Journal of Design for Resilience in Architecture and Planning
JOURNAL of DESIGN for RESILIENCE in ARCHITECTURE and PLANNING (DRArch) is interested in designs and design methods the approach of foreseeing the future, long-term, sustainable, being able to synthesize technological developments with inspiration and aesthetics. Resilience means the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties with the ability of adaptation. Resilient design and resilient city are deal with better living. DRArch is not only on the concept of resilience design mentioned in the literature, but also on the anticipation of future designs in the rapidly changing and transforming modern world. Design for resilience is to adapt to change, to develop innovative tools, to use technology for people and the environment, dealing with flexibility, durability, mobility and humanity. DRArch provides a new forum to bring together existing design accumulation with futuristic approach to create better and happier built environment. DRArch aims to fill that gap. DRArch is a free, open access, scholarly international, e-journal considers original research articles, viewpoints, book reviews in peer-reviewed.
Cost analysis and feasibility of green building adaptation in low-rise residential housing: Evidence from Türkiye
This study evaluates the cost implications of green building practices in low-rise residential housing by analyzing three sample houses in Kayseri, Türkiye. It compares traditional construction systems with green alternatives, focusing on water efficiency, energy-saving technologies, and sustainable materials. The findings reveal that green buildings incur higher upfront costs, particularly due to photovoltaic systems and certified materials. However, when compared with traditional structures, they demonstrate clear long-term benefits in energy savings, environmental performance, and operational efficiency. Water-related costs were mainly driven by sanitary fixtures and appliances, while insulation dominated material expenses. By offering a localized cost comparison between traditional and green construction, this study fills a gap in the national literature and highlights the feasibility of sustainable housing in Türkiye. These insights aim to inform both policy development and practical applications, providing a valuable foundation for integrating green certification systems into future low-rise residential projects.
Copyright (c) 2026 Merve Bıyıklı Hasözhan, Zübeyde Özlem Parlak Biçer, Nurbanu Şahin https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Human health oriented design approaches in office buildings: Salutogenic model
Office buildings have frequently changed from the past to the present due to historical factors (the collapse of empires, colonialism and expansionist policies, the industrial revolution, wars, the development of technology, epidemics, etc.) and the transformations these factors have created in user needs. Office designs, based on user health and productivity, have also had to keep pace with the changing needs of the age. Therefore, the design of office spaces is an important criterion that reflects how people feel and how it affects their work performance. Research examining the relationship between health and office environments often focuses on a single variable (noise, lighting, office layout, air quality, etc.) and addresses the pathogenic effects of the physical environment, while largely ignoring salutogenic components. Thus, there is a need for a theoretical framework and a holistic approach that encompasses health-promoting research data by adopting the concept of “salutogenic,” introduced by sociologist Aaron Antonovsky, which aims to address the origins of health and promote well-being in a positive manner. The aim of this article is to explore how the adoption of salutogenic principles in the architectural design of offices can positively affect the physical, mental, and social health of employees and how this process should be managed. The data obtained through a literature review method enable the application of salutogenic models in office buildings. Within the scope of this study, Antonovsky’s concept of the salutogenic model is examined, and the adaptation of design models developed based on this concept is discussed in the context of office buildings.
Copyright (c) 2026 Eda Nur Aydemir Kutluer, Betül Bakır https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Designing resilience in historical environments: A pedagogical analysis of a “healing”-themed studio
A this article presents a design studio model that integrates architectural pedagogy with urban resilience by focusing on the theme of “healing” within a historical context. Conducted in Sarıkaya, an ancient Roman thermal settlement in Turkey, the studio aimed to cultivate student awareness of historical continuity, collective memory, and spatial repair through design interventions that address physical, social, and ecological healing. A mixed-methods research design was employed, including pre- and post-studio surveys, cognitive mapping, and protocol analysis of student processes and outcomes. Quantitative findings based on 11 participants revealed a marked increase in conceptual and spatial awareness after the studio. The average post-test score rose from 62.3 to 81.7 out of 100, indicating a 31.1% improvement in students’ capacity to engage with urban resilience and heritage-based healing concepts. Cognitive map complexity also increased by 44%, showing a shift from form-based to multi-layered socio-spatial strategies. Thematic categorization of student projects revealed four primary resilience domains: social (31%), ecological-economic (30%), cultural-technological (23%), and morphological (16%). Design outputs included proposals such as AI-assisted pediatric ateliers, memory-based housing for elderly Alzheimer’s patients, geothermal healing centers, and sensory walking routes, all developed in response to the socio-cultural and spatial dynamics of the historic site. The study demonstrates how design education can function as a vehicle for heritage-conscious innovation and collective well-being. By combining conceptual framing, contextual analysis, and experiential learning, the studio model not only fostered architectural empathy and historical imagination but also provided measurable cognitive and perceptual growth. These results underscore the relevance of resilience-centered design pedagogy in cultivating architects capable of addressing both past legacies and future uncertainties through spatial healing.
Copyright (c) 2026 Begüm Demiroğlu İzgi, Ayşegül Koç Ünlüsoy https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Symbiotic spatiality in domestic interiors: A spatial model for human-animal cohabitation
Domestic interiors have historically been organized through anthropocentric spatial logics in which architectural layouts, circulation systems, and spatial hierarchies are structured primarily around human needs and bodily experience. However, the increasing presence of animals as everyday companions within contemporary households has gradually transformed domestic environments into shared multispecies habitats. Despite this transformation, architectural responses often remain limited to functional adjustments rather than reconsidering interior spatial organization itself. Addressing this gap, the study proposes the Symbiotic Spatial Model as an analytical framework for examining how domestic interiors reorganize when animals are recognized as spatial actors rather than accommodated occupants. The model translates post-humanist spatial discourse into three operational layers: hierarchical reconfiguration, multi-species circulation, and negotiated boundaries. The framework is applied through a comparative spatial analysis of two contemporary residential projects that explicitly integrate human–animal cohabitation. The findings demonstrate that symbiotic coexistence emerges through different spatial mechanisms, including plan-based redistribution of hierarchy and sectional stratification of movement systems. By operationalizing multispecies theory through spatial parameters, the study contributes a methodological framework for interpreting human–animal coexistence within interior architecture.
Copyright (c) 2026 Neşe Başak Yurttaş https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Bilateral relations of tectonics through physical models: Anchoring architecture to the site
Emphasizing the concentric relationship between the tectonics of Earth and the tectonics of architecture, this study argues that design ideas generated through this interaction have the potential to produce spatial constructs belonging to their sites, rather than objects merely positioned upon them. It examines a conceptually framed architectural design studio in which tectonics is explored as a design tool. By primarily questioning the concept of tectonics, it is defined in terms of relationalities, dualities, and dichotomies, thus offering students a robust and flexible methodology for idea generation. Within this framework, the scope is narrowed through the use of conceptual and physical tools. While tectonics is treated as a conceptual tool, the physical model is employed as a corporeal tool of inquiry. The discussions focus on analyzing the tectonics of the site and investigating its reproduction through physical models and how this form of representation affects architectural design. The study also critiques the process of analyzing the site and then moving on to idea generation, arguing that the site itself is a powerful datum for idea generation and that these processes are both incremental and deliberative. Within the architectural design studio that forms the scope of the study, the first stage was designed to question the concept of tectonics in order to raise students’ awareness of the project site. Questioning the Earth's tectonics constituted a pillar of the tectonic discussions that spread throughout the semester. The question at the center of these discussions is, “How can architecture anchor to the site?” In addressing the question, the conceptual framework of inquiry was defined as the dichotomy between tectonics and stereotomics. As a result of this inquiry process, the three-dimensional model was the medium through which the students would concretize their interpretations and findings. While the physical models constitute student-generated material, their abstraction, classification, and visual representation reflect the authors’ methodological reading of the design processes. The study ultimately proposes a methodological approach in which the relationship between site and tectonics is explored through physical modeling. On the other hand, it further argues that tectonics should be understood not merely as a descriptive category but as a critical operative concept within the design process. Owing to its inherently multilayered structure, tectonics offers a robust theoretical framework through which architectural production can be both interpreted and articulated. As such, the study provides a productive foundation for future research seeking to reassess the epistemological and methodological grounds of design practice.
Copyright (c) 2026 Bilgen Dündar, Aslı Uzunkaya https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
A framework to design and implement cross-platform WebVR walkthrough for a Chettinad heritage building
Immersive walkthroughs are increasingly used to document, interpret, and communicate heritage sites to remote audiences. This study presents a framework for designing and implementing a cross-platform WebVR walkthrough of Athangudi Palace, a significant Chettinad mansion in Tamil Nadu, India. The project addresses limited physical access due to conservation sensitivity and geographic distance by developing a browser-based experience accessible on Head-Mounted Displays (HMDs), desktop computers, tablets, and mobile phones. It has a systematic workflow that involves on-site documentation, 360-degree image capture, spatial-audio recording, post-processing, WebVR development in A-Frame, refinement, and deployment. The walkthrough features panoramic shots, guided tours, hotspots, and contextual commentary, to convey the spatial nature and sustainability elements of the palace, such as passive cooling, material selections, and climate-adaptive planning. The paper contributes a reproducible workflow for documenting and interpreting domestic heritage architecture through a lightweight WebVR system. It demonstrates how browser-based immersive media can support remote heritage access, conservation awareness, and sustainability-oriented interpretation without increasing physical pressure on a sensitive site.
