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31 pages, 38002 KB

Open AccessArticle

Reclaiming the Ground: An Integrated Design Studio Pedagogy for Flood-Resilient Urban Waterfronts

by Pedro Veloso

Buildings 2026, 16(9), 1650; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16091650 - 22 Apr 2026

Viewed by 1799

Abstract

This article presents an integrated design studio pedagogy for flood-resilient urban waterfronts that employs groundscape strategies, treating the ground as an active design medium to generate hybrid structures integrating landscape, architecture, and infrastructure. Implemented at the Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design [...] Read more.

This article presents an integrated design studio pedagogy for flood-resilient urban waterfronts that employs groundscape strategies, treating the ground as an active design medium to generate hybrid structures integrating landscape, architecture, and infrastructure. Implemented at the Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design (Fall 2024), the studio challenged students to transform North Little Rock’s flood-vulnerable riverfront by replacing conventional levee infrastructure with ground-based public architectural interventions. The study adopts a pedagogical case-study approach, examining a studio cohort in which all projects were developed under shared site conditions, design constraints, and instructional frameworks. Five assignments progressed from collaborative precedent analysis to individual technical development, integrating computational modeling, performance simulations, and expert consultations across structural, envelope, MEP, and site engineering. Student work is analyzed through comparative sectional diagrams and selected in-depth project studies to evaluate how groundscape functioned as a shared solution type for multiscalar integration. The results show that groundscape operates productively when tested against specific site constraints rather than deployed as a generalized esthetic. In response to flood elevations, degraded ecology, and limited public access, students developed distinct ground-based operations—such as embedding, lifting, and integrating flood walls as spatial thresholds—demonstrating architecture’s capacity to mediate between civic space, environmental performance, and flood protection. By situating groundscape within a problem-oriented pedagogy, the study consolidates modernist, postmodern, and contemporary groundscape discourse and demonstrates how architectural education can engage productively with climate-adaptation challenges. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Trends in Architecture, Urbanization, and Design)

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20 pages, 5140 KB

Open AccessArticle

Is AI an Academic Threat to Reject or a Complementary Tool to Embrace? Case Study of Senior Interior Design Studio in Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

by Zeinab Ahmed Abd Elghaffar Elmoghazy, Dalia H. Eldardiry, Sarah Ali Alghamdi and Ayah Hani AlQaysum

Buildings 2026, 16(8), 1589; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16081589 - 17 Apr 2026

Viewed by 274

Abstract

Integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into design education is no longer optional; it has become an essential tool for enhancing innovative design and preparing students for data-driven practice and rapid technological acceleration. However, ignoring AI risks professional irrelevance; it introduces a range of concerns [...] Read more.

Integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into design education is no longer optional; it has become an essential tool for enhancing innovative design and preparing students for data-driven practice and rapid technological acceleration. However, ignoring AI risks professional irrelevance; it introduces a range of concerns about students’ cognitive skills and comes with many drawbacks in the education process, as it threatens the attainment of learning outcomes, renders a fair assessment process unachievable, and places academic integrity in a vulnerable position. Using a qualitative case study approach, this research employs semi-structured interviews with 27 senior-year students in the interior design department to gain in-depth academic insights into how AI influenced their design process in their term project and its impact on their cognitive development and decision -making. Instructors’ observations on students’ skills, their pace in the project, and their end-products were documented. This study demonstrates that integrating AI into design education cannot be avoided, making a new paradigm for addressing design education inevitable. Based on the analysis, the paper proposes a conceptual framework outlining key dimensions in teaching and assessing strategies in design education adopting AI, focusing on analysis, critical thinking, reasoning, and process rather than on the end-product and its presentation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Trends in Architecture, Urbanization, and Design)

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24 pages, 5534 KB

Open AccessArticle

A Matrix-Driven Cellular Automata Model for Analyzing Urban Decay and Vitality Indicators at the Neighborhood Scale

by Ayşe Tüzün Güner and Süheyla Büyükşahin

Buildings 2026, 16(8), 1528; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16081528 - 14 Apr 2026

Viewed by 414

Abstract

Urban decay and urban vitality are widely used concepts in architecture and urban studies to describe the negative and positive characteristics of urban environments. However, they are commonly addressed through qualitative or static approaches, limiting their applicability in neighborhood-scale spatial assessment and design-oriented [...] Read more.

