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Correction/Erratum: Strategies for the Conservation and Valorization of 20th-Century War Landscapes: The Case of the Mediterranean Wall Ruins
No full textNo abstract available
Public Space Privatization: A Catalyst for Urban Spaces Gentrification
No full textThe initiatives adopted by the government to enhance the urban areas and quality of life may catalyze the gentrification phenomenon, which results in significant changes in the economic and demographic activities within a public space, and the replacement of one societal group with another. Involving the private sector in the development processes is one of the strategies the government proposed to satisfy the population’s needs and demands for leisure urban facilities. While initially encouraging diversity, privatization of public spaces eventually manifests as a form of segregation that excludes a particular socioeconomic group, affecting the publicness, accessibility, and usability of these spaces. This paper aims to uncover how privatization of public spaces contributes to the gentrification of the public space itself by proposing a model to measure the level of publicness and gentrification of the public spaces. A comprehensive literature review was conducted to identify the common variables of gentrification and privatization, followed by an analysis of international case studies using these variables to test the model. The results revealed that privatization is a silent gentrifying force that first transforms the public space before influencing the surrounding urban areas
The Role of Smart Materials in Future Architecture: Self-Healing, Adaptive, and Sustainable Innovation
No full textThe integration of smart materials into architecture is redefining the built environment by introducing innovations that are self-healing, adaptive, and sustainable. (Nicolay et al., 2021a; Wang et al., 2025) These advanced materials react dynamically to external stimuli such as temperature, humidity, and stress, improving resilience, energy efficiency, and user comfort. Among the most significant examples are self-healing concrete and thermochromic glass, which enable buildings to repair minor damage and adapt to changing climate conditions. The implications of these materials extend beyond single structures, influencing urban planning and sustainable development strategies aimed at creating resilient, energy-efficient cities.
Self-healing concrete, developed through bacterial processes at Delft University of Technology, exemplifies how biological mechanisms can extend structural lifespan and reduce maintenance costs. Likewise, thermochromic glass, featured in projects such as The Edge in Amsterdam, regulates light and heat transfer, reducing dependence on artificial systems. These technologies represent the shift from static to dynamic architecture capable of real-time environmental interaction. (Jonkers & Schlangen, 2008; Garshasbi & Santamouris, 2019)
However, the adoption of smart materials faces challenges, including cost, durability verification, and limited awareness in professional education. This paper analyzes key categories of smart materials, case studies of self-healing and adaptive technologies, and their broader implications for sustainable design and urban planning. It also introduces the need for specialized academic coursework integrating materials science and architecture to equip future designers with the knowledge required for sustainable innovation. Ultimately, smart materials pave the way toward cities that are not only efficient but also regenerative and responsive to their environments
Impact of Global-Local Identity and Perceived Cultural Resilience on Sojourners’ Sustainable Uses of Cultural Heritage: Evidence from Dali
No full textThis study investigates how sojourners’ global-local identities influence their sustainable behaviors toward local cultural heritage, with a focus on the mediating role of perceived cultural resilience and the moderating effect of relative deprivation. Using a quantitative approach with 352 survey responses from sojourners in Dali, China, the research employs PLS-SEM to test a conceptual model. Results reveal that both global and local identities positively affect perceived cultural resilience, which fully mediates their relationship with sustainable heritage use. Relative deprivation negatively moderates the link between local identity and perceived cultural resilience, indicating that perceived inequities weaken the positive impact of local attachment on resilience perceptions. Notably, global identity’s effect on perceived cultural resilience remains unaffected by relative deprivation, suggesting a “cosmopolitan buffer” against deprivation. The findings contribute to cultural resilience theory in tourism and offer practical insights for heritage management, emphasizing the need for inclusive governance to leverage dual identity pathways for sustainable cultural conservation
