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Advanced Technologies for Urban and Architectural Design

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A special issue of Buildings (ISSN 2075-5309). This special issue belongs to the section "Architectural Design, Urban Science, and Real Estate".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2024 | Viewed by 10796

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Youjin Jang

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Guest Editor

Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58102, USA
Interests: human–building interactions; robotics and automation in construction; data analytics; data sensing; smart and connected communities; safety and health; emerging technology adoption
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Jeehee Lee

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Construction, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV 89154, USA
Interests: data-driven construction and project management through artificial intelligence (AI) and natural language processing (NLP); human–building interaction (HBI); human sensing technology; smart construction/smart building

Dr. Soowon Chang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

School of Construction Management Technology, Purdue Polytechnic Institute, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
Interests: connected community; building energy; urban infrastructure systems; modeling and simulation; virtual design and construction; parametric and generative design
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Urban and architectural design play a critical role in shaping and functioning the cities and spaces we inhabit. As the world continues to urbanize at an unprecedented pace, the need for innovative solutions to address the challenges of urbanization becomes increasingly important. Advanced technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled solutions and digital ecosystems, are emerging as powerful tools that can revolutionize the way we design, plan, and build our cities, taking into consideration long-term and broader impacts on social habitats. This Special Issue explores the significance and necessity of advanced technologies for urban and architectural design, highlighting their potential to create more sustainable, efficient, and livable urban environments.

The Guest Editors cordially welcome high-quality papers focusing on, but not limited to, the following topics:

Smart cities and Internet of Things (IoT) in urban design;
Parametric and generative design;
Modular construction and prefabrication;
Building information modeling (BIM) and digital twins;
Virtual and augmented reality in architectural visualization and simulation;
Robotics and automation in construction and building design and construction;
Sustainable materials and energy-efficient design strategies;
Climate change and disaster risk reduction;
Data-driven urban planning and design;
Intelligent transportation systems and mobility solutions;
Urban resilience and climate-responsive architecture;
Human-centered and user experience design.

We look forward to receiving your submissions.

Dr. Youjin Jang
Dr. Jeehee Lee
Dr. Soowon Chang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Buildings is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

smart buildings
smart cities
advanced technology
intelligent transportation system
innovative urban solutions
automation in building design
sustainable and energy-efficient design

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

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20 pages, 2912 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Edge AI-Enabled Road Fixture Monitoring System

by Moein Younesi Heravi, Israt Sharmin Dola, Youjin Jang and Inbae Jeong

Buildings 2024, 14(5), 1220; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14051220 - 25 Apr 2024

Viewed by 254

Abstract

Effective monitoring of road fixtures is essential for urban safety and functionality. However, traditional inspections are time-consuming, costly, and error prone, while current automated solutions struggle with high initial setup costs, limited flexibility preventing wide adaptation, and reliance on centralized processing that can delay response times. This study introduces an edge AI-based remote road fixture monitoring system which automatically and continuously updates the information of the road digital twin (DT). The main component is a small-sized edge device consisting of a camera, GPS, and IMU sensors designed to be installed in typical cars. The device captures images, detects the fixture, and estimates their location by employing deep learning and feature matching. This information is transmitted to a dedicated cloud server and represented on a user-friendly user interface. Experiments were conducted to test the system’s performance. The results showed that the device could successfully detect the fixture and estimate their global coordinates. Outputs were marked and shown on the road DT, proving the integrated and smooth operation of the whole system. The proposed Edge AI device demonstrated that it could significantly reduce the data size by 80–84% compared to traditional methods. With a satisfactory object detection accuracy of 65%, the system effectively identifies traffic poles, stop signs, and streetlights, integrating these findings into a digital twin for real-time monitoring. The proposed system improves road monitoring by cutting down on maintenance and emergency response times, increasing the ease of data use, and offering a foundation for an overview of urban road fixtures’ current state. However, the system’s reliance on the quality of data collected under varying environmental conditions suggests potential improvements for consistent performance across diverse scenarios. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Technologies for Urban and Architectural Design)

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23 pages, 29755 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Urban Landscape Perception Research Based on the ERP Method: A Case Study of Jingdezhen, China

by Yue Cheng, Jiayin Chen, Jiajia Tang, Wenbo Xu, Dong Lv and Xuan Xiao

Buildings 2024, 14(4), 962; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14040962 - 01 Apr 2024