Urban decay and urban vitality are widely used concepts in architecture and urban studies to describe the negative and positive characteristics of urban environments. However, they are commonly addressed through qualitative or static approaches, limiting their applicability in neighborhood-scale spatial assessment and design-oriented decision-making processes. This study proposes a matrix-based cellular automata model for analyzing urban decay and urban vitality indicators at the neighborhood scale. Indicators related to urban decay and urban vitality were identified through a comprehensive literature review, and repetitive, overlapping, and context-inappropriate criteria were removed. A data-based decision matrix was then constructed using five criteria: theoretical validity, data accessibility, spatial applicability, model compatibility, and impact level. Indicators were scored on a 1–5 scale, and those with a total suitability score of four or higher were selected as model inputs. The finalized indicator set was incorporated into a cellular automata model with a regular grid structure, defined for a study area of approximately 600 m × 600 m in the Semsi Tebrizi neighborhood of Konya, Turkey, using 15 m × 15 m cells. The model is not intended as a predictive tool but functions as an indicator-based decision-support framework for pre-design spatial analysis and interpretation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Trends in Architecture, Urbanization, and Design)

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20 pages, 41213 KB

Open AccessArticle

Wi-FAB: An Applied Educational Workflow for Prototyping Discrete Components with Planar-Joint Assemblies Through Creative Robotics

by Gonçalo Castro Henriques, Pedro Engel, Victor Sardenberg, Davide Angeletti and Roberto Naboni

Buildings 2026, 16(6), 1212; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16061212 - 19 Mar 2026

Viewed by 356

Abstract

Scarce global resources and reliance on non-renewable materials demand ecological, technology-integrated solutions. In Brazil, abundant wood resources remain underused in architectural education and practice. Introducing skills in curricula is essential for change and future adoption. This study developed a computational and digital fabrication [...] Read more.

Scarce global resources and reliance on non-renewable materials demand ecological, technology-integrated solutions. In Brazil, abundant wood resources remain underused in architectural education and practice. Introducing skills in curricula is essential for change and future adoption. This study developed a computational and digital fabrication methodology to rethink wood, exploring collaborative robotic assembly to build an embodied understanding of construction constraints. The Wood Innovation for Architecture in Brazil (WI-FAB) unites LAMO UFRJ and SDU CREATE robotics expertise and frames a pedagogical experiment in sustainable wood-structure design. The semester-long course tested whether the design framework could link computation, material behaviour, and assembly constraints as a pedagogical tool; the intensive workshop investigated how robotic assembly can enhance physical–digital workflows and inform future integration. The research-through-teaching methodology consisted of three phases: preliminary research, course testing, and a robotics workshop testing assembly workflows. Preliminary research developed a pedagogical framework comprising a kit of parts, joint types and string grammars tested within the semester-long course to support parametric rules and assembly sequencing. Participants assembled component “letters” that combined into “words” and then into “phrases”, developing computational and constructional understanding and converting parametric rules into tangible prototypes through iterative design-build-test cycles. Key outcomes include validation of parametric assembly rules through string grammars in the course; analysis of the robotics workshop applied four criteria (Assembly Movement; Component Geometry and Dimensions; Component Number and Slot Number; Complexity and Assembly Time) to evaluate assembly performance and workflow integration. Robotics stimulated physical–digital loops, accelerating design-to-assembly learning and informing full-scale developments. WI-FAB promotes reversible assembly, material reuse and circular-economy principles and contributes to the development of the forthcoming Sabiá parametric plugin for wooden joint design. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Trends in Architecture, Urbanization, and Design)

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16 pages, 1147 KB

Open AccessArticle

Human–AI Collaboration in Architectural Design Education: Towards a Conceptual Framework

by Şerife Hikmet and Nazife Ozay

Buildings 2026, 16(6), 1097; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16061097 - 10 Mar 2026

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1050

Abstract

Rapid developments in artificial intelligence (AI) have prompted increasing attention to human–AI collaboration across various fields. This study focuses on the architectural design process and examines collaboration with generative AI (GenAI) within the context of architectural education. Creative cognition in design-based learning and [...] Read more.

