Architectures, Materials and Urban Design, 2nd Edition

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

A new era of adaptive design has begun, with a recently developed mathematical framework now being justified by neuroscience experiments. Combining tools coming from biophilia, design patterns, and fractals, new buildings and spaces can be shaped to create healing environments. The same rules can be used to humanize and renovate older structures when their time comes for periodic repair and upgrade. This Special Issue will focus on the results of Christopher Alexander and many other researchers who identified the necessary qualities for structures to have a positive emotional impact on people. The design toolkit also includes most traditional architectures from all over the world. By extending these tried-and-tested design toolkits into new territories, the mathematical toolkit empowers innovative practitioners to create never-before-seen buildings. Importantly, if they follow the new guidelines, new designs will share the same high degree of adaptivity as the best-loved heritage buildings.

The human brain is a social engagement system hardwired for attachment. Recent research has used biometrics, including eye-tracking emulation software, to document the characteristics of successfully built environments. Instrumentation reveals how fixation points draw the human gaze pre-attentively (unconsciously) to provide these requisite attachments. By contrast, unsuccessful geometries stress the nervous system because they cannot define adequate fixation points. The fragmentation of urban space in the 21st century is a consequence of buildings lacking measurable human qualities surrounding open spaces. Design trends responsible for cutting social engagement include the elimination of fixation points for stylistic reasons. An increasingly palpable reality of the city is a place in which humans do not belong. Short-sighted planning processes are producing a new fragmented spatial order that is aggravating socio-urban inadequacies. The analysis of urban needs requires new methods of analysis that utilize the latest scientific tools made available in recent years.

This Topic welcomes contributions on changing the basic epistemology of design. The goal is to abandon an abstract, visual approach and to instead embrace adaptivity connected with human needs and the natural environment. We must reorient design away from fashionable but energivorous buildings and urban developments (driven by short-term real-estate speculation) towards evidence-based thinking. We should be skeptical about technological solutions that try to maintain the Industrial–Modernist model as a design paradigm. Some of those proposals are useful only as add-ons to solutions grounded in low-cost practices, while others deceptively continue today’s unsustainable practices.

Sustainable urban systems are widely talked about but not yet implemented. Three problems prevent this: (i) a very poor understanding of the system dynamics that permit a city to function in a more sustainable manner; (ii) an architectural approach to planning, which focuses almost exclusively on individual buildings instead of a connected urban fabric; and (iii) the belief that we can solve the problems of sustainability through technology alone. Encouraged by industrial society and a superficial, formal approach to design, these factors work against long-term sustainability. We must learn to optimize the energy and network flows that drive a city. True sustainability can only arise by implementing low-tech, low-cost, low-maintenance solutions. 

Prof. Dr. Nikos A. Salingaros
Dr. Alexandros A. Lavdas
Topic Editors

Keywords

Participating Journals

Journal Name	Impact Factor	CiteScore	Launched Year	First Decision (median)	APC
Architecture architecture	-	2.2	2021	36.3 Days	CHF 1000	Submit
Buildings buildings	3.1	4.4	2011	15.3 Days	CHF 2600	Submit
Land land	3.2	5.9	2012	16.9 Days	CHF 2600	Submit
Sustainability sustainability	3.3	7.7	2009	19.7 Days	CHF 2400	Submit
Urban Science urbansci	2.1	3.7	2017	20.7 Days	CHF 1600	Submit

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23 pages, 5837 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

An Insight into the Educational Buildings of the First National Architecture Period in Turkey Based on Egli’s Architectural Design Language: Development of a Grammar-Based Model

by Beyhan Elhaman and Serkan Palabıyık

Buildings 2025, 15(12), 2025; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15122025 - 12 Jun 2025

Abstract

The objective of this study is to analyse the principles of educational buildings in the First National Architectural style in Turkey by examining the works of Ernst A. Egli, who is considered one of the pioneers of the modernisation process during the National [...] Read more.

