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TECHNOLOGY OF CINEMATIC ARCHITECTURE IN SCIENCE FICTION MOVIES
Get PDFCinematic architecture in the broadest terms, portrayed spaces as a scene, where it conceives and reads the built environment in terms of sequences. It explores the effect of futuristic architecture and highlight the significant role of cinematic architecture in the society. Both movies and architecture function as languages, with two components: the signifiers, which are the tangible forms of signs, and the signified, which are the concepts, thoughts, and ideals that the signifiers contain. Unfortunately, the world is experiencing fast changes as a result of the massive rise of technology and capitalism, and the cinema industry plays an important role in displaying these improvements, showing the up - coming future through various science fiction movies, that either operate as an alert system for transformation, with the majority of these depictions viewing futuristic architecture and urban design as a dystopian realm, a lack of how to manage the upcoming issues, and these visions may come to pass. This paper aims to recognize different technological approaches to create the cinematic architecture, presented in the science fiction movies. To achieve this aim, the paper will start with literature review, based on desk research, reviewing previous readings, then the paper will analyze two case studies, which are the Movie of Tron Legacy, 2010, and the Avatar movie, James Cameron, 2009. As a conclusion, a better understanding the link between movie and architecture, it may be a better convey the complex concepts and ambitions for cities through architectural elements and signifiers
DESIGN CHALLENGES OF SOLVING CIRCULAR GEOMETRY IN RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS
Get PDFA dimensional geometrical shape such as a circular shape has been established all throughout the history of building design planning in order to find out the suitable arrangements for the living spaces: One of the most unusual designs planning in architecture is circular planning. Moreover, residential buildings that contain a circular plan are not built that frequently as well, but they still are a part of architecture since prehistoric times. Unfortunately, there are significant issues in such buildings, such as a structural challenge within the design module with orientation problems. In other words, there is a missing of the optimum use of space with acoustic problems including difficulties of furnishing. This paper therefore aims to provide the evidence that the geometry of a tiny minority of residential buildings are circular, and it questions why this is so. In addition, it intends to encourage the use of this type of buildings and to propose innovative design methods that can be applied in the circular residential buildings, trying to justify the architectural spaces to fit with the curvilinear walls and the recognition of the advantages produced within such buildings. To achieve this aim, this paper will begin by presenting literature review, based on desk research, carried out by re-reading the philosophical background of circular plans and its function. After that, the paper will theoretically highlight the historical use of circular-plan residential buildings, and will clarify the solution of design module, structural and services’ cores, circulation between apartments, terraces, and external walls, within the curvy design. The paper will investigate two case studies such as “Tour Lumière” 2017 by Jacques Ferrier in France, Paris and “Edelweiss Residence” 2010 by Matteo Thun & Partners in Austria as a consequence to comprehend their project\u27s concept and how they solved the circular form of their buildings
REVIVING THE NEGLECTED URBAN SPACES USING RECREATIONAL FACILITIES
Get PDFNeglection is the act of failing to care about something, it is the act of carelessness and forgetting. Adding to that in the same context, neglected urban spaces are barren lands that have been forgotten by the government making these lands gaps scattered in the city like rivers that are natural freshwater streams that flow into a canal that leads to the sea, a lake, or another river. Harmonizing these areas into the society will offer opportunities for these spaces to become a liveable, social, urban public spaces. Unfortunately, forgotten, and neglected riverfronts areas are found in the cities, thus spaces that allow socialisation, relaxation, and the experience of different activities for different classes of society are nowhere to be found, but there are detached, unsafe spaces that give the feeling of surviving rather than living. The main aim of this paper is to provide an urban strategy that can revive the neglected riverfronts areas and transform them into healthy social spaces through recreational facilities. The research paper aims to investigate the neglected spaces that are within the area of Beirut’s River, which mainly has a context of very active economical spaces. The scientific methodology will be applied through site visiting, quaternary, and analytical studies these procedures will present a clearer view of the field of study of the neglected urban space. The paper ends with a set of conclusions, focusing on reviving neglected riverfronts and re-establishing them to create a sustainable cultural connection with the city and preserve its identity
SOURCES OF RESONANT VORTICES IN AERO-ACOUSTICS RESONANCE FROM TANDEM FLAT PLATES