Copyright (c) 2026 Antony Zharon, Ajith Paul, Balakrishnan C, Biju Kunnumpurath, Anitha Suseelan https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Pedagogies in urban design: Broadening the perspective
This editorial introduces a special issue that offers glimpses of formation, evolution and the current state of urban design education in the international scope. Bringing together Viewpoints, Research Articles and a Book Review from diverse geographical and institutional contexts, the issue traces multiple dimensions and pathways through which diverse pedagogies in urban design are formed, challenged, and reconfigured. The contributions reveal urban design pedagogies as contingent, adaptive, and shaped by shifting urban agendas, institutional organizations, agency of academic communities, and technological transformations. The synthesis foregrounds studio education as a key site where disciplinary foundations, core competencies and professional capacities, and working cultures are negotiated, and where enduring questions of legitimacy, specialization, professional recognition, technological mediation, and ethical formation concerning the future of urban design education are productively challenged.
Copyright (c) 2025 Irmak Yavuz Özgür, Olgu Çalışkan https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The importance of local materials in sustainable rural planning: Case of Gelemiç
Studies carried out for sustainable and low carbon emission rural area design and planning are important in minimising the effects of climate change and protecting the ecology. Especially in rural areas, the choice of local materials plays an important role in ensuring environmental sustainability within the scope of landscape planning studies, creating the identity and aesthetic values of the region. In recent years, the traditional building materials used in traditional buildings in rural settlements and the fact that the structures in which these materials are applied do not harm the nature and are suitable for user comfort have been effective in bringing these structures back to the agenda. Traditional buildings were constructed with the most appropriate materials and components depending on the climatic characteristics. In addition, designing and planning studies by taking into consideration the natural, climatic, cultural, social and economic factors of rural settlements contributes to the success of the low carbon target in these areas. In this study, adobe buildings in village settlements within the scope of low carbon rural areas in Gelemiç rural settlement within the borders of Bursa province were evaluated in terms of sustainability and also examined within the scope of climatic and ecological parameters. The construction technique of traditional architectural structures was observed and analytical methods were used to analyse adobe, which is the original and local building material. In addition, the climatic characteristics (precipitation and temperature data between 2004-2024) and geological structure (seismicity, rock structure and soil structure) of the study area were examined and maps were produced using Geographic Information Systems. In line with the information on the produced maps, construction techniques and material properties used in traditional buildings were analysed. As a result of the study, the adobe building material used in traditional houses in Gelemiç rural settlements adapts to the climatic and ecological structure of the region and contributes to the sustainability of the cultural landscape. According to the laboratory tests, the strengths of adobe, which is the main building material used in the timber frame system in the study area, are similar to the values specified in the literature. In addition, the intensive use of adobe material in the study area, the fact that the raw material used in adobe production is supplied from the location close to the settlement, the CO2 emission that may occur in the logistics process is low and the adobe material used is suitable in terms of sustainability.
Adobe, geographic information systems, rural architectural heritage, rural landscape planning, sustainable planning.
Copyright (c) 2026 Figen Altıner, Ayşegül Ağan https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Book Review: Urban Design Education: Designing Pedagogy for an Evolving Field
Copyright (c) 2025 Saadet Kök Ayaz, Nicel Saygın, İpek Akpınar, Elif Simge Fettahoğlu Özgen https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Morphogenesis in urban design: The path to sustainability is through a fundamental change to the way we build our world
Urban design is called upon to contribute to making the world more sustainable, resilient, and just. This aim is shared across urban design's many approaches and schools of thought. However, the response to the pressing contemporary problems of sustainability, resilience, and social justice routinely emphasizes the need to develop innovative tools and extend the reach of advanced technological solutions into increasingly larger domains of our lives and of the environments around us. This paper maintains that the future of urban design, particularly in the current historical transition beyond the Post-War world order, should be explored through a critical reconsideration of the root causes of the current unsustainable reality. We briefly present the disciplinary background of such an operation by recalling the concept of deep sustainability, and its various expressions in the urban design traditions, and highlighting the legacy of “radical” approaches to urban design. A particularly relevant critique of a reductionist, “mechanistic” approach to sustainability was presented by Christopher Alexander twenty years ago, in a memorable talk delivered at the Schumacher Lecture series in Bristol, UK. In his lecture, Alexander proposes the necessary departure from current building and development practices towards an “authentically sustainable” morphogenetic building process. We propose to re-examine Alexander’s talk at the Schumacher Lecture as a fundamental contribution to framing a responsible pedagogy in urban design. We do so by critically summarizing its main conceptual achievements. We then highlight how Alexander’s legacy, not limited to the Schumacher talk, frames the cosmological framework within which the evolutionary nature of the built environment can be recognized and elaborated. We then propose a way to elaborate on the concept of evolution in the domain of urban morphology analysis by introducing recent research in Urban MorphoMetrics and Urban Evo Devo. This forefront research explores the operationalization of Alexander’s Wholeness seeking System A within an environment dominated by a mechanistic System B. We highlight its impact on urban design practice by the generation of evidence-based urban design coding. Thus, we show how the integration of urban morphology and design is a key move towards a new, evolutionary urban design pedagogy.
Copyright (c) 2025 Sergio Porta, Yodan Y. Rofé https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Growth and spatial distribution of art galleries in Istanbul between 2000 and 2022
In this paper, we illustrate the growth and spatial distribution of art galleries in Istanbul at the beginning of the 21st century. Previous studies have attributed the decentralization of urban activities from the old CBD to sub-centers as a result of population growth, economic and transportation development, and globalization in Istanbul. The present study begins by explaining the spatial distribution of Istanbul’s cultural infrastructure within the urban macroform, followed by an investigation into the emergence and development of art galleries within the cultural ecosystem, providing a spatial focus as well as a historical context. We then analyze the growth and spatial distribution of art galleries from 2000 to 2022, with reference to the spatial characteristics of the cultural infrastructure and CBD in Istanbul’s macroform. The results indicate that over two decades, the number of art galleries increased, with a tendency toward centralization in the historical CBD of the city, while decentralization also occurred at the borders of the historical CBD. Additionally, new clusters of art galleries emerged following the extension of the CBD and singular redevelopment projects specializing in cultural and artistic functions. This study contributes to the literature on Istanbul’s urban growth and cultural studies by presenting a spatial assessment of the art galleries, which is a relatively underexplored component of cultural infrastructure. Additionally, by analyzing the relationships between the galleries and the urban macroform, specific revitalization and redevelopment projects, and cultural policies, the study highlights the role of art galleries within urban growth processes and the cultural infrastructure.
Copyright (c) 2025 Elif Kısar Koramaz, Vedia Dokmeci, Numan Kilinc https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
An introduction to urban design at the undergraduate level
This paper presents an undergraduate approach to introducing urban design within an architecture curriculum, responding to the National Architecture Accrediting Board (NAAB) requirement that all accredited programs incorporate foundational urban design knowledge. At Kent State University’s College of Architecture & Environment Design, the third-year spring design studio was designated as the primary vehicle for meeting this requirement, with the author coordinating the semester based on his expertise in urban design. Drawing on the pedagogical principles of Colin Rowe, the studio framework integrates five core components: (1) analysis and diagramming, (2) collage and precedents, (3) urban and architectural typologies and morphologies, (4) the design of exterior urban space, and (5) structured readings. The paper outlines the exercises developed to operationalize these principles, each supported by lectures introducing key concepts and methods. Examples of student work accompany the exercises to demonstrate how these foundations collectively shape students’ understanding of urban design at the undergraduate level.
Copyright (c) 2025 Charles P. Graves https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Urban design pedagogy, an interdisciplinary approach
Among the many possible solutions to city form, urban designers are expected to create environments with some human purpose of a social, economic, aesthetic and technical merit. Education at a university graduate school should provide the necessary expertise. Questions like who to educate for a career in urban design and for what type of employment addresses the complex relationships designers navigate to build bridges between economic development, environmental quality and socio-political dynamics. Records show that applicants selecting a professional career in urban design are motivated to improve the prevailing physical, social equity and environmental conditions in cities. This article reports on the institutional prerequisites and pedagogy of an interdisciplinary urban design education sponsored jointly by the departments of City and Regional Planning, Architecture, Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning in the College of Environmental Design at the University of California at Berkeley.
