Advances in Human Factors in Architecture, Sustainable Urban Planning and Infrastructure

The aim of the publication is to introduce and explain new Environment Assessment Tool for Longevity (ETAL) - author’s philosophy, advocacy tool and certification standard in building environment for the elderly. According to the definition of health by World Health Organization, in contemporary architectural design and planning a building can be seen as a means of preventative care. It means designing in such way, to make a healthy lifestyle the easiest possible choice. In this context, being able to effectively assess the needs of the elderly persons in terms of building environment becomes crucial.

Architecture is becoming an increasingly realistic response to the doctrine of sustainable development. The quality of life is influenced not only by the comfort, form and economy of the house, but also by the appropriate location and value of urban solutions, especially in small communal or social buildings, where architectural solutions have economic limitations. The issues will be discussed on the basis of the project of modular houses designed by architect Alicja Maciejko, author of this paper and architect Miroslaw Strzelecki, called T-Houses [1]. The idea assumes the possibility of connecting houses into complex urban-planning systems. The special shape of the T letter plan offers unique possibilities for shaping small housing arrangements in systems of connected houses in accordance with building regulations and urban planning law. This article presents selected design proposals as a response to human and nature-friendly design, improving the comfort life in the family and society, in an economically accessible standard.

Nowadays polish towns’ and villages’ public spaces are being infilled with new solutions for children and young adults. There are different small architecture elements, which purpose aims at increasing the physical activities and stimulating education or mental development of kids. Also, there are occurring places enabling relaxation, rest or cultural growth. Due to that, new types of playgrounds are formed, with varied technically certified equipment. Yet, this kind of warranty should not be enough, hence it seems crucial to study, whether all novel concepts are ergonomic and safe, depending on the age groups of children. At the same time a review of installation elements and flooring was done, in order to establish the overall features of proper playground design. Hence, this article was devoted for presenting of outcomes of research on this issue.

Recycling of building tissue in historical European cities is an indispensable activity, allowing the introduction of the new, profitable solutions in urban centers, often being gradually emptied by residents and service functions. Reconstruction of existing buildings with an introduction of new, attractive purposes i.e. hotels and hostels; seems to be particularly economical in this respect, as it allows to derive more and more profits from tourism, attracting back the residents and center-creating activities. As a result, very interesting projects are created, which are characterized by unique architecture and exceptional character. An example of such objects that will be discussed in the work are Molino Stucky – Hilton hotel and hostel Generator, both located on the island of La Giudecca, Venice (Italy) and Vienna House Andel’s Lodz in the city Łódź (Poland).

Architecture is increasingly becoming a real response to the postulates of the doctrine of sustainable development. Ergonomics and the ecology of architectural solutions applied in the closest material human environment, such as its space for living, equally contribute to improving the quality of life. As important as the correct solution of functional space and elements of interior design, both in terms of selection of materials, shape, colour and texture of the surface that the user is in direct contact with, is the connection of the interior of the building with elements of living vegetation. This article shows a design proposals for such solutions. The issues will be discussed on the basis of the project of modular houses designed by architect Alicja Maciejko, author of this paper and architect Miroslaw Strzelecki, called T-House System [1].

Sound in a hotel environment is one of the basic parameters determining the comfort of guests, which also has a big impact on users’ safety and health. Isolation of rooms from air and shock sounds, protection against noise, optimal reverberation time in public zones, reduction of nuisance of conversations in restaurants, are issues related directly to the ergonomics of modern hotel facilities. In this study they will be discussed theoretically and on selected examples, to present the most interesting solutions, combining good architecture with optimal acoustics.

The exploitation of the Earth and the alienation of people from the environment prompts us to take up the subject of sustainable planning and design. While new devices, innovations in construction seem to be more and more doubtful, it is worth reaching back to the times when the first initiatives to protect the natural and cultural landscape were created under the influence of the nascent industrialization and urbanization. It is advisable to analyze what principles were followed and how they affected the environment. The idea of building surrounded by greenery is visible in villages, transforming into summer and winter resorts at the turn of the nineteenth and twentieth century in the Karkonosze Mountains.

