Art, Design, and Architecture

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Open Access
Achieving inclusion in public spaces: A shopping mall case study
(Springer, London, 2012) Afacan, Yasemin
Open Access
Analysing the effects of critique techniques on the success of Interior Architecture Students
(John Wiley & Sons Ltd, 2018) Günday-Gül, Ç. G.; Afacan, Yasemin
In architectural design education, the most significant part in the curriculum is the design studio, where students learn how to design. Critique has a crucial role in the design studio, and in determining the best and most beneficial critique type for the architectural design education process. Student attitudes toward critiques and student satisfaction level with each critique technique are also significant. To that end, this article explores design studio learning by reviewing the design learning process and types of design critiques. Focusing on three critique techniques used in design education (desk critiques, pin-up critiques and group critiques), the article analyses correlations between student attitudes toward each technique and its contribution to the design process. Research was conducted with 84 third-year interior architecture students from the 2014-15 Fall semester at a university. No statistically significant differences were found between group and pin-up critiques in terms of students’ preferences and their final performance scores; however, there was a statistically significant relationship between student preferences toward desk critiques and student success. Furthermore, the contribution of a critique technique to the design process was found to be highly correlated with student preference for this technique.
Open Access
Analyzing occupants' control over lighting systems in office settings using immersive virtual environments
(Elsevier BV, 2021-06) Mahmoudzadeh, Parisa; Afacan, Yasemin; Adi, Muhamad Nadim
Research has identified occupant behavior as one of the key contributors to building energy performance gap. Thus, this study systematically analyzed the impact of having personal control over lighting system on occupants' lighting choices, lighting satisfaction, and task performance in a virtual office setting. For this purpose, 30 participants took part in a 3-phased experiment with immersive virtual environments (IVEs). Each phase of the experiment offered a different degree of control over the lighting. Personality traits were also studied in relation to lighting choices. Finally, a technology acceptance model (TAM) was employed to further investigate the participants’ attitude towards the virtual reality (VR) technology. The findings of this study showed that using an interactive lighting system, which was as satisfactory compared to a conventional lighting system, encouraged the participants to use more natural light. The interactive lighting system imposed the same amount of cognitive load on the participants for performing a reading task as a conventional lighting system, which was significantly lower than their cognitive load scores for performing the task with automated lighting system. Personality analyses demonstrated that the participants with a high score on openness had a wide range of lighting choices either with conventional or with interactive lighting. This study's results differed from the previous studies by highlighting that the participants considered VR as a better fit to an enjoyable experience rather than a useful tool for performing serious tasks.
Open Access
Approaching environmental human thermophysiological thresholds for the case of Ankara, Turkey
(Springer, 2020-10-27) Santos Nouri, Andre; Afacan, Yasemin; Çalışkan, O.; Tzu-Ping, L.; Matzarakis, A.
The disclosed study undertook a ‘human centred-approach’ that ascertained and categorised environmental human thermophysiological risk factors by relating them to the human biometeorological system through the use of three widely utilised energy balance model (EBM) indices, the physiologically equivalent temperature (PET), the modified PET, and the universal thermal climate index (UTCI). The disclosed assessment was carried out over the past decade (i.e., 2010–2019) with a 3-h temporal resolution for the case of Ankara through two WMO meteorological stations to compare both local urban and peri-urban environmental conditions. The study recognised extreme annual variability of human physiological stress (PS) during the different seasons as a result of the biometeorological processing of the singular variables, which in the case of average PET for both stations, varied by up to 75 °C between the winter and summer for the same annual dataset (2012). In addition, all EBMs indicated higher heat stress within the city centre that were conducive of both urban extreme heatwaves and very hot days during the summer months, with extreme heat stress levels lasting for longer than a week with PET values reaching a maximum of 48 °C. Similar cold extremes were found for the winter months, with PET values reaching − 30 °C, and average PS levels varying lower in the case of the peri-urban station.