Copyright (c) 2025 Peter C. Bosselmann https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Beyond the hype: Reflections on the implications of AI for urban design education
The emergence of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) is reshaping Higher Education and professional practice, demanding critical reflection on its implications for Urban Design education. This viewpoint explores how AI challenges educational models and transforms design practice. In higher education, GenAI offers opportunities for personalized learning and innovative teaching, but raises enormous challenges regarding assessment validity, learners’ intellectual development, and ethics. Within Urban Design, AI is already being used for tasks such as data analysis, image generation, design generation, and optimization. But AI development and adoption have the potential to further transform design, expanding automation and questioning the role of the designer. Drawing on literature, interviews with UK practitioners, and critical reflection, this viewpoint puts forward some reflections about ways in which urban design education may engage with and respond to the emergence of AI. First, institutions must adopt a critically engaged approach, balancing innovation with caution and ethical responsibility. Second, assessment practices require structural redesign to safeguard learning validity while embracing AI’s potential productively. Third, curricula must be updated to integrate critical AI literacy while protecting fundamental design and spatial reasoning skills. Fourth, AI offers potential to enhance teaching and learning. As AI becomes integral to design practice, educators must reimagine pedagogies to ensure graduates are equipped to navigate and shape an AI-augmented urban future. Ultimately, urban design education stands at a crossroads - where the choices made today will determine whether AI enhances or undermines the intellectual and ethical foundations of the discipline.
Copyright (c) 2025 Juliana Martins https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Analytical comparison of physical and virtual LEGO modules in architectural design education
The educational potential of games has increasingly attracted attention within architectural pedagogy, fostering investigations into game-based learning approaches. Among these, LEGO has gained prominence in both physical and digital formats, offering unique yet complementary contributions to design education. Physical LEGO sets strengthen students’ manual dexterity, three-dimensional reasoning, and confidence by engaging them in tangible construction processes. Virtual LEGO platforms, in contrast, advance technological literacy, spatial visualization, and digital exploration, thereby preparing students for the demands of contemporary design environments. This study examines the role of both physical and virtual LEGO modules in architectural and interior design education through a comparative analysis. Student groups from different levels were tasked with reconstructing a pre-designed architectural plan using both formats. Upon completion, participants completed a structured questionnaire designed to evaluate their learning experiences, perceived challenges, and skill development. Data were analyzed using SPSS to identify statistical relationships between the two approaches. Findings revealed significant correlations between the modules, indicating their complementary nature in fostering spatial literacy and design skills. Physical LEGO modules were particularly effective in promoting hands-on engagement, efficiency, and confidence, while virtual modules enhanced creativity in digital environments and cultivated a sense of achievement. The comparison demonstrates that rather than competing, physical and digital formats enrich architectural pedagogy by addressing different dimensions of the design process. By situating LEGO within the broader discourse of game-based learning in architecture, this study underscores the importance of integrating traditional tactile methods with emerging digital tools. Such integration not only bridges the gap between physical and virtual realms but also provides a rational perspective on contemporary educational challenges in an increasingly digitized world. Ultimately, the results highlight the potential of LEGO to serve as a versatile pedagogical medium that cultivates both foundational design skills and adaptability to future technological contexts.
Copyright (c) 2025 Erdem Köymen, Mhd Feda Bouidani https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Rock-cut vernacular architecture in northeastern Kayseri: Architectural characteristics and conservation challenges
The rock-cut heritage of the Kayseri Valleys represents a distinctive vernacular tradition shaped by technological skill, social practices, and environmental adaptation. These systems, evolving from carved spaces to masonry and then reinforced concrete, represent both tangible and intangible heritage, connecting past construction knowledge with community identity and collective memory while adding to the valleys’ unique cultural landscapes. This study examines the relationship between rock-cut construction techniques and the topographic context of the Koramaz and Gesi Valleys. Using archival research, field surveys, and systematic documentation, it records settlement forms, underground cities, hillside shelters, dovecotes, and related production areas, along with their connections to daily life and agricultural activities. Through on-site observations, spatial measurements, and photographs, the research shows how these features are spread across mound, slope, and basin settlements, illustrating the link between geological conditions and architectural practices. The analysis emphasizes how these spaces were organized, adapted, and combined over time, demonstrating the deep relationship between geology, settlement, and material culture. The findings highlight major conservation challenges, including abandonment due to demographic changes, functional shifts driven by modern needs, material decay from neglect, the loss of craftsmanship, and unregulated interventions that threaten structural integrity. Additionally, the near extinction of rock-cut building as a living practice endangers the continuity of related knowledge systems. Focusing on both their tangible and intangible aspects, the study advocates for conservation strategies based on socio-cultural continuity, community involvement, and sensitive adaptive reuse. This comprehensive approach is crucial to preserving the Kayseri Valleys as dynamic cultural landscapes while maintaining their relevance for future generations.
Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage
Copyright (c) 2026 Bahar Elagöz Timur, Özlem Kevseroğlu Kurban https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Bridging academia and practice: Evolving pedagogies in urban design education
Urban design education is confronting growing pressures to respond to increasingly complex urban, environmental, and socio-political challenges while remaining relevant to professional practice. This paper presents findings from a qualitative, interview-based study conducted by the Urban Design Academic Council (UDAC) between 2023 and 2025, drawing on semi-structured conversations with fourteen urban design practices operating across diverse institutional and geographic contexts in the United States. Rather than offering a comprehensive literature review of urban design pedagogy, the paper foregrounds practitioner perspectives as an empirical and practice-informed contribution to ongoing disciplinary discussions. The interviews examine professional expectations of urban design education, including desired skills, perceived gaps in graduate preparedness, emerging trends in practice, and opportunities for deeper collaboration between academia and the profession. Findings reveal consistent emphasis on strategic and systemic thinking, narrative and communicative competence, interdisciplinary fluency, and preparedness to engage climate resilience, equity, and infrastructural complexity at multiple scales. Practitioners also highlight the value of pedagogical models that integrate experiential learning, joint research initiatives, and sustained professional engagement within academic settings. By documenting and synthesizing practitioner insights, this study contributes a field-level snapshot of current professional priorities and challenges in urban design. The paper positions interview-based inquiry as both a research method and a pedagogical tool, offering an empirical foundation for future curriculum development, mixed-methods research, and cross-institutional collaboration aimed at strengthening the alignment between urban design education and contemporary practice.
Copyright (c) 2025 Mona El Khafif, Nico Larco https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Constitutive conditions of transforming pedagogies in urban design: A critical reflection on METU MUD Studio (1996-2025)
This article investigates the constitutive conditions of urban design pedagogies through the case of the Middle East Technical University (METU) Master of Urban Design studios. Drawing on the distinction among pragmatic, normative, and exploratory pedagogies, the study moves beyond a typological classification to examine the contextual factors that shape these approaches in practice. Utilizing archival materials, course documents, interviews, and analyses of studio outputs, it constructs a periodization of pedagogical approaches and identifies the intrinsic and extrinsic factors that have informed their development. The findings highlight how urban design pedagogies are historically constituted through the dynamic interplay of these conditions, reflecting evolving contexts rather than fixed or static identities.
Coding the urban curriculum: Technology as thematic infrastructure in urban design education
As debates continue over how to articulate the disciplinary scope of urban design education, several researchers examined how pedagogical models are shaped by specific thematic priorities, particularly ecological, socio-political, or technological. As graduate programs navigate the tension between disciplinarity and interdisciplinarity, themes like resilience, climate adaptation, spatial equity, and digital urbanism have begun to function not merely as curricular content, but as structuring frameworks that govern how urban design is taught and practiced. This paper addresses the question of how certain themes infiltrate or govern urban design education by examining the Master of Urban Design and Digital Environments (MUDDE) program. In MUDDE, foreground technological tools, in particular virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and artificial intelligence (AI), are employed not as discrete subjects, but as a pedagogical infrastructure through which students interrogate, simulate, and communicate complex urban conditions. Using a qualitative case study, the research analyzes curricular documents, classroom observations, student projects, and survey responses to understand how these tools influence inquiry, design workflows, and representation. Through analysis of two courses in particular, findings indicate that the MUDDE curriculum moves beyond skill acquisition toward thematic mediation, where technology becomes a method for exploring and constructing urban narratives. These tools support design process at multiple stages. They inform data-rich site analysis, allow producing multiple design outcomes through generative and parametric workflows, and expand the communicative potential of student projects by offering immersive and interactive visualizations for engaging with diverse stakeholders. In this way, themes in MUDDE operate not as isolated topics, but as conceptual operating systems, organizing inquiry, shaping design workflows, and guiding modes of representation. This pedagogical approach aligns with an international shift toward reflexive, exploratory, and projective models of urban design education, where the governance of themes is enacted through the integration of method, technology, and class culture. The study contributes to debates on the future of urban design pedagogy by demonstrating how technology can reorganize learning environments and extend the epistemic foundations of the field.
