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Buildings
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Emerging Trends in Architecture, Urbanization, and Design
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Emerging Trends in Architecture, Urbanization, and Design

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: 20 February 2026 | Viewed by 13304

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Nuno Montenegro

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Guest Editor
CIAUD, Research Centre for Architecture, Urbanism, and Design, Lisbon School of Architecture, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-004 Lisbon, Portugal
Interests: architecture; urban planning and design; city information modeling; design thinking; educational assessment; computing in social science, arts and humanities
Dr. Fernando Lima

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
O’More College of Architecture and Design, Belmont University, Nashville, TN 37212, USA
Interests: architecture; urban planning and design; city information modeling; design thinking; educational assessment; service learning
Dr. Gonçalo Castro Henriques

E-Mail
Guest Editor
Faculdade de Arquitetura e Urbanismo da Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (FAU-UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro 21941-901, Brazil
Interests: computation in architecture; generative design; AI; digital fabrication; responsive architecture

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to invite submissions for our Special Issue, "Emerging Trends in Architecture, Urbanization, and Design". Contemporary societies are experiencing rapid transformations that have a deep impact on the built environment. These changes are shaping architectural and urban planning strategies, along with related educational and research methodologies.

This Special Issue calls for articles presenting innovative research, compelling case studies, and critical discussions addressing the current theoretical and practical challenges faced by architects, urban planners, designers, and educators. Submissions may include the creative integration of digital technologies in architecture and urban planning, sustainable design methodologies, dynamic design thinking processes in practice and education, and practical computational approaches applied to architecture and urbanism.

We genuinely look forward to exploring your ideas and discoveries.

Dr. Nuno Montenegro
Dr. Fernando Lima
Dr. Gonçalo Castro Henriques
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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 semimonthly 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

  • artificial intelligence in architecture, design and education
  • computational design and digital fabrication
  • city information Modeling (CIM)
  • data-driven spatial analysis
  • responsive and adaptive building systems
  • smart cities and intelligent environments
  • human-centered design and UX in architecture
  • immersive technologies in design education (VR/AR)
  • design pedagogy and digital learning
  • technological innovation in architectural practice

