Architecture Commons^™

Pause For Thought – Exploring Ai Error In The Assessment Of Industrial Sustainability Reports, Jake Mooney, Colm Tormey, Cillian Gleeson, Shane Hoban, Dylan Kirby, Christine Nangle

SURE Journal: Science Undergraduate Research Experience Journal

No abstract provided.

Planning For Solar Equity: Zoning And Land Use Strategies For Community Solar Gardens In Rural Minnesota, Mahmoud Othman

Community and Regional Planning Program: Theses

This project examines how land use planning and zoning can support equitable deployment of community solar gardens (CSGs) in rural Minnesota counties and townships. Although Minnesota is widely regarded as a policy leader in community solar, most solar arrays are concentrated in metropolitan areas with greater planning capacity and demand. By contrast, rural jurisdictions must navigate dispersed populations, limited staff, and competing agricultural land uses. Focusing on Clay, Stearns, and Chisago Counties, the study analyzes local ordinances and related land use policies to understand how community-scale solar is defined, sited, permitted, and decommissioned.

Solar regulations are systematically coded for key …

Retrofitting Through The Facade: An Integrated Architectural Retrofit Assesment, Marie Danielle Danso

2025 Fall Honors Capstones Projects - Archive

Dynamic façades can be used as architectural tools to reduce heat gain in a building. This kinetic design reforms energy efficiency and can improve user comfort. Dynamic façades change their form and appearance in response to the environment. They can reduce stress on heating and cooling systems by mitigating the amount of solar radiation a building receives. Additionally, this architectural approach can control internal heating and cooling loads by managing the intake of sunlight. This study investigates a dynamic façade as an architectural tool to substantially reduce the heat gain of the Engineering Research Building on the campus of The …

A Dataset Exploring Urban Comfort Through Novel Wearables And Environmental Surveys, Patrick Chwalek, Sailin Zhong, Nathan Perry, Tianqi Liu, Clayton Miller, Seiied Hamed Alavi, Denis Lalanne, A. Joseph Paradiso

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

This study presents a comprehensive dataset capturing indoor environmental parameters, physiological responses, and subjective perceptions across three global cities. Utilizing wearable sensors, including smart eyeglasses, and a modified Cozie app, environmental and physiological data were collected, along with pre-screening, onboarding, and recurring surveys. Peripheral cues facilitated participant engagement with micro-EMA surveys, minimizing disruption over a 5-day collection period. The dataset offers insights into urban comfort dynamics, highlighting the interplay between environmental conditions, physiological responses, and subjective perceptions. Researchers can utilize this dataset to deepen their understanding of indoor environmental quality and inform the design of healthier built environments. Access to …

Poster Abstract: Field Evaluation Of Body Thermoregulation-Based Dynamic Bedroom Air Temperature Control To Improve Sleep, Wenhao Zhang, Stefano Schiavon, Clayton Miller

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

Sleep is essential for human health and well-being. Previous lab-based studies have shown that dynamically adjusting bedroom temperature according to body thermoregulation can improve sleep quality and thermal satisfaction. However, such strategies have not been tested in real-world settings, and there is a lack of practical solutions developed for residential buildings. In this work, we test a body thermoregulation-based dynamic air conditioning (AC) control strategy designed for typical Singapore homes and evaluated it in a pilot field deployment. The preliminary findings suggest that the proposed strategy can be successfully implemented in real bedroom settings and may improve sleep outcomes.

Enhancing Concrete Self-Healing Using Wastewater Bacteria Impregnated In Pumice Lightweight Aggregates, Mamoun Alqedra, Kamal El Kahlout, Ahmed El Refai, Mahmoud El Hessi, Muhammad Radwan, Waleed Iky

Mansoura Engineering Journal

Self-healing concrete presents a promising solution to counter the degradation of concrete structures caused by cracks and damage. This innovative mechanism employs the concrete's capacity to autonomously repair its cracks, effectively extending the lifespan of structures and reducing maintenance costs. Particularly in regions facing water scarcity, such as the Middle East and North African countries, the utilization of wastewater holds significant importance. This study investigates the self healing abilities of wastewater bacteria infused into lightweight pumice aggregates within concrete. Wastewater contains diverse bacteria, microorganisms, and oxygen—essential components for the self-healing process. Wastewater sourced from the North Gaza Emergency Sewage Treatment …

Architectural Impermanence: Tectonic Ecology Of The Sumbanese Traditional House, Yenny Gunawan, Justin Coupertino Umbu, Marianne Trautten