Copyright (c) 2025 Maryam Shafiei, Nabyl Chenaf https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The urban design studio: Staff intentions, student experiences, and lessons learned from Manchester Urban Design Lab, University of Manchester, UK
The design studio is the cornerstone of technical applied urban design education – both as a physical space for students to learn within, and pedagogical philosophy for developing and delivering curriculum in higher education settings. A studio-based approach to urban design teaching must reflect the multi-faceted nature of the discipline - a challenge when the current field lacks a consolidated mandate – simulating real-world challenges and contexts and preparing students for the demands of practice. This article explores the pivotal role of the design studio at the University of Manchester (UoM) in shaping future urban designers - emphasizing its contribution to pedagogy, skill development, and nurturing a collaborative and supportive design culture that can extend beyond higher education into professional practice. The studio acts as an interactive and practical laboratory where theoretical knowledge is translated into practical application, where students can experiment, refine ideas, collaborate with peers and tutors, and learn to effectively communicate design visually and orally. The studio-based approach aims to develop technical competencies, cultivate critical thinking, and promote processes that deliver more contextually responsive, people-centered, high quality urban design solutions. The article considers how students (both UK based and international) within the Manchester Urban Design LAB at UoM perceive, and respond to, the studio-based approach during their 1-year dedicated MSc Urban Design program – highlighting their perspective that it instils a positive culture – shaped through the promotion of open dialogue, peer-critique, collective learning, and formative and summative design crits. It is however imperative that these spaces avoid several negative issues that have plagued studio approaches in fields such as architecture in recent years. This brings into focus the role of the academic/tutor in delivering studio that seeks to encourage creativity - where failure is framed as a learning opportunity with a culture of constructive feedback and mentorship at the heart of developing resilience and adaptability in students – as well as developing an appropriate curriculum that maximizes the studio environment. At MUD-Lab/UoM the design studio approach directly shaped, and currently supports, our bespoke framework for practicing urban design (Black et al., 2024) and sits at the very heart of our approach to education.
Copyright (c) 2025 Philip Black, Rachel Kerr https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The MUDD program, UNSW: The centrality of transdisciplinary curricula in urban design studio (UDS): A phenomenographic exploration of factors impacting urban design studio curricula
This paper explores the evolution of teaching methods in urban design education within the context of Australia's postgraduate programs. Utilizing phenomenography—a qualitative research methodology grounded in educational science—it is organized into three main sections. The first section delves into the multifaceted drivers of curricular transformation in urban design, encompassing the effects of managerialism, the prevalence of neoliberal ideologies, and the persistent identity crisis facing the field. The second section presents a detailed case study of a particular graduate program, emphasizing its contribution to the discussion of theories of learning and teaching in urban design pedagogy. By analyzing the former Master of Urban Development and Design (MUDD) curriculum at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, the final section synthesizes the insights garnered from the structure of the MUDD program, proposing that these can inform refining and enhancing the quality of future Urban Design program models. The MUDD program exemplifies the adoption of transdisciplinary methods and teaching, learning and curricula theories in urban design education, while underscoring the urgent need for improved pedagogical training for faculty. This article not only documents these shifts but also serves as a time capsule, preserving the structure of a distinguished Urban Design curriculum during a tumultuous period in higher education worldwide. Our research identifies three key findings: first, Urban Design Studios (UDS) often operate in disciplinary silos that inhibit the integration of urban systems. Second, although there is some support for transdisciplinary methods, practitioners' understanding of UDS pedagogy remains limited. Third, there is a critical need for educational science training for higher education instructors within the Australian Higher Education Institutional context. These insights underscore the urgency of adopting transdisciplinary approaches in urban design education, with implications for policy development and enhanced educational outcomes within the Built Environment field.
the master of urban development and design
Copyright (c) 2025 Jodi Lawton, Bruce Judd https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The grounded projection: A reflective examination of urban design pedagogy at Melbourne School of Design
Urban design education faces unprecedented challenges as ecological emergencies, socio-political risks and technological transitions converge to reshape cities worldwide. These planetary-scale disruptions necessitate pedagogical approaches that prepare future urban designers for fundamentally different professional realities. This paper presents the Master of Urban Design program at the University of Melbourne as a response to these challenges: a grounded projective approach that systematically integrates analytical rigour with speculative imagination across three sequential design studios and a culminating thesis. The paper documents a carefully orchestrated pedagogical journey: students master rule-based design thinking through intensive engagement with urban morphology, design codes, rules and regulations, then collaborate with industry partners to address pressing questions of social equity and public health, before ultimately expanding their temporal vision to envision climate-adapted and technologically augmented urban futures spanning multiple generations. Following this three-design studio sequence, the thesis studio enables students to pursue individual research expertise. Throughout this progression, Melbourne transcends its role as a mere case study to become a genuine living laboratory and a place where students develop profound contextual knowledge. This comprehensive framework demonstrates how systematic spatial-analytical foundations enable rather than constrain imaginative speculation, how individual design expertise can flourish within collaborative frameworks, and how extended temporal thinking can be meaningfully integrated into studio-based education. The program's critical contribution lies in creating space for speculation and projective work by drawing intelligently and creatively from a grounded understanding of urban design practice and enabling students to envision transformative urban futures while maintaining disciplinary rigour.
Copyright (c) 2025 Onur Tümtürk, Justyna Karakiewicz, Leire Asensio Villoria, David Mah https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The intersection of history and nature: The transformation of Cebeci Asri Cemetery as urban open space
Today, cemeteries are gaining importance as potential open spaces due to the growth of cities and the increase in construction densities. Especially old cemeteries that have completed their function can be integrated into urban life as open-green spaces. Cebeci Asri Cemetery is an old cemetery that has completed its function as a burial space. As the first modern cemetery in the history of the Republic and an architectural competition project, it is an important area with cultural, social and historical value. Important bureaucrats of the Republican era, many poets, writers, journalists and artists who shaped society rest in this cemetery. It is also one of the limited number of green areas in the city. The purpose of this article is to develop a landscape-focused integration model that addresses spatial re-functionalization and digitally supported cultural route design at Cebeci Asri Cemetery. The cemetery area was evaluated as an open-air museum and a cultural route covering important figures of the history of the Republic was created. A mobile application was also developed for the culture route. Original structures such as ossuaries and namazgahs, which are inactive and vacant in the area, were also evaluated in this context and included in the usage scenario. As a result, this study presents an alternative approach for the urbanization of an old cemetery isolated from the city. Although they are early structures, solutions have been developed to preserve the namazgah and ossuary structures and transfer them to the future. It is envisaged that this study will create an idea/guide for urban administrations.
Copyright (c) 2025 Aslı Taş, Mazlum Kalak https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Tectonic character in Tadao Ando’s Church of the Light: Structure, space, and form
Tadao Ando is one of the most important figures in modern architecture, combining minimalist design with traditional Japanese aesthetics, and is known for the use of light in spatial and spiritual contexts. The Church of the Light is one of his well-known projects, reflecting his architectural philosophy and design approach. This paper primarily examines the relationship between the structural form, architectural space, tectonic character, materiality, and detailing in the Church of the Light. Particularly, the paper analyzes the use of materials and the interplay between structure and architectural space in Ando's design. This analysis is based on the taxonomy proposed by Chad Schwartz in his book “Introducing Architectural Tectonics: Exploring the Intersection of Design and Construction”, which includes Place, Precedent, Space, Anatomy, Stereotomic, Tectonic, Representation, and Detail as the primary principles constituting the concept of tectonics. The analysis sections and the findings discuss how Ando’s tectonic sensibility transforms raw materials and the use of light into an experiential and spiritual architectural space. Additionally, the study offers a deeper understanding of Ando’s architectural approach by examining the Church of the Light.
Copyright (c) 2025 Helin Bağcıvan, Yenal Akgün https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The transformation of industrial policies in Turkey within the framework of industrial ecology and circular economy
Since the 1980s, sustainability has become a central theme in industrial and environmental policies, with growing criticism of linear production systems and increasing emphasis on circular production. Unlike linear systems, which rely on one-way resource flows and generate waste, circular models promote reuse, repair, and recycling, aiming to preserve materials and reduce ecological impact. Within this framework, industrial ecology proposes a closed-loop approach that combines economic growth with environmental sustainability and has laid the conceptual foundation for the circular economy. Highlighted in EU industrial policies, this paradigm seeks to minimize waste and extend the life cycle of raw materials. This study examines the transformation of industrial policies in Turkey within the framework of “industrial ecology” and the “circular economy”. Since 2010, initiatives centered on industrial symbiosis have been introduced in Turkey, strengthening awareness of a production model based on by-product exchange among producers. During this period, practices were implemented in two main categories: the development of regional industrial symbiosis schemes and the transformation of existing Organized Industrial Zones into Eco-Industrial Parks. After 2020, under the influence of the EU Green Deal, the circular economy discourse has become the dominant narrative in policy documents. By analyzing policy documents over the past 15 years, the study demonstrates both the growing institutionalization of circularity and its structural weaknesses. Notably, insufficient attention to spatial dimensions and the risk of reducing circularity to bureaucratic waste trading emerge as critical challenges. Achieving genuine environmental sustainability requires reframing the circular economy beyond technical or economic efficiency, integrating ecological principles, and embedding it holistically within spatial, social, and governance contexts.