Viewed by 583

Abstract

Within the rapidly growing urban tourism industry, the development of urban landscapes plays a crucial role in shaping a city’s image and competitiveness; however, standardized and mismatched landscapes often have a negative impact, highlighting the importance of assessing urban landscape perceptions. Although existing studies have discussed this through subjective questionnaires and physiological methods, the underlying neural mechanisms have not been thoroughly explored. The research focuses on Jingdezhen, a renowned historical and cultural city in China, as its case study. Utilized the event-related potential (ERP) method to explore individuals’ perceptual consistency and neural activity toward different types of urban landscapes. We adopted a 2 (landscape type: historical, modern) X 2 (perceptual match: consistent, inconsistent) within-subject design while recording behavioral data and electrophysiological responses. The results showed that, under any condition, there were no significant differences in people’s behavioral data. Neurophysiological results indicate that consistent perceptions of modern landscapes elicited greater P200 responses, suggesting increased attention driven by visual aesthetics and emotional activation. Under conditions of perceptual inconsistency, historical landscapes elicited higher N400 amplitudes than modern landscapes, revealing cognitive conflict and effort. This study demonstrates that P200 and N400 components are effective indicators for assessing urban perception, proving the viability of the event-related potential method in urban landscape research. Additionally, the research reveals the neural mechanisms of urban environmental perception from the early stages of attention and emotional distribution to the later stages of cognitive decision-making, which involve cognitive processes from “bottom-up” to “top-down”. This study not only provides a reference for efficient design planning for those involved in urban science but also inspires the coordination between the developmental needs of historical and modern urban landscapes. Moreover, it offers a new perspective for an interdisciplinary approach to urban perception assessment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Technologies for Urban and Architectural Design)

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22 pages, 4265 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Research on a Data-Driven Modeling Method for Precast Concrete Balcony Components

by Jie Cai, Xin Wang, Junfeng Shi, Xingxing Xie, Yu Feng and Yingjun Wu

Buildings 2024, 14(1), 96; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14010096 - 29 Dec 2023

Viewed by 752

Abstract

In this paper, a data-driven modeling method for precast concrete (PC) balcony components was proposed to solve the problems of low informatization and the difficult modeling of components at the design stage. Through the analysis of the characteristics of PC balcony components and the combination of modular design methods, the paper designed a data structure for the components and developed a data-driven modeling tool for PC balcony components that can realize the input of structural design data, automatically generating component models. First, this paper introduced the data-driven modeling concept and the modeling process. Second, the PC balcony components in common prefabricated residential projects were analyzed to identify their characteristics. By using a modular design approach, these components were divided and a module dataset was created based on the split modules. Consequently, a data structure for the prefabricated balcony component model was established, wherein both conventional parameters and adaptive parameters between modules were interrelated. Finally, the function of data-driven modeling was achieved by developing a modular design tool on the Revit platform using the C# programming language. The application conducted on a prefabricated building project demonstrated that the software tool and modeling method in this paper effectively improve the level of informatization and modeling efficiency of PC balcony components. The modular design approach was satisfied with the standardization and diversification requirements of balcony components, thereby offering insights for modeling other complex components. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Technologies for Urban and Architectural Design)

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27 pages, 7224 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Quantitative Evaluation Method and Process of BIM Data for Generating BIM-Based 2D Deliverables

by Yije Kim, Sangyoon Chin and Seungyeon Choo

Buildings 2023, 13(12), 3124; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13123124 - 16 Dec 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 810

Abstract

Views, drawings, and data extracted from building information modeling (BIM) constitute essential deliverables throughout the lifecycle of an architecture, engineering, and construction project, offering crucial insights for comprehending the design. Nevertheless, many employers evaluating BIM deliverables lack standardized criteria for the specific intended use of each BIM outcome, which hampers the practical utility of BIM results. This study introduces a quantitative evaluation method for the management of BIM-based two-dimensional (2D) deliverables. The BIM outcome measurement index for 2D deliverables (BOMI-2D) is formulated to provide a quantitative assessment of BIM data, focusing on their composition, structure, data readiness, and consistency. Pilot tests validated the efficacy of BOMI-2D, revealing an impressive 88.3% reduction in additional work required for 2D deliverables when data readiness increased by 25% and consistency improved by 32%. BOMI-2D is poised to play a pivotal role as an evaluation index for BIM data and outcomes, ultimately enhancing their utilization and productivity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Technologies for Urban and Architectural Design)

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23 pages, 12940 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Research on the Modular Design and Application of Prefabricated Components Based on KBE

by Na Li, Yu Feng, Jixiong Liu, Xiongjin Ye and Xingxing Xie

Buildings 2023, 13(12), 2980; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13122980 - 29 Nov 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1482