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

Jump to: Review, Other

25 pages, 6583 KB  
Article
Revealing Siting Patterns in Design Studio: An Architectural Reading with Cohort-Scale Visual Analytics
by Nuno Montenegro and Vasco Montenegro
Buildings 2025, 15(24), 4528; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15244528 - 15 Dec 2025
Viewed by 141
Abstract
Building placement strongly conditions performance, experience, and meaning in architecture and urban planning, yet siting rationales in design studio work are rarely made explicit or examined systematically. This post hoc, observational study analyzes 22 student proposals for a paddle school on a defended [...] Read more.
Building placement strongly conditions performance, experience, and meaning in architecture and urban planning, yet siting rationales in design studio work are rarely made explicit or examined systematically. This post hoc, observational study analyzes 22 student proposals for a paddle school on a defended coastal headland in Cascais, Portugal, to reveal siting patterns and test convergence toward an expert recommendation. Each project is mapped onto a common grid and encoded as building mass and external paths, and a site-specific expert prior is formalized as a polygon that follows the defended wall and upper terrace, combining edge protection, elevation, and ocean prospect. Alignment with this prior is assessed using exact permutation tests under uniform and elevation-stratified random siting, and each proposal is summarized by three descriptors that capture where mass concentrates, how far it extends, and how broadly it uses the site. Results show a pronounced nucleus along the upper terrace, a contour-parallel circulation spine, and extensive underused areas elsewhere, with alignment to the expert prior significantly above chance. Clustering projects by the three descriptors differentiates siting families, from edge-anchored schemes to prospect-led variants and a small set of deliberate counterexamples. The framework turns studio designs into auditable evidence of how cohorts occupy a site and makes siting heuristics explicit and testable, supporting more transparent discussion of site strategies in architectural education and informing practice-oriented design guidance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Trends in Architecture, Urbanization, and Design)
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16 pages, 1288 KB  
Article
Urban Geometry and Social Topology: A Computational Simulation of Urban Network Formation
by Daniel Lenz Costa Lima, Daniel Ribeiro Cardoso and Andrés M. Passaro
Buildings 2025, 15(19), 3555; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15193555 - 2 Oct 2025
Viewed by 662
Abstract
When a city decides to undertake a certain urban project, is it modifying just the physical environment or the social fabric that dwells within? This work investigates the relationship between the geometric configuration of urban space (geometry–city) and the topology of the networks [...] Read more.
When a city decides to undertake a certain urban project, is it modifying just the physical environment or the social fabric that dwells within? This work investigates the relationship between the geometric configuration of urban space (geometry–city) and the topology of the networks of encounters of its inhabitants (network–city) that form through daily interactions. The research departs from the hypothesis that changes in geometry–city would not significantly alter the topology of the network–city, testing this proposition conceptually through abstract computational simulations developed specifically for this study. In this simulator, abstract maps with buildings distributed over different primary geometries are generated and have activities (use: home or work) and a population assigned. Encounters of the “inhabitants” are registered while daily commute routines, enough to achieve differentiation and stability, are run. The initial results revealed that the geometry description was not enough, and definitions regarding activity attribution were also necessary. Thus, we could not confirm nor reject the original hypothesis exactly, but it had to be complemented, including the idea of an activity–city dimension. We found that despite the geometry–city per se not determining the structure of the network–city, the spatial (geometric) distribution of activities directly impacts the resulting topology. Urban geometry influences networks–city only insofar as it conforms to activity–city, defining areas for activities or restricting routing between them. But it is the geometry of localization of the activities that has a direct impact on the topology of the network–city. This conceptual discovery can have significant implications for urban planning if corroborated in real-world situations. It could suggest that land use policies may be more effective for intervening in network-based characteristics, like social cohesion and resilience, than purely morphological interventions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Trends in Architecture, Urbanization, and Design)
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14 pages, 4145 KB  
Article
The Spatial Logic of Privacy: Uncovering Privacy Patterns in Shared Housing Environments
by Ana Moreira and Francisco Serdoura
Buildings 2025, 15(19), 3532; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15193532 - 1 Oct 2025
Viewed by 778
Abstract
In response to the growing relevance of shared housing models such as co-living and co-housing, this study investigates how spatial configuration affects the experience and negotiation of privacy in shared domestic environments. While privacy is often treated as a subjective or cultural concern, [...] Read more.
In response to the growing relevance of shared housing models such as co-living and co-housing, this study investigates how spatial configuration affects the experience and negotiation of privacy in shared domestic environments. While privacy is often treated as a subjective or cultural concern, this research adopts a spatial perspective to examine its morphological underpinnings. Using space syntax methods, the study analyses contemporary shared housing models, focusing on three shared housing developments in Barcelona. Through Visual Graph Analysis (VGA), spatial parameters, including integration, through vision, control, and controllability values, are applied to assess the degree of accessibility, visibility, and spatial separation within and between private and communal areas. The results reveal distinct configurational patterns that correlate with different privacy gradients, identifying how spatial arrangement enables or restricts autonomy and co-presence among residents. The study concludes that privacy in shared housing is not only a matter of design intention but is embedded in the spatial logic of dwelling morphology: exposed and controlled spaces provide less privacy but enhance sociability, while spatial elements such as boundaries and transitions play an important role in managing privacy gradation and degrees. These findings offer a framework for understanding and designing shared living environments that are better attuned to the complexities of everyday privacy needs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Trends in Architecture, Urbanization, and Design)
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25 pages, 2107 KB  
Article
Achieving Urban Vitality in Knowledge Territories: Morphology Assessment for the Early Design Stages
by Adriane Eloah, Marcela Noronha, Bige Tuncer and Gabriela Celani
Buildings 2025, 15(18), 3393; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15183393 - 19 Sep 2025
Viewed by 1001
Abstract
The knowledge economy has become ever more important for cities and regions, and different types of urban spaces have been created to accommodate its activities. One of the main assets of these spaces is vitality, a quality that is directly related to innovation [...] Read more.
The knowledge economy has become ever more important for cities and regions, and different types of urban spaces have been created to accommodate its activities. One of the main assets of these spaces is vitality, a quality that is directly related to innovation and is oftentimes considered the result of spontaneous space arrangements. The recent literature, however, shows that urban vitality is not an intangible quality; it can be correlated to different place quality aspects, such as urban morphology, and measured through existing analytical methods. The aim of this paper is to systematize such indicators and use them to develop algorithms that can be subsequently incorporated into a computational tool for the assessment of knowledge territories during the early design stages, to support their spatial planning and development. The Paris-Saclay Urban Campus is used as a case study to understand and assess these vitality and place quality indicators in an existing benchmark. The results can contribute to the serendipity and the success of new or redeveloped knowledge and innovation areas. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Trends in Architecture, Urbanization, and Design)
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20 pages, 2510 KB  
Article
A Virtual Reality-Based Exploration of Chilean Apartment Models with Features from the Surrealist Illustrations of Roberto Matta
by García-Alvarado Rodrigo, Gaete-Reyes Mariela, Soza-Ruiz Pedro, Barría-Chateau Hernán, Loyola Mauricio and Leiva Patricia
Buildings 2025, 15(18), 3380; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15183380 - 18 Sep 2025
Viewed by 970
Abstract
Surrealism proposed expanding reality with dreamlike expressions. Chilean architect Roberto Matta embraced this movement in the 1930s when he was working with Le Corbusier and created imaginative apartment illustrations. Based on listings of new real estate projects in Chile, this research developed virtual [...] Read more.
Surrealism proposed expanding reality with dreamlike expressions. Chilean architect Roberto Matta embraced this movement in the 1930s when he was working with Le Corbusier and created imaginative apartment illustrations. Based on listings of new real estate projects in Chile, this research developed virtual reality (VR) models of apartments that integrate features from Matta’s drawings, and they were examined concerning housing demands. This study’s methodology involved the interpretation of Roberto Matta’s illustrations in three-dimensional environments, the characterization of the real estate supply, and a summary of current apartment designs and their spatial distribution. Subsequently, two real estate-inspired VR apartment models were created that integrated features of Matta’s drawings. Later, a qualitative pilot study was carried out, applying VR-assisted interviews with five participants. They were asked about the association of the models with domestic spaces, functionality, and connection to social interest. Results show the positive appreciation of spaciousness and the novelty of architectural elements, but also a resistance to complex shapes. Participants associated the VR models with wealthy young artists and recreational spaces. The models developed have novel features and layouts that can suggest residential possibilities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Trends in Architecture, Urbanization, and Design)
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18 pages, 7217 KB  
Article
New Trends in Planning School Buildings Design: Outdoor Pedagogical Spaces Approach
by Susana Rosado, Jorge T. Ribeiro and Vitória R. Jeronimo
Buildings 2025, 15(17), 3118; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15173118 - 1 Sep 2025
Viewed by 1320
Abstract
Currently, citizens of the Western world are struggling with (1) the rapid growth and increasing densification of cities and (2) the excessive time spent of citizens indoors. This article aims to contribute to changing this paradigm through proposals for organizing outdoor spaces in [...] Read more.
Currently, citizens of the Western world are struggling with (1) the rapid growth and increasing densification of cities and (2) the excessive time spent of citizens indoors. This article aims to contribute to changing this paradigm through proposals for organizing outdoor spaces in schools that are easy to implement and that allow new generations to experience the multiple benefits of using the outdoors. To encourage such use, we propose using school outdoor spaces for teaching/learning activities, complementing spaces traditionally committed to play, sports, and peer socialization. The presented proposals were developed using a collaborative methodology involving the school community, supervised by final-year students and professors from the University of Lisbon’s MSc. in Architecture program. The results demonstrate a wide range of ideas capable of stimulating learning among children and young people, as well as encouraging teachers to increase outdoor teaching activities. The implementation of these proposals will certainly have a positive impact on the planning and construction/qualifying of cities, providing their citizens with greater and better use/enjoyment of outdoor space, as well as all the benefits associated with it. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Trends in Architecture, Urbanization, and Design)
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27 pages, 13034 KB  
Article
Losing One’s Place During Policy Suspension: Narratives of Indirect Displacement in Shanghai’s New-Build Gentrification
by Pan He, Jianwen Zheng and Weizhen Chen
Buildings 2025, 15(15), 2766; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15152766 - 6 Aug 2025
Viewed by 1379
Abstract
While existing studies document physical and economic impacts of new-build gentrification, the temporally protracted trauma of indirect displacement in communities adjacent to redeveloped areas remains understudied. Employing constructivist grounded theory, this study asks the following question: how do residents experience place attachment erosion [...] Read more.
While existing studies document physical and economic impacts of new-build gentrification, the temporally protracted trauma of indirect displacement in communities adjacent to redeveloped areas remains understudied. Employing constructivist grounded theory, this study asks the following question: how do residents experience place attachment erosion during prolonged policy suspension in Shanghai’s new-build gentrification? Through iterative analysis of 25 interviews, we reveal a temporal vicious cycle of waiting triggered by uneven redevelopment and policy inertia. This cycle systematically dismantles belonging through several mechanisms: (1) chronic place-identity deterioration; (2) progressive social network fragmentation; (3) the collapse of imagined futures; and (4) the ambiguous loss of place attachment—where physical presence coexists with psychological disengagement. Crucially, we redefine indirect displacement as a temporal erosion of place identity and attachment, revealing a paradoxical state of physical presence coexisting with psychological disengagement. This paper provides a new perspective for better understanding the different dimensions of indirect displacement in new-build gentrification, which will help inform equitable development efforts that are more inclusive and just. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Trends in Architecture, Urbanization, and Design)
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Review