Copyright (c) 2025 Ayşenur Albayrak https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Designing for experience: Exploring user-centered strategies in Selgascano’s architecture
The production of space is a multidimensional and complex process that encompasses emotion, knowledge, intuition, foresight, and experience. When designing, architects consider interpersonal interactions and human-space relationships to create scenes suitable for the anticipated actions and experiences within a space. People, in turn, are the ones who experience spaces. Many researchers and architects focus on human-space interaction in architecture. Among these architects, the SelgasCano architecture office, founded in 1998 by Jose Selgas and Lucia Cano, places user experience at the center of its designs, aiming to create spaces that are not only functional but also places that users embrace and enjoy. Within this scope, the literature on human–space interaction was reviewed, and four key themes related to user experience in SelgasCano’s architectural approach were identified. Four projects in which SelgasCano was considered to reflect these themes most clearly (Silicon House, SelgasCano Architecture Office, Second Home London Office, and Second Home Hollywood Office) were examined. The study reveals that SelgasCano systematically integrates context, biophilia, material, and color as core design components that frame and enrich user experience across their architectural projects. The findings reveal that SelgasCano’s architecture positions user experience at the core of the design process, integrating sensory, emotional, and cognitive dimensions to create dynamic and engaging environments. The study concludes that user-centered and biophilic design strategies significantly contribute to enhancing spatial quality and human–space interaction. In this regard, examining and further developing design approaches that prioritize user experience is of critical importance for generating innovative and human-centered solutions in architectural practice.
Copyright (c) 2025 Sena Işıklar Bengi https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Artificial intelligence in construction project management: Trends, challenges and future directions
Contemporary construction projects are characterized by escalating complexity, voluminous data flows, and stringent sustainability requirements, rendering conventional project management methods increasingly inadequate. In response, artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative enabler in construction project management, offering advanced capabilities in predictive analytics, process automation, and intelligent decision support. This paper explores the role of AI in the identified principal functions of construction project management, including time management, cost estimation, quality assurance, occupational health and safety, risk mitigation, resource optimization, and design management through a narrative literature review. Analysis demonstrates that AI-driven approaches significantly enhance operational efficiency and system resilience by enabling proactive identification of schedule delays, cost overruns, and safety hazards. For example, image-recognition systems integrated with Internet-of-Things sensors facilitate real-time monitoring of site conditions and adaptive response to disruptions, while neural-network models trained on historical project data yield more accurate cost forecasts than traditional estimation techniques. In the design management domain, generative design algorithms and AI-enhanced BIM integration have the potential to automate clash detection, optimize form and function, and generate innovative design alternatives that align with cost, energy, and sustainability objectives. Beyond efficiency gains, AI fosters a paradigm shift toward predictive, data-driven, and adaptive management practices that strengthen project resilience, enabling teams to anticipate, absorb, and recover from unforeseen challenges while improving project performance and sustainability. Critical barriers to widespread AI adoption are also identified in this study. Fragmented and non-standardized data ecosystems impede model training and interoperability with legacy systems, while organizational resistance and a shortage of professionals skilled in both AI and construction hinder implementation. Ethical and legal concerns—stemming from the “black-box” nature of many AI algorithms—further complicate accountability in safety-critical decisions. By synthesizing these challenges, the strategic role of AI is highlighted not only as a technological innovation but also as a catalyst for cultural and organizational transformation toward more resilient project delivery. Targeted future research directions include empirical validation of AI tools in live project environments, development of sector-specific AI frameworks tailored to the peculiarities of the construction industry, interdisciplinary collaboration among engineers, data scientists, and managers, and educational initiatives to upskill the workforce. Collectively, these steps will help bridge the gap between theoretical potential and real-world impact, positioning AI as a cornerstone of intelligent, resilient, sustainable, and high-performing construction project management.
Copyright (c) 2025 Sezer Savaş https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The city branding potential of Sakarya: A tourism-oriented evaluation
With the rise of global competition, developing city branding strategies has become vital for urban centres. The unique features and values of cities, especially their geographical, cultural, and historical traits, play a crucial role in shaping city identity and image during the branding process. This study aims to assess Sakarya's geographical, historical, and cultural tourism assets and their contribution to its potential as a city brand. Additionally, the research examines the impact of tourism-related projects on established city branding criteria. A mixed-methods approach was used, combining both qualitative and quantitative data collected through semi-structured interviews. Experts from various stakeholder institutions within the city participated in the study. Fifteen experts responded to six open-ended questions about Sakarya's tourism potential and branding process. Moreover, participants evaluated the effects of current or upcoming tourism projects on city branding criteria using a matrix-based scoring form. Experts identified natural assets such as Acarlar Floodplain Forest and the Sapanca River, historical and touristic sites including the Çark Watermill, the Justinianus Bridge, and traditional houses in Taraklı, and local gastronomic values as key tools for branding. Matrix analysis results show that projects centred on the city's natural areas, such as coastal recreation initiatives and the restoration of natural and historical sites, make the greatest contribution to city branding. Participants also noted that bicycle-related projects and events have given the city a distinctive identity and improved its international competitiveness.
Copyright (c) 2026 Esra Parıldı, Güliz Öztürk https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Assessing the vulnerability of cities to climate change: A new index proposal for Türkiye cities
On a global scale, as cities continue to grow and climate change brings increasing hazards, the vulnerability and risk levels for cities are also rising. Assessing the risk and vulnerability of urban areas has become more vital now than in previous decades. In this context, the climate–adaptive city approach is gaining importance alongside sustainable development. Türkiye’s geographical location is considered one of the most vulnerable regions in terms of climate change, due to decreasing precipitation and rising temperatures. In the literature, some studies primarily evaluate the full range of risks associated with climate change, while others develop a climate–adaptive city approach that focuses on a single risk. However, the consequences of climate change vary across regions and countries. In this study, the vulnerability of cities to climate change is discussed separately for each risk. Vulnerability criteria are considered separately for drought, sea-level rise, heavy rainfall, and extreme heat. For each risk, indicators of the impact, pressure, vulnerability, resistance, and adaptive capacity that contribute to the risk are identified. Methodologically, relevant studies in the literature were compiled, previous studies were utilized in determining the indicator, and new indicators were developed. As a result, a holistic approach has been developed to assess the vulnerability of cities to climate change across all risks. This makes it possible to identify both how cities remain unprepared for the consequences and risks of climate change and, on the other hand, the climate–adaptive aspects of cities. This study is intended to contribute to researchers working on urban resilience as well as to urban municipalities. In conclusion, a guiding index has been put forward to inform planning and decision-making processes for the creation of a climate–adaptive city.
Copyright (c) 2025 Hale Öncel https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Physical vs virtual: A multi-layered perception experience on memory through historic buildings
This study investigates the layered relationship between memory and perception through the experience of historic buildings in both physical and virtual environments. Drawing upon theoretical foundations in memory studies and architectural history, the paper aims to explore how architectural elements, spatial perception, and sensory engagement contribute to individual and collective memory formation. The selected case study, Bostancı Primary School building in Istanbul, designed by Mimar (Architect) Kemalettin in the early 20th century, provides a historical context with its architectural and socio-cultural significance. The building has maintained its structural integrity and unique architectural characteristics for years and continues to be used as an educational building today, albeit with a different function. Therefore, it has a strong place in urban memory and provides a strong foundation for exploring the relationship between memory and space through in-situ observations and experiences as a part of daily urban life. The methodology involves a three-phase experiential framework incorporating physical experience (PE), virtual reality experience (VRE), and memory representation through photographs, screenshots, and sketches. Twenty senior architecture students participated in structured experiences within the real and virtual building environments. Data were collected through their drawing of route mapping, image capture, written expressions, and memory sketches. Then they were analysed using a dual thematic framework of Architectural References (AR) and Sensory References (SR), interpreted through episodic and semantic memory models. Findings show that while architectural references were more frequently recalled in both physical and virtual reality environments, VRE yielded higher rates of episodic memory activation due to its ability to eliminate physical barriers and enhance spatial comprehension. Conversely, PE experiences more strongly activated semantic memory, as the embodied tactile nature of physical space provided deeper sensory engagement. Additionally, sketch analyses revealed that participants predominantly recalled historical architectural features, with minimal reference to recent alterations, underscoring the dominance of collective memory imagery over present-day functions. This research contributes to the interdisciplinary discourse on memory and perception by proposing a comprehensive model that evaluates how historic buildings are perceived and remembered differently depending on the mode of experience. It also highlights the potential of virtual technologies in architecture by facilitating complex, layered memory engagements beyond physical constraints.
Copyright (c) 2025 Yekta Özgüven, Asena Kumsal Şen Bayram, Nadide Ebru Özkan https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Degradation and biodiversity of rain gardens in the tropics
Rain gardens are commonly applied as a nature-based stormwater management method in urban areas, yet the long-term impacts, possible degradation, and effects on biodiversity as a type of green infrastructure remain underexplored. By comparing two rain gardens in Singapore– one of the earlier prototypes in a neighbourhood managed by a local town council in Central Singapore at Potong Pasir, and a more recent one managed by the National Parks in the West at Jurong Lake Gardens, the ecological and aesthetic functions are investigated. Thus, the rain gardens are explored through the lenses of both functional and aesthetic degradation. Quantitative methods, including the Shannon Biodiversity Index, Green View Index, Colourfulness Index, and surface heat mapping, are applied. Observational methods, including spatial configurations of the rain gardens, plant health, and soil conditions, were also explored to understand the extent of degradation. Common challenges encountered in rain gardens included poor or improper maintenance, poor aesthetic and visual engagement, as well as improper design. Through the findings, comprehensive design and maintenance suggestions are provided for designers and planners to improve existing rain gardens and extend the lifespan and function of future gardens. Rain garden lifespans can be lengthened to reap long-term benefits like effective stormwater management and habitat creation for local biodiversity. Maintenance suggestions build upon existing grey infrastructure and nature-based solutions routine maintenance protocols, tackling the four key functions of a rain garden: sedimentation, filtration, infiltration, and bioretention. Design suggestions are drawn from the data analysed, including potential tree planting configurations and the use of groundcover to reduce surface temperature.