Abstract

The design and production of prefabricated buildings pose challenges in achieving standardization, limiting their extensive adoption. In order to address issues of prefabricated components, such as the low reusability of design knowledge, limited standardization, and design disconnection, this paper adopted the prefabricated cantilevered structure components as the research object. It employs knowledge-based engineering (KBE) theory and secondary split modularization approach in conjunction with Revit secondary development technology to establish a modular design system. The system formalizes complex design knowledge into concise user interfaces and a logically clear programming language, ensuring the design system’s ease of use and accessibility. To validate the authenticity and applicability of the modular design system developed in this paper, a comparison is made between the traditional modeling tool and modular modeling tool. Through empirical analysis, the result indicates that the new tool proposed in this paper can enhance the efficiency of design professionals by 72.92%. Among these, the tool meets the modeling and design requirements of 96.1% of the prefabricated components in the project, making it highly suitable for the modeling and design process of the vast majority of prefabricated components. Therefore, this design approach, which integrates KBE and three-dimensional geometric technology, makes the modular design of prefabricated cantilevered structural components feasible, providing a reference for future research in the design of other prefabricated components. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Technologies for Urban and Architectural Design)

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32 pages, 6089 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Correlation Analysis of Retail Space and Shopping Behavior in a Commercial Street Based on Space Syntax: A Case of Shijiazhuang, China

by Haitao Lian and Gaomei Li

Buildings 2023, 13(11), 2674; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13112674 - 24 Oct 2023

Viewed by 1535

Abstract

The visibility and spatial characteristics of commercial space are the key factors that affect the space vitality. However, the coupling visibility graphical analysis of commercial spaces and spatial characteristics to quantitatively analyse consumer behaviour in commercial street spaces and assess the vitality of retail spaces has not been adequately studied. In this paper, the aim is to conduct a visibility graph analysis of Zhuangli Street in Letai Center, Shijiazhuang, using space syntax theory, assessing the spatial vitality of the retail space by investigating the shop visits. First, a methodology for obtaining data on spatial characteristics and consumer behaviour of shopping streets was developed. Secondly, this article constructs a process for a visibility graph analysis of Zhuangli Street based on space syntax theory. Third, two combination variables of the space coefficient and depth coefficient of shop windows in retail spaces of a commercial street are proposed. Finally, the effect of combination variables and business types on spatial vitality was analyzed using correlation and multiple regression methods, and a space vitality prediction model was proposed. The results showed that the shop with the highest shop visits of retail spaces in the shopping street is 13.55 times higher than the smallest shop. The space coefficient of the shop window, depth coefficient of the shop window, and space connectivity of retail spaces in commercial streets have positive effects on space vitality. The workflow proposed in this paper can provide technical support for retail space design in commercial streets as well as evaluating and optimizing commercial street space design solutions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Technologies for Urban and Architectural Design)

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20 pages, 11621 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Experimental and Numerical Study on Flexural Behavior of a Full-Scale Assembled Integral Two-Way Multi-Ribbed Composite Floor System

by Xiangqiang Zeng, Yan Feng, Sihan Ruan, Ming Xu and Liang Gong

Buildings 2023, 13(10), 2517; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13102517 - 04 Oct 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 907

Abstract

An assembled floor system is a main step in the industrialization of construction in civil engineering, where the stiffness and anti-crack properties under designed loads and its self-weight are the main concerns. This paper presents a new type of assembled integral composite floor system, which is composed of precast ribbed bottom slab, lightweight infills, cast-in-situ upper slab and joints. Through the couplers for squeezing and splicing of longitudinal bars, shear keys and cast-in-situ joints between the precast panels and cast-in-situ upper part, the whole hollow floor system could not only exhibit satisfactory mechanical performance, but also lower the self-weight and shorten the construction time. To study its flexural behaviors, a full-scale specimen sized 9.2 m × 9.2 m was designed and tested under static area load. With the load increased to the designed loads of Chinese design code GB50010-2010, mechanical performance (i.e., crack distribution, deformation and stress distribution) were analyzed. To further study its load-carrying capacity and working mechanism, an effective finite element model was established in ABAQUS and compared with experimental and simulation results. It was found that the deflection of the floor under the normal service load and the crack width met the needs of normal use, and the finite element model could serve as a reliable method for the load-carrying capacity calculation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Technologies for Urban and Architectural Design)

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28 pages, 11034 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Light Environment Evaluation of the Architecturalized Immersive New Media Public Art Installation from the Audiences’ Visual Safety Perspective

by Yonghong Yan, Yi Zhong, Bohan Zhang, Ziming Weng, Shuhui Niu, Yue Zeng, Xiang Cheng and Biao Zhong

Buildings 2023, 13(8), 2122; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13082122 - 21 Aug 2023

