Browsing by Subject "Built environment"

Now showing 1 - 9 of 9

Open Access
Critique by design: tackling urban renewal in the design studio
(Palgrave Macmillan, 2014) Batuman, B.; Baykan, D. A.
The dominant mode of urbanization in our contemporary world is marked by large scale urban renewal projects, which are deployed with little or no consideration given to the social predicaments. The urban design studio can serve as a domain in which critical reflections on urban issues can be incorporated into design works. In this article, we propose a methodology of 'critique by design', which does not seek to arrive at scientific knowledge but rather involves the development of urban design proposals critically engaging with the urban issues they address through conceptual approaches. We discuss our methodology through the case of an experimental studio work conducted in Ankara, Turkey at Bilkent University, Department of Urban Design and Landscape Architecture in 2011. © 2014 Macmillan Publishers Ltd.
Open Access
Figures of wo/man in contemporary architectural discourse
(Routledge, 2005) Baydar, Gülsüm; Heynen, Hilde; Baydar, Gülsüm
Open Access
Insular urbanism in Byzantium
(Routledge, 2024-01-31) Zavagno, Luca; Bakirtzis, Nikolas; Zavagno, Luca
Traditionally, islands have not attracted a good deal of attention on the part of Byzantine historiography. In truth, if one leaves aside the pulverized constellation of islets dotting the Aegean basin, which was regarded as part and parcel of the Byzantine heartland in the seventh to ninth century and the real economic pillar of the empire from the tenth century till 1204, the islands of Byzantine Mediterranean have been regarded as mere distant outposts and peripheral worlds. Although an all-encompassing alternative to the only existing systematic account on the history of the Byzantine insular world has yet to be produced, scholars like Salvatore Cosentino, Enrico Zanini, and Myrto Veikou have recently tried to re-assess the role of islands in the Byzantine Medieval Mediterranean. Indeed, it is important to stress the location of insular urban sites along the so-called maritime continuation of the “frontiers” of the Byzantine Empire.
Open Access
Introducing the Byzantine city, its histories, ideas and realities
(Routledge, 2024-01-31) Bakirtzis, Nikolas; Zavagno, Luca; Bakirtzis, Nikolas; Zavagno, Luca
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book addresses the history and the realities of the Byzantine city proposing a multifaceted overview of the Byzantine urban phenomenon rather than singling out the trajectories and development of specific sites and regions. It attempts to stress the resilience of urban lifestyle and the centrality of fabric and architecture to the political and social life of cities in the Medieval period and beyond. The book then points to the importance of addressing the regional diversity of Byzantine urban life as well as carefully navigating through what has been hastily labeled as the ruralization, militarization, and decline of the city in the so-called Dark Ages of Byzantium. It also looks at the last centuries of Byzantium through its cities, thus highlighting their central role through the arrival of the Ottomans and beyond.
Open Access
Perception and evaluation of spaciousness in interior spaces
(1994) Demirörs, Çiğdem
Man and Built-Environment studies have incre^ased rapidly in recent years, leading to a better understanding and eKamini^tion of the effects of different architectural variables on the assessment of interior spaces. The aim of this thesis is to cxnalyse the effects of some of these factors, namely, room geometry, color, lighting, window, and furniture on the perception and evaluation of spacioussness. These have been studied in the con text of man-environment interactions, based on the studies of well-known researchers of the field. In addition, two case-studies have been conducted to study the effects of furniture organization and lighting arrangements on the assessment of interior spaces in terms of spaciousness.
Open Access
Setting the key issues and a prioritization strategy for designing sustainable interior environments
(Middle East Technical University, 2018) Demirkan, Halime; Afacan, Yasemin
Designers should operate an effective strategy to increase the possibility of creating sustainable built environments. This paper aims to evolve a framework that is composed of the sustainable interior environment issues acting as the basis that contribute positively to humans' well being through the efficient use of site, energy, water and materials and resources in the built environment. The C-K theory, which defines the design process as an interaction between the space of concepts (C) and the space of knowledge (K), is suggested as an innovative approach to design practice. Using morphological analysis with the cross-consistency assessment technique, all compatible relationships, with their assigned values, are determined. Further, the study prioritizes the components of a sustainable interior environment into most important, moderately important or least important and ranks them from highest to lowest. This study proposes an innovative approach to interior design practice that incorporates sustainable characteristics to the built environments.