In hotel objects, especially of lower categories, like 1–2 stars, hostels, motels, the properly solved hygienic-sanitary zones, may not occur. This is especially difficult for people with disabilities, also using wheel-chairs. The purpose of this article is to show the good practice in the area of design, with taking into account: ergonomics, safety, functionality and exceptional design, but also presenting way of development for hygienic-sanitary zones. The case studies of presented research were done in: Sweden, Germany, Italy, Spain, France and Poland. All presentation is supplemented with thorough survey through literature recommendations with their conformation and critics. Hotels, even of lower categories are important element of tourism industry and public use buildings, hence they require representational design which is accessible and secure for all potential users.

Public toilets evoke negative associations among the majority of their users. Due to doubtful sanitary and aesthetic conditions the use of public restrooms is often an extreme experience. Also, the design of these places is regarded as a necessary evil by architects. It seems, therefore, that public toilets are doomed to eternal disgrace. But they do not have to be uncomfortable, unpleasant and unfriendly. Public toilets can bring relief to a community not only in one obvious way, so not only by meeting the basic requirements in terms of human rights to sanitation. If they are rightly included in the structure of the environment, properly located, marked, well-organized and designed can provide much more benefits. These objects may allow greater use of public spaces, preserving their proper functioning, cleanliness and aesthetics. They can also increase foot traffic in commercial areas affecting the improvement of the local economies, support local recreation and entertainment, and better use of green areas. However, the lack of adequate amount of toilets, wrong location and arrangement, poor organization, lack of efficient operation, low level of hygiene, as well as vandalism and other antisocial behavior may negate the benefits of public toilets. Such public toilets may become unusable or their usefulness may be limited. But breaking all stereotypes - public toilets do not have to be a nightmare for users, and they can use them with pleasure. Also the design of these places can be an interesting experience, occasion to demonstrate ingenuity and skills and at the same time a source of prestige for architects. Public toilets can even become a tourist attraction. If we want to prevent that the public toilets are the reason for resentment and shame, we can’t be afraid and ashamed to undertake this issue.

The issue of the provision access to public toilets in the centers of Polish cities is a topic eagerly discussed and undertaken in project activities related to the improvement of the quality of life of residents and tourists. However, the deficiency of toilet facilities in urban spaces is still being observed. The problem is particularly pronounced, taking into account the need to locate these objects in the vicinity of historic buildings, historic city parks. The article discusses the subject of designing public toilets in the context of the historic urban landscape, including the possibility of its revitalization and the development of urban space. The idea of combining the art of creating urban space with the response to real needs of people is a special challenge for architects, especially when it comes to the need to preserve, respect and emphasis the historical and cultural heritage. The examples of projects presented in the paper are the basis for the analysis of principles and ways of shaping the architecture of public toilet facilities in reference to the historical surroundings.

Architects and civil engineers from the earliest times have strived to overcome the technical barriers limiting effects they have imagined. The idea of well-being of communities as a reference point for designers and planners began to develop in the sixties of the 20th c. In this respect the century brought the breakthrough, disuniting modernism into many diversified flows based on different axioms put forward by the multiple architectural theories. Together with the third technical revolution it gave a new lease of life to architecture.

The assessment of the value of heritage is an important problem in the spatial development of rural areas. Determining the value of heritage is especially important to plan the form of its protection, conservation and contemporary use. However, this issue has not yet been developed to the extent of its importance. Therefore, the article presents a proposal for the method of analysis and assessment of the value of cultural heritage, and examples of its implementation in rural planning in Poland. A multi-criteria comparative assessment method was proposed, taking into account the typological diversity of the heritage. The method consists of three main tasks: elaboration and synthesis of heritage values and valuations.

As the urbanization process continues to deepen, the scale of construction projects is getting larger, and the different involved fields are more complicated. The construction industry is also facing a severe test while it is developing rapidly. As the most sought-after application technology in the area of engineering construction, BIM is receiving more and more attention and practice. Today, the application of BIM technology in architecture has matured, but the application in landscape design is still in the exploration stage. BIM technology mainly emphasizes the complete life cycle of planning, design, construction, completion operation, and demolition and update, the construction information of each stage is built into 3D virtual through the structure of 3D information model. Utilize BIM’s information model to enable data to be shared and serve as a platform for collaboration among professional consultants to effectively control engineering costs, schedule engineering, reduce cost of waste due to design or construction errors, and improve construction quality. The construction information can be extended to the property management stage after completion. BIM can effectively solve the traditional engineering interface complex and harmonized 2D diagram which is difficult to clearly state the 3D space, the information of each stage of the construction life cycle is difficult to transmit and other shortcomings effectively. This paper will try to analyze the application prospect of BIM technology in landscape design from several aspects. Through the case study of “Yangyou Village River Ecological Landscape Reconstruction Design Project,” BIM has significantly provided the benefits for more scientific design and application.

