EditorialWilkinson, Nicholas
2014 Open House International
doi: 10.1108/OHI-01-2014-B0001
Hugh Pearman, on page 75 of the new September RIBA Journal, (In part 3 CULTURE) Pearman 2013, explains the changes he has brought about in terms of content, design and physical feel. This is to his credit to have been able to do this. The RIBA journal is now a very pleasant read, very sensitively laid out with quality colour images. Now that the editor Hugh Pearman has got this far I think it will be well maintained and carry itself through any difficult times.
Sustainable Urbanism: Moving Past Neo-Modernist & Neo-Traditionalist Housing StrategiesEjigu, Alazar G; Haas, Tigran
2014 Open House International
doi: 10.1108/OHI-01-2014-B0002
The growing alienation of modernist public housing estates and their ethnically and socially excluded residents, as well as the neglected human potential-capital they symbolize (not social burden), is a grotesque expression of the failure of a system driven by the profit motive and failed housing, planning and social policy, rather than by the requirement to satisfy sustainable urbanism and dignified and just housing for all. The modernist concept of architecture & urban planning, which emerged in response to a very particular set of regional circumstance, spread throughout the world in the 20th century. The result, where the idea was simplistically accepted, had disastrous consequences. The postmodernist approach on the other hand has given up altogether on the social agenda of architecture and housing. Paying particular attention to housing, this paper discusses the contrasting results of modernist and –or post modernist planning approaches in housing and its consequences. It also looks at the rather recent Sustainable Urbanism paradigm and the possibility that it might offer as an alternative or a new complement to housing planning and design; this in contrast to the modernist satellite-suburban generic type of living in most major European cities as well as in the developing countries. The study is based on multiple methods which include, descriptive and exploratory qualitative approach (observation, introspection, analysis and deduction), as well as Futurescape Method of selected cases in the American Housing Program HOPE VI, and from ethnographic survey of an ongoing large scale housing program in Ethiopia known as Integrated Housing Development Program (IHDP).
Sustainable Architecture in Rural Yayla SettlementsÇetin, Sıdıka; Gokarslan, Ayse Betul
2014 Open House International
doi: 10.1108/OHI-01-2014-B0003
Traditional architectural forms and structures develop under the influence of such physical and non-physical determinants as climate, topography structure, socio-cultural values, economy and technology, and are based on centuries of accumulated knowledge. This study is an analysis of the rural Yayla settlements of four towns in the province of Antalya, located on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast. The southern inclines of the Taurus Mountain range facing the Mediterranean, are host to number of rural settlements at different altitudes that bear some region-specific architectural features. This study aims to understand settlement pattern and house design features that have developed under the specific climate, socio-cultural and socio-economic conditions of the traditional households in rural yaylas in the different bio-climatic zones of the region. The study has revealed that designs have developed over time to result in spaces that are comfortable and climate sensitive, and which attribute importance to the local resources, economy and culture; and that the housing designs have developed offer natural means of heat control and ventilation. The new understanding offered in this paper may contribute to the conservation of the local cultural features of the area, allowing their sustainable perpetuation into the future and serving as examples of good design practise for future settlements
The Layered Dependency Structure Matrix for Managing Collaborative Design ProcessesPektaş, Şule Taşlı
2014 Open House International
doi: 10.1108/OHI-01-2014-B0004
Effective collaboration and knowledge management are the major contributors of success in the construction industry. Although a huge amount of interdisciplinary knowledge is exchanged in building design processes, there is a lack of tools for representing information flows. Therefore, this paper focuses on the collaboration between architects and structural engineers and introduces an innovative matrix-based tool named “The Layered Dependency Structure Matrix” for modeling and managing the discipline-specific and collaborative design activities. The proposed method is compared with the conventional techniques used in the industry and its application is demonstrated in a beam design example.
Comparative Study of Courtyard Housing using Feng ShuiÇeliker, Afet; Çavuşoğlu, Banu Tevfikler; Öngül, Zehra
2014 Open House International
doi: 10.1108/OHI-01-2014-B0005
Cosmology is of essence for the life of traditional man not only to live in a meaningful universe, but to bound himself with the universe to achieve well-being as well. Architecture is a way of creating spaces through generic forms and symbols to attain this unity of man and the universe. This article interprets the courtyard house which is a well known archetype of spiritual and celestial qualities and has symbolic generic forms through the perspective of theory and practice of feng shui which is an ancient Chinese philosophy, based on the understanding of physical configuration of geographical settings and application of its principles to the built environment. The courtyard houses represented for this article are chosen on a linear axis starting from Cyprus, passing through Syria, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and ending at China. In this article, principles of feng shui are selected and formulated to create an evaluation model showing entrance-courtyard relation, building shape, water element, room arrangement, and door alignment and circulation. Based on this evaluation model, the essential aspects of well-being have been revealed through the elements of architecture. In that sense, this article presents the opportunities and possibilies of an ideal plan layout by bringing an awareness to the cosmology and feng shui to achieve well-being.