Copyright (c) 2025 Lina Altoaimi, Shruthakeerthi Karthikeyan, Akshitha Vadlakunta, Yuting Wang, Abdul Thaqif Abdul Terawis https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Urban heat island and fringe belt interaction: The role of the urban fringe in heat island mitigation
Fringe Belt (FB) areas are transition zones located between successive areas of urban development. They are typically characterized by open spaces, industrial and institutional areas, and low-density residential areas. An Urban Heat Island (UHI) is a microclimate phenomenon caused by urbanization, characterized by higher surface temperatures in city centers compared to the surrounding area. The primary factors exacerbating the UHI effect are dense development, reduced green spaces and the heat-retaining properties of surface materials. FB areas can mitigate the UHI effect by limiting heat accumulation due to their relatively natural and permeable surfaces. This study aims to analyze temporal changes in FB areas and evaluate their impact on the UHI effect. For this purpose, Landsat satellite images from 1985, 2000 and 2025 were processed using the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform to obtain land surface temperature (LST) values and map UHI distribution alongside delineation of fringe-belt plots. The results indicate that the UHI effect is relatively low in areas where fringe belts are preserved or minimally developed. Additionally, it was observed that the UHI effect increases as these areas become more developed over time. The study reveals that fringe-belt areas can play an important role in reducing the UHI effect, suggesting that these areas should be integrated into urban planning as cooling buffers. The study emphasizes the necessity of climate-focused approaches in urban planning and suggests evaluating fringe belts as potential microclimatic mitigation areas.
Copyright (c) 2025 Gülnihal Kurt Kayalı, Büşra Gülbahar İşlek, Tuğba Akın, Tolga Ünlü, Tülin Selvi Ünlü https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
A comparison of elements establishing the relationship between social memory and place in the cinema of the Turkish-Greek population exchange
In the age of mass migration, displacement, and the increasing number of refugees and migrants, more people are forced to leave their homelands every day. Refugees who are compelled to abandon their countries become disconnected from their homeland, history, and identity, losing their sense of belonging and often having no place to return to. One significant historical example of "displacement and place-making" is the population exchange between Anatolian Greeks and Turks in Greece, formalized by the "Convention and Protocol on the Exchange of Greek and Turkish Populations" signed on January 30, 1923. Those who were forced to leave their homelands struggled to establish a sense of belonging in their newly settled regions. The population exchange and the consequent forced displacement, as well as the efforts of individuals to construct a new sense of place and belonging, have been reflected in cinema. This study examines the Greek film Rembetiko, the Turkish film My Grandfather’s People (Dedemin İnsanları), and the Turkish-Greek co-production Roza of Smyrna (İsmail ve Roza), all of which address the population exchange. The analysis focuses on the spatial representation of displacement in cinema, spatial memory, and the sense of belonging, particularly in relation to the places abandoned by those who experienced the exchange and their initial impressions of the new settlements. The study also examines the spatial factors influencing place-making and the post-memory transmission of the exchange experience to subsequent generations. This study aims to reveal how forced displacement—a critical, contemporary, social, and political crisis—is echoed in cinema, shedding light on the places that were abandoned and reconstructed by displaced individuals.
Copyright (c) 2025 Elif Vurucular Kesimci https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
From rural landscapes to urbanized shores: Rurbanization and second-home dynamics in the Lake Van region
In recent years, in rural areas, rurban processes where rural and urban characteristics are intertwined and have attracted attention. In these areas, especially second homes, new second infrastructure investments and population movements cause socio-spatial transformations. These transformations result in rural areas gaining a new identity. This study investigates how second housing shapes the rurban process in Van/Mollakasım and its surroundings by focusing on the transformation of land use and changing settlement morphology. Within the scope of the study, changes in land use were analyzed using satellite images for the years 2000-2012-2024. In addition, a series of spatial analysis techniques such as Kernel density maps and Average Nearest Neighbor test were used. According to the analysis findings, it is seen that second housing in Mollakasım and its surroundings has increased over time and spatial clusters have formed especially in areas close to the coast. In addition, it is observed that second homes spread over agricultural areas and natural areas and this pressure exhibits a growth pattern that spreads to the inland areas. Within the framework of the research outputs, it is necessary to spatially define coastal and agricultural areas that are open to second home development, to determine the regions under construction pressure as priority monitoring areas and to develop planning strategies that will direct construction in these regions. In addition, it is important to implement spatial policy tools at the local level that limit the use of agricultural areas for non-production purposes and protect coastal areas in terms of public access.
Copyright (c) 2026 Berfin Karabakan Gokhan, Yelda Mert https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Optimizing design thinking process for group housing through interaction design methods
This research paper investigates the optimization of the Design Thinking (DT) process for group housing projects by using Interaction Design (IxD) methods. Group housing design is increasingly complicated as it attempts to balance individual requirements, community behavior, and sustainability. Through the integration of Design Thinking principles—empathy, ideation, prototyping, and iteration. This article proposes a hybrid approach that combines Interaction Design (IxD) methods, including empathy mapping, interactive prototyping, and real-time feedback systems, to optimize DT's phases (empathize, ideate, prototype, test) in group housing. Through a series of case studies, the research shows how IxD's focus on dynamic user interactions and iterative co-design increases participatory outcomes. Key outcomes are a 30% increase in resident satisfaction with communal spaces, a 25% decrease in design iteration cycles, and enhanced conflict resolution in shared spaces through means such as behavioral analytics and VR-based spatial simulations. The framework not only closes gaps in DT's usage but also encourages interdisciplinary collaboration, allowing architects and interaction designers to co-create flexible, user-oriented living spaces. Practical considerations for large-scale housing solutions are debated, including limitations to cultural responsiveness and resources needed. Recommendations are provided to bring digital-physical feedback tools into policy and practice at the end of the study, which is a path for future work across different socio-spatial environments.
Copyright (c) 2025 Samantha Kumar Tadiboina, Ramesh Srikonda https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Adapting historic sites: Konya-Sille's approach to climate resilience
Climate change represents an increasingly significant threat worldwide, particularly affecting cities, with historic urban areas encountering this issue on a more profound and complex scale. Although contemporary cities are susceptible to natural calamities due to rapid urban growth and rising population density, historic urban structures, marked by their historical legacy, show a unique vulnerability to the effects of climate change. This is especially pertinent considering their distinctive construction materials and settlement layouts. In this regard, the Sille Neighborhood in Konya, boasting a 5000-year-old history and abundant cultural heritage, emerges as an essential example. It demands detailed scrutiny in the face of environmental challenges like the urban heat island phenomenon, sudden flooding, and drought conditions. The traditional construction materials in Sille, such as wood and adobe, exacerbate this vulnerability, emphasizing the vital need to balance the preservation of historic heritage with climate adaptation strategies.
Copyright (c) 2025 Murat Kitir https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Living through dual crises: Rethinking urban resilience from lived experiences
In recent years, cities have faced increasing pressure from overlapping disasters, exposing critical weaknesses in existing spatial, institutional, and social systems. Numerous decisions made throughout the history of cities are considered in the context of reinforcing the cohesion and adaptability of institutions and communities. Resilient cities adapt to environmental, economic, and social dynamics, demonstrating their ability to withstand pressures and evolve to fulfill various roles over time. Although many crises offer valuable lessons for enhancing urban resilience, this study focuses on how the concurrence of multiple crises alters spatial configurations and usage dynamics within urban environments. The study explores how cities respond and adapt to dual crises, focusing on the intersection of seismic events and pandemic conditions. Using a qualitative, phenomenological research design, the study analyzes official disaster regulations, emergency response plans, media documentation, and in-depth interviews with individuals who experienced both an earthquake and a pandemic simultaneously. The research centers on spatial transformations and shifting urban needs in the aftermath of the October 2020 earthquake, while also reflecting on the broader implications of the February 2023 disaster. Findings highlight the complex, layered nature of urban vulnerability under concurrent crises, emphasizing the need for integrated planning approaches, adaptable public spaces, and cross-sectoral coordination. This paper contributes to the ongoing rethinking of urban resilience strategies by offering grounded insights into the lived realities of navigating dual crises.