The phenomenon of apparent images of real objects, created by the light rays reflected from the surface of the natural mirror of standing water, has been known to the human eye apparatus since the beginning of time. Occurring in the natural environment, double landscape images, consisting of a real image and its symmetrical, reversed reflection, were not foreign to our eldest forefathers. This phenomenon had been known also to the architects of past eras, who masterfully used them in the design of often outstanding architectural compositions. This means of expressing the architectural form is also used by contemporary designers. Modelling such an unique architectural compositions, requires special knowledge. The paper presents “Method of a Relative Retinal Image”, which is useful tool in solving, mentioned above, particular design problems. The final conclusions of research, as well as the author own professional practice, prove that the presented method is an effective, easy to use tool that enriches the architect’s design workshop.

The role of the built environment in the context of healthcare service highly impacts how human interactions take place. However, when an environment has already been built not respecting accessibility features, future actions are going to be more expensive and often ineffective. Accessibility legislation in Mexico was published after many healthcare buildings were built. Moreover, there is some evidence that government standards fail short to ensure Inclusive Design. This study aims to compare Mexican building regulations with internationally approved standards and, to analyze if they are applied to the design of an existing waiting room of a neurology outpatient unit. A comparison between international and national standards, and a physical audit of the waiting room were performed. Results suggest that even if the waiting room was built according to updated official regulations, there would be still more room for further improvement in order to satisfy stakeholders needs fully.

Buildings for the performing arts were adapted to public needs since ancient times. The most important part of those buildings for the audience was the auditorium. There are a number of factors that should be taken into account during the design of the auditorium, but the deciding factor is connected with the comfort and convenience of the audience. The relationship between the auditorium (the audience) and the stage (the performance) is a fundamental requirement for buildings for the performing arts. They can operate in a variety of ways with different types of productions accommodated in one space. The important issue is how and to what extent main elements of the auditorium affect the spectators’ reception of the show. The study and analysis of several factors having a positive impact on every member of the audience within the buildings for the performing arts is the main purpose of this paper.

The spatial modification of the glazed façade is a part of the overall façade’s creation scheme. Despite the important aesthetical function, serrated and finned facades are also seen as an important tool of daylight management in buildings, especially when façade is partially glazed and partially opaque. This allows guiding scattered daylight deep into the room, simultaneously reducing the impact of direct solar radiation. The presented paper analyses the impact of different geometries of half-glazed (with shading elements) finned and serrated facades on the user’s visual comfort (daylight factor and summer solar exposure). The analyzed façades are of different geometry and south-facing located in 50° latitude in Wroclaw. The calculations were done using the De Luminæ software (DL-Light platform) with SketchUp. The analysis allowed to identify – for different typologies of serrated façade – the risks of glare and overheating and the potential need for sunlight protection. The software also helps to the position shading surfaces to control the potential glare.

Transformations of public spaces in accordance with Jan Gehl’s theory of “Cities for people” create attractive places for users. Attractiveness should be understood here not only in visual terms, but also as correspondingly useful. Attractive places are friendly and easily accessible places for people, including those with various disabilities. In Wroclaw a great advantage of urban space is the direct proximity of water (the Odra River along with canals and tributaries). The recent renovations of the river banks – waterfront boulevards, are a very interesting research material. The subject of the article are various aspects and contexts of these modernizations, also in a comparative analysis with similar foreign implementations.

This study presents a psychological survey of the preferences for Chinese vernacular windows among young adults. The experiment participants were young Chinese students who were studying the programmes of architecture, urban planning, interior design and engineering in a public university in Beijing. Eighteen window shapes combined with three types of view were investigated using a subjective questionnaire. Several statistical models were applied to expose some design implications based on the feedback: (1) There are differences of preference between various window shapes. (2) The view will significantly affect the preference; while the natural view can reduce the differences of preference between various windows. (3) Male and female participants have few differences of preference for most of the window types.

