Arts and Humanities

Abstract: This article presents the results of a research study aimed at designing and evaluating sustainable housing (SH) in post-disaster contexts in Juchitán de Zaragoza, Oaxaca, Mexico, following the 2017 earthquakes. The proposed model integrates four funda-mental dimensions: i) housing design using traditional architecture; ii) analysis of the environmental impact of materials using indicators of CO2 emissions, energy consump-tion, and thermal performance; iii) comparative evaluation of construction costs relative to conventional housing (CH); and iv) implementation of a Social Production of Habitat (SPH) approach. A mixed-methods design was adopted, involving literature review, data collection through an environmental and hygrothermal impact study, comparative cost estimates, and semi-structured interviews. The findings show that the use of local, low-impact materials, together with participatory processes, not only reduces costs and environmental externalities but also strengthens the social fabric and contributes to a more equitable reconstruction that is contextualized within traditional architecture. The housing model developed is proposed as a replicable alternative in areas affected by natural disasters, not only in Mexico but also in other countries.

Abstract: This article examines Byzantine-period churches and nineteenth-century Greek Orthodox churches in Bursa and its surroundings as an interrelated corpus of Christian sacred architecture in Ottoman Bithynia. Rather than treating the two groups as separate historical categories, it asks how Byzantine spatial and liturgical memory was selectively retained, transformed and made visible under late Ottoman conditions. Drawing on architectural documentation, conservation records, field observations and comparative regional literature, the study analyses plan typology, apse and bema organization, narthex and gallery arrangements, structural systems, material use, façade articulation, ornamentation and public visibility. The comparison shows that nineteenth-century churches did not preserve Byzantine forms unchanged. While domed masonry systems, pastophoria and complex centralized plans were reduced or reconfigured, key liturgical principles, including east-west orientation, apsidal focus and the separation of the sacred core, remained persistent. At the same time, timber roofs, composite masonry, galleries, legible façades and occasional bell towers reflected local building practice, legal reform and communal representation. Bursa thus emerges as a regional case in which post-Byzantine architectural memory was neither passively inherited nor simply lost, but actively reworked within the material, social and spatial conditions of the Ottoman province and within wider debates on Anatolian Christian heritage studies.

Abstract: This article examines non-Muslim cemeteries in Istanbul as multicultural urban heritage landscapes, focusing on the Feriköy Protestant Cemetery as a case exemplar. Rather than treating cemeteries solely as religious or funerary spaces, the study frames them as material archives of urban memory, minority presence, spatial displacement, and heritage governance. Based on literature review, historical documentation, mapping, and field observation, the article first outlines the transformation of non-Muslim cemeteries from the Ottoman period to the Republican era, with particular attention to their relocation, disappearance, and reuse within processes of urban modernization. It then analyses the Feriköy Protestant Cemetery in terms of its foundation, multinational administrative structure, architectural and funerary features, transferred memorial elements, digitisation practices, and conservation initiatives. The case demonstrates how cemetery heritage can reveal the layered relationship between urban development, multicultural identity, and sustainable conservation. The article argues that surviving non-Muslim cemeteries in Istanbul should be understood as living memory spaces and cultural landscapes whose protection requires documentation, public awareness, and multi-actor heritage governance.

Abstract: The coexistence of analogue drawing, digital software rendering and image generation using artificial intelligence (AI) has intensified a disciplinary debate on which mode of representation is most relevant in each phase of the project process, without there being a systematic comparative framework that integrates its technical, pedagogical and ethical dimensions, particularly in Latin American architectural training contexts. The objective is to comparatively analyze the strengths, limitations, and implications of analog drawing, digital rendering, and AI generation in architectural presentation, in order to identify hybridization patterns and gaps in educational policy. A qualitative documentary analysis of narrative-thematic scope was developed, informed by the PRISMA guidelines, on sources indexed in Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect and Latin American regional databases, mostly published between 2021 and 2026, processed through thematic and categorical coding with triangulation of sources. A five-phase periodization was identified in the evolution of architectural representation; the comparative advantage of each mode is concentrated at different points in the design process (analogue drawing in conceptual ideation, digital rendering in technical documentation, and generative AI in rapid exploration and communication with non-specialist audiences); Likewise, unresolved gaps persist in terms of authorship, intellectual property and displacement of project competencies. Therefore, a triangular synthesis model between the three modes of representation and a set of curricular recommendations aimed at hybrid literacy and the ethical governance of generative AI in architecture programs is proposed, which constitutes a contribution to the formulation of educational policies in the region.

