three main concepts: (a) generating design alternatives for different cases of furnishing spaces, (b) providing accurate and flexible evaluations to students'/designers' works with different levels, and (c) tracking students based on their defaults and relevant sensitive modifications. Different applications of the proposed approach have been generated, analyzed, and validated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This systematic literature review explores the megaproject management literature and contributes by improving our understanding of the causes and cures of poor megaproject performance. The review analyzes 6,007 titles and abstracts and 86 full papers, identifying a total of 18 causes and 54 cures to address poor megaproject performance. We suggest five avenues for future research that should consider examining megaprojects as large- scale, inter- organizational production systems: (1) designing the system architecture; (2) bridging the gap with manufacturing; (3) building and leading collaborations; (4) engaging institutions and communities; and (5) decomposing and integrating the supply chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microscopic agent-based simulations promise the meaningful inclusion of crowd dynamics in planning processes. However, such complex urban issues depend on a multiplicity of criteria. Thus, an isolated model cannot represent the walk of pedestrians meaningfully in planning contexts. This paper reframes crowd simulation as collaborative experimentation and embeds it directly in the design process. Beyond the simulation algorithm, this perspective draws attention to user interactions, interfaces, and visualizations as crucial simulation elements. Through a prototype, we combine an agent-based pedestrian simulation with a hybrid physical–digital interface. Based on this configuration, we explore requirements of the early design stages and accordingly discuss concepts for interaction, simulation, and visualization. The prototype blends user inputs with intuitive design interactions, adapts the simulation process to qualitative and dynamic negotiations, and presents results immediately in the discussed context. Thus, it aligns crowd simulation with contingent collaborations and reveals its potential in the early design stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses articles in the issue on topics including architectural design, evolutionary algorithms and machine learning.

Advancements in multi-agent, autonomous, and intelligent robotic systems over the past decades point toward new design and fabrication possibilities. Exploring how humans and robots can create and construct collectively is essential in leveraging robotic technology in the building sector. However, only by making existing knowledge from relevant technological disciplines accessible to designers can we fully exploit current construction methods and further develop them to address the challenges in architecture. To do this, we present a review paper that bridges the gap between Collective Robotic Construction (CRC) and Human–Robot Interaction (HRI) and defines a new research domain in Collective Human–Robot Construction (CHRC) in the architectural design and fabrication context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Procedural, parametric and generative computer-supported techniques in combination with mass customization and automated fabrication enable holistic manipulation in silico and the subsequent production of increasingly complex architectural arrangements. By automating parts of the design process, computers make it easier to develop designs through versioning and gradual adjustment. In recent architectural discourse, these approaches to designing have been described as morphogenesis. This paper invites further reflection on the possible meanings of this imported concept in the field of architectural designing. It contributes by comparing computational modelling of morphogenesis in plant science with techniques in architectural designing. Deriving examples from case-studies, the paper suggests potentials for collaboration and opportunities for bi-directional knowledge transfers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Between 1990 and 1998, the author published five conference papers which described the gradual development of a simple theoretical model for predicting the sound insulation of building partitions. The first aim was to extend Sharp's model for cavity walls to cavities without sound absorption. The second aim was to remove the reported over prediction of Sharp's model for cavity walls. The third aim was to explain the five decibel empirical correction in Sharp's model for stud walls. The fourth aim was to produce a more theoretically valid model than Gu and Wang's steel stud wall model. Although the simple theoretical model has been reasonably successful, several concerns have since arisen. This paper describes how these concerns have been addressed and gives the current version of this theoretical model for predicting sound insulation. The theoretical model is compared with a number of experimental measurements and produces reasonable agreement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present an early prototype of a design system that uses Deep Learning methodology—Conditional Variational Autoencoders (CVAE)—to arrive at custom design spaces that can be interactively explored using semantic labels. Our work is closely tied to principles of parametric design. We use parametric models to create the dataset needed to train the neural network, thus tackling the problem of lacking 3D datasets needed for deep learning. We propose that the CVAE functions as a parametric tool in itself: The solution space is larger and more diverse than the combined solution spaces of all parametric models used for training. We showcase multiple methods on how this solution space can be navigated and explored, supporting explorations such as object morphing, object addition, and rudimentary 3D style