ARSNET

This research proposes tectonic ecology as the framework for understanding the impermanence of architecture, challenging the views of permanence in architecture and positioning impermanence as an ecological building practice. This study explores the idea of impermanence in vernacular architecture as a living spatial practice, acknowledging the growth, decay, and regeneration taking place in such a context. The research focuses on the Sumbanese traditional house in Weelewo Village, Southwest Sumba, as a case study. The Sumbanese house is constructed with natural materials and utilises joinery without using nails. The study collected data on the local construction practice through fieldwork, which included …

Speculating The Architecture Of Nothingness Through Void Operations, Fatiharla Imanisahda, Yandi Andri Yatmo

ARSNET

This speculative design study aims to construct the idea of nothingness as an active and generative element of architecture. Nothingness, understood as voids, empty, and negative spaces, can be reinterpreted as a productive condition that opens up new spatial possibilities. Such a productive condition demonstrates the interdependence between nothingness and the spatial existence of something. The project explores how nothingness constructs the perceptibility of particular spatial terrain through void as architectural design operations. Through creating dystopian contextual scenarios where all spaces have been used up, the study identifies various void forms present in existing structures, classifying these voids based on …

Architecture In Flux, Kristanti Dewi Paramita

ARSNET

Architecture exists in flux, shaped by the rapid social, cultural, and environmental transformation in current society. The articles in this edition of ARSNET explore various contexts and design methodologies that emerge amidst such rapid and often disruptive changes. The study discusses different conditions produced by such changes, from the inevitability of time that leads to deterioration, environmental pressures that create separation from nature, to high rates of urbanisation that led to limitation of living space and changes to users' livelihood. Discussions elaborated in this edition outline how architecture in flux may lead to alternative design approaches. These approaches range from …

Reconnecting The Wetlands Through Non-Discrete Architecture, Aulia Rahman

ARSNET

This design study explores non-discrete architecture as a form of architecture that connects nature and the built environment. Architecture often separates itself and its users from the natural setting, leading to environmental neglect and the gradual loss of
the natural environment. The idea of non-discrete architecture focuses on how the relationship between humans and nature can be reconstructed by creating spatial layers that can actively participate in living processes. This study focuses on the neglected wetland environment in Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan. The inquiry begins by documenting the various experiences of nature in the area, from the abundance presence of wilderness …

Behavioural Approach As The Basis Of Traditional Market Redevelopment Strategies, Ajeng Regita Assyifa, Imaniar Sofia Asharhani, Adriyan Kusuma

ARSNET

This design study focuses on the redevelopment of the Kebayoran Lama traditional market using a behavioural approach. Traditional markets hold an important role in the social, economic, and cultural life of urban communities, functioning not only as centres of trade but also as spaces for interaction that shape the city's character. However, rapid urban development often creates challenges for traditional markets, reducing their competitiveness against modern shopping centres.

The study began with direct observation and behavioural mapping activities at the Kebayoran Lama traditional market to understand how traders and visitors interact with the space. Findings show the current layout does …

Adaptive And Inclusive Seating Design For Transit-Oriented Interior, Muhammad Daffa Brisbhanuharto, Novrizal Primayudha

ARSNET

As transit-oriented interiors increasingly evolve into complex commercial and social micro-environments and serve diverse user groups, seating design must respond beyond basic functionality to address the need for adaptation and inclusivity. This study explores adaptive and inclusive design strategies through the development of seating design in such a context. This research follows Liedtka's human-centred, iterative design process comprising stages such as empathy, definition, ideation, and prototyping in developing seating design for a transit-oriented interior at Canabeans Coffee, located within KCIC Halim High-Speed Rail Station, Jakarta.

The design integrates ergonomic, aesthetic, and accessibility considerations while responding to contextual challenges of a …

Rewilding The Built Environment: Navigating Economic, Political, And Social Barriers To Urban Ecological Restoration, Carly E. Smith

PANDION: The Osprey Journal of Research and Ideas

Urban rewilding offers a nature-based approach to restoring ecological processes in cities while advancing climate resilience, biodiversity, and public well-being. Unlike conventional green infrastructure, rewilding allows ecosystems to develop with minimal intervention, emphasizing succession, complexity, and long-term adaptability. This paper examines the political, economic, and social factors that frame how rewilding is understood and implemented in urban planning. Governmental frameworks often prioritize order, predictability, and short-term results, making it difficult to accommodate the uncertainty and ecological complexity that rewilding requires. Economic models struggle to capture its long-term value, frequently overlooking ecosystem services or reconciling competing land uses. Social perceptions of …

Review On Law On Protection From Environmental Noise And Its Implementation In Kosovo, Elsa Buzhala, Eli Binxhija, Egzon Bajraktari