Housing needs, as well as technical and economic factors influence the size, structure and standard of a dwelling. The structure and functional and spatial program of housing should enable fulfillment of broadly understood needs, both existential as well as higher-level ones. Oftentimes a dwelling is a place of realization of conflicting needs, such as those concerning maintaining social relations or isolation from the environment. Such needs should also be taken into consideration in the design process. Ensuring high quality of a dwelling is connected with its suitable standard. Functional and spatial programming considers, i.a., important social issues, such as the size and structure of households (families, informal communities, single people), affluence of residents or their specific needs (e.g. people with disabilities). Functional and spatial organization and technical equipment of a dwelling should provide the highest possible comfort for work and relaxation. Residential architecture should also take into consideration future changes of needs and lifestyle. Therefore, it is recommended to disseminate the concept of flexible housing susceptible to later functional, technical and even surface changes. The paper presents the criteria of functional and spatial programing, standards and zoning of dwellings. The analyses will be carried out in the context of users’ social and technical requirements. The aim of the paper is to formulate project criteria and to indicate an optimal type of dwelling which would be adaptable to users’ current and future needs.

Chinese ways of organizing and exploiting landscape park areas, particularly those of historical importance are specific, due to the contemporary overexploitation of these sites. Historic landscape Park of Quin Shi Huang, contains the world-famous “Terracotta Army”. Such a tourist attraction demands organization of access and traffic on an archaeological site and throughout the immense landscape park. The administration of Panjin Park in the Liaoning Province acts to extend the tourist season beyond August/September, when Suaeda Salsa is in bloom and the “Red Beach” attracts millions of visitors. The ideas of spreading tourist goals beyond icons of nature and history and directing them towards rural culture are the most challenging. Eco-farmsteads with animals and traditional crops from orchards, vegetable plots and fields are viewed as an attraction by people who never experienced village life. Research methods employed in the paper include on-site visits, review of literature, conference papers and related PhD dissertation.

In this paper spatial, functional, social and cultural aspects of smart village are analysed. Use of rural cultural heritage as an element driving rural development is highlighted. It is indicated that the post-industrial reality imposes a need for a new attitude towards the role and place of cultural diversity in rural planning. The concept of smart village supported by rural heritage and cultural diversity is presented. It is revealed that cultural heritage is a key resource of rural area, driving its growth as well as the performance of social and economic goals. The “smart village” concept defined in this way should constitute a significant source of competitive advantage.

In the 20s and 30s in Europe new trends concerning not only architecture but also greenery accompanying it within the city limits appeared. One of the very interesting proposals was the, so called, “growing house” promoted by the most important modern movement architects. In 1932 Martin Wagner, the city architect of Berlin, published a book Das wachsende Haus presenting a new concept of the intelligent house - ergonomic, ecological, economical and flexible. The 24 architects’ proposals were published by Wagner, owing to the fact of their realization at the Berlin fairgrounds, at an exhibition entitled: Sonne, Luft und Haus für Alle. Such prominent architects as: Poelzig, Bartning, Gropius, Häring, Hilberseimer, Mendelsohn, Scharoun, Taut, Wagner and garden architect Leberecht Migge presented their designs at the exhibition. The idea of the concept was to give the inhabitants plots they could shape their house and garden on, according to their individual needs.

The external area of the main entrance to the school building is extremely vital part of the whole architectural design, especially in challenging conditions of dense urban fabric of modern city. It should be the showcase of particular educational facility. There are specific functional requirements related to security, composition, aesthetic, etc. that need to be met. The entrance area is a keystone for external and internal space, therefore it requires a detailed study in early pre-design and schematic design phases of the project, before final decisions are made. Many of the particular site inconveniences emerge at the designing stage, but some appear after school opening, for this reason it is beneficial to observe and learn also from existing facilities. In many cases some of the fundamental needs are omitted by architects as a result of various reasons and preconditions. The study was based on author’s own research, and his experience in designing schools. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview and analysis of selected elements of school architecture, and take an aim at addressing functional ergonomics with spatial needs of the school front entrance area.

Traditional villages have an important complementary effect on the current refined cities. However, many ancient villages are facing the dilemma of real development while they are in the phase being gradually declining. The aim of the regeneration of the traditional village is processing at the symbiotic development between urban and rural areas. In view of the impact of village declining and modern economic model on the traditional villages as well as the in heritage of ecological wisdom in the development of traditional villages together with the construction and protection of traditional villages. The study of two typical traditional villages in China and Poland with “Adaptive Design” concept, which is the result of the ecological wisdom of ecological adaptation design of traditional villages and the ecological wisdom of eco-village tourism development. It is worth to put forward the “adaptive design” principle by summing up the low-destructive renewable and sustainable construction of traditional villages with various strategies. Through the comparative case study of Chinese and Polish traditional villages, their commonalities and differences were studied in order to promote the ecological landscape, architectural and other forms of cultural heritage in the traditional ancient villages associated with the heritage protection, rural revitalization, ancient villages development along with the Belt and Road Initiative.

