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Architectural computational optimisation in designing acoustics and seating arrangements
No full textIn architectural practice, it is challenging for designers to predict future spatial performance based on limited information in the early stages of design. To address this design problem, architectural design optimisation can assist the designer by projecting building performance utilising single or multiple criteria over different architectural geometric analyses in the design process.
The primary purpose of this paper is to describe how to design a computational optimisation program that can automatically generate concept design solutions, and determine its impact on the design outcome. In order to investigate the application of computational optimisation in architecture, this study involved analysis of a small scale community performance facility as the proposed building type in the design exploration. Through this study, a deeper understanding of optimisation processes is intended to contribute to advancing architectural practice through computational generative design.
In the computational generative design process, the designer must abstract design factors to become principle elements in calculations. This paper focuses on how to use algorithmic thinking to formulate design principles, in which the computational design’s benefits and limitations are also discussed. As many optimisation algorithms have been used in architectural design, this paper briefly discusses how to select appropriate algorithms. In computational optimisation, it is important to determine numeric input variables and the objectives of the output, so we review the requirements of the performance-space design to study the feasibility of a range of computational applications. This paper reflects on three experimental design-optimisation programs and studies their computational process through research and evaluation. This study recognises that, while design optimisation generates solutions based on geometric variables and optimisation goals, the outcome it suggests ought not be fundamentally different from that required in the initial design brief
Trees and stones: How can landscape architectural design improve visitors' experience of a closed cemetery?
No full textPublic cemeteries, developed in the 19th century and presently closed for burials, are facing problems, such as functional singularity, aesthetic problems and disconnection with other public spaces. As a consequence, these places have become undesirable for visitors.
This research aims to explore ways to improve visitors' experience in closed cemeteries in urban areas. It will explore potential functions, including mourning, memorials, ecological and recreational. It will also investigate ways to attract various types of people . The study will employ research by design as the main methodology. It will also draw inspiration from international literature on the theories and case studies and identify a set of design methods. The research will use Hillsborough Cemetery, Auckland, New Zealand as a study case to investigate this problem and test possible design methods.
The expected outcomes will include a set of drawings, 3D models and a thesis to discuss more possibilities for a cemetery. The research will shed light on the multiuse of closed cemeteries in a growing urban area.
SITE: Hillsborough Cemetery, Auckland, New Zealan
The use of digital tools for learning by neurotypical and neurodiverse animal science students
No full textThis study aimed to identify digital tools that could be provided to assist neurotypical and neurodivergent students by measuring which digital tools students use in their personal life and in their study. This goal was to assist educators in their utilisation of tools to enhance the learning experience for both neurotypical and neurodivergent students in the animal sciences field
Protecting stable biological nomenclatural systems enables universal communication: A collective international appeal
No full textThe fundamental value of universal nomenclatural systems in biology is that they enable unambiguous scientific communication. However, the stability of these systems is threatened by recent discussions asking for a fairer nomenclature, raising the possibility of bulk revision processes for “inappropriate”names. It is evident that such proposals come from very deep feelings, but we show how they can irreparably damage the foundation of biological communication and, in turn, the sciences that depend on it. There are four essential consequences of objective codes of nomenclature: universality, stability, neutrality, and transculturality. These codes provide fair and impartial guides to the principles governing biological nomenclature and allow unambiguous universal communication in biology. Accordingly, no subjective proposals should be allowed to undermine them
Sleep patterns and awareness in medical imaging students using wearable technology
No full textPURPOSE
This study explores the relationship between sleep quality and fatigue in medical imaging students using biometric devices. It examines the impact that objectively measuring and discussing sleep data has on students’ understanding and appreciation of the role of sleep in their academic and professional practices.
DESIGN
The study adopts a case-based approach, with participants engaging in open collaborative discussions and personal investigation of their sleep data. Biometric devices were used to record sleep data over the course of one semester.
FINDINGS
Results show that while all students recognised the importance of sleep, they had very little knowledge about sleep patterns, the effects of sleep on performance and memory, or sleep consistency. However, students engaged with their data and showed interest in learning more about sleep. As the study progressed, participants moved away from discussing sleep duration and focused more on the impact of sleep types on patterns of sleep quality. Some students used this newfound knowledge to try and change their sleep behaviours and optimize their performance, while others struggled to change their habits.
IMPLICATIONS
Overall, this study highlights the need for a more comprehensive approach to sleep education and the potential for personal analytics to facilitate understanding and behaviour change
From behind-the-door to streets: The rise of Chinese cultural visibility in Auckland
No full textThe context of Moon Festival
The concept of visibility from social work perspective
Immigrants’ visibility & integration
Methodology – mixed qualitative method
Your cozy haven: A second home
No full textRESEARCH QUESTION
How can architecture support Mauritians residing in Aotearoa?