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25 pages, 1278 KB  
Review
Eye-Tracking Advancements in Architecture: A Review of Recent Studies
by Mário Bruno Cruz, Francisco Rebelo and Jorge Cruz Pinto
Buildings 2025, 15(19), 3496; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15193496 - 28 Sep 2025
Viewed by 1943
Abstract
This Scoping Review (ScR) synthesizes advances in architectural eye-tracking (ET) research published between 2010 and 2024. Drawing on 75 peer-reviewed studies that met clear inclusion criteria, it monitors the field’s rapid expansion, from only 20 experiments before 2018, to more than 45 new [...] Read more.
This Scoping Review (ScR) synthesizes advances in architectural eye-tracking (ET) research published between 2010 and 2024. Drawing on 75 peer-reviewed studies that met clear inclusion criteria, it monitors the field’s rapid expansion, from only 20 experiments before 2018, to more than 45 new investigations in the three years thereafter, situating these developments within the longer historical evolution of ET hardware and analytical paradigms. The review maps 13 recurrent areas of application, focusing on design evaluation, wayfinding and spatial navigation, end-user experience, and architectural education. Across these domains, ET reliably reveals where occupants focus, for how long, and in what sequence, providing objective evidence that complements designer intuition and conventional post-occupancy surveys. Experts and novices might display distinct gaze signatures; for example, architects spend longer fixating on contextual and structural cues, whereas lay users dwell on decorative details, highlighting possible pedagogical opportunities. Despite these benefits, persistent challenges include data loss in dynamic or outdoor settings, calibration drift, single-user hardware constraints, and the need to triangulate gaze metrics with cognitive or affective measures. Future research directions emphasize integrating ET with virtual or augmented reality (VR) (AR) to validate design interactively, improving mobile tracking accuracy, and establishing shared datasets to enable replication and meta-analysis. Overall, the study demonstrates that ET is maturing into an indispensable, evidence-based lens for creating more intuitive, legible, and human-centered architecture. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Trends in Architecture, Urbanization, and Design)
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Other