The objective of this study is to analyse the principles of educational buildings in the First National Architectural style in Turkey by examining the works of Ernst A. Egli, who is considered one of the pioneers of the modernisation process during the National Architecture Period. To this end, shape grammar was selected as the most appropriate method, as it offers the potential to analyse design languages and produce similar or hybrid designs within this language. The method was first developed by Stiny and Gips in the 1970s with the objective of defining design rules through an algorithmic process. In line with this methodological framework, the study employed a typological analysis of Egli’s educational buildings to derive shape grammar rules. These rules were then presented as input to the design process, with a hybrid application that explores potential design alternatives in accordance with Egli’s design approach by adopting parametric modelling methodology. The findings of the study are discussed comparatively with the buildings of other architects of the period. In this context, the analysis of Egli’s buildings reveals that his designs are compatible with the contemporary architects of his period. Accordingly, a design language that reflects the characteristic features of the First National Architecture Period is presented. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Architectures, Materials and Urban Design, 2nd Edition)

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22 pages, 817 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Impact of the Physical Environment on Employee Satisfaction in Private Hospitals

by Roshan S. Shetty, Giridhar B. Kamath, Lewlyn L. R. Rodrigues, Nandineni Rama Devi and Sham Ranjan Shetty

Buildings 2025, 15(11), 1848; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15111848 - 27 May 2025

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Abstract

The exponential growth of the global population and rising life expectancy have placed increasing pressure on healthcare systems to deliver efficient, high-quality, and cost-effective services. In India, private hospitals play a crucial role in meeting these demands. However, they are increasingly challenged by [...] Read more.

The exponential growth of the global population and rising life expectancy have placed increasing pressure on healthcare systems to deliver efficient, high-quality, and cost-effective services. In India, private hospitals play a crucial role in meeting these demands. However, they are increasingly challenged by high employee attrition rates, often linked to dissatisfaction with the physical work environment. Improving staff satisfaction has therefore become essential for enhancing organizational performance and retaining skilled personnel. This study aims to assess the impact of the physical environment on employee satisfaction in private Indian hospitals. A mixed-methods research approach was adopted. The qualitative phase involved a review of secondary data to conceptualize the research framework and identify key variables related to architectural, interior, and ambient design features. The quantitative phase involved survey-based data collection from employees across various private hospitals. For analysis, both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to explore relationships between variables. The results reveal statistically significant relationships between physical-environment features—specifically architectural layout, interior design elements, and ambient conditions—and employees’ attitudes. These attitudes were found to significantly influence overall workplace satisfaction. Furthermore, this study confirmed a strong link between the physical environment and employee satisfaction. These findings offer actionable insights for hospital administrators to improve the design of workspaces. Enhancing physical environments can elevate employee satisfaction, reduce attrition, and ultimately contribute to improved hospital performance. By empirically establishing the link between physical-environment features and staff satisfaction, this study provides a foundation for evidence-based design strategies in healthcare settings. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Architectures, Materials and Urban Design, 2nd Edition)

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15 pages, 7028 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Visual Perception of Environmental Elements Analysis in Historical District Based on Eye-Tracking and Semi-Structured Interview: A Case Study in Xining, Taishan

by Xing Jiang, Xinxiang Wu, Fangting Chen, Zonghan Chen and Ziang Li

Buildings 2025, 15(9), 1554; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15091554 - 5 May 2025

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Abstract

The style and overall urban texture of historic districts embody rich social and cultural values. Therefore, how to make relevant environmental elements effectively perceived visually has become the key to protecting and displaying historic streets. Based on this, the non-subjective eye movement data [...] Read more.

The style and overall urban texture of historic districts embody rich social and cultural values. Therefore, how to make relevant environmental elements effectively perceived visually has become the key to protecting and displaying historic streets. Based on this, the non-subjective eye movement data and subjective impression of the subject were collected through an eye-tracking experiment and semi-structured interview. ErgoLAB was used to generate eye-tracking metrics and heat maps based on eye movement data, and ROST-CM6 software was used to generate word frequency and emotional degree data for interview text. Through comparative analysis, it is found that the subjective and objective evaluation indexes of the subjects tend to be consistent in general, but the visual behavior characteristics of different environmental elements’ types are different. The greater the variety of elements involved in visual perception, the longer the time required for participants to identify the relevant elements. The extent of element distribution also influenced differences in visual perception. Additionally, visual perceptions from partial elevation views and overall human perspective angles were largely similar, with distinctive elements attracting more interest. This study has an exploratory nature, and its findings contribute to the preservation and enhancement of the visual quality of historic districts. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Architectures, Materials and Urban Design, 2nd Edition)

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