Copyright (c) 2025 Mehmet Ali Altın, Özlem Gök Tokgöz https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Future-proofing next-g homes: Enhancing thermal comfort and building energy performance through landscape integration
Buildings in the tropics are increasingly exposed to intense solar radiation and heat gains that result in extreme thermal discomfort, particularly in naturally ventilated buildings. As climate change accelerates, the Next Generation (Next-G) of housing stock must be designed and integrated with future-proofing strategies to ensure indoor livability. Micro-landscape interventions such as trees, lawns and water features have been found to cool outdoor environments through shading and evapotranspiration. While several studies have explored their role in mitigating outdoor heat stress, with a focus on reducing urban heat island (UHI) effects, the impact of landscape configurations on indoor thermal comfort remains underexplored, particularly in extreme climates. This study employs dynamic thermal modelling in DesignBuilder to investigate the role of micro-landscape elements on indoor thermal performance. A three-phase hypothetical building simulation approach was adopted: (1) without landscape features, (2) with landscape features and (3) with landscape features and mixed-mode cooling. Predicted future climate data for two climatically contrasting locations in Nigeria; Jos (cold) and Sokoto (hot), were used to assess comfort and energy performance. Findings reveal that by limiting solar incidences on the building envelope, landscape elements can reduce indoor discomfort hours by up to 18% in naturally ventilated spaces. However, mechanical cooling remains vital for achieving thermal comfort under future climate extremes. A combined strategy of vegetation and cooling achieved up to a 92% reduction in discomfort hours. Yet, this comfort improvement gave rise to an increased energy demand of up to 48% for the total building and 78% for conditioned spaces. These results highlight the capacity of integrated landscape strategies to support, but not replace, active systems in future-proofing Next-G buildings for thermal resilience.
Copyright (c) 2025 Mark Alegbe, Laurence Chukwuemeka, John Lekwauwa Kalu, Hammed Nasiru https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Analysis of wooden pillar and wooden ceiling mosques of the Seljuk and principalities period
Mosques, as structures meticulously designed and constructed, represent the pinnacle of architectural and aesthetic solutions within Islamic civilizations. The desire for proximity to the mihrab in mosque design has necessitated the development of original and rational structural solutions, leading to significant advancements in architectural technology and technique. Mosque architecture, predominantly masonry, reflects both local architectural influences and the availability of materials, often shaped by regional traditions and construction methods specific to certain periods. A notable example of this is the wooden columned and wooden-ceilinged mosques, extensively constructed in Anatolia during the Seljuk and Principalities periods, where all elements, except for the masonry walls, were crafted from wood. This article presents a typological analysis of mosques with flat timber beams, wooden columns, and wooden ceilings, offering a comprehensive examination of their distinctive architectural features. The structural analysis encompasses all aspects from the foundation to the roof, with detailed documentation of their construction techniques. The aim of this study is to contribute to the conservation and restoration efforts of these mosques, a group of which only a few original, high-quality examples remain. Furthermore, this research is of particular significance as it represents one of the first studies to document the ceiling solutions of wooden hypostyle mosques, some of which are listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. For the typological studies, both on-site examinations were conducted and data from previous sources were evaluated. The ceiling analysis was carried out using application photographs of a restored mosque, employing a three-dimensional modeling method.
Copyright (c) 2025 Ercan Aksoy, Özlem Sağıroğlu Demirci https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Designing sustainable refugee settlements in Türkiye: A prioritized indicator framework and network-based scenario for Kilis
In response to the growing demand for sustainable and resilient refugee settlements, this study proposes a comprehensive framework that integrates prioritized design indicators with network-based spatial planning. Through a comparative evaluation of six international refugee camps and the application of the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to thirteen key design categories, the research identifies the most critical factors for developing inclusive, adaptive, and environmentally sustainable settlements. A customized network analysis is employed to visualize the systemic relationships between physical features and design priorities across global case studies. The proposed framework is applied to a design scenario for Kilis, a province in Turkey significantly affected by the 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquake and home to a dense population of Syrian refugees. Informed by local architectural traditions and socio-cultural dynamics, the scenario incorporates modular housing, decentralized sanitation systems, solar energy infrastructure, and participatory planning processes. The resulting network diagram for Kilis demonstrates how priority indicators (such as safety, sustainability, and health) can be spatially embedded within the camp design. This integrative approach offers a replicable model for future refugee settlement planning, aligning humanitarian needs with long-term urban sustainability goals.
Copyright (c) 2025 Fatma Kürüm Varol Güneş https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Urban layers and living spaces: The evolution of housing in Kayseri
This study examines the transformation of housing in Kayseri as a case through which to understand broader processes of urbanization, modernization, and socio-spatial change in Turkey. Once defined by inward-oriented courtyard houses constructed from local materials—reflecting values of privacy and communal life—Kayseri’s domestic architecture has undergone significant transformation across four historical periods: the pre-Republican era, the early Republican period, the post-1950 expansion, and the post-1980 neoliberal era. Each phase reflects a distinct interplay between national policy directives, global urban trends, and local adaptations. Early Republican reforms introduced Western-oriented architectural ideals by promoting detached houses and low-rise apartments. This trajectory accelerated in the post-1980 period when neoliberal policies prioritized high-rise residential development driven by private capital and speculative investment, often at the expense of cultural continuity and human-scale urban design. Employing an interdisciplinary methodology, this research integrates archival analysis, oral histories, spatial observations, and visual documentation. Drawing on architecture, sociology, and history, it investigates how built forms mediate tensions between tradition and modernity, memory and transformation, and local identity and state ideology. With its long-standing strategic and cultural significance, Kayseri provides a compelling case for examining how urban development is shaped by structural forces and lived experience. The study argues that the housing transformation in Kayseri is not a linear progression, but a contested and layered process shaped by evolving economic structures, governance models, and cultural logic. By combining textual, visual, and experiential knowledge, the research offers a deeper understanding of how domestic space reflects and constructs shifting urban realities.
Copyright (c) 2025 Nihan Muş Özmen, Burak Asiliskender https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The effects of western housing practices on Turkey’s social housing experience
Social housing emerged as an inevitable yet late response to the changes brought about by industrialization. The sudden population influx caused by mass migration towards expanding old cities and newly developed industrial towns resulted in poor living conditions and the lack of proper accommodation. The evolving response to housing problems paved the way for social housing, which eventually turned into common practices worldwide to provide adequate accommodation to those in need. This paper examines the evolution of Western housing policies and practices, their limitations in the modern social context, and the impact of Western housing practices upon Turkey’s social housing experience. |The analysis aims to highlight the adaptability, challenges and opportunities presented by Western housing policies in a distinct cultural and socio-economic environment.
Copyright (c) 2025 Fatema Alhashemi, Mehmet Saner https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
A new paradigm in parking management: From quantitative models to stakeholder participation
This study investigates the selection process of "Parking Management" strategies, a critical component of parking facility planning. An integrated approach is developed, combining quantitative assessment models with those based on expert and user opinions, to select effective "Parking Management" strategies. Additionally, parking strategies for the Trabzon-Ortahisar district were determined by analyzing observed on-site parking behaviors. The study hypothesized that conventional approaches would be insufficient for selecting parking management strategies and would fail to adequately adapt to user profiles and parking usage patterns. At this stage, car parking strategies selected through traditional methods—such as car parking capacities, usage rates, projection studies, and data obtained from user and car parking surveys—were compared. The AHP (Analytical Hierarchy Process) method was used as the selection criterion. As an outcome, the study proposes a method that incorporates user opinions to determine optimal strategies for addressing parking problems caused by the imbalance between parking spaces and parking demand.
Copyright (c) 2025 Ecenur Sarıca Karakulak, Görkem Gülhan https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Multidimensional analysis of teaching techniques used in higher education: The case of a landscape architecture department
This study provides a multidimensional analysis of teaching techniques in a landscape architecture department. The study aims to identify the most effective among different learning methods and analyze the effectiveness of the training offered by lecturers through student feedback and lecture notes. It is imperative to acknowledge the significance of student feedback as a crucial source of data for the evaluation of teaching methodologies and curriculum design. The study indicates that, beyond the extent of student learning of the course material, it is also imperative for teaching methodologies to align with the students' perceptions and personalities. To this end, a questionnaire was administered to students enrolled in four distinct courses (Computer Aided Design, Planting Design, Landscape Engineering, and Project-I) at the beginning and end of the semester. The objective of the questionnaires is to assess the students' level of knowledge regarding the topics included in the curriculum of the relevant courses. The study used a quantitative research method, a 5-point Likert-type scale, and a one-group pretest-posttest design. The data obtained were analyzed using reliability, frequency, independent, and dependent sample t-tests. In addition, the consistency between student feedback and end-of-semester course scores was also examined. The results of the study show that, in general, there is a statistically significant increase in the knowledge level of students in all courses toward the end of the semester. However, the effectiveness levels of the teaching techniques vary by course and subject. For instance, it was determined that teaching techniques were more successful in the Computer-Aided Design course (89.2% effective), while this rate was lower in the Project-I course (66.6% effective). In addition, students' perceptions of their knowledge levels (post-test results) were found to be higher than their end-of-semester scores. In the student feedback, issues such as insufficient class hours, lack of visual examples, and the importance of practical applications were also mentioned. In conclusion, the study shows that the evaluation of the questionnaire data and student scores together can be an effective tool in determining the level of teaching effectiveness and identifying issues that require revision in the curriculum.
Copyright (c) 2025 Ahmet Akay https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Conflict of virtual and reality in interior design studio: Assessment of student success rates
This study evaluates the relative efficiency of interior architecture education programs delivered through face-to-face education (FFE) compared to online education (OE), from the perspectives of both students and educators. The quality of learning, as perceived by educators, was assessed through the analysis of semester grades assigned after each academic term. Conversely, the student perspective was gathered via a structured questionnaire. This research addresses a notable gap in existing literature regarding student success by incorporating the educators' viewpoints into the analysis with a comparative analysis examining student success rates between FFE and OE. This investigation, from the student perspective, found the FFE model to be a more effective educational approach compared to the OE model. The disparity between the instructors' perspectives was not significant. Nevertheless, valuable insights were obtained from educators utilizing the OE model, especially regarding their experiences during the pandemic. These insights could inform future research on hybrid educational models. As a result, this study advocates for the implementation of a hybrid educational model as a progressive direction for interior architecture education.
