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Wall Beams in the Service of the Sustainability of Traditional Houses
No full textWall beams (hatulla) in traditional Albanian houses represent more than structural reinforcements; they embody a synthesis of architecture, craftsmanship, and cultural identity. Typically fashioned from oak (Quercus spp.), valued for its resistance to humidity and longterm durability, these beams were meticulously carved and fixed with wedges by experienced master builders. Their placement—varying in spacing and frequency depending on whether stone masonry or adobe was used—illustrates an adaptive vernacular engineering practice shaped by environmental resources and material constraints. Such construction methods demonstrate a refined balance between technical necessity and ecological awareness. Beyond their structural role, wall beams conveyed symbolic and social meanings. They preserved inherited artisanal knowledge, expressed aesthetic sensibilities, and reinforced a sense of communal belonging through shared architectural traditions. This study examines wall beams as both material artifacts and socio-cultural markers, situating them within anthropological debates on vernacular architecture, sustainability, and the continuity of tradition in Albanian material culture. near the city center was created in the abandoned area after the last war in Kosovo
Review on law on protection from environmental noise and its implementation in Kosovo
No full textDespite 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 control policies. Key challenges include a lack of harmonization with European Union directives, institutional fragmentation, inadequate measuring equipment, and limited enforcement capacity at the local level. The study recommends the drafting of a comprehensive noise pollution law, improvement of monitoring systems, strengthening of enforcement mechanisms, and increased public awareness as prerequisites for effective and sustainable management of this environmental issue
Critical observations on effectiveness of urban planning documents and processes in Kosovo during 2000 - 2025
No full textThe 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 same time creating new attraction nodes of public spaces. The research is done through an annual Landscape workshop in Politecnico di Milano – Piacenza, with second-year Sustainable Architecture and Landscape Design students. The design works were compared to see the most popular approach of the students regarding urban regeneration, in order to find possible links between them. One chosen project will be presented as a case study. According to the research and design works of the ten student groups, the use of green sustainable technologies could become an important tool for urban and historical regeneration. The same approach could be used in retrofitting historical sites as modern public spaces
Cross-Cultural Perspectives in Neuroarchitecture: Bridging Brains, Buildings, and Belonging
No full textNeuroarchitecture has offered important insights into how the built environment shapes cognition, emotion, and well-being. However, much of this work has assumed universality in neural responses, overlooking the role of cultural context. Architecture is not only material but also symbolic, carrying meanings that differ across societies. This raises a crucial question: are brain responses to architecture universal, or are they also shaped by cultural familiarity and learned associations? This presentation explores cross-cultural perspectives at the intersection of neuroscience, psychology, and architecture. Shared mechanisms such as stress reduction in natural environments and attentional benefits of restorative spaces are outlined, together with evidence that cultural context modulates perception, memory, and aesthetic preference. Methodological challenges are addressed, including the selection of representative stimuli and the design of unbiased experiments. A cross-cultural lens can advance neuroarchitecture, moving it toward evidence-based design that remains sensitive to cultural identit
Concrete Strength Class and its Impact on Beam Section Modulus: A Dual Experimental–Theoretical Approach
No full textThis study investigates the influence of concrete strength class on the section modulus of concrete beams using a dual experimental–theoretical approach. Twenty-seven beam specimens, all with a constant cross-sectional area (A = 1000 cm²) and length (L = 40 cm) but varying width-to-height ratios, were produced using concrete classes C25/30, C30/37, and C35/45. Standard flexural tests were conducted, and results were compared with theoretical calculations based on mechanics of materials and numerical simulations using DIANA FEA. The results confirm that higher concrete strength, particularly in beams with larger section modulus, leads to increased flexural capacity due to greater stiffness and compressive strength. Minor discrepancies observed are attributed to concrete heterogeneity and model simplifications. The strong correlation between experimental and theoretical data underscores the importance of both material properties and cross-sectional geometry in structural performance, offering valuable insights for the optimization of concrete beam design under flexural loading
Resilient by Tradition: Structural Characterization of Vernacular Architecture in Kosovo
No full textVernacular architecture often embodies intuitive structural solutions that respond effectively to local environmental and seismic conditions. In our country, Kosovo, a notable example is a hybrid system combining massive adobe masonry with timber reinforcement belts at the ground floor and a lighter timber-frame superstructure known as “bondruk” or as proposed by the authors the local term “kosdak”. The lower level is built with thick earthen walls, stabilized by the timber reinforcement belts, while the upper level consists of timber frames and braces, infilled with earth–straw mixtures - adobe. This dual arrangement—heavy and stable below, light and flexible above—demonstrates an ingenious balance between strength and ductility. Although widespread in practice, this structural logic has rarely been analyzed in detail for the case of Kosovo. This study aims to present and interpret the system from an engineering perspective, examining its components and their interaction, and situating it within a broader family of timber–masonry hybrids found across the Balkans, Turkey, Italy, Spain, and Portugal. By tracing these parallels, it is emphasized how seismic risk has historically guided construction traditions and underline the relevance of such systems as sustainable models for resilient architecture today