Open Access
Assessing creativity in design education: Analysis of creativity factors in the first-year design studio
(Elsevier, 2012-05) Demirkan, H.; Afacan, Yasemin
The aim of this study is to explore creativity in design education and identify the creativity assessment indicators in the first-year design studio. A measurement tool of 41 items that consists of the artifact creativity, design elements and assembly of design elements were utilised for the assessment of 210 artifacts. Results oldie exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis indicated three main design creativity factors. The primary factor consists of the novelty and affective characteristics of artifact that are associated with its shape. The second factor has the elaboration characteristics that are integrated with its geometric and figure-ground relations and harmony of design elements. The third factor consists of rhythm, repetition, unity, order and number of design elements. (c) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Open Access
Designing for an ageing population: Residential preferences of the turkish older people to age in place
(Springer-Verlag London Ltd, 2008) Afacan, Yasemin
Open Access
Detection and quantification of seasonal human heat and cold stress frequencies in representative existing and future urban canyons: the case of Ankara
(Springer Wien, 2023-05-27) Nouri, Andre Santos; Charalampopoulos, I.; Afacan, Yasemin; Matzarakis, A.
Based upon a ‘human-centred approach’, combinations of existing and new methodologies were applied to determine how Ankara’s morphological characteristics influenced the magnitude/frequency of Cold Stress (CS) and Heat Stress (HS) to detect/quantify seasonal and yearly human thermal stress frequency. To quantify these conditions upon the human biometeorological system, the Physiologically Equivalent Temperature (PET) was utilised by processing climatic variables from Ankara’s Meteorological Station (AMS). In situ assessments of human thermophysiological thresholds were undertaken within characteristic existing/future Urban Canyon Cases (UCCs), with a further stipulation of three interior Reference Points (RPs). Indoor PET values were moreover calculated within a stereotypical vulnerable residential dwelling. Seasonal frequencies revealed that winter PET values frequently ranged between 0.0 and − 19.9 °C, with corresponding summer values frequently ranging between 35.1 and 46.0 °C. Accounting for Ankara’s urban morphology, yearly frequency of No Thermal Stress remained at ~ 48%, CS remained at ~ 26%, and HS ~ 28%. HS varied the most between the eight evaluated Aspect Ratios (ARs). It reduced by up to 7.1% (114 min) within the Centre (RP$_{C}$) area of UCCs with an orientation of 90°. Out of twelve orientations, the highest HS frequency took place between 105 and 135°. Including in UCC$_{3.50}$, the frequency of HS almost always remained above 72% (2592 min).
Open Access
Effects of daylight design features on visitors’ satisfaction of museums
(SAGE Publications, 2018) Kaya, Şevkiye M.; Afacan, Yasemin
This study evaluates daylight performance in an art museum in İstanbul, Turkey to analyse the effects of daylight design features on visitors’ satisfaction in art museums. The study is based on users’ data obtained through a survey and daylight simulation achieved by Autodesk 3D’s Max 2014. A three-part questionnaire was conducted with 100 participants in overcast- and clear-sky conditions to rate visitors’ satisfaction with the museum and their importance level of daylight design issues in museums. The museum’s daylight illuminance data were measured on a scaled model by a computer simulation program. The statistical results and simulation renderings show that daylight design is a multi-parameter task. There are statistically significant correlations between visual comfort and visitor satisfaction. The study finds two essential daylight considerations for a practical guide to promote healthy and effective daylight use in museums: (i) that certain design aspects in a museum, such as location, window size and window distance from partitions or displays, are important regardless of weather conditions and that (ii) glare prevention from openings such as windows and skylights is also a crucial aspect in visual comfort.
Open Access
Elderly-friendly inclusive urban environments: learning from Ankara
(Open House International Association, 2013-03) Afacan, Yasemin
The aging population and their expectations have become a growing concern in Turkey as in other countries. This study aims to investigate interactions/relationships between the needs, demands and expectations of Turkish elderly and inclusive urban design principles. It tries to answer the research question: how the inclusive urban life could improve elderly life and contribute to achieve an active aging process. An exploratory study was conducted with a total of 100 randomly selected elderly between the ages 65-95 (45 female and 55 male) from the City Centre of Ankara. A survey instrument based on the streets for life' concept (Burton & Mitchell 2006) was developed to gather data. The participants were asked to identify how important inclusive urban design features were in understanding, using and navigating within an urban environment. The findings of the study suggest that an inclusive open environment allows elderly people to feel safer, and thus encourage more regular use of urban space. Overall the results highlight two important insights, first that accessibility is inevitable for increasing the chance of the aging population to participate in the mainstream of community life and second, plain and simple signage is necessary to achieve more liveable urban environments. The study concludes the most important physical requirements and social requirements for elderly people.