Copyright (c) 2025 Kamil Güley, Nisan Akalın https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
A traditional trace in the urban fabric: Architectural analysis of the Maltepe Mosque
This study aims to present an evaluation of contemporary mosque architecture by addressing the Maltepe Mosque in Ankara, which was built with a traditional approach. In Turkey, modern mosque architecture often adopts design approaches that aim to maintain the traces of the past and remain loyal to the local cultural identity. However, this sometimes causes traditional elements to become an obstacle to innovative architectural approaches. In the study, the architectural features of the Maltepe Mosque, the traditional elements used and the relationship of these elements with modern architecture will be analyzed. In particular, how key architectural elements such as the dome, minaret, mihrab and minbar, which are fundamental to Ottoman and Seljuk architecture, were used in this building and how they were integrated with modern construction techniques will be examined through the plan and structural elements of the mosque. The Maltepe Mosque was selected as a case study in order to question the place of traditional mosque architecture within modern urban life and architectural understanding, to discuss issues of aesthetics, functionality, and originality through architectural elements, and to provide a critical perspective on the future of mosque architecture in Turkey. Whether the design of the Maltepe Mosque, enriched with traditional elements, contributes to the creation of a contemporary structure, its integration with the urban fabric and the degree to which it meets the needs of the users are among the focal points of this study. The limitations imposed by traditionalist approaches in the mosque architecture in the context of modern architecture will be evaluated in terms of aesthetics, functionality and originality. The relationship of the building with its surroundings and the sustainability of traditional mosque forms in a modern city will also be addressed within this framework. Finally, the study aims to offer a unique perspective on the harmony of traditional architecture with modern architecture in Turkey, specifically in the Maltepe Mosque. While the repetition of traditional patterns in mosque architecture can be seen as a factor that limits creativity, it can also be considered as a meaningful step towards preserving collective memory. Therefore, the aim of this study is to critically evaluate this balance between the traditional and the modern and to offer ideas on how mosque architecture in Turkey may evolve in the future.
Copyright (c) 2025 Necdet Bekirhan Soy, Murat Karademir https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
A comparative analysis of space efficiency in skyscrapers: Case studies from the Middle East, Asia, and North America
This study conducts a critical comparative analysis of spatial efficiency in supertall buildings across three major geographic contexts: the Middle East, Asia, and North America. Through the examination of selected case studies representative of each region, the research investigates the interplay between architectural form, structural typology, and the distribution of usable floor area within vertical structures. The findings reveal significant regional variations in spatial efficiency metrics and core-to-GFA (gross floor area) proportions. In the Asian context, towers predominantly adopt a tapered morphological strategy combined with composite structural systems, resulting in an average spatial efficiency of approximately 68%, with vertical service cores occupying nearly 30% of the GFA. Conversely, Middle Eastern high-rises, typically defined by prismatic massing and monolithic concrete structures, demonstrate a higher spatial efficiency—averaging 76%—with a core-to-GFA ratio of around 21%. North American skyscrapers, frequently employing prismatic or setback configurations alongside reinforced concrete systems, exhibit comparable efficiency rates, with an average of 76% and a similarly proportioned core area. Despite these regional divergences, the analysis identifies a consistent inverse correlation between building height and spatial efficiency, underscoring the technical and spatial challenges associated with height-induced inefficiencies in high-rise design. By elucidating these interregional patterns, the study offers valuable insights into the optimization of vertical spatial organization, contributing to the evolving discourse on high-rise architecture and urban densification.
Copyright (c) 2025 Özlem Nur Aslantamer, Hüseyin Emre Ilgın https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Mobilizing nature-based solutions through temporary urban interventions: A civic guide to ephemeral landscapes
The potential of permeable urban landscapes has gained increasing attention in contemporary academic scholarship on nature-based solutions (Nbs). The common thread of these solutions is related to pressing issues arising from responses to climate change caused by urban densification, necessitating innovative strategies for enhancing environmental resilience. However, these strategies often require extensive timeframes and large-scale implementation. In contrast, temporary approaches to urbanism have the potential to provide answers to these strategies by focusing on citizen-engaged, small-scale, low-cost and low-tech actions. This study engages these two planning approaches in dialogue by focusing on overlooked urban interstices—small and unnoticed impervious spaces that have significant potential to become permeable. Developing a conceptual framework, the research explores how ephemeral installations can transform these interstices into nature-based, scalable and socially engaged landscapes. Applying this framework, the study adopts prototyping as an experimental research method, structured around three phases: (1) experimentation: incorporating nature-based aggregates, (2) fabrication: forming scalable and modular tiles, and (3) dissemination: creating social value with workshops. Building over the findings of these phases, the paper concludes with a proposal for a civic urban guide that outlines all these practical strategies for activating underutilized spaces through accessible and low-maintenance interventions. The guide aims to inspire civic engagement and environmental awareness, offering a model for small-scale, bottom-up interventions in line with broader Nbs objectives. In doing so, the research proposes a comprehensive approach to urban resilience that bridges planning theories, material experimentation, and public engagement.
Copyright (c) 2025 Tuba Doğu, Hande Atmaca https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Transformation of historical and spatial identity in the process of repurposing: The case of Cendere art museum
The re-functionalisation of industrial buildings is important in terms of ensuring spatial continuity from the past to the present and preserving cultural heritage and bringing new uses. This study analyses the transformation process of industrial buildings from the perspective of architecture and interior architecture and examines the effects of this transformation on spatial identity through the example of Cendere Art Museum. In the research, the historical and contemporary functions of the space are analysed together with its structural, environmental and architectural dimensions; the results are evaluated in order to provide a methodological contribution to the literature. The main aim of the study is to reveal the effects of spatial transformation in the process of re-functionalisation of industrial buildings and to examine the new identity and functions that such projects bring to the space in the case of Cendere Art Museum. In addition, these analyses are aimed to contribute to the literature on architecture and interior architecture. In the research, the transformation process of Cendere Art Museum was analysed by SWOT analysis method. In this context, the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the building were evaluated in the spatial context; a comprehensive analysis was carried out by associating the historical function and current intended use of the space with structural, environmental and architectural features. Through this method, the advantages and challenges encountered in the transformation process were systematically analysed and the results were interpreted in line with spatial sustainability and the contributions of the new functions to the space. The results show that the re-functionalisation of the Cendere Art Museum has given the space a new identity and that this process has set an important example in terms of cultural sustainability. It has been determined that harmony has been achieved between the environmental context, historical features and new function of the building. The re-functionalisation of industrial buildings is an important approach in terms of spatial and cultural sustainability. The example of Cendere Art Museum reveals the potential of giving new life to historical industrial buildings and the effects of methodological approaches in this process. Such projects have an important place in the literature of architecture and interior architecture.
Copyright (c) 2025 Neslihan Yıldız, Mert Kılıçaslan https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Analysing morphogenetic design approaches in the context of hypothetical housing examples
Conceptual approaches that systematically integrate ecological reasoning with algorithmic design processes have gained increasing attention in theoretical discussions on architectural practice. However, a significant gap remains in terms of their application, particularly within the context of housing architecture. In response to this theoretical gap, this study aims to evaluate the algorithmic orientations of designers who transform their spatial inquiries into an ecological organization through hypothetical housing examples. This evaluation is framed through the concept of morphogenetic design—a biologically informed architectural approach in which form and space evolve not through predetermined templates but through generative, adaptive, and systemic processes. Accordingly, the study addresses two main research questions: 'The potential impact of morphogenetic design on residential buildings' and 'Integration of morphogenetic design into housing construction processes'. The study employed a qualitative research design and the literature review method to answer the research questions. The research sample consists of four hypothetical housing projects: Embryological House, Multistory Apartment Building, Molecular Engineered House, and The Fab Tree Hab. These projects were developed using morphogenetic design approaches in 2000 and beyond. In order to collect data from the main mass in an easy and fast way, Homogeneous sampling method, one of the purposeful sampling types, was preferred. In this context, the 'descriptive content analysis method' was preferred to analyse the data obtained in the research and the data was analysed in two stages. In the first stage, descriptive analysis was carried out and the general trend was determined by examining the qualitative studies that could answer the research questions. In the second stage, content analysis was carried out and the data obtained were organised and interpreted according to the parameters set by the researcher. The analysis indicates that morphogenetic design has the capacity to substantially transform the formal, functional and ecological dimensions of future residential buildings. Digital design methods, biologically inspired production techniques and user-participatory design strategies have rendered it feasible for buildings to self-renew, establish symbiotic relationships with their environment and adapt to various living scenarios. This process is characterised by the integration of sustainability and user experience across multiple stages, ranging from design to construction.
Copyright (c) 2025 Anday Türkmen https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0