Get PDFAero-acoustic resonance in flows around flat plates is a major design concern in various practical applications, especially turbomachinery and heat exchangers, due to its significant effects on fatigue rates and radiated noises intensity. Although research has been intensive on the topic, there is still a lot to be understood for effective resonance prediction and control. Resonance in tandem plate systems is characterized by a double response. This study, investigates for the first time, the flow mechanisms responsible for the generation of low-velocity and high-velocity resonances of the double resonance response. Experimental testing and numerical simulation showed that low-velocity resonance vortices are created by normal shedding in the spacing between the plates, while high-velocity resonance vortices are formed by the interaction of vortices that are naturally shed in the gap with the downstream plate. In addition, altering the gap distance between the plates changes the flow regime responsible for the generation of resonant vortices
INVESTIGATING COMMERCIAL URBAN CORRIDORS - A PILOT STUDY IN BEIRUT LEBANON
Get PDFUrban environments are multifaceted, varied, dynamic, complex, and evolving as are the underlying features for human health and wellbeing (Bai, Nath, Capon, Hasan & Jaron, 2020). Healthy and resilient cities can be entry points and platforms for change, adaptation and innovation to achieve optimal health for urban communities and the environment (Regional Framework for Urban Health in the Western Pacific 2016–2020: Healthy and Resilient Cities, 2016). Planners considered urban corridors, which are connection and access between urban districts, as major elements in shaping the city image and forming its identity and investigating them are vital for enhancing healthy and resilient cities. Narrowing the scope on commercial urban corridors, which are a concentration of retail stores that serve a common trade area and lie along a single street (Catherine Dyste, 2012). These corridors can be seen as a dynamic space, but at the same time, they are created to create a range of experiences (Shaban et al., 2018). Improving commercial urban corridors requires several indicators for reviving the companionable and sociable life of a street. Problems occur when space use is not driven. The society therefore uses the urban commercial corridor according to their own interests. This condition may generate conflict between users of the \u27Link\u27 and users of the \u27Space’, may make the corridor an uncomfortable location, and may decreases its livability. Rapid urbanization and unplanned rapid changes of commercial activities in corridors that have an impact on the surrounding streets and users’ activities imposes burdens on surrounding land use and mobility. However, this problem has contributed to various issues such as traffic congestion, pollution, decrease in green areas and degradation of the urban quality of living. That’s why investigating these corridors is imperative to know its utilization and functioning to identify the existing problems and chaos in the corridor since they are facing significant challenges, which is the lack of reliable knowledge on their characteristics and development; important for local authorities to provide wealth of knowledge and data collection. The paper aims to investigate commercial urban corridors to identify and analyze livability aspects and indicators for reviving its companionable and sociable life that can be implemented in a way of a considerable checklist which acts as a systematic structure for communicating the data required, diagnosing issues, and defining the strengths and limitations of the efficiency of a commercial urban corridor to promote a healthy and resilient urban context. To achieve the aim, the research investigates a commercial urban corridor focusing on one of the urban corridors in Beirut, Lebanon. By using Geoportal Interactive Tool, conducted by UN-Habitat and UNICEF to create cartography of the existing conditions of the pilot study, and then analyzes the aspects and indicators of livability based on cartography, walk through analysis and face-to-face interviews with inhabitants in area. After analyzing the commercial urban corridor and identifying the effective indicators, the research resulted in proposing some guidelines for enhancing livability in commercial urban corridors, which were mainly related to the physical aspect since it defines the most inadequate quality and performance
MEDICINAL PLANTS’ STRESS FACTORS: EFFECTS ON METABOLITES AND NOVEL PERSPECTIVES FOR TOLERANCE
Get PDFMedicinal plants are rich in secondary metabolites representing different chemical classes and synthesized by various biochemical pathways. However, these compounds are susceptible to potential herbal predators and to environmental influences. Several factors induce different biotic and abiotic stresses (drought, cold, salinity, heat) that lead to fluctuations in the biogenesis and accumulation of secondary metabolites by which plants react to overcome the threatening stress conditions. This contribution aims to give an overview of the various medicinal plant defense mechanisms against imminent threats and their impact on secondary metabolites profiles in the most effective medicinal plant species such as the levels of vincristine in Catharanthus roseus which is affected by salinity and drought stress, sage (Salvia officinalis) that showed fluctuations in terpenes level under drought stress and mineral contents in the soil and Papaver somniferum that exhibited a decrease in alkaloids content under cold stress. From a wider perspective, the aim of this study is to present novel tools and strategies used for the preservation of some plant species from extinction by minimizing as much as possible the risk of exogenous influences on phytochemicals levels and on plant bio genome and manipulating the stress factors to ensure plants quality and safety. It also aims to raise awareness about the consumption of herbal medicines without respecting the herbal monographs information about the safe dose, the interactions with drugs, and the side effects, in addition to the necessity of performing toxicity studies by pharmaceutical industries, especially on herbal medicines raised under various stress factors because of the risk of SMs (secondary metabolites) accumulation in these plants at a critical level that may be toxic to consumers