Open Access
Ergonomic wet spaces: design factors in bathrooms designed for all
(Institute of India, 2012-06) Afacan, Yasemin
Design decisions are directly related to efficient functioning of residential environments and equally responding these environments to diverse user demands. The most challenging decisions of architects and designers are the solutions that are required for non– discriminating wet spaces. In that sense, rather than having special solutions, there is a need of usable, accessible and understandable kitchens and bathrooms in Turkish society, where there is an increase in aging and disabled society. This study analysed the bathroom literature under three approaches: universal design, design for all and inclusive design. According to the analysis results, the design factors for ergonomic bathrooms encompass: circulation, storage units, WCs, basins, shower/bathtub, illumination, materials. Furthermore, the relationships among those are discussed according to diverse user groups. As a result, user needs are changing parametrically based on the diversity of disabilities, which makes an integrated approach essential rather than additional design solutions.
Open Access
Exploring the effectiveness of blended learning in interior design education
(Routledge, 2016) Afacan, Yasemin
This study explores how blended learning can contribute to interior design students’ learning outcomes, their engagement with non-studio courses and affect their learning achievements. Within the framework of the study, a blended learning experience was carried out in ‘IAED 342 Building Performance’ module at Bilkent University, Turkey. A total of 120 interior architecture students were surveyed about their experiences on five fields of instruction: (1) course design, learning material and electronic course environment; (2) interaction between students and instructor; (3) interaction with peers; (4) individual learning process; and (5) course outcomes. Frequency distributions, chi-square factor and regression analyses were calculated. Four blended learning factors were developed and their contribution to learning outcomes was analysed. The results showed that teaching both online and face-to-face can create an effective learning environment for non-studio classes, while contributing to a considerable value for the interior design education in terms of teaching process.
Open Access
Exploring the relationship between health and walkability
(Open House International Association, 2019-03) Seles, Emre; Afacan, Yasemin
This study aimed to broaden Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) by including healthy urban performance attributes of the residential neighbourhoods as an additional predictor for walking behaviour. First, the study reviewed the literature on TPB and walkability in residential environments, and then constructed a TPB model based on walkability to set the hypotheses. The study explored the correlations among walkability attributes and walkability behaviour through a survey conducted with residents in Ankara, Turkey (n= 220). To analyse the data, first confirmatory factor analysis and later, structural equation modelling were used. The findings of the study highlighted two aspects of planning for a walkable neighbourhood: (i) a walkability model based on the three constructs of TPB should not neglect the measured and experienced urban performance; (ii) utilizing pedestrian environment for walking as fully as possible requires a collaborative and an experiential approach as well as a multi-parameter decision-making process.
Open Access
Extending the importance–performance analysis (IPA) approach to Turkish elderly people’s self-rated home accessibility
(Springer, 2019) Afacan, Yasemin
Designers are still struggling to make good and fair home designs for elderly people. Although there are a lot of studies on accessibility in homes, there are few methodologies to rate the importance of accessible home attributes, or address the relationships between the most important and most satisfactory attributes (in terms of creating a good fit between the elderly and their homes). This study suggests using the importance–performance analysis (IPA) approach to set accessibility priorities and identify the critical performance factors that determine the elderly’s satisfaction with accessible homes. A self-assessment questionnaire instrument was developed based on housing accessibility literature and conducted with 342 Turkish elderly people chosen through stratified sampling among neighborhood clusters in Ankara, Turkey. The descriptive results and factor analysis of the study are significant in that they indicate significant differences among dwelling types. There were differences in importance and performance priority levels of home accessibility factors associated with each dwelling type. Moreover, the study found that safety and ease of use are the key indicators of home accessibility. According to the results, the IPA could be an effective tool to overcome the messy character of evaluating home accessibility for the elderly. By extending the accessibility attributes with the IPA analysis, it is possible to identify specific accessibility attributes, establish highest and lower priorities for intervention and decide which attributes should be maintained and/or ignored. Thus, this study contributes to the literature on aging by being the first study to explore the applicability of the IPA technique while eliciting elderly people’s accessibility requirements for healthy aging.