Abstract: The San Francisco Javier Psychogeriatric Centre in Pamplona occupies the former Manicomio Vasco Navarro, a psychiatric complex designed by Máximo Goizueta, be-gun in the late nineteenth century and brought into use in the early twentieth century. Over time, land transfers, additions, refurbishments and functional changes altered its configuration, producing technical and healthcare obsolescence. Nevertheless, the complex preserved the essential logic of a pavilion-based healthcare model: low-rise buildings, ground-floor galleries, courtyards, gardens and open spaces shaped by a hy-gienist and therapeutic understanding of architecture, in which sunlight, ventilation, domestic scale and outdoor space formed part of the care environment. This article analyses the refurbishment not as the preservation of a historic image, but as the reac-tivation of the complex’s typological logic, environmental qualities and tectonic ade-quacy. In the context of the renewal and adaptive reuse of healthcare infrastructures, the study examines functional reprogramming, contemporary extensions through new volumes, material continuity and innovative construction solutions applied to existing heritage. The refurbishment and extension of psychiatric units U1.1 and U1.2 are se-lected as a case study in the sustainable management of healthcare heritage through a strategy of prosthetic memory. The research draws on primary documentation from the architects’ archive and site supervision process.

Abstract: The generational gap in access to real estate has emerged as one of the most relevant socioeconomic phenomena of recent decades in developed countries. While Baby Boomers and Generation X had access to home ownership under favorable macroeconomic conditions (affordable mortgage credit, rising real wages, and permissive regulatory frameworks), the Millennial (1981–1996) and Z (1997–2012) generations face structural barriers of unprecedented magnitude. This study comprehensively analyzes the economic, regulatory, social, and technological factors that determine the intergenerational disparity in real estate ownership rates, with emphasis on Anglo-Saxon and European contexts, and their implications for developing economies. A qualitative approach of systematic documentary review was adopted, complemented by statistical-descriptive analysis of institutional secondary data (U.S. Census Bureau, OECD, European Central Bank, Urban Institute). The selection of sources prioritized publications indexed in Scopus and WoS (Q1-Q2). The findings show a systematic erosion of housing affordability: the price-to-income ratio climbed from 6.1 in 2000 to 8.5 in 2021, and the share of affordable housing markets fell from 97% in 1969 to 41% in 2022. The confluence of wage stagnation, student debt burden, zoning restrictions, and financial crisis cycles sets up a scenario of structural exclusion from the housing market for young generations. The generation gap is not the result of changes in individual preferences, but of a systemic transformation of the housing market driven by structural and public policy factors. The study provides a comprehensive analytical framework with implications for the formulation of intergenerationally equitable housing policies.

Abstract: Historic water infrastructure in cities has often been treated as a technical system, while its role in shaping urban form, spatial organization, and everyday life has received less attention. Focusing on the old city of Mardin, this study examines underground water infrastructure as a constitutive element of urban morphology in a settlement shaped by arid climatic conditions and steep topography. The study adopts a multi-scalar analytical approach combining QGIS-based mapping, LiDAR-based three-dimensional documentation of selected structures, archival research, field observation, and oral testimony. Street fountains, water elements associated with religious and public buildings, hammams, and wells were mapped in order to reconstruct the spatial logic of the historic system and its relation to the built environment. The findings show that Mardin’s gravity-based underground water system functioned as an urban-spatial infrastructure that shaped the distribution of water access, public nodes, architectural organization, and everyday practices across both public and private space. They also show that the transition to centralized modern water systems disrupted the integrated relationship between water, topography, and urban form, while rendering the social and spatial contexts of water increasingly obscure. The study argues that water in Mardin functioned as a key structuring element of urban morphology and everyday spatial practice, embedded in the historical relationship between infrastructure, topography, and the built environment.

Abstract: Courtyards and biophilic design have independently been recognized for their contributions to environmental performance, occupant well-being, and architectural quality. However, research has generally treated these approaches separately, resulting in limited understanding of their combined role within sustainable architecture and the absence of a comprehensive framework for their integrated assessment. This study aims to address this gap by developing a conceptual assessment framework based on the Integrated Value Model for Sustainability Assessment (MIVES). Drawing on an extensive review of the literature on courtyard architecture, biophilic design, environmental psychology, and multi-criteria decision analysis, the study proposes a hierarchical structure comprising requirements, criteria, and indicators representing environmental, biophilic, human well-being, and functional dimensions. The framework further incorporates weighting strategies and value functions to enable the aggregation of diverse performance variables into a unified Integration Sustainability Index. The proposed model provides a transparent and adaptable methodology for evaluating courtyard–biophilic integration while explicitly accounting for experiential and restorative aspects that are often overlooked in conventional building assessment approaches. The framework establishes a theoretical foundation for future empirical validation and supports evidence-based decision-making in sustainable architectural design across diverse climatic and cultural contexts.

