Open House International

Wilkinson, Nicholas

2017 Open House International

doi: 10.1108/OHI-01-2017-B0001

VR is a new term to me. With a couple of words in brackets immediately after the abbreviation, (Virtual Reality) all is clear and well. Thank you to a colleague of mine. (See manuscript title CREATIVITY IN THE INITIAL PHASES OF ARCHIECTURAL DESIGN. Page 29 On the same level use of the abbreviation CD is more well known than the use of its actual meaning of Compact Disc.

Mushtaha, Emad; Hamid, Faisal

2017 Open House International

doi: 10.1108/OHI-01-2017-B0002

In recent times, residential districts in modern cities face certain new and undesired problems related to antisocial behaviour by adolescents in its urban public spaces. In this study, we investigate the relationship between the design features of public spaces in residential areas and the problem of vandalism within the districts. This paper examines the current literature reviews on vandalism, the main reasons behind the increase of in the problem, types of vandalism, and a mathematical model for assessing visibility and accessibility in addition to proving the results of a field study conducted in a UAE city. We believe that visibility of vandalism-prone areas through dwelling windows, accessibility of such areas by residents through dwelling entrances, and recognition of ownership of such areas can definitely play a role in mitigating vandalism. Our findings indicated the following: (1) There is a strong relationship between vandalism and visibility through dwelling windows. (2) Residents' accessibility to dwelling entrances and recognition of ownership play an important role in reducing vandalism. (3) In areas where the visibility and accessibility by residents is low, the severity of the problem of vandalism increase if there is an increase in the percentage of adolescent residents. (4) The design characteristics of the housing areas, such as the height of the blocks or the limits of public spaces, do not have any influence on the occurrence of vandalism.

Yao, Jian; Zheng, Rong-Yue

2017 Open House International

doi: 10.1108/OHI-01-2017-B0003

This paper conducted a study on the energy-saving potential of a developed thermotropic window. Office buildings in different climate regions of China were compared in terms of heating, cooling and lighting energy demands. Results show that annual heating and cooling energy demands for office buildings differ largely, while lighting energy demand at different climates keeps a significant percentage of the total energy demand, ranging from 36.1% to 66.3%. Meanwhile, thermotropic windows achieve a great advantage in improving daylighting performance and in reducing the overall energy demand, by reducing the overall energy demand by 2.27%-8.7% and 10.1%-21.72%, respectively, compared to movable shading devices and Low-E windows. This means that this kind of thermotropic windows have a great potential in applications in different climatic regions and can be considered as a good substitute of solar shading devices and Low-E windows.

Brojan, Larisa; Clouston, Peggi L

2017 Open House International

doi: 10.1108/OHI-01-2017-B0004

The accessible nature of straw bale building lends itself well to self-built and workshop-built housing; straw is known to be both relatively inexpensive and easy to work with for people new to construction. A question then arises as to whether or not hiring an experienced builder can reduce overall costs of such a structure. This study conducts a worldwide survey to straw bale home owners to answer this question and to determine general economic data on straw bale homes, such as: what home owners value, who the main builder typically is, and what usually causes budgets to overrun. A key finding is that self-building is economically justified if the projected saving is higher than the cost of a contractor and if the usually longer time needed to build the home is amenable to the investor. An economic case study is also conducted on a straw bale home in Radomlje, Slovenia. All building expenses are categorized by building phase and subgrouped by cost in accordance with accepted building standards. A key observation is how demanding any specific building phase is in comparison to conventional building.

Abdelhameed, Wael A.

2017 Open House International

doi: 10.1108/OHI-01-2017-B0005

Creativity is viewed as vital for all design actions; however, creativity in general with its related cognition processes has no general theory. Creativity used in architectural design is different than creativity in other domains. This research proposes certain activities of the initial phases of architectural design, in which the role of creativity is distinguished. The research proceeds to present a case study of two architectural design studios in which a VR environment is employed in order to in-vestigate the effect of VR use on the creativity in those design phases. A methodol-ogy of qualitative and quantitative analysis has applied. Various architectural design factors are neutralized to overcome the influence generated from human factors variation and design thinking prejudice in architectural design and the associated ac-tivities.