Open Access
Impact of building massing on energy efficient school buildings
(Springer, 2020) Afacan, Yasemin; Ranjbar, Ali; Littlewood, J.; Howlett, R. J.; Capozzoli, A.; Jain, L. C.
To produce energy-efficient buildings, optimization process for all design stages is necessary. Optimization starts with the massing of the building. This study investigates the impact of the five school massing typologies on energy efficiency: (i) spine/street; (ii) city/town; (iii) atrium; (iv) strawberry/cluster; and (v) courtyard. The chosen massing typologies respond to the question of what an optimum spatial organization of massing is to (i) maximize the use of renewable resources; (ii) utilize thermal inertia of buildings; and (iii) consider the relationship between inside and outside, both existing and future. For each massing type, Sefaira program was used, and simulations were run for annual energy use, annual energy cost and annual carbon dioxide (CO2)(CO2) emissions. The energy use indices (EUI) of the alternatives are around 86 kWh/m2/yr. In the spine massing, the EUI value is much higher than the other four buildings. The highest annual net CO2CO2 emissions are obtained in atrium type of building, which has more floors compared to other massing type. The courtyard type has the most efficient annual electricity cost per area. These findings showed that the goal of the building massing should be not only limited to achieve the low EUI. Thus, this study suggests that an energy-efficient massing should address the questions beyond well-known ASHRAE standards, and define a new holistic model that considers the ratio of surface area to volume more for reducing energy loads than a typical high-performance schools.
Open Access
Impact of climate zone and orientation angle on the recurring massing school typologies in Turkey
(Springer Singapore, 2022-09-30) Afacan, Yasemin; Littlewood, John R.; Howlett, Robert; Jain, Lakhmi C.
In this study, the impact of different climate zones on same massing typologies of a typical school building with different orientation angles was quantified through building energy simulations of a case building in Turkey. The most schools in Turkey do not comply with the current energy code because they were built prior to the code. Thus, there is a crucial need to investigate their energy efficiency for potential retrofits. The results of the study exemplified how the breakdowns in energy use and carbon emissions would significantly influence design decision-making process of a school. Considering the four climate scenarios, mainly the influence of an orientation angle on energy use intensity (EUI) is higher than its influence on carbon emissions. This study differed from other sustainability researches in terms of defining building massing in schools with an emphasis on environmentally climate responsive school design, which is a holistic approach and comprehensive understanding of high-performance energy efficiency. A climate responsive massing should address the questions beyond well-known standards, and define a new holistic model that uses the optimum orientation, and surface to volume ratio of the building to reduce energy loads and achieve high-performance energy efficiency.
Open Access
Impacts of biophilic design on the development of gerotranscendence and the profile of mood states during the COVID-19 pandemic
(Cambridge University Press, 2023-11-16) Afacan, Yasemin
To live in a good mood is not only a key consideration for future age-friendly communities, but also a critical necessity for positive ageing. Despite growing evidence of correlations between contact with nature and stress reduction, little is known about the effect of nature integration in indoor environments. Thus, this study aimed to answer the following research questions: (a) How do biophilic characteristics of home environments correlate with older adults’ experience of the multiple levels of the theory of gerotranscendence? and (b) What is the relationship between these experiences and the mood states of these older adults? The study was based on a comparative analysis to scrutinise the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on these questions. The data were gathered through questionnaires with 450 older adults aged between 65 and 95 years, and stratified by the biophilic characteristics of their living environments: indoor biophilic, outdoor biophilic and non-biophilic. Two sets of data were collected with the same participants, respectively, before the COVID-19 pandemic (June to October 2018) and during the COVID-19 pandemic (June to October 2020). It found that the biophilic characteristics of home environments are correlated dynamically with older adults’ ageing experience and mood states. The study indicates that outdoor biophilic features facilitate the recovery of tension mood effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, whereas indoor biophilic features facilitate recovery from depression and anger.