The paper based on the practice of Eco-village workshop in China that organized by Poznan University of Technology and Liaoning Urban & Rural Construction & Planning Institute. it focus on the main problems that face on the rural settlement and it’s environment after high speed development of economy in China. The Main problems concentrate on the decrease of population and aging problems, modernize and lose of tradition, environment problems and climate change. The question is what is the best development method, and how to achieve it. The paper discovered a management eco-model that could balance to natural/half natural environment and human settlement to achieve high quality livable rural built environment.

Health and urban space are two realities that need to progress in close connection; in fact, there is an increasing interest in identifying the links between architecture and public health and how urban design can positively influence the latter. A vision able to reconstruct a profitable reconnection between health, urban planning and environmental planning in line with current evidence and research on the cultural and organizational transition from Public Health to Urban Health is required. The research topic addresses the importance and the centrality of the User-Centred approach in the observation of the relationships established between man, technological systems and the constructed environment, identifying design strategies that guarantee the conditions of physical, mental and social well-being.

Modeling of the functional activity remains an important tool in the sustainable rural development. The presented method provides for the preparation of rural development plans on the ground of the identified residents’ preferences regarding the issue of locating crucial functional elements within the spacial structure of the rural area. The article presents the results of a research into the significance of users preferences in architecture and land use planning of rural areas. The article presents the concept of rural architectural identity, discusses key features of architectural forms which form the rural land use. It presents the results of a identity awareness measurement and a model of the identity which was prepared on this basis. It includes the result of a field query related to the assessment of the strength of an architectural identity presented by existing development in selected rural areas in Wielkopolska Region (Poland).

Urban space of the contemporary cities undergo metamorphosis. Monofunctional public squares and parks change into multifunctional space, additionally filled with advanced technology. Public space means not only open parks and squares, but also generally accessible public buildings interiors: hotels, office buildings, shopping malls, religious institutions. Because of the broad topic, it has been limited to the open urban areas, which is the space among buildings. Public space, as the name suggests, should be accessible for all the citizens, also the disabled ones. The paper is an attempt to look at the changes in a critical way through the prism of their accessibility for the disabled. A few of the recent accomplishments, both European and Polish, has been analysed. The presented examples may be acknowledged as the representative ones for the conducted research, because they are suitable for the general trend of shaping public space of the contemporary cities.

The paper states that there exists a set of spatial properties in architecture and urban situations, which stimulate the creative abilities of space users. An innovative research tool composed of visual data analysis and questionnaire has been designed to research this aspect of human performance. The information obtained by means of the visual data analysis pertains to spatial aspects of the issue, whereas the survey delivers an insight into the actions, motivations, physical and psychological state of users. Spatial forms, which stimulate the creative process can be built on the basis of the conducted research.

Space is a potential that can be managed in different ways. In many countries, laws and policies have been implemented that promote sustainable development, including sustainable tourism, which is accompanied by concern for the quality of the surrounding space. As part of the application of these principles, the mountain countries undertake various initiatives, in particular in overlapping issues, in which historical or contemporary architecture plays a significant role. Selected enterprises, taking into account the role of architecture and greenery in the Alpine countries or in the Giant Mountains, may be an incentive to solve problems in other locations. Project applications are proposed in the conclusions.

A significant part of the population of Central and Eastern Europe lives in multi-family residential buildings made of large prefabricated concrete slabs. Such buildings are often heavily depleted, as they are 30–50 years old and they do not meet the current utility needs of tenants in functional terms. Such multi-storey buildings dominate urban landscapes and make them look monotonous. Internal infrastructure (e.g. heating or plumbing installations) is outdated, while thermal insulation is insufficient. It is necessary to improve the structural, functional and energetic efficiency of the said buildings through renovation solutions, which would bring economic and social benefits, as well as a reduction in energy consumption. The article presents the aspects of technical, functional and aesthetic modernization of prefabricated panel buildings in order to improve the quality of entire housing estates and individual apartments. The analyses will be carried out in the context of technical and social requirements. The aim of the research is to present various design criteria and examples indicating preferred directions of revitalization and adaptation of housing estates to current needs. Modernization actions will be presented basing on case studies from Germany and Poland.