UBT International Conference

Despite its significant impact on public health and quality of life, noise pollution remains one of the least addressed forms of environmental degradation in Kosovo. This study aims to critically analyze the existing legal framework for environmental noise protection, with particular focus on Law No. 02/L-102, and to assess its practical implementation in the urban context of Kosovo. By employing an integrated methodological approach—including documentary analysis of domestic and European legislation, direct noise level measurements in selected urban areas, and interviews with citizens and institutional representatives—the study identifies a range of shortcomings in both the design and enforcement of noise …

The Impact Of Demographic Characteristics On The Development Of Formal Settlements And Spatial Planning Management In Kosovo: A Comparative Analysis With Eastern Europe, Venera Gonxha, Jetmire Gallopeni

UBT International Conference

This study investigates the critical relationship between demographic dynamics and urban development in post-conflict Kosovo, analyzing how population characteristics shape formal settlement growth and spatial planning efficacy. Using a mixed-methods approach, we integrated quantitative data from the Kosovo Agency of Statistics (2011-2024) with qualitative insights from expert interviews (n=15) and spatial analysis through GIS. Results indicate that Kosovo’s youthful demographic profile, rapid annual urbanization rate (1.8%), and intense internal migration have directly driven unregulated urban expansion, a proliferation of informal settlements, and significant strain on public infrastructure. Our analysis identifies a pronounced misalignment between demographic pressures and institutional planning capacities, …

Noise Pollution In Urban Environment – Comparison Between Czechia And Kosova And Lessons Learned, Egzon Bajraktari

UBT International Conference

In November 2024 a seminar was held addressing noise pollution and urban planning with the students of Czech Technical University in Prague (CTUP), Masaryk Institute of Advanced Studies (MIAS). During the course Urban Management the students are informed about sound, acoustics as the study of sound, environmental noise and measures and strategies for mitigation and control of noise pollution in urban environments. In particular the seminar addressed noise pollution in Czechia and Kosovo as separate case studies, compare the situation of noise pollution in both countries and derive lessons learned. With the students of, a small research study was initiated. …

Interpreting Post-1960 Turkish Modernism Through Architectural Journals: Pluralist Reflections, Luca Orlandi, Zeynep Sena Ekiz

UBT International Conference

This paper investigates how the idea of architectural pluralism was constructed in Turkish architectural journals and how this discourse contributed to the reinterpretation of modernism in the second half of the 20th century. Focusing on key publications such as Mimarlık, Arkitekt, Yapı, and Arredamento Mimarlık, it analyzes journals published between 1960 and 2000, with particular attention to articles that reflect on the architecture of the 1960s and 1970s and the emergence of pluralist discourse during that period, as seen through architectural and professional debates. Rather than approaching pluralism as merely a stylistic shift, this paper frames it as a multifaceted …

The Dialogue Of Light: Humanity, Spirituality And Sacred Spaces, Shkurte Dalipi, Sanelina Sadiki, Shaindera Krasniqi

UBT International Conference

The shape of human experience involved in sacred architecture has been always impacted by the light as a fundamental element. In addition, the profound relationship between natural light, spiritual perception, and the human presence in sacred spaces is elaborated in this theme. In religion, light symbolizes the truth, the triumph of good over evil, or even the God itself, and as such it is the key emotional medium in religious and spiritual architecture that evokes transcendence. The role of light in architecture is to invite a reflection on how daylight is intertwined with architectural form to create rooms that develop …

Critical Observations On Effectiveness Of Urban Planning Documents And Processes In Kosovo During 2000 - 2025, Egzon Bajraktari, Binak Beqaj, Shqiprim Ahmeti

UBT International Conference

The shrinking population in towns throughout Italy has left many abandoned public spaces. The sustainable revitalization of these public spaces and their historic backgrounds could bring back the city life in these towns and attract visitors from outside. Achieving the goals of environmental sustainability in small town historic sites should be done carefully inside their context, all the while focusing on bringing people together in a social space. The goal of this paper is researching of the use of sustainable technologies such as vertical gardening and Living Wall Systems to be used as sustainable solutions tackling climate issues, at the …

Bridging The Scale Gap In Climate Action Plans: Conceptual And Spatial Fragmentation From Ecocity Visions To Building-Scale Strategies, Gizem Köprülü

UBT International Conference

Cities are increasingly developing strategies to adapt to the impacts of climate change. The need for strategies from urban planning to building-scale interventions, is also emphasized in the climate action plans of European capitals. In this context, considering values such as climate resilient design and citizen involvement in the process should be the most important part of an effective climate response. This paper examines this disconnect in the context of Europe’s differing climatic problems—floods and heavy rainfall in the North, drought and urban heat island effects in the South—and the shifts in climate zones that cause these problems to become …