Rapid developments in artificial intelligence (AI) have prompted increasing attention to human–AI collaboration across various fields. This study focuses on the architectural design process and examines collaboration with generative AI (GenAI) within the context of architectural education. Creative cognition in design-based learning and the process of collaboration with AI are crucial. Insights on AI usage and design process perceptions are gathered from semi-structured interviews of architecture students. The data were analyzed using primarily inductive thematic analysis to understand their experiences in architectural design education. It aims to construct a conceptual framework to interpret the creative cognition during human–AI collaboration in the architectural design process through algorithmic thinking strategies and existing theories. The literature review acted as the foundation for the theoretical background, adopting existing models and theoretical perspectives to support the conceptual framework generation. The study contributes to human–AI collaboration in architectural design contexts. Additionally, the conceptual framework proposal derived from the empirical insights and relevant literature can serve as the basis for conducting further explorations of a potential model in architectural design education. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Trends in Architecture, Urbanization, and Design)

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29 pages, 5415 KB

Open AccessArticle

Coupling of Pawnshop Building Distribution and Urban Spatial Structure in Macau via GIS and Space Syntax Analysis

by Qingnian Deng, Liang Zheng, Jingwei Liang, Yufei Zhu and Yile Chen

Buildings 2026, 16(4), 858; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16040858 - 20 Feb 2026

Viewed by 706

Abstract

Pawnshop buildings are places where pawn transactions are conducted. They are usually composed of a front shop and a back building, and their shape resembles a fortress. As a typical gambling city, pawnshops in Macau appeared as early as the Qing Dynasty. By [...] Read more.

Pawnshop buildings are places where pawn transactions are conducted. They are usually composed of a front shop and a back building, and their shape resembles a fortress. As a typical gambling city, pawnshops in Macau appeared as early as the Qing Dynasty. By the late Qing Dynasty (1644–1912) and early Republic of China (1912–1949), they had become a common market. They reached their peak during the Anti-Japanese War and were an important financial institution for the people to solve their urgent needs. Today, many pawnshop buildings have become architectural heritage sites and are distributed around the buffer zone of the World Heritage Site. Their location is consistent with the evolution of urban space and the development of gambling and tourism industries. However, existing research lacks systematic research based on spatial quantification technology and it has yet to be determined whether there is a spatial alignment relationship between pawnshop location and urban spatial structure. This paper takes the whole of Macau as the research area and combines DepthmapX space syntax, GIS analysis, and historical data comparison of pawnshop buildings to explore the path dependence characteristics of pawnshop building location and the service radius law in urban space. The study found that the location of pawnshop buildings in Macau has evolved through three stages: initially relying on traditional market spaces, then gathering around casino areas during a stable phase, and finally becoming closely tied to the core areas of gambling venues in the prosperous stage. It shows a path dependence that is continuously strengthened on nodes with low traffic resistance. The service radius of pawnshop buildings exhibits an unbalanced characteristic, with a dense core area and a blank peripheral area, forming a multi-level system of a 200 m core service circle, a 400 m extended service circle, and an 800 m radiation service circle. This study proposes pathways for the adaptive reuse and activation of traditional pawnbroking architectural heritage. For instance, by drawing on the operational model of the Tak Seng On Pawnshop, the integration of cultural exhibition and livelihood services can be realized, thereby providing practical references for the adaptive reuse and conservation of heritage assets. This study offers dual theoretical and practical support for the conservation of pawnbroking architectural heritage in Macau, the site selection and planning of modern pawnbroking establishments, and the optimization of the city’s urban spatial structure. Meanwhile, it enriches the research system on the spatial alignment between the peripheral financial industry and urban space. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Trends in Architecture, Urbanization, and Design)

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19 pages, 3055 KB

Open AccessArticle

Computational Design and Service Learning in Informal Settlement Planning: A Pedagogical Model for Architectural Education

by Fernando Lima, Anna Agnew, Emily Schiedemeyer and Vira Williams

Buildings 2026, 16(2), 265; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16020265 - 8 Jan 2026

Viewed by 782

Abstract

Rapid urbanization in the Global South continues to intensify the growth of informal settlements, challenging architectural education to equip students with methods capable of addressing complex socio-spatial, environmental, and ethical conditions. While computational design and service-learning have each been explored within architectural pedagogy, [...] Read more.