The street furniture supplies convenience in residential daily life, where walkability has been shown associated with people’s behavior pattern including walking outside, life circle, and personal preference: (a) walking behavior is mainly limited by the urban spatial configuration; (b) life circle means the usage of street furniture as an event during the walking route; and (c) personal preference appears in the different utilizations among the urban facilities in some same conditions. The usage data was collected in Turin, by mapping, counting, tracing, and so on (PSPL). The geographical data was analyzed by space syntax theory. Influence factors for walkability of street furniture were proposed by overlaying different behavioral layers. With the combination of qualitative and quantitative analysis, the result grasped the public activities in open public space and behavior characteristics, providing the basis for designing and placing new street furniture in existing square for promotion of public daily life.

The tempo of Industrialization within a city and that too in a developing context, along with rapid and uncontrolled urbanization and consequent expansion tend to reveal a lack of attention to the inner well-being of its communities and constituent individuals comprising the communities. Hence, a gap between the choice of a decision maker determining the expected conditions of the livability of urban environment and the quality of life expected by communities and individuals is gradually aggravated. Contemporary approaches in city planning however advocates more inclusive and ‘people-centric’ development to ensure processes of regenerating the city, as a whole.To explore the interrelationship between the communities and the spaces, the paper focuses on two specific public spaces of Kolkata. They are a dense urban retail activity-feeding armature called Gariahat, and a relatively interspersed green belt dotted with recreational facility called Rabindra Sarovar. The paper compares the two areas based on imageability, average footfall of users or people and their impact on the basic functionality, overall aesthetics, imageability, and the inclusion of livable infrastructure design.The paper assesses the gap between available and expected levels of infrastructure and designed aesthetics concerning the two cases. It subsequently draws meaningful insights for creating a stronger linkage between the variable needs and collective decision-making. The objective is to augment a range of experience of urban spaces including variety and heterogeneity. The linkages will boost aesthetic regeneration and that may be possible through an integration of improved walkability and ergonomic experience in the urban spaces.

As the process of globalization continues to develop, Chinese society has gradually evolved from mechanization to digitalization. The development of the city is also undergoing continuous changes. Future cities will be based on R&D, marketing and finance, and will require more frequent interpersonal and face-to-face communication. Cities, especially urban centers, should be a gathering place for young people. So, a “shared community” should be built. The “shared community” has the following characteristics: environmentally friendly materials, efficient modules, and symbiotic models. In the same community, the pattern of parallel living should be abandoned. Based on the organizational compatibility of residents and true spatial sharing, a green symbiotic community can be created using a sustainable symbiosis model.

With the development of digital technology, the virtual space is expanding, and enhancing the perception of the place becomes an important way to improve the user experience in physical space. As a space carrier of multiculturalism, the university campus aims to be an inclusive and dynamic environment, which helps the integration of science, technology, history, society, politics and economy, and makes university to play a more innovative role. This paper conducts a questionnaire survey on the university campuses in Shanghai and a case study on the campus of East China University of Science and Technology. Through the observation of human behaviors, the relationship among inner drive, perception and external behavior is analyzed from the perspective of environmental perception. In addition to the basic five senses, activity perception and time perception also play an important role in this process. Consequently, this paper put forwards a perception reshaping strategy for campus public space, that is hierarchically sharing space at time level by multi-perception elements to achieve long-term enculturation. The strategy uses the single-day timeline as the basic perception dimension. By deepening the contextual association of the site features of the campus public space in different time periods, the perception difference is strengthened. By creating inclusive and adaptable physical space and various multi-perception elements, the campus public space will be richer and can meet the diverse needs of people.

The dynamic façades in workplace environs demands multidisciplinary knowledge and inclusive solutions. Companies begin to know that taken advantage from the natural light turns out to decrease the artificial light use and its cost. The main goal of the present article is a critical review of how dynamic façades works and how to provide natural views through windows, allow access to natural light and the importance of promoting the vitamin D production. Dynamic façades should react differently according with the meteorological and geographic conditions to optimize human’s health. Workplaces are evolving rapidly to respond to economic pressures, but considerations about optimization of natural light from dynamic façades are fundamental to have a comfortable and healthy environment. To achieve such goals the research will be conducted through literature review and the analysis of four case studies: Arab World Institute (Paris), Gardens by the Bay (Singapore), Investment Council Headquarters (Abu Dhabi) and Homeostatic Façade System (Prototype).