Cash or Clash: Evaluating the Financial Benefits of BIM Clash Detection
No full textThe construction industry confronts persistent challenges related to inefficiencies, rework, and cost overruns, driving the need for advanced digital solutions like Building Information Modelling (BIM). This research appraises BIM clash detection's financial and operational benefits, emphasizing its pivotal role in improving project performance. Centered on case study projects, the research employs a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis framework, integrating quantitative data from BIM clash reports, project rework logs, and qualitative insights from stakeholder interviews. The analysis evaluates financial indicators such as Net Present Value (NPV), Benefit-Cost Ratio (BCR), and Return on Investment (ROI) to determine the viability of BIM clash detection. Findings reveal that implementing this technology lessens rework frequency, enhances project timelines, and fosters stakeholder communication and coordination. A significant reduction in errors and rework also ensures higher cost savings and more efficient resource utilization. The study utilizes advanced techniques like federated BIM modelling, sensitivity analyses, and scenario-based evaluations to simulate real-world conditions and quantify outcomes. Results confirm a positive NPV, a BCR greater than 1, and a high ROI, underscoring BIM clash detection's economic feasibility and long-term value. The research illustrates how this technology mitigates construction risks, improves stakeholder satisfaction, and ensures superior project delivery quality. Through its rigorous methodological approach and robust analysis, this research demonstrates the transformative potential of BIM in modern construction. It offers actionable insights for stakeholders seeking to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and adopt innovative technologies to revolutionize project delivery and management processes
From tangible architecture to intangible cultural landscape: Tools for the protection and monitoring of cultural heritage
No full textThe architectures of oriental matrix are the material and tangible testimony of a culture that for centuries has invested southern Italy, and in particular the eastern regions close to Greece, which had specific geographical and orographic configurations. The traces of this incredible story are, in some cases, striking, majestic, and complex architectural masterpieces; in other cases, minute and widespread, myriads of small artefacts, lined up along the ancient paths. The theme of this research aims to connect, in an organic network, the small artefacts that belong to the oriental tradition and which are present along the Sicilian and Calabrian eastern coasts The aim of the research is not to reconstruct medieval perceptions – a methodologically problematic operation, as well as scientifically risky in the absence of sources – but rather to investigate how contemporary communities reinterpret the Italian-Greek heritage, how they have tacitly assimilated it into the surrounding landscapes, and how digital tools (photogrammetry, participatory methods and mobile applications) can mediate this relationship and contribute to its intangible cultural value
Beyond the Human: Exploring AI Creativity through the Works of Daniel Bolojan Studio and Coop Himmelb(l)au.
No full textContext: This study examines the co-creativity between human and non-human agents that influences certain contemporary architectural and artistic trends. It focuses on two significant works generated through artificial intelligence programs: Machine Perceptions: Gaudi + Neural Networks, designed by Daniel Bolojan Studio in 2018, and Deep Himmelb(l)au, developed by the Coop Himmelb(l)au agency in 2019.
Method: The research is based on an in-depth scientific review of these two projects as well as on the use of artificial intelligence - particularly deep learning techniques - in design and architecture. It also integrates a visual analysis relying on photographic and videographic material drawn from key conferences.
Results: Machine Perceptions: Gaudi + Neural Networks seeks to develop a prototype AI algorithm capable of recognizing and reinterpreting geometric and aesthetic compositional principles inspired by Antonio Gaudí’s Sagrada Família. By contrast, Deep Himmelb(l)au explores the acceleration of Coop Himmelb(l)au’s architectural design process through the use of a generative program capable of autonomous and continuous reinterpretations inspired by the agency’s projects.