ABSTRACT
This project examines how architecture may fulfil the cultural and social requirements of the Mauritian diaspora in Aotearoa (New Zealand). It aims to develop a cultural facility that embodies the distinctive legacy of the expanding Mauritian population in New Zealand while promoting interaction and integration, especially among youth.
This research is significant for preserving the cultural identity of Mauritians overseas while facilitating their adaptation to a new cultural milieu. Current architecture studies emphasise that design may function as a conduit to connect cultural divides and provide inclusive environments for diasporic people. The project utilises a design-based approach that incorporates cultural narratives, climatic responsiveness, and spatial planning to achieve a development that is both culturally relevant and contextually suitable.
The planned cultural facility draws inspiration from Mauritian architectural traditions, including elements of British colonial, French Creole, and rural village typologies in its design. A central courtyard arranges the area, promoting communal interaction, while individual edifices embody their unique architectural traditions. The location, adjacent to Point Chevalier Beach on Waitematā Harbour, was selected for its connection to Mauritius's marine past and its appropriateness for the design's aquatic components.
The design integrates environmental methods to mitigate Auckland's climatic conditions, including wind barriers and open structures, to improve summer ventilation and optimise views of the Auckland Harbour Bridge and North Shore. Accessibility is prioritised via a bridge linking the property to the beach, providing public amenities such as fishing areas, while revenue-generating activities, including events and short-term lodging, bolster the development's sustainability.
This project emphasises architecture's capacity as a cultural anchor, promoting affiliation and identity among diasporic groups while accommodating local circumstances and preserving cultural legacy in a globalised environment
Canine hookworm presence in Tongatapu, Kingdom of Tonga
No full textWho am I?
Kingdom of Tonga
Canine endoprasite presence in Tongatapu (Dec 2019)
Method
Results
What is hookworm and who cares?
What next?
Acknowledgements
Reference
Gone with water: Palliative care by the sea
No full textRESEARCH QUESTION
How can biophilic and salutogenic principles enhance palliative care centre design to improve the well-being of healthcare staff, patients and their families?
ABSTRACT
Death is an inevitable part of life that no one can escape. Throughout the centuries, scientists and biologists have tirelessly sought to conquer diseases like cancer and tried to extend human lifespans. Today, a significant increase in the average human lifespan is achieved, yet the reality of death remains. Along with the depletion of natural resources, the unstoppable pollution, and collapsing of the ecosystem, terminal illnesses are reaching out to younger people; they are not old persons’ diseases anymore. With the downward trend in the age but upward in the population of cancer patients, palliative care is no longer exclusively needed by the elderly.
The project proposes an innovative model of palliative care that complies with salutogenic and biophilic design principles to create an environment that provides physical treatment and spirit rejuvenation. The patients are not the sole users of this building; they are extended to caregivers, family, medical staff, and social workers.
This project aims to present comprehensive palliative care services for inpatient and outpatient settings, extending beyond hospice care; the centre addresses both dying and living. The research delves into the origins of hospice, the history and transformation of modern hospice care, the established and current state of palliative care in New Zealand, and the design principles of hospice facilities. In addition, it analyses relevant architectural precedents related to existing design strategies and healthcare requirements. The key elements and findings support site selection and facilitate design development. This project also focuses on accommodating palliative care services in high-density residential areas, modifying the stereotypical understanding of hospice, and raising social awareness about palliative care
The performance of ChatGPT on short-answer questions in a psychiatry examination: A pilot study
No full textObjectives: We compared ChatGPT’s performance to medical students’ on psychiatry examinations and investigated whether raters could distinguish answers between them.
Methods: We used a copy of short-answer questions from a psychiatry examination to compare the performance of three randomized groups – ChatGPT, student, and hybrid (student-modified ChatGPT responses). Furthermore, we investigated raters’ ability to identify response origins.
Results: ChatGPT-assisted answers, both ChatGPT alone (p < 0.001) and hybrid (p < 0.001), had significantly better examination performance than did independent students work. Raters showed high accuracy in identifying the origin of the responses, correctly identifying 92% of both students’ and ChatGPT-assisted responses. But raters were only 61% accurate in making the distinction between ChatGPT and hybrid answers.
Conclusion: ChatGPT showed superior performance in a psychiatry examination compared to students’ work, but raters showed high accuracy in distinguishing them. Further investigation is warranted to optimize the advantages and mitigate the drawbacks of incorporating such technology into psychiatric education and health care