THE IMPACT OF PUBLIC DEBT ON INFRASTRUCTURE IN ARAB COUNTRIES
Get PDFThe level of public debt as a percentage of GDP (the debt-to-GDP ratio) has expanded in Arab countries as a result of chronically high budget deficits, which undermine the ability of these countries to invest in infrastructure such as healthcare, education, and other productive sectors. This paper uses panel data from 19 Arab countries from 2000 to 2020 to examine the impact of public debt on infrastructure. The Generalized Least Squares regression, in which the Hausman test was used to determine whether the model should follow a random effect or a fixed effect, was employed after the Ordinary Least Squares regression. Two infrastructure indicators that use the old and new Human Development Index as a benchmark have been created. The results showed that debt-to-GDP has a negative impact on the infrastructure index. The fixed-effects results indicated that the infrastructure indicator based on the new human development index was better explained than that based on the old one, supporting the new HDI hypothesis, which has been shown to be a more reliable indicator. Based on the findings, it is recommended to explore how institutional quality affects the relationship between public debt and infrastructure, as strong institutions can properly guide the use of public debt to reduce its negative impact on infrastructure
FAMAID: A TOOL FOR AIDING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITY
Get PDFPeople with disabilities suffer from discrimination and obstacles that restrict them from participating in society on an equal basis with others every day. They are deprived of their rights to be included in ordinary school systems and even in the work market. In the process of raising awareness, facilitating dailyroutines, and developing guidance, the idea of assisting such people with handy tools/software arose and was implemented in the FamAid tool. FamAid offers people with hearing disability the opportunity to be engaged in the society through many facilities. In this work, we implemented a web application that serves as a community for people with disability who can use sign language to access the app. The app uses hand gesture recognition technique which is considered an active research field in Human-Computer Interaction technology to perform sign language translation to text. Afterwards, the text will be provided as input to the app where the output will be generated based on the request of the user. This research presents an application which is considered a gift for people with speaking and/or hearing disability as it makes their lives easier
ASSESSING PHOTOGRAMMETRY ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN MONUMENTAL BUILDINGS’ CRACK DIGITAL DETECTION
Get PDFNatural and human-made disasters have significant impacts on monumental buildings, threatening them from being deteriorated. If no rapid consolidations took into consideration traumatic accidents would endanger the existence of precious sites. In this context, Beirut\u27s enormous 4th of August 2020 explosion damaged an estimated 640 historical monuments, many volunteers assess damages for more than a year to prevent the more crucial risk of demolitions. This research aims to assist the collaboration ability among photogrammetry science, Artificial Intelligence Model (AIM) and Architectural Coding to optimize the process for better coverage and scientific approach of data specific to the crack disorders to build a comprehensive model consolidation technique. Despite the current technological improvement, the restoration of the existing monument is a challenging and lengthy process where the actual site situation\u27s re-ignitions consume enormous time, from assessing the damages to establishing the restoration relying on human resource developments and manual drawings
BROWNFIELD REGENERATION AS AN URBAN APPROACH RESISTING ECONOMIC RECESSION
Get PDFBrownfield is a land that was used before for different purposes, then was polluted, and abandoned, this type of land is called brownfield. Brownfield regeneration consists of three main sustainable fields: economical, environmental, and social. Brownfield regeneration is a main key in sustainable urban development. Thus, suffering from an economic crisis that affected all the veins of the country and left people in a bad situation. That shortage made the citizens feel miserable, unproductive, less efficient, and unpleased. This research aims to examine the validity of using the brownfield areas to be proper lands as a tool for resisting economic recession. To achieve the main aim, this paper will apply desk research, literature review, defining brownfield and its types in addition to field work and questionnaires. Through these studies, the paper will conclude with some recommendations and suggestions to regenerate some brownfields and its impact on the economy