Viewed by 1504

Abstract

How to balance the artistry and comfort of the light environment in an architecturalized immersive new media public art installation (AINMPAI) to ensure the safety of the audiences’ visual safety has become a new issue. The lack of corresponding lighting design standards makes this issue more challenging. This paper explores the appropriate luminance range of the irregularly curved LED screens of the AINMPAI with high-luminance natural light as the background. The influence of the audience behavior mode on the brightness threshold of the LED screens in the AINMPAI under the background of Internet communication is discussed. Through software simulation and field measurement, the effectiveness of the design measures based on the local characteristics of the work is verified. The overall average luminance, the regional luminance, the partial luminance, and the corresponding luminance contrast of the inner screen surface were measured at every 10° change in the solar altitude angle during daytime. The nighttime light environment parameters and the temperature of the device throughout the day were also measured. A total of 487 visitors were interviewed for subjective evaluation of the comfort of the light and thermal environments. The results show that: (1) the overall average luminance cannot wholly describe the actual luminance of the critical parts of the special-shaped curved screen in the device and that two indicators, the regional luminance and the partial average luminance, need to be added; (2) the maximum brightness limit of LED screens in the daytime can be 1000 cd/m² but at night it should be controlled within 200 cd/m²; (3) natural light is the main factor that causes the high average brightness and low contrast of the daytime device screen; (4) the recommended indicators for such artistic installations should balance the absolute values of average brightness, artistic effect, and transmission priority. This study can provide foundational data and a methodological reference for establishing AINMPAI light environment design guidelines or recommended standards based on audiences’ visual safety. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Technologies for Urban and Architectural Design)

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22 pages, 3914 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Pedestrian Simulation on Evacuation Behavior in Teaching Building of Primary School Emergencies and Optimized Design

by Haitao Lian, Sijia Zhang, Gaomei Li and Yuchen Zhang

Buildings 2023, 13(7), 1747; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13071747 - 10 Jul 2023

Viewed by 1187

Abstract

The spatial layout and arrangement of obstacles in the built environment significantly affect its evacuation performance. However, few researchers focus on pedestrian simulation-based design optimization of built environment under emergency evacuation conditions. In this paper, we aim to evaluate the evacuation performance of optimized design solutions for traffic space in the teaching building of a primary school based on a pedestrian simulation approach and to quantify the effect of design parameters on evacuation time. Firstly, the level of traffic space design parameters was determined and optimized design solutions for the traffic space of the school building were generated. Secondly, based on the Anylogic simulation platform, the environment module and pedestrian evacuation behaviour rules of the teaching building were built to realize the evacuation behaviour simulation. Thirdly, the effect of the traffic space design parameters on the evacuation time of the teaching building was evaluated and the most significant design parameters were identified. Finally, the optimal combination of traffic space design parameters was proposed under evacuation performance orientation. The results show that the sensitivity of the traffic space design parameters to evacuation time is 31.85%. The effect of corridor width on evacuation time is 49.06 times greater than the staircase width. The optimal design combination for the traffic space in the teaching building of the primary school is a 3.0 m wide trapezoidal corridor combined with a 3.6 m wide staircase, and a 3.0 m wide fish maw corridor combined with 3.6 m wide staircase, guided by evacuation performance. The framework developed in this paper provides technical support for the development of evacuation performance-oriented design optimization of the built environment, and the results are intended to supplement the building design specifications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Technologies for Urban and Architectural Design)

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Review

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15 pages, 1186 KiB

Open AccessReview

The Early Case for Stabilization and Sustainability of Korean G-SEED Based on Collaborative Governance: A Theoretical Review

by Myunghee Kim

Buildings 2023, 13(10), 2631; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13102631 - 18 Oct 2023

Viewed by 762

Abstract

This article aims to identify the significance of collaborative governance in the initial stage of the system for stabilization and sustainability through a case study of the introduction of the Green Standard for Energy and Environmental Design (G-SEED) certification system. To this end, the collaborative governance model was examined, and how the initial drivers and collaborative dynamics contributed to the stabilization and sustainability of the G-SEED certification system were investigated. Based on a theoretical literature review, a descriptive case study was conducted by applying the Integrated Framework of Collaborative Governance framework to address how multi-stakeholder collaboration works in G-SEED. The results of this study demonstrate that the drivers and collaborative dynamics in the early G-SEED contributed to a major revision of green building certification regulations and standards as outcomes of collaborative actions and to a continued increase in the number of certifications. This article argues that the stabilization and sustainability of the certification system depend on how multiple stakeholders collaborate and establish collaborative governance in the early stage of system introduction. It suggests that in the case of G-SEED, it is necessary to consider the implications derived from the results based on collaboration among sectors to achieve qualitative growth rather than quantitative expansion. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Technologies for Urban and Architectural Design)

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