Abstract: Next Generation funds in Spain have represented an injection of resources aimed, among other objectives, at improving the energy efficiency of the housing stock constructed prior to the entry into force of regulations on the reduction of energy consumption and emis-sions. The implementation of these subsidies, the preparation of project documentation and their evaluation using simulation software tools, as well as their execution and the results obtained, have generated a relevant field of study. Through the direct analysis of a case study and the empirical experience derived from other cases in the Community of Madrid, the differences and similarities between the re-sults of energy simulation models and actual building performance are analyzed, as well as some of the technical-construction and administrative difficulties that arise in the prac-tical implementation of the Next Generation program. From the results obtained, a series of conclusions and reflections are derived regarding potential improvements, both in the building evaluation phase and in the direct imple-mentation of the program.

Abstract: Urban public parks are vital for recreation, public health, environmental quality, and sustainable urban growth. Nonetheless, access to these parks remains uneven across many cities, disproportionately impacting low-income, marginalised, and spatially segregated communities. This study systematically examines socio-spatial disparities in park access and their effects on spatial justice. Using the PRISMA 2020 framework, 108 peer-reviewed articles published from 2000 to 2025 were analysed through thematic narrative synthesis. The results identify key factors influencing accessibility disparities, including socio-economic status, residential location, race and ethnicity, transport infrastructure, urban form, governance, and demographic vulnerability. Socio-economic status (24%), residential location and spatial distribution (20%), race and ethnicity (18%), and urban form and transport systems (17%) were the most common determinants. Limited park access exacerbates socio-economic inequality, worsens environmental injustice, contributes to health gaps, reinforces spatial segregation, hampers urban sustainability, and marginalises vulnerable populations. The review integrates Spatial Justice Theory, Environmental Justice Theory, and Urban Political Ecology into a comprehensive analytical framework and introduces a conceptual model linking accessibility factors to spatial justice outcomes. These findings underscore the importance of equitable green infrastructure planning, inclusive governance, and better access in underserved urban areas.

Abstract: Hong Kong's architectural culture is characterized by the systematic reproduction of Western visual languages, despite the availability of other spatial traditions. This article argues that this condition represents "aesthetic internalisation" — a process wherein colonial hierarchies of taste become structurally embedded in professional formation and the semi-conscious perceptual field of architects. Drawing on Bourdieu's habitus, Bhabha's colonial mimicry, Quijano's coloniality of power, and Fanon's account of subjectivity, the study posits that the dominance of Western architectural forms in postcolonial Hong Kong is structural rather than preferential. To counter this, the article proposes the Spatial Cipher methodology, integrating the Neo-Confucian concept of Li (理, inherent organising principles). This methodology extracts deep organisational logics rather than superficial visual forms from suppressed spatial traditions, translating them into contemporary material decisions. The argument is developed through case analysis of 46FLT, a mixed-use building in Kowloon City (2014–2017) designed by the author. The project operationalises Spatial Cipher by engaging with the spatial memory of the former Kowloon Walled City. Furthermore, drawing on situated epistemology, the article reflects on the diasporic architect's position as a productive vantage point from which colonial aesthetic inheritance can be observed and contested. The study demonstrates that decolonial architectural practice is viable within standard commercial and regulatory constraints, offering an actionable framework beyond theoretical discourse.

Abstract: The digital reconstruction of ancient architecture and landscapes has become a prominent topic in current scholarship. Existing studies predominantly focus on the three-dimensional reconstruction of archaeological sites or damaged historic buildings, while effective methods for the restoration or image translation of architectural imagery recorded in ancient classical texts remain insufficient. Taking China’s distinctive educational architectural heritage, the ancient academy as a case study, this paper proposes 3 methods--TI, TLTI, TPTI driven by Chinese AI Generated Content (AIGC) . The methods includes simplified images of architectural remains, and spatial features to reconstruct the architecture and landscapes of ancient Chinese academies.The findings demonstrate that AIGC can be effectively applied to the reconstruction of landscape spaces and material architectural art within a Chinese cultural context, enabling the re-presentation of architectural developmental histories that were traditionally reliant on textual interpretation in the history of technology and art. This research offers a novel methodological contribution to the integration of heritage science and the history of technology and art by activating cultural heritage in non-Western contexts through artificial intelligence and analyzing the new forms of cognition and knowledge reconstruction that emerge as a result.