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36 pages, 3622 KB  
Systematic Review
A Systematic Review of Robotic Additive Manufacturing Applications in Architecture, Engineering, and Construction
by Alexander Lopes de Aquino Brasil and Andressa Carmo Pena Martinez
Buildings 2025, 15(18), 3336; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15183336 - 15 Sep 2025
Viewed by 3584
Abstract
Additive manufacturing (AM) is gaining prominence in architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC). Within this context, robotic additive manufacturing (RAM) has emerged as a promising solution, offering enhanced flexibility and motion control for fabricating complex geometries and performing on-site production. However, it also introduces [...] Read more.
Additive manufacturing (AM) is gaining prominence in architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC). Within this context, robotic additive manufacturing (RAM) has emerged as a promising solution, offering enhanced flexibility and motion control for fabricating complex geometries and performing on-site production. However, it also introduces new, complex manufacturing processes that impact the design, making the control of manufacturing variables important for achieving accurate and feasible architectural results. In this sense, this study presents a systematic review of the state of the art in RAM for AEC, with a focus on extrusion-based 3D printing using flexible robotic arms and materials such as thermoplastics and paste-based mixtures (cementitious and earth-based compositions). This review includes 142 peer-reviewed journal and conference papers published between 2014 and 2025. It maps key research subfields, geographic trends, and RAM technology evolution, complemented by a bibliometric analysis of co-authorship and keyword networks. This review identifies four key areas of research: process, design, materials, and equipment. Most studies come from North America, Europe, and Asia, with clay emerging as a material receiving growing attention in construction within the RAM field. However, challenges like scalability, programming complexity, and AI integration still limit broader implementation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Trends in Architecture, Urbanization, and Design)
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