Exploring sketches as conceptual data: a semiological experiment on moods visualisation among architectural students

PurposeSketching is a creative skill that most architects develop over their long period of study and is considered an effective medium for communicating imaginative thinking and conceptual ideas in architecture. As a concept, mood is generally associated with imagining specific ambiance and spatial experience during the schematic phase of the architectural design process. While most architectural research on mood revolves around post-occupancy evaluation, colour effect and lighting comfort, few studies have been conducted to systematically investigate conceptual issues related to mood imagination. Besides, there has been little attempt to appreciate sketches as a reliable conceptual data source for architectural research.Design/methodology/approachTo bridge this knowledge gap, this paper explores a semiological analysis of mood visualisation using architectural sketches. By framing the experiment within the architecture education context, the paper begins by discussing the relationship between sketching, mood and semiology in architecture. The discussion continues by highlighting methodological issues in the design of our experiment. The experiment comprised architecture students from undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. Following the visual and textual data derived from the experiment, two semiological analyses, namely, mood sign analysis and mood signifier analysis, were conducted to understand their imaginative thinking.FindingsThe results revealed significant preferential differences between the students on the use of specific semiotic representation and design language to conceptualise their mood idea.Originality/valueAs a preliminary experiment, this study constitutes an early attempt to further explore potential research related to architectural sketches and the creative imagination that may be beneficial to designers, art psychologists, educators and researchers alike.

Iranian innovations in mosque lighting techniques: A historical survey

From the viewpoint of preserving the values of sustainable architecture, daylight in the interiors of mosques in hot and dry climates has always faced limitations. The need to use daylight to provide the required lighting and, in contrast, to prevent the scorching desert sun from entering the spaces led to innovative techniques in Iranian architecture. These techniques have gradually evolved along with the development of semantic concepts of space in different periods of Islamic architecture, which has resulted in slight differences in their application in mosque buildings. In this article, while analysing the place of light in mosque architecture, the standard techniques in lighting mosques located in Iran’s hot and dry climate are studied. The employed research method is a combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches. As the current historic-architectural research cannot be based solely on perception-based definitions, authors had to convert the conceptual features into a measurable index. To achieve this, a numerical index with the scale from 0 to 3 has been defined. The scoring was based on documents such as plans, images, etc. Although most case study objects were built over the centuries, they have general characteristics that distinguish them from a specific historical era. The authors studied the application of these techniques in some examples of selected mosques from four periods of Islamic architecture and present the results in the form of trend charts. Furthermore, they observed the principle of continuity in Iranian architecture from the historical period from the beginning of the Islamic period to the Qajar period, and, in accordance with the theoretical foundations of research, analysed the reasons for the ups and downs of each of the techniques.

Just a Hunch: Reading, Writing, ... and Architecture

<p>Victor Hugo’s character, Claude Frollo, expressed Hugo’s linguistic analogy for architecture in his novel of 1831, Notre-Dame de Paris. Frollo directs the eyes of his companions from the book resting on his desk to the shadow of the nearby Notre-Dame cathedral, stating: ‘This will kill that’. Hugo expressed the belief that prior to the printing press, the communication of mankind occurred through architecture. His concern was for the fate of architecture following the invention of a new form of communication; the printed text. This thesis questions the concern that print will ‘kill’ architecture through an exploration of architectural research and design led by text. A validity of print as an experimental tool for architectural design is established through a range of output; visual and physical expression, creative writing, and formal writing. These design modes reveal unique architecture from within Hugo’s Notre-Dame de Paris. The outcomes of this research draw attention to the imaginative possibilities that text provides for architecture. It finds that architecture exists within text and allows for interpretation and conversion, into both real and imagined space. It provides a framework through which this can occur within other text, not just Notre-Dame de Paris. The conclusion is reached that text is a design tool which offers significant opportunities to the experimentation and design of architecture.</p>

Just a Hunch: Reading, Writing, ... and Architecture

<p>Victor Hugo’s character, Claude Frollo, expressed Hugo’s linguistic analogy for architecture in his novel of 1831, Notre-Dame de Paris. Frollo directs the eyes of his companions from the book resting on his desk to the shadow of the nearby Notre-Dame cathedral, stating: ‘This will kill that’. Hugo expressed the belief that prior to the printing press, the communication of mankind occurred through architecture. His concern was for the fate of architecture following the invention of a new form of communication; the printed text. This thesis questions the concern that print will ‘kill’ architecture through an exploration of architectural research and design led by text. A validity of print as an experimental tool for architectural design is established through a range of output; visual and physical expression, creative writing, and formal writing. These design modes reveal unique architecture from within Hugo’s Notre-Dame de Paris. The outcomes of this research draw attention to the imaginative possibilities that text provides for architecture. It finds that architecture exists within text and allows for interpretation and conversion, into both real and imagined space. It provides a framework through which this can occur within other text, not just Notre-Dame de Paris. The conclusion is reached that text is a design tool which offers significant opportunities to the experimentation and design of architecture.</p>

Vısualısatıon of Undergraduate Archıtectural Research Actıvıtıes through MYDISSERTPLANNER

This research is a continuous process that requires virtuous planning and monitoring of the activities. A formal planning application is inadequate to assists them in managing all research activities to ensure the task will complete within the time frame given. The aim is to visualise the undergraduate research activities through the use of mobile applications, namely MYDISSERTPLANNER. The result shows that most students have problems completing the research within the timeframe. Therefore, the development of MYDISSERTPLANNER through smartphone apps is seen to give benefit and bring innovative features to students and academicians in ensuring the quality of research accomplished. Keywords: Undergraduate students, Mobile Application, MYDISSERTPLANNER, Research Activities eISSN: 2398-4287© 2021. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians/Africans/Arabians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/ebpj.v6iSI5.2929

1950s and 1960s Modern Home

This article is based on my keynote lecture at the architectural research symposium held at Aalto University on October 25, 2018. The lecture dealt with my doctoral dissertation: Modern Home. Single-family housing ideals as presented in Finnish architecture and interior design magazines in the 1950s and 1960s. (Sanaksenaho, 2017)