Elwidaa, Eiman Ahmed

2017 Open House International

doi: 10.1108/OHI-01-2017-B0006

The article explores the transformations low-income women make to appropriate their housing that often goes unnoticed. The aim is to document, acknowledge and make low-income women's efforts to appropriate their housing visible. Lessons learned are assumed to inform the Ugandan low-income housing discourse on design considerations that can contribute to the provision of housing designs that are conducive to low-income women. The study confines its investigation to the housing designs provided under the governmental low-income housing projects in Uganda.This article presents results from a case study on Masese Women Housing Project MWHP that targeted women as its main beneficiaries. Post Occupancy Evaluations POE methodology was utilised to collect data on the performance of the housing designs provided by the project and the transformations women make to increase their housing appropriateness. Open-ended interviews were carried out with women owners to investigate the transformations they apply to their houses. Results are documented through photography, sketches and measured drawings. Results are synthesised and analysed under outdoors and indoors transformations.The study confirmed the substantial contribution low-income women make to appropriate their housing. It argues for acknowledging and including women's efforts in the Ugandan low-income housing discourse to support the provision of housing designs that are more user-friendly to them. Design considerations that are essential to attain low-income women convenience with their housing are: its capacity to accommodate women's triple roles, their potential for incremental development and their ability for segmentation into autonomous housing units to allow for their flexible, economic and functional use. The study advocates for directing efforts to the development of traditional building technologies instead of introducing improved but alien ones as an alternative that is more favourable to women.

Samad, Diwa; Zainon, Nurshuhada; Rahim, Faizul Azli Mohd; Lou, Eric

2017 Open House International

doi: 10.1108/OHI-01-2017-B0007

Housing has always been a significant aspiration of family expression and distinctly priciest investment by household. It plays a momentous role in the country's economy and so central to the societal well-being that is emplaced in the United Nation Universal declaration of Human rights. Yet in developed and developing world alike, cities struggle to provide decent housing for lower and middle income population. The provision of affordable housing is a major policy concern around the world with Malaysia being no exception; rising income hardly keep pace with price hike of housing unit and housing interventions has majorly concentrated on demand side leading to a non-responsive supply sector. Therefore, this paper highlights affordable housing issues pertaining Malaysia. It formulates Malaysian Map of affordability and conducts an evaluation of global housing schemes to better identify policy priorities for Malaysia. It's significant to harmonize supply and demand side factors in the housing market to ensure that housing supply fits the needs of citizens based on the location, price and target group. In case of Malaysia supply oriented initiative are of urgency in short and medium run. This must be supported by long term demand side schemes in parallel. Convergence of these two factors is essential for a balanced equilibrium and obtaining affordability.

Sun, Cheng; Zhen, Meng; Shao, Yu

2017 Open House International

doi: 10.1108/OHI-01-2017-B0008

Rural residential energy consumption accounts for 46.6% of total building-related energy consumption of China. In Northeast China, energy consumption for space heating represents a significant proportion of total rural residential energy consumption and has reached 100 million tce (tons of standard coal equivalent), or more than 60% of total household energy consumption. In terms of energy consumption per square meter of gross floor area, rural residential energy consumption for heating is more than that of cities (20kgce/m2). However, the average indoor temperature of most rural residence is below 10°C, much less than that in cities (18°C). Hence, it is an important task for Chinese energy saving and emission reduction to reduce rural residential energy consumption, while enhancing indoor thermal comfort at the same time.Restricted by local technology and low economic level, rural residences currently have poor thermal insulation resulting in severe heat loss. This paper reports on research aimed at developing design strategies for improving thermal insulation properties of rural residences with appropriate technology. A field survey was conducted in six counties in severe cold areas of Northeast China, addressing the aspects of indoor and outdoor temperature, humidity, internal and external surface temperature of building envelop enclosure, and so on.The survey data show the following:Modern (after 2000) brick-cement rural residences perform much better than the traditional adobe clay houses and Tatou houses (a regional type of rural residence in Northeast China – see figure A) in overall thermal performance and indoor thermal comfort;Among the traditional residential house types, adobe clay houses have better heat stability and thermal storage capacity than Tatou houses;Applying an internal or external thermal insulation layer can greatly improve rural residential thermal insulation properties, and is an economical and efficient solution in rural areas;In terms of roofing materials, tiled roofs show much better thermal insulation properties than thatch roofs;Adopting passive solar techniques can form a transition space (greenhouse) against frigid temperatures, resulting in interior temperatures 5.91°C higher than the outside surroundings. It is evident that local passive solar room design offers significant heat preservation effects and lower cost ($12/m2), embodies the ecological wisdom of rural residents, and is therefore important to popularize.The above experimental results can provide guidance in energy conservation design for both self-built residences and rural residences designed by architects. In addition, the results can also provide experimental data for energy-saving studies for rural residences in China.