Open Access
Impacts of biophilic design on the development of gerotranscendence and the Profile of Mood States during the COVID-19 pandemic
(Cambridge University Press, 2021-12-16) Afacan, Yasemin
To live in a good mood is not only a key consideration for future age-friendly communities, but also a critical necessity for positive ageing. Despite growing evidence of correlations between contact with nature and stress reduction, little is known about the effect of nature integration in indoor environments. Thus, this study aimed to answer the following research questions: (a) How do biophilic characteristics of home environments correlate with older adults’ experience of the multiple levels of the theory of gerotranscendence? and (b) What is the relationship between these experiences and the mood states of these older adults? The study was based on a comparative analysis to scrutinise the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on these questions. The data were gathered through questionnaires with 450 older adults aged between 65 and 95 years, and stratified by the biophilic characteristics of their living environments: indoor biophilic, outdoor biophilic and non-biophilic. Two sets of data were collected with the same participants, respectively, before the COVID-19 pandemic (June to October 2018) and during the COVID-19 pandemic (June to October 2020). It found that the biophilic characteristics of home environments are correlated dynamically with older adults’ ageing experience and mood states. The study indicates that outdoor biophilic features facilitate the recovery of tension mood effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, whereas indoor biophilic features facilitate recovery from depression and anger.
Open Access
Impacts of urban living lab (ULL) on learning to design inclusive, sustainable, and climate-resilient urban environments
(Elsevier, 2022-11-11) Afacan, Yasemin
Urban design education research increasingly acknowledges the crucial need to create partnerships and collaborations with relevant stakeholders to support urban environments’ planning, governance, design, and decision-making processes in the most holistic manner. However, an inclusive and sustainable urban environment does not have the same meaning for every city, making its design more challenging. The sensory spatial qualities of cities are complex and depend on many social, economic, political, cultural, and natural factors. Thus, this study explores the role of the urban living lab (ULL) methodology in designing inclusive, sustainable, and climate-resilient urban environments in a graduate design studio course. In this study, the ULL was more than a lab. It opened up the critical awareness of multiple links between research, experience, and practice in land use policy. This ULL pedagogical approach could be replicated in different urban contexts to support the decision and design phase of the land use policy process.
Open Access
The influence of sustainable design features on indoor environmental quality satisfaction in Turkish dwellings
(Taylor & Francis, 2016) Afacan, Yasemin; Demirkan, H.
The aim of this paper is to explore the influence of sustainable design features on occupants satisfaction levels with indoor environmental quality (IEQ) aspects in three types of dwellings. Satisfaction level was investigated through a field survey with 240 participants, in apartments, row and detached houses in Turkey. Satisfaction level was explored in terms of overall satisfaction with IEQ, with the efficiency of daily living activities and with sleeping quality. Satisfaction level was also investigated regarding the dwellings thermal, ventilation, lighting, sound level and moisture qualities. The findings indicate that the existence of exterior insulation, a thermostat, light dimmers and control of daylighting systems through operable windows have high impacts on the satisfaction level of occupants living in all three types of dwellings. © 2015 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
Open Access
An interdisciplinary heuristic evaluation method for universal building design
(Elsevier, 2009) Afacan, Yasemin; Erbug, C.
This study highlights how heuristic evaluation as a usability evaluation method can feed into Current building design practice to conform to universal design principles. It provides a definition of universal usability that is applicable to an architectural design context. It takes the seven universal design principles as a set of heuristics and applies an iterative sequence of heuristic evaluation in a shopping mall, aiming to achieve a cost-effective evaluation process. The evaluation was composed of three consecutive sessions. First, five evaluators from different professions were interviewed regarding the construction drawings in terms of universal design principles. Then, each evaluator was asked to perform the predefined task scenarios. In subsequent interviews, the evaluators were asked to reanalyze the construction drawings. The results showed that heuristic evaluation could successfully integrate universal usability into Current building design practice in two ways: (i) it promoted an iterative evaluation process combined with multi-sessions rather than relying on one evaluator and on one evaluation session to find the maximum number of usability problems, and (ii) it highlighted the necessity of an interdisciplinary ad hoc committee regarding the heuristic abilities of each profession. A multi-session and interdisciplinary heuristic evaluation method can save both the project budget and the required time, while ensuring a reduced error rate for the universal usage of the built environments. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.