Recent university campus developments in the UK represented capital investments of more than 3 billion GBP in 2016/2017. They are, driven by the need to provide an excellent student experience and the prevalence of student-centric learning approaches. These developments, need to prove effective in use, promote institutional ethos and image, prove efficient in terms of resource use, make effective uses of learning technologies, and support its users. This has placed pressure on campus planning professionals to ensure the development of satisfactory solutions to meet multiple, and sometimes conflicting, stakeholder requirements. This paper sets out to explore the application of sociotechnical systems, in particular Work Domain Analysis (WDA), as a novel approach to model and understand these complex requirements, and thus, support campus design professionals develop new learning spaces and facilities. A first iteration of WDA is developed based on the review of recent learning space design guidelines, the analysis policies and documents from the HEI, and through interviews with stakeholders. The results provide insights on the complex criteria and general functions that informal learning spaces need to meet. This initial template is expected to serve as the basis of a holistic assessment of the effectiveness of existing and prospective campus developments. The initial findings show promise in regard to the suitability and applicability of WDA as a complementing instrument for early design stages of learning environments and facilities.

The paper presents the results of research carried out at the Faculty of Architecture of the Poznan University of Technology, concerning the revitalization of rural areas based on the cultural potential located in these areas. The aim of the research is to answer the question whether the Charles Landry theory of the creative city may also apply to the countryside. Is the cultural potential located in rural areas so strong that it will have a significant impact on the revitalization of the countryside? Research is carried out in the Wielkopolska province. The partial results we obtained are so interesting that we decided to present them in this publication.

The article discusses selected functional-spatial and socio-economical issues taking place in communes in a metropolitan area. The processes under investigation pertain to the transformation period in Poland after 1989. Poland’s accession to the European Union in 2004, development of self-governmental policies, and introduction of market-oriented economy boosted, among others, further spatial diversification of communes adjacent to the central city. The selected social and economic phenomena under analysis include years 2000–2017 with reference to results of earlier research of the above-mentioned processes in years 2000–2010 and 2010–2015 in 17 communes of the Poznań county, which together constitute the Poznań Metropolitan Area (Polish: POM). The functional and spatial structure of housing areas in communes of the Poznań county is dominated by single-family housing. Urban planning of communes adjacent to the central city is linked to, among others, human migration into the areas of the communes and development of business activation areas.

With the change social relations, the shared office is becoming more famous. The open office layout is still the first choice for most shared office spaces. It is assumed to increase communication and interaction between occupants and increase user satisfaction with the workplace. However, noise control and privacy issues are considered to be detrimental to user satisfaction.In order to find out how indoor quality affects user satisfaction in an Open-plan shared office space. This paper conducted an open-plan shared space POE survey. The survey covered the satisfaction of the open-plan shared office space occupants with overall satisfaction with IEQ and the individual factor. Moreover, the results are analyzed to determine the impact of various factors on the overall satisfaction of occupants.

In the present work, the effects of urban morphology on the external microclimatic conditions and its incidence on the thermal comfort level were determined in one of the most important low-income settlements in Guayaquil, Ecuador. For this purpose, one sector of the Socio Vivienda II urbanization were morphologically characterized. The virtual modeling of the physical environment of the urbanization was carried out through simulation programs, in order to obtain microclimatic data at different times of the year and hours of the day. Data were obtained as temperature, relative humidity, wind direction and sky view factor. Variables were taken into consideration: solar orientation, distances between buildings, building heights, among others. The comfort conditions of the thermal environment were quantified in terms of the Physiological Equivalent Temperature index (PET), calculated through the RayMan model, which made it possible to identify relationships between the climatic and morphological variables of the urban configuration.

In the context of global aging, the elderly-oriented design of residences has become popular area within the field of building refurbishment. Spiritual needs are more complicated. Due to the long span of life experience, the spiritual needs of the elderly population are influenced by the evolving social culture and lifestyle, and characterized by the blending of the old with the new. Currently, a key issue is to determine the degree of association between the spiritual needs of the elderly and the residential space, and to assessed their impact on residential renovation. Another significant problem that needs to be addressed is which influencing factors can be reused in aging design, and what the array is. Therefore, the paper analyzes the elderly groups who are aging in place in the rural areas of southern Fujian, China, from the four aspects of behavior, history, society and organizational culture. On the basis of qualitative research, a model for the transformation of the spiritual needs of the elderly was proposed. The gathered research results confirm that the core of the spiritual needs of the elderly lies in social integration. The basis of triggering social integration is to establish an inclusive environment that is in line with modern society. This environment is functionally oriented with spiritual needs, and the cultures of social relations and religious belief play an essential role. Each spiritual need is transformed into spatial modules that are combined into a cross-chain, and various spatial modules should ensure that social contacts are established at all levels. This model emphasizes the complexity of the spiritual needs of the elderly and the significance of integration into society. Furthermore, it combines architectural refurbishment with aging design. The research results determine the direction and verification mode of the transformation process, which will be widely applicable to various aging living environment designs to meet the real needs of the elderly.