transfer. As a test case, we implemented some examples of the geometric taxonomy of "Operative Design" by Di Mari and Yoo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Algorithmic Design (AD) uses computer programs to describe architectural models. These models are visual by nature and, thus, greatly benefit from immersive visualization. To allow architects to benefit from the advantages of Virtual Reality (VR) within an AD workflow, we propose a new design approach: Live Coding in Virtual Reality (LCVR). LCVR means that the architect programs the design while immersed in it, receiving immediate feedback on the changes applied to the program. In this paper, we discuss the benefits and impacts of such an approach, as well as the most pressing implementation issues, namely the projection of the programming environment onto VR, and the input mechanisms to change the program or parts of it. For each, we offer a critical analysis and comparison of the various solutions available in the context of two different programming paradigms: visual and textual. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a critical longitudinal analysis of media representations of luxury in second homes in New Zealand and is designed to assess the validity of traditional definitions of second homes as anti-consumerist and the identification of ‘luxury’ second homes as a recent phenomenon. Using a thematic analysis of Home New Zealand magazine since its inception in 1936, this paper finds that second homes in New Zealand have always been sites for the consumption of luxury, as evidenced through representations of luxury in architectural design features, interior decoration and outdoor elements in the magazine. Generalised portrayals of second homes as anti-consumerist are therefore shown to be flawed. Furthermore, the paper finds that the architect-designed second home with its markers of luxury has existed since at least the mid-1930s in New Zealand and is therefore not a new phenomenon. The findings of this paper suggest that home and lifestyle magazines may be a valuable resource for second home research as they both influence and reflect societal values. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper presents the results of a research project, which explores Triply Periodic Minimal Surfaces (TPMS) as a source of inspiration for the design of interior architectural envelopes. TPMS are a large family of surfaces that are not yet fully discovered. This work begins by identifying the members of this family which geometrical characteristics and growth patterns show potential for applications in interior architecture; this selection is made by means of a geometric analysis of these surfaces. The central part of the paper proposes three alternative manufacturing techniques for built approximations of TPMS: ruled surfaces, discrete surfaces and warped surfaces. These were then tested in the development of three modular systems of perforated and permeable surfaces, which were designed using simple construction methods intended to be replicable in different contexts. The components of the systems were manufactured with recyclable and recycled materials (i.e. waste products) and employing local tools and technical resources. The results of this research aim to highlight and explore the formal and geometric benefits of TPMS in the design of architectural components. The main advantages identified in the proposed systems relate to acoustic properties, structural performance and constructional process. It is suggested that the contributions of this research can be used both for educational purposes within academia and commercial purposes in future developments of the systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes part of a wider research that aimed at using Shape Grammar to generate more diverse and interesting urban spaces in Brazilian Social Housing developments. A shape grammar corresponding to design patterns was inferred from the PREVI Lima urban plan developed by C. Alexander [1] in the 1970s. The grammar was inferred from the plan layout and from the text instructions (or pattern descriptions) presented by Alexander, and can be applied to design new plans within a wider formal universe than what the plan layout would suggest. The final section of the paper points towards the development of generic grammars as a way of encapsulating good qualities of certain design projects and applying them to new situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In architectural design, pencil and paper remain the most frequently used media to create freehand drawings to support early design stages. Digital tools conventionally used by architects lack appropriate functionalities and do not offer friendly interfaces for the early stages of architectural design. These are the bad news. The good news are twofold: a) hardware already available can help freehand designers to digitally express their first ideas; and b) functionality principles present in experimental software combined with appropriate hardware could successfully provide a friendly and intuitive human-computer interaction in the early stages of architectural design. This paper takes special attention to the way architects interact with computers, how input devices constrain possible interactions and how functionalities can be explored through these interactions. The article summarizes basic principles to be considered in the development of an all-in-one software and create a scenario whereby these principles are simulated on a hypothetical software to be used during the early stages of architectural design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the editors discuss various reports within the issue on topics including digital fabrication in computer-aided design process by Anastasia Globa and colleagues, the need of user-controlled and process-oriented approach to integration and interoperability by Bianca Toth and colleagues, and the use of PARA-typing in comprehensive studio instruction by David J. Gerber.