Conclusions: Both projects, grounded in the training of digitized image banks, go beyond the capacities of conventional text-based artificial intelligence programs such as DALL-E or Midjourney. The work of Bolojan and Vermisso, based on CycleGANs, produces a two-dimensional “hallucination” of architectural space, whereas Coop Himmelb(l)au exploits a diversity of collaborative neural networks to engage with the third dimension. Although still emerging, these initiatives demonstrate the potential of artificial intelligence to open new creative frontiers that transcend the artist’s creation
Privacy and Gendered Domestic Spaces in the 21st Century: Mapping Sociocultural Continuity in the Community led-housing Project of Ksar Tafilelt, Algeria
No full textAs a sociocultural product, the home is shaped by specific sociocultural norms and values. Economic development and modernisation have significantly affected the architecture of many Muslim homes, resulting in a disconnection from Islamic culture. This paper explores two sociocultural factors in Muslim housing: privacy and gender segregation. The analysis highlights how the principles of traditional Islamic architecture are still woven into contemporary designs, using Ksar Tafilelt in Algeria as a case study. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate that the Mozabite house in Ksar Tafilelt continues to uphold the social customs and religious beliefs of its residents despite the influences of modernisation.
Through fieldwork and comparative analysis, both the traditional house in the original Mozabite settlement and the contemporary house in Ksar Tafilelt are examined in terms of user zones rather than functional zones. This approach investigates how these homes uphold traditional Mozabite architectural patterns while accommodating contemporary comfort needs. The study methodology also includes a combination of questionnaires and interviews conducted with a sample of 70 residents from Ksar Tafilelt.
The findings reveal factors that have enabled the Mozabite community to maintain its Islamic identity. They also emphasise a notably conservative, family-oriented culture, which is reflected in the organisation of household spaces. This research study highlights the significance of involving the community in housing projects and comprehending the sociocultural principles of the local population throughout the construction process.
This research was conducted as part of a PhD project funded by Cardiff University
Adaptive Reuse of Historic Dwellings into Cafés: Design Challenges and Planning Issues in Hebron
No full textThis research examines a phenomenon that has emerged recently: the trend of young people frequenting cafes and restaurants as a social practice that became prominent in the early 21st century in the city of Hebron. It has been observed that some historically significant old dwellings have been chosen as subjects for redesigning and transforming them into cafes and restaurants. The research problem revolves around the design challenges and issues that may arise in redesigning historical dwellings, the success of the transformation process, and the design principles necessary to preserve cultural property and protect it from damage and alterations to its historical features, cultural heritage, and identity. It delves into preserving such properties through reuse, especially for dwellings that have been redesigned. The study included analyzing several models in the old city of Hebron. This region was chosen due to the rapid transformation in social thoughts and customs and the presence of the old town, along with historically significant dwellings utilized in the process of reuse and redesign. This research follows a scientific analytical and documentary methodology, involving the review of several dwelling models, literature, materials, books, and scientific research. Information was gathered through interviews and surveys to collect sufficient data for analysis and result extraction. The study concluded by emphasizing the value of integrating traditional architectural features into interior design when adapting old dwellings into cultural cafés. It demonstrated that adaptive reuse enhances both aesthetics and functionality, especially when using local materials and sustainable solutions. The reuse of existing elements—such as niches and cabinets—combined with thoughtful interventions addressed common issues like humidity and outdated infrastructure, while preserving cultural identity and reducing costs
The Head-Mounted Displays (HMDs): Towards a Playful Approach to Architectural Space: Case Study of Augmented Grounds by Hahm, Jung, and Lee
No full textThis study explores the use of head-mounted displays (HMDs) as augmented fabrication interfaces within the fields of architecture and landscape design. It focuses on the analysis of Augmented Grounds, a landscape installation designed by Soomeen Hahm, Jaeheon Jung, and Yumi Lee.
The research is based on an in-depth literature review of this project and the art of gardens, particularly in the context of the Métis International Garden Festival, which serves as the backdrop for this creation. To enhance the analysis, photographic and video materials, as well as data obtained from online interviews, were incorporated.
The installation innovatively combines the traditional craft of hand-weaving with the digital precision enabled by HMDs. It offers a contemporary reinterpretation of the textile heritage of the North American Métis Nation by applying a parametric design approach to architecture and landscape.
This pioneering approach opens up new horizons in landscape art design by leveraging an innovative fabrication method that redefines the role of interfaces - particularly HMDs - beyond their conventional use in architecture, integrating them seamlessly into artistic and landscape creation