Zavei, Sayyed Javad Asad Poor; Jusan, Mahmud Bin Mohd

2017 Open House International

doi: 10.1108/OHI-01-2017-B0009

Providing operational approach to end-users' motivational tendencies in housing facilitates user-centered approach enhancing person-environment congruence. The operational approach is highly critical in case of inaccessibility of end-users in decision making, i.e. mass housing. Therefore, this study aims at explaining end-users' housing motivations from their housing attributes preferences, through a theoretical framework developed based on Maslow's theory. The investigation was carried out by using a self-administered questionnaire conducted on 127 Iranian postgraduate students of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, and their spouse who lived alongside them. They were selected from those who lived more than one year in mass housing apartments in Malaysia. Using exploratory factor analysis, the housing attributes preferences were analyzed to underlie the latent structure and relations among them; the extracted factors were also labeled based on the different level of needs. Then, conducting one sample t-test hierarchical tendencies among the different motivational factors were identified. Referring to Maslow's theory to explain the concept and characteristics of housing needs results in identification of two different categories of housing attributes in association with the different level of needs. Accordingly, primary levels of needs that associate with relatively tangible and concrete attributes are more likely to be content-specific and predictable. The higher levels of needs that associate with relatively complicated and abstract attributes are more likely to be problematical, confusing, and non-predictable.

Ahmed, Iftekhar

2017 Open House International

doi: 10.1108/OHI-01-2017-B0010

Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh has a recorded history of over 400 years, dating back to the Mughal and pre-Mughal era. A large part of the city's rich cultural heritage; both tangible and intangible, lie in the historic core known as Old Dhaka. There are several traditional neighborhoods with close-knit communities that date back two to three centuries. The communities are rich in social capital gained over successive generations of close social network. Based on this strength, a heritage management system has been developed by informal community bodies in Old Dhaka. Old Dhaka's rich cultural heritage deserves to be conserved for the historical continuity of the city. Unfortunately, the top-down conservation efforts undertaken by the Government are highly bureaucratic and have not been effective in conserving the cultural heritage in most cases. This paper explores the importance of local participatory approach of heritage management in the context of Old Dhaka with a focus on the relationship between social capital and informal heritage management in traditional communities. It also explores the key features that generally make the informal heritage management system more effective than the formal approach. Finally, it recommends an appropriate conservation approach to save the cultural heritage of Old Dhaka where there is a balance between intervention by authorities and continuity of local community involvement.

Eken, Cemaliye

2017 Open House International

doi: 10.1108/OHI-01-2017-B0011

Rapid urbanization and providing pragmatic solutions for its development is one of the fundamental agenda of last decade. The metabolism is one of the latest post-war movements-founded in 1960 by Kenzo Tange where urbanization and city as a process is re-examined within the framework of accelerated modernism and technology vision. This paper discusses Metabolism movement in order to identify crucial intimations of its utopian architectural and urban approaches as a tool for future city. The study examines four initial metabolist city approaches-Plan for Tokyo (1960-62), Clusters/city in the Air (1960-62), Helix city (1961) and Ocean/Marine City (1962) that are designed for post-war Tokyo city in Japan. The study gives modest insight of indentifying city design theory within in a series conception; such as conducting to architectural characteristics regarding urban structure, tectonic vision between land-sea-sky and organic notion (city as process and mega-structuralism). Research method is embodied with examining relevant data of literature data. Upon discussions on theory, study aims to establish an ironic notion of future city by asserting familiar characteristics or variations between four pioneer projects of Metabolist movement.

Reza, Ehsan; Dıncyurek, Ozgur

2017 Open House International

doi: 10.1108/OHI-01-2017-B0012

This study explores the characteristics of a particular vernacular architecture, which is known as terraced housing. Terraced housing can be found in many different mountainous parts of the world such as the mountainous regions of Bahrain, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Greece, Italy and Japan, which have different environmental and cultural characteristics, and which were built in response to human needs according to the particular topographical conditions. Amongst the examples mentioned, Iranian terraced housing remains distinctive with its local richness and variation, constructed and designed according to the topography of the region. Accordingly the general overview of Iranian vernacular architecture and form is examined by focusing on the environmental factors of two specific Iranian villages.The identification of these villages is evaluated according to the topography, climate, urban pattern and spatial organization of Iranian terraced settlements. As a consequence, the analysis of case studies and data processing will enable decision makers, planners, architects and designers to become more aware of the existing architectural building tradition. The contemporary housing design problems can be solved by employing an appropriate method of design and building construction with reference to the present vernacular housing stock.

Elsawahli, Hanan; Ali, Azlan Shah

2017 Open House International

doi: 10.1108/OHI-01-2017-B0013

Neighbourhood environmental factors are associated with active lifestyle. Despite the considerable research that examined their relationship with elderly active lifestyle, the measures' reliability and validity attracted less attention. This pilot study aimed at examining the reliability and validity of eleven neighbourhood environmental factors hypothesized to promote active lifestyle among the elderly. The neighbourhood environmental factors ratings were compared from previous studies scale and the NEWS scale among young elderly residing in two cities in Malaysia. The identified items were further examined to identify their potential association with elderly active lifestyle. All the measures showed valid values except for convenience in both neighbourhoods and accessibility in Taman Meru. All items showed good-excellent reliability except for convenience in Taman Meru. All factors showed moderate-good correlations with active lifestyle except for walkability and convenience in Taman Meru, maintenance and safety in TTDI. The neighbourhood environmental factors can be used in neighbourhood and relevant surveys.