Audit of Road Safety Elements Interaction of Vehicles and Pedestrian at the Intersection Tahir Zaimi Road – N9 National Road, Segment Prishtina – Fushë Kosovë
No full textThis study investigates the safety concerns associated with a road segment characterized by conflict points, high vehicle traffic, and insufficient safety measures. Road safety auditing is employed as an independent evaluation method to identify safety-related issues within road projects. The primary objective is to pinpoint problematic areas that conflict with established road safety systems and to communicate these concerns to relevant stakeholders, alongside offering recommendations for risk mitigation. Focusing on the intersection of \u27Tahir Zajmi\u27 and \u27N9\u27 in the southwest Kalabria neighborhood, this research addresses critical vehicle-pedestrian conflict points. Utilizing the Road Safety Audit Methodology (RSA) and a quantitative-practical approach through the Road Safety Inspection (RSI), the study examines a 200m segment with a history of vehicle-pedestrian accidents. Proposed preventive measures include the rehabilitation of infrastructure with both passive and active road safety equipment at the intersection and adjacent train stop, aiming to enhance overall road safet
AI-Driven Code Automation: Intelligent Algorithms for Suggesting and Generating Programming Code
No full textArtificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly transforming software development by enabling intelligent code automation, which can significantly enhance productivity and reduce human errors. This research investigates AI-driven algorithms designed to suggest or generate code snippets automatically, leveraging advanced machine learning techniques such as deep learning and natural language processing. The study analyzes how these algorithms understand programming context, recognize patterns in existing codebases, and produce syntactically and semantically correct code. Additionally, it explores the challenges of integrating AI-generated code into larger projects, maintaining code quality, and managing ambiguous or incomplete requirements. The research also examines current tools and frameworks, including transformer- based models and intelligent code assistants, assessing their effectiveness in real-world programming tasks. By highlighting the potential of AI-powered code automation, this study demonstrates how developers can focus more on higher-level problem-solving and software design, while routine coding tasks are efficiently handled by intelligent systems. The findings suggest that AI-driven code generation can play a pivotal role in shaping the future of software engineering and accelerating innovation
AI in Scheduling for Healthcare – Opportunities, Challenges, and Eliminating Time-Consuming Processes
No full textThe rapid growth of demand in healthcare has created significant challenges in managing patient appointments effectively. Traditional scheduling methods, often reliant on manual processes, phone calls, and in-person visits, are prone to human error, increased administrative burden, and delays in patient care. With rising patient volumes and limited healthcare staff, the need for intelligent scheduling solutions has become critical to avoid bottlenecks and ensure timely access to care. This thesis examines the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into hospital appointment scheduling to optimize resource allocation, reduce patient waiting times, and improve overall service quality. The proposed AI-driven solution employs natural language processing for voice- and text-based patient interactions, machine learning models to predict appointment availability, and real-time synchronization with hospital information systems. The research adopts a mixed approach, combining literature review and system prototyping to assess both technical feasibility and practical implications. By automating the scheduling process, hospitals can minimize human errors, reduce staff workload, and enhance the patient experience. Furthermore, the study evaluates the opportunities and challenges of AI adoption in healthcare, highlighting its potential not only to increase efficiency but also to transform healthcare delivery through intelligent automation
Cryptographic Challenges through Conditional Probability Inference
No full textThe rapid evolution of cyberattacks has rendered classical deterministic cryptographic methods insufficient, exposing vulnerabilities in ciphers once considered secure. To address these limitations, this paper investigates conditional probability as a unifying paradigm for modern cryptanalysis. The proposed approach integrates statistical techniques (frequency analysis, chi-square testing, and n-gram modeling), probabilistic inference (Bayesian updating and Markov chains), heuristic optimization, and machine learning models for automated key prediction. Experimental evaluation demonstrates that while frequency analysis alone achieves 62% decryption accuracy, chi-square testing raises this to 70%, Bayesian–Markov inference achieves 85%, and a hybrid machine learning framework reaches 92%. Unlike previous studies that treat these methods separately, this work introduces a unified hybrid framework that bridges classical statistical reasoning with modern AI-driven approaches. The results confirm that probabilistic reasoning significantly enhances both accuracy and efficiency compared to standalone methods. This contribution has direct implications for securing real-world applications in communication networks, financial transactions, and post-quantum cryptographic systems