Abstract: In this study, a multi-hazard risk analysis at the neighborhood scale was conducted for the historic Ferhatpaşa Mosque located in Çatalca, Istanbul. Within the scope of the research, eight different parameters were evaluated: slope, elevation, aspect, precipitation, distance to fault lines, hydrological structure, land use, and soil capability. As a result of the modeling process, which was based on Geographic Information Systems (GIS)-based Weighted Overlay analysis and shaped through interdisciplinary expert opinions, 71.99% of the study area was classified as medium risk, 28% as low risk, and 0.02% as high risk. The mosque, as a cultural heritage asset, was found to be located within the medium-risk zone. These concrete findings provide technical guidance that can directly inform the cultural heritage conservation and strategic risk mitigation planning efforts of both local and central authorities.

Abstract: Student living environments have a significant impact on educational quality and academic outcomes. However, limited empirical research has focused on the condition of female student housing in Iran. This study conducts a post-occupancy evaluation (POE) of a representative on-campus female dormitory (Eram 3) at Shiraz University. A comprehensive evaluation framework was developed through an extensive literature review and structured into eleven performance indicators across three key dimensions: technical, functional, and behavioral. Data was collected using a 65-item questionnaire completed by 62 students who had resided in the building for at least one semester. Additional qualitative insights were gathered through focus group discussions and systematic observation, enhancing the reliability and contextual depth of the findings. Results indicate widespread dissatisfaction among residents, particularly in relation to indoor air quality, lighting, room layout, and privacy. The technical dimension received the lowest satisfaction scores, especially concerning air quality and lighting. Functionally, residents reported inadequate room sizes and limited flexibility in furniture arrangement. The behavioral dimension revealed dissatisfaction with visual privacy and the aesthetic quality of interior spaces. Based on these findings, the study proposes targeted improvements to ventilation systems, artificial and natural lighting, acoustic performance, and spatial layout. The research contributes to a gender-sensitive, user-centered POE framework applicable to similar residential environments in developing countries.

Abstract: The sustainability-focused issues of the built environment require a change in architectural education not to form-based design methods but to adaptive, systems-based, and performance-oriented thinking. The paper explores a unified pedagogical model that incorporates biomimicry, parametric thinking, and modular design in improving sustainable design learning in architectural studios. The study adopts a qualitative case study method to investigate Architectural Design Studio 4 at the American University of Ras Al Khaimah (AURAK), where third-year architecture students undertake a discovery-based design process that takes three sequential stages. The students explored biological systems to first identify transferable principles, then implemented the principles in parametric modules with computational software like Dynamo and Revit and then reused these systems to create high-rise architecture. The results suggest that biomimicry combined with parametric workflows helps to achieve optimization but not maximization, which allows students to come up with flexible, efficient, and reusable design systems. The modular design approaches were essential in dealing with the architectural complexity, especially in the high-rise application and parametric tools enabled exploration of many variations and informed decisions based on the performance. The undisclosed final design goal promoted critical thinking, conceptualization, and problem-solving. The research provides the literature of architectural education with empirical evidence as it illustrates how an integrated process-based approach can improve the knowledge of sustainability, system logic, and adaptability in students. The study finds that integrating biomimicry and parametric design in modular and discovery-oriented studios is a sound pedagogical approach to equip future architects to deal with modern environmental and technological demands.

Abstract: The sustainable regeneration of industrial heritage in cold regions is constrained by severe winter climate, seasonal behavioral shifts, and declining spatial vitality. However, existing research has rarely explained how cold-climate conditions influence catalyst effects and regeneration performance in industrial heritage areas. This study proposes a digital twin-enabled framework for the sustainable regeneration of cold-region industrial heritage. Using industrial heritage sites in Harbin, China, as a case study, the research integrates multi-source data to construct a dynamic assessment system that links climate constraints, spatial structure, and human activity patterns. The results show that winter conditions significantly reduce the effectiveness of traditional catalyst mechanisms by weakening outdoor interaction, fragmenting movement continuity, and increasing reliance on indoor transitional spaces. Simulation results further demonstrate that climate-responsive interventions, such as indoor connectivity enhancement, mixed-use functional implantation, and seasonal activity optimization, can improve regeneration effectiveness and spatial resilience. By combining digital twin technology with sustainable urban regeneration theory, this study provides a replicable analytical framework and practical decision-support tool for industrial heritage revitalization in cold-region cities.

