Effects of Human Behavior Simulation on Usability Factors of Social Sustainability in Architectural Design Education

While the social sustainability of built environments is an essential aspect of architectural design education, systemic experiments still lack empirical pedagogy. Therefore, factors of social sustainability are hardly reflected in students’ projects seamlessly. To overcome such limitations, this study investigates the applicability and effectiveness of human behavior simulation. To ensure authentic architectural design, the projects were equipped with autonomous, rational anthropomorphic computer agents called virtual users (VUsers). This study compared the performance scores on social sustainability factors, assessed by the students who conducted design projects both before (without) and after (with) using the simulation. A one-way analysis of variance indicated that human behavior simulation promoted the performance of projects with respect to the parameters of accessibility and safety, ergonomic usability for heterogeneous users and supportability of social interactions. However, the simulation was not found to be effective in promoting the physical attractiveness of built environments and in ensuring the completeness of design solutions. Based on previous studies, the present study interpreted the reasons why the operability of VUsers and built environments, representations of emerging interactions of VUsers and whole-and-part analytics promoted explicit experimentation, but the factors of physical attractiveness and completeness were irrelevant to the rational examinations in the use of the simulation.

Download Full-text

HERITAGE IN THE LIVED ENVIRONMENT OF THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES AND THE GULF REGION

International Journal of Architectural Research Archnet-IJAR ◽

10.26687/archnet-ijar.v11i2.1240 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. 55 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Joseph John Hobbs

Keyword(s):

Built Environment ◽

United Arab Emirates ◽

Architectural Design ◽

Social Sustainability ◽

Gulf Region ◽

Planning And Design ◽

Spatial Features ◽

Gulf Countries ◽

The Social ◽

Islamic Values

This paper examines how the architectural, social, and cultural heritage of the United Arab Emirates and other Gulf countries may contribute to better development of this region’s lived environment. Modern urbanism has largely neglected heritage in architectural design and in social and private spaces, creating inauthentic places that foster a hunger for belongingness in the UAE’s built environment. The paper reviews recent urban developments in the UAE and the Gulf Region, and identifies elements of local heritage that can be incorporated into contemporary planning and design. It proposes that adapting vernacular architectural heritage to the modern built environment should not be the principal goal for heritage-informed design. Instead we may examine the social processes underlying the traditional lived environment, and aim for social sustainability based on the lifeways and preferences of local peoples, especially in kinship and Islamic values. Among the most promising precedents for modern social sustainability are social and spatial features at the scale of the neighborhood in traditional Islamic settlements. Interviews with local Emiratis will also recommend elements of traditional knowledge to modern settings.

Download Full-text