Demolition Versus Deconstruction: Impacts of Fenestration Disposal in Building Renovation ProjectsElias-Ozkan, Soofia Tahira
2014 Open House International
doi: 10.1108/OHI-01-2014-B0006
This paper presents findings of a comparative study on the removal and disposal of fenestration units in two separate buildings, belonging to the same period and built with similar construction materials. Demolition techniques were used for removing the fenestration units from a building that was undergoing refurbishment; while, deconstruction techniques were used for dismantling similar units from another building that was being selectively demolished.It was concluded that the amount of energy consumed, time taken and waste generated, were far greater, and the revenues much lower, when conventional demolition techniques and tools were used. Hence, from the point of view of resource conservation (material, energy, time, and money) deconstruction was found to be more advantageous in the disposal of reusable building components.
A Review of Lofts as Housing in IstanbulÖzker, Serpil
2014 Open House International
doi: 10.1108/OHI-01-2014-B0007
Lofts are housing forms converted from warehouse-workshop into a “habitable environment” in coastal towns of Europe and the USA after the Industrial Revolution. Particularly positioned in coastal towns of New York, Loft life made an impact in the world over time. It became a new form of living when artists converted structures like factories into habitable environment. From past to today, all national and international developments during the process affected and accelerated development of the constant evolution of housing concept. In that sense, in this study, the meaning of Lofts in Istanbul and the effect and change of socio-cultural stratification on spatial conversion of housing consumerism has been examined in the context of Istanbul. Especially, process of gentrification, shaped by effects of urban transformation post 1980, and cultural development affected by this process, attendant Loft life has become an accelerating way of life. In this context, historical and stylistic value and especially usage of Loft living has been examined. In the first chapter; past, present and the post-1980 development of housing sector in Istanbul, in the second chapter, with a thriving cultural life, and Loft formation, has been examined in the context of structural criteria, resulting three different Lofts have been discussed in detail. In the third section, three different types of Loft have been analyzed in the context of space depending on examples. As a result of researches, three different types of Lofts, “Original”, “Semi” and “Imitation” concepts have become clear and it has been concluded that “Imitation Loft” formation gives direction to life in Istanbul.
Housing Cooperatives in the Palestinian Territories: Development and Current PracticeGhadban, Shadi Sami
2014 Open House International
doi: 10.1108/OHI-01-2014-B0008
This study aims to examine the housing cooperative practices employed in the Palestinian territories in the second half of the twentieth century and across diverse socio-political circumstances. This approach has been implemented to fulfil the housing needs of Palestinian society. Tracing this movement reveals an intensification of the housing cooperative approach between the years 1958 and 2008. However, in the years since, this practice has declined considerably.This study discusses and analyses the housing cooperative practices adopted by the Palestinian community after 1956. It explores the stages, principles and concerns that characterise this practice, whether it is an approach that continues to meet a share of the demand for housing people in Palestine and how this practice can continue and receive wider support and recognition. The results of this study could aid in providing a diagnostic database, which in turn might provide a needed boost to the housing cooperative movement in the Palestinian territories.
Implementation of Open Space: The Need for Uniform Policy?Dali, Melasutra Md; Yusoff, Safiah Muhammad; Ibrahim, Puteri Haryati
2014 Open House International
doi: 10.1108/OHI-01-2014-B0009
The provision of open spaces within a residential development is often seen as unimportant. The Malaysian Government targeted to provide 2 hectares of open space per 1000 population to be achieved as a developed nation status by the year 2020. This vision can be seen as the Government attempt to ensure the sustainability of open spaces in Malaysia. The Federal Department of Town and Country Planning, Peninsular Malaysia (FDTCP) has produced a planning standard guideline to supervise the implementation of the open space policy in Malaysia. According to FDTCP; until December 2009, Malaysia has achieved a percentage of 1.19 hectares of open space per 1000 population. Achieving the standard requires commitment of local authorities to implement the open space policy. However, the adoption of open spaces policy differs among local authorities, from a simplistic general approach of land ratio techniques to an ergonomics method. The paper examines the local allocation practices using 5 different approaches and it argues that implementation of open space by local planning practices requires the knowledge of and understanding by planning profession towards a long term sustainable green objectives.
Landscape and Sustainability: Three Residential College Buildings in the TropicsJamaludin, Adi Ainurzaman; Keumala, Nila; Mohd Ariffin, Ati Rosemary; Hussein, Hazreena
2014 Open House International
doi: 10.1108/OHI-01-2014-B0010
Three residential colleges located in a university campus at the capital city of Kuala Lumpur and built in different decades were selected for landscape studies with respect to species and position of the trees, as well as the effects of the current landscapes as a shelter in reducing solar radiation on buildings, as a pre-assessment for the Low Carbon Cities Framework (LCCF) and assessment system. These landscape designs were carefully studied through on-site observation. The name and location of the matured plants were redrawn and visualised with standard normal photographs. The studies revealed that the old residential college landscape is dominated by tropical forest trees which are able to provide a significant shade to the buildings and offered a potential to achieve sustainable development due to a higher rate of carbon sequestration. While, palm and hybrid fruit plants were most extensively cultivated in the landscape of new residential colleges due to low maintenance and being fast growing.