Open Access
The Byzantine city and its historiography
(Routledge, 2024-01-31) Zavagno, Luca; Bakirtzis, Nikolas; Zavagno, Luca
This chapter offers an overview of the most important historiographic contributions on the Byzantine city as they encompass a wide methodological and disciplinary array of scholarly expertise: from history to archeology, from literature to hagiography, from material culture to legal studies. Lopez Quiroga stresses the importance of Christianization in molding the post-Roman urban socio-economic and structural landscape.48 He also compares specifically regional outcomes of urbanism in the West and East to conclude that the archeological record does not allow to talk of any break or abandonment but rather of an adaptation transforming classical urban areas in “Byzantine cities.” Zanini also questions the terminological and semantic aspect of the word city in defining a new conceptual model of post-sixth-century Byzantine city. This allows him to describe both the new characteristics and old features of Byzantine urbanism: small, fortified, Christian, and imperial centers.
Open Access
The neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) context and the perceived soundscape: a grounded theory approach
(Sage Publications, Inc., 2024-07) Orhan, Cemre; Yılmazer, Semiha
Background:Studies address excessive sound levels and their adverse effects on infants in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). However, objective measurements represent merely one aspect of the acoustic environment, and investigations into staff’s perceptions of the acoustic environment remain scarce in the NICU context. A holistic approach, soundscape, is needed to explore the acoustic environment in-depth. Aim:This study aims to (1) contribute to indoor soundscape literature and inform decision-makers of future NICU design and research by focusing on staff members’ perceptions of the soundscape and (2) explore whether there is a relationship between staff members’ perceptions of soundscapes and the built and acoustic environments of one NICU. Methods:Following the ISO/TS 12913-2/3 protocols, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 NICU staff members and analyzed using the grounded theory to generate a conceptual framework for NICU soundscapes. Results:The results indicated that the task-related sounds, including false alarms, were neutrally responded to as they evoked acceptance and adaptation behaviors. The sound sources perceived as irrelevant were responded to negatively. NICU staff indicated that although they expect to hear alarms clearly, specific features of alarms caused several physiological and psychological problems. Conclusions:The findings of the study revealed the importance of conducting a soundscape approach to investigate NICU acoustic environment in detail. The study showed that staff members’ perceptions and responses primarily depend on the context rather than on sound levels.
Open Access
Urban development process of built environments in metropolitan areas in Turkey: case study of angora settlement, Ankara
(American Society of Civil Engineers, 2012) Balta, M. T.; Tekel, A; Tekel, H. T.
The built environments of metropolitan areas are rapidly changing in response to urban development dynamics. The nature of the urban built environment continues to be influenced by the conflicting interests and expectations of various entities involved in the process of development planning and implementation. The formulation and implementation of urban development plans in Turkey is guided by the statutory provisions of the country's planning system. This process has led to piecemeal implementation through partial plans and plan amendments in metropolitan areas. This article attempts to determine how the private sector in metropoles in Turkey shaped the built environment in Turkey after 1980. Influence of neo-liberal policies and a partial planning approach set by a free-market economy instead of a comprehensive planning approach shaped urban space. As a capital, the urban development of Ankara has mostly been shaped by partial planning approaches and implementations and uncontrolled developments, especially on the southwest axis of the city's metropolitan area. For this reason, one of the largest settlement of southwest Ankara is the Angora Settlement, which has been selected as the case study. Examining the entities who play a part in the urban development process is important to control its consequences. In this article, the case of Angora Settlement is used to question the planning process and entities in the development of urban built environments, and studies this settlement to identify and question which entities determine the components of the built environment in the urban development process. In particular, this paper captures the dominance of the structural interests of the private sector in shaping Angora's land use pattern, which is important because it reveals the uncontrolled growth dynamics in developing countries. © 2012 American Society of Civil Engineers.