Abstract: In the wake of the Fifth Industrial Revolution, artificial intelligence (AI) has become a disruptive force in architectural design processes. One AI technique is text-to-image, which generates visual representations from textual descriptions. This research questions how architects and students organise the text-to-image prompts. Unfortunately, AI images have neglected the basic principles of architectural theories. The problem explored here is whether AI-generated images truly reflect architectural theory or replicate styles without deep understanding. This research, therefore, aims to propose a chart of semantic textual models, including keywords of theories of architecture, to organise the text-to-image prompts. To achieve this aim, the article followed scientific methodology, began with a literature review, and then analysed previous readings that highlighted this gap and proposed solutions. Through three AI platforms, the research followed an experimental method, injecting five architectural theories into AI prompts to compare images before and after. As a result, the images (after) became more realistic, expressing more clearly the trend's characteristics, and conveying symbolic meanings. The conclusion is that AI architectural images must have a maestro to organise prompts. This maestro is the 'Theory of Architecture', which is expected to bridge the gap between AI's ultimate imagination and the authentic principles of design trends.

Abstract: This study addresses the critical challenge of translating the profound social, spatial, and cultural dynamics of the traditional introverted Persian house into more tangible design metrics for contemporary Iranian housing. Relying on qualitative data from twenty-four diverse expert interviews across architecture, urban planning, and policy, the research demonstrates that the notion of replicating and duplicating historical form is unsustainable. Instead, it proves that the introverted configuration is an ontological imperative rooted in measurable performance, serving simultaneous social, cultural, psychological, and environmental paradigms. The main findings show that preserving cultural continuity requires a shift from aesthetic conservation to prescriptive configuration. This logic is synthesised into a consolidated socio-spatial framework, whose originality lies in introducing three auditable design instruments: 1) the sequenced depth and filtration protocol for spatial arrangement; 2) the controlled visual and environmental parameters for façade performance; and 3) the cultural adaptability and resilience requirement for functional programming. The framework’s prescriptive metrics, such as minimum space syntax values and the visual filtering coefficient, provide regulatory bodies with the precise technical tools necessary to enforce cultural protocols like privacy and dignity in high-density urban developments. This framework offers a pragmatic pathway for safeguarding Iranian housing’s cultural identity, ensuring future developments are certified not only for safety and structure, but for their adherence to the fundamental socio-spatial contract of the Persian dwelling.

Abstract: The digital transformation of the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) sector requires human capital trained in collaborative methodologies. In Peru, the BIM Peru Plan establishes the mandatory nature of this methodology by 2030, posing a critical challenge for academia. This research analyzes and evaluates the proposal for curricular integration of the Building Information Modeling (BIM) methodology at the levels of technical, university and postgraduate higher education in Peru, in accordance with the regulatory framework in force to 2025. A qualitative research design of documentary and descriptive nature was used. A categorical content analysis of the national regulations was carried out, mainly R.D. No. 004-2025-EF/63.01, using as dimensions of analysis the fundamentals, modeling and management of information under the standards of the ISO 19650 standard. A didactic progression structured in three levels was identified: technical (operational/production), university (coordination/collaboration) and postgraduate (strategic management/direction). The transition from a software tool-based approach to one focused on information requirements management is highlighted. Curricular alignment with international standards (ISO 19650) is robust; however, a gap persists between the regulations and the installed capacity in universities. It is concluded that curricular standardization is a driver for interoperability in the public sector, recommending the implementation of interdisciplinary laboratories to mitigate disciplinary isolation.

Abstract: Previous studies examining the link between urban health and land use have predominantly relied on qualitative or descriptive approaches, lacking comprehensive quantitative frameworks capable of systematically identifying influential factors and prioritizing interventions. This research introduces a multi-method analytical framework incorporating MAXQDA, Factor Analysis, and Importance–Performance Map Analysis (IPMA). In the first phase, MAXQDA was used to conduct qualitative content analysis and identify urban health indicators most influenced by land use. These indicators were assessed through a structured questionnaire comprising 41 items, distributed among residents of three neighborhood units within Phase 2 of Parand New Town, with a minimum residency requirement of five years to ensure data reliability. Factor Analysis was employed to reduce the broader set of indicators into a smaller number of latent constructs, each reflecting a distinct dimension and forming the basis for the composite Urban Health Index. Subsequently, IPMA was applied to evaluate the importance and performance of each indicator within individual neighborhoods, enabling the identification of local intervention priorities. The findings show a substantial influence of the land use system on urban health. The second neighborhood unit, characterized by superior accessibility and a broader range of land uses, achieved the highest score of 3.062. This analytical framework offers urban planners a replicable and practical tool for identifying and prioritizing interventions that promote health-oriented and sustainable urban development.