Rapid urbanization in the Global South continues to intensify the growth of informal settlements, challenging architectural education to equip students with methods capable of addressing complex socio-spatial, environmental, and ethical conditions. While computational design and service-learning have each been explored within architectural pedagogy, their systematic integration, particularly in the context of informal settlement planning, remains underdeveloped. This article presents a pedagogical framework that combines pattern language theory, shape grammars, and parametric modeling with service-learning principles within an undergraduate architectural design studio. Implemented in ARC 4025 (Architecture Studio 5) at the O’More College of Architecture and Design, Belmont University, the framework guides students in translating empirical observations of an informal settlement in Ahmedabad, India, into rule-based and generative design systems. The methodology emphasizes process–product reciprocity, enabling students to encode settlement patterns as transformation rules that generate, test, and evaluate coherent urban forms across multiple scales. A detailed case study, Community at Scale, is presented as a proof of method, illustrating how analysis is converted into computational logic across dwelling, block, and neighborhood scales. Rather than proposing a finalized solution, the study demonstrates how computational design can operationalize morphogenetic reasoning within architectural education while remaining grounded in social responsibility. The article concludes by discussing pedagogical implications, situating the approach within urban morphology discourse, and outlining limitations and directions for future research. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Trends in Architecture, Urbanization, and Design)

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25 pages, 6583 KB

Open AccessArticle

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

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 786

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

Open AccessArticle

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

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1337

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

Open AccessArticle

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

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2459

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

Open AccessArticle

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

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1717

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

Open AccessArticle

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

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1454

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

Open AccessArticle

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 2676

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

Open AccessArticle

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 2240

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

Jump to: Research, Other

25 pages, 1278 KB

Open AccessReview

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

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3512

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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26 pages, 4746 KB

Open AccessSystematic Review

From Tool-Based Training to Integrated Studios: A Review of BIM Education in Architecture

by Yoon-jeong Shin and Eunki Kang

Buildings 2026, 16(1), 166; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16010166 - 30 Dec 2025

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1314

Abstract

Building Information Modeling (BIM) has become a core competency in architectural practice, prompting increasing efforts to integrate BIM into design education. However, existing pedagogical approaches vary widely across institutions, regions, and curricular structures, ranging from software-focused instruction to more holistic, design-centered applications. This [...] Read more.

Building Information Modeling (BIM) has become a core competency in architectural practice, prompting increasing efforts to integrate BIM into design education. However, existing pedagogical approaches vary widely across institutions, regions, and curricular structures, ranging from software-focused instruction to more holistic, design-centered applications. This study presents a comprehensive review of BIM education in architecture by synthesizing trends, pedagogical models, and implementation strategies reported between 2010 and early 2025. A hybrid review design was employed by combining PRISMA-based systematic procedures with scoping and comparative analysis. Bibliometric mapping of 399 BIM education publications identified major research clusters and global trends, while an in-depth analysis of 31 architecture-focused studies revealed seven thematic categories encompassing curriculum integration, design studio pedagogy, immersive technologies, collaborative models, and algorithmic approaches. The findings show a gradual shift from tool-based training toward integrated studio environments where BIM supports design creativity, interdisciplinary coordination, and process-based learning. Persistent challenges—such as balancing technological proficiency with design thinking, adapting faculty expertise, and aligning curricula with industry expectations—continue to hinder deeper integration. Based on the synthesis, this study proposes an integrated educational framework that connects technological competence, design creativity, and collaborative cognition, offering guidance for the next stage of BIM-enabled architectural education. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Trends in Architecture, Urbanization, and Design)

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36 pages, 3622 KB

Open AccessSystematic 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

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 5840

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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