Grbić, Milena; Nikezić, Ana

2017 Open House International

doi: 10.1108/OHI-01-2017-B0014

Solving settlement and likewise housing problems of socially vulnerable Romani in Belgrade and Serbia still has not found the right design approach. In contemporary plural society, it is a process of interaction of theoretical and practical tryouts set beyond the disciplinary limits. Insufficient awareness on Romani lifestyle elaborated in Romanypen, i.e. the Romani cultural system causes a lack of methods, techniques and tools to choose from and develop for this untangled complex problem. The intent of this article is to show that a collective lifestyle represents the essence needed for developing adequate design decisions of Romani settlements, thus fulfilling the potential for improving adequate housing solutions.The study starts on the assumption that in Romani settlements there is a strongly rooted relation between spatial and social level that enables an understanding of what this cultural group produces as its own place. The urban pattern of Romani settlements do not have an institutionally imposed organization; they are formed by the Romani themselves, by reflex rooted in needs of everyday life activities and consequently organized and built through inherited knowledge and skills. The subject of this study is aimed at recognizing and thus establishing spatial expressions of the Romani collective lifestyle in three types of Belgrade Romani settlements that, according to the differences in their inner habitational pattern, display a representative model. It is based on the field analysis of five already created and developed unplanned settlements in Belgrade through observing and residing within them and by talking and questioning to their residents.This study shows that the key to understanding existing urban and architectural patterns, as well as the potential for future design actions lies in reading out the processes of everyday life. Then, it demonstrates a tool that has a potential to divert previous housing politics towards a revitalization of design in relation to social profiles specificities. At the end, the study opens a path to creating adequate architectural and urban parameters for housing care in accordance to the lifestyle acceptable for each and every socially perceptible group.

Abdel-Azim, Gasser Gamil

2017 Open House International

doi: 10.1108/OHI-01-2017-B0015

The ideology of “Local Architecture” was about the religious experience, social and cultural interpretations non-awareness, and solutions for environmental and social problems. This case aims at producing a compatible architecture for this society. The problem of the paper deals with the absence of the local heritage in contemporary architecture. Most of our buildings reflect western ideologies, and use the local vocabulary, as has happened in most of the Arab architecture, that deals directly with a language of shapes to create compatibility with the public. Hence, the aim of the paper is to link the variables that the contemporary architecture formulated with concepts of local architecture. To meet such aims, the research is pivot around two themes: Firstly, tackling how to extract the forces that lead to the contemporariness of local heritage and formalize the DNA of any local community (Culture, Community Aspiration, Climate, and Technology), as well as discussing some experience that dealt with local architecture. Secondly, discussing some recent trials that learned from the previous attempts through history. The attempts strongly re-activate the local architecture in the contemporary challenges, namely, the use of heritage forms as is to conform to environmental determinants, development of these forms using contemporary materials through the visions of local architecture, and employing high-tech solutions to achieve contemporary appropriateness within traditional ideologies. In the end, the paper presents new ideas of the local architecture that learned from the previous experiences in our Arab societies to meet the needs of today's Arab societies.

Ko, Bong-Kuk; Lee, Woo-Jung; Lee, Jae-Hoon

2017 Open House International

doi: 10.1108/OHI-01-2017-B0016

The purpose of this study is to understand what health and safety hazards low-income households are subject to by surveying the real conditions of the defective housing of low-income households, and to find improvement strategies. For this purpose, we visited the concentrated areas of the multi-dwelling unit (MDU) (also known as multi-family residential) housing in Jungwon-gu and Sujeong-gu in Seongnam City, Kyunggi-do, one of the representative areas in Korea with a massive distribution of the low-income class. Based on the survey data, the level of housing defects were comparison analyzed per income decile (decile 1, decile 2, deciles 3–4), and per housing location, in the categories of subsidence, cracks in the wall, delamination, water leakage/infiltration, condensation, and contamination. The housing condition per income class was more defective in the decile 2 households rather than in the decile 2 households, and in the substructure more than in the superstructure. Among the six defects, contamination problems, caused by sub-standard living conditions, were the most frequent cases. Structural defects, subsidence and cracks in the wall, were found in the main living areas—the bedrooms and the living rooms. It was confirmed in this study that the conditions of low-income housing are serious, and that it is necessary to explore specific countermeasures in the near future.