This paper first explains the concept and classification of “urban furniture”, analyzes the current situation of Chinese urban furniture and concludes that Chinese traditional urban furniture has been abandoned because it doesn’t suit needs of the times. Combined with the recent discussions and reports of the Chinese government meeting, based on the new era of “achieving urban intelligent management”, it is concluded that in the process of building “smart city”, urban furniture development will enter the “intelligent” trend. Combined with the concept of intelligent products, examples of smart city furniture in developed countries such as the United States and Singapore are presented. Finally, it is concluded that the development of urban furniture design in the context of intelligent development should consider the product, service and system layers of urban furniture products.

This article aims to present a critical reflection on the collaborative curatorship of the exhibition “Intersecting Improbable Connections”. It is a transdisciplinary exhibition covering architecture, design, arts, among other fields, and calls for non-linear productive thinking strategies. It explores the intersection of unlikely relationships to inspire memorable visits to museums, and it feeds the Inspædia platform, creating a new landscape of reflection and cultural influence. It advocates a new concept of exhibition curation that minimizes costs (because it does not involve transportation or insurance for the pieces) and is intended to help stimulate creative processes. Based on a selection of content from the participating museums’ permanent exhibitions, duly marked with QR Codes, visitors can access that content that is already available on the Inspædia platform and explore potentially endless connections, without losing contact with the physical object (and vice versa).

Recent decades, as the rapid development of urbanization in China, there is a lot of evidence showing that people living in high-density urban spaces are experiencing increased rates of stress and depression, and the living environment takes an important role in this situation. Based on this context, the identification of comprehensive community design factors from the perspective of residential well-being, which combines social, environmental and emotional aspects, can be urgently needed. A list of appropriate factors related to residential well-being is developed in this paper. Taking urban community as a case study, this paper aims to explore a set of environmental factors related to residential well-being in the living environment in China. The results need to be applied to real Chinese community design cases in order to prove the generalization.

A case study of Szczecin Metropolitan Railway Infrastructure Space is an opportunity to discuss concepts of Transit Oriented Development and ideas of urban mobility. The model of nested infrastructure system was presented, where adaptive Regenerative Infrastructure, characterized as a whole living systems support, plays a crucial role in new forms of glocal community building and a networked mobility ecosystem creation. Only “grey”, technical infrastructure modernization is not enough to support Regenerative Development and to enhance the city resilience. Emergent, hybrid infrastructure and the concept of “urban glocal village” ad hoc implementation will contribute to social, ecological and economic activities revival of local communities and culture of glocalization spread. Therefore the joint development program should be implemented to integrate elements of techno sphere with natural ecosystems constituents, taking responsibility for our present and future society of biosphere.

With the development of society, the environment in which we live is deteriorating. How to improve the environment we live in has become the focus of attention. The emergence of green design points out a way for our design. Nature should be protected from human destruction. People should explore a harmonious relationship between design and humans, design and nature, and between man and nature. Roof greening is not only the development of green space into the air, but also the perfect combination of architectural art and garden art. It is a green and sustainable design method. The design of this eco-hotel is centered on the theme of “returning to hide” and “mountain residence”, hoping to keep people away from the hustle and bustle of the city and return to the tranquility of nature. The purpose of this design is to integrate the exterior form of the building, the landscape of the landscape with the surrounding environment, and at the same time protect the original vegetation of the mountain plants as much as possible, in harmony with nature. Through the greening of the roof, the green area is fully guaranteed. Different types of roof greening play different roles. The large-scale roof greening hides the whole project in the mountains, and looks like a mountain in the distance, thus achieving the original intention of designing “returning to the mountain forest”. This paper will focus on the role, type and development of green roofs, and study roof greening through case studies and field research. While meeting basic functions, we pay more attention to the relationship between people and nature and the environment, and achieve sustainable development through various roof greening methods.