Daylight affects our health and comfort. Recently, occupants face thermal and visual comfort problems due to the lack of solar control elements and improper design decisions of glazed surfaces.... Show More

Daylight affects our health and comfort. Recently, occupants face thermal and visual comfort problems due to the lack of solar control elements and improper design decisions of glazed surfaces. Recent studies show that solar control systems and window-based variables are some of the most significant variables which influence daylight performance. This study aims to test various combinations of window sizes and light shelf scenarios for a uniform distribution of daylight and visual comfort of occupants in two architecture studios in the İzmir Institute of Technology (IZTECH) Campus. In scenarios; window size and location, exterior and interior light shelves’ height, incline angle, and materials are tested. It is concluded that variables significantly improved the uniform distribution of daylight of both studios and sun patch areas of the south/east-oriented studio. Also, the artificial light requirement of the south/west-oriented studio is improved by 29.36% and 31.75% for the 21st of June and December respectively.

The concept of smart cities has become increasingly popular as a new urban planning perspective. However, different levels of accessibility to these new technologies due to socio-economic... Show More

The concept of smart cities has become increasingly popular as a new urban planning perspective. However, different levels of accessibility to these new technologies due to socio-economic disparities in the society proves this approach to be an important research subject for the urban planning of future cities. The main objective of this study is to evaluate smart-governance potential of residents who live in different urban areas and have different technological skills in order to participate in city planning equally. The main methodology of this study is to map and spatially analyse the use of online municipality services in urban areas with different socio-economic characteristics in İzmir/Bayraklı district. For this purpose, a spatial database via GIS was built including the location of residents who use the online ‘e-service’ section of the municipality’s official website and digital analysis maps was produced.

This research aims to understand the factors that contribute to the quality of life within isolated, confined, extreme (ICE) environments by investigating the architectural elements that affect an... Show More

This research aims to understand the factors that contribute to the quality of life within isolated, confined, extreme (ICE) environments by investigating the architectural elements that affect an individual’s spatial perception, their manifestation in ICE environments, and how spatial confinement and isolation contribute to changes in an individual’s perception of spaciousness. The researchers performed an in-depth examination on three different habitats, designed to simulate life in ICE environments, to identify which architectural elements were important contributors to positive and negative changes in spaciousness. For further explorations, fourteen design professionals were asked to evaluate these habitats using the Spaciousness and Crampedness Scale (SCS) and measuring the relative estimation in error of habitats’ areas. Afterward, the evaluations were compared with the examinations. The results indicate that the environment’s geometry, lighting, color, and texture significantly contribute to perceived spaciousness when evaluated through qualitative and quantitative methods.

Disasters affecting the whole world in different ways and degrees may happen at any time – even simultaneously – need to be reconsidered, especially so at the moment of writing (early in the 21st... Show More

Disasters affecting the whole world in different ways and degrees may happen at any time – even simultaneously – need to be reconsidered, especially so at the moment of writing (early in the 21st century) under the shadow of an ongoing pandemic. Earthquakes (occurring at a higher level now in Turkey) should be discussed within this pandemic context; preventative measures require to be put in place as well as disaster management plans. This paper focuses on temporary housing design: a crucial aspect in any anticipated extension of rehabilitation and reconstruction periods. It has taken the Marmara Earthquakes (1999) as a case study. Criteria are defined based on limiting the rate of infection and motivating people to stay indoors, and are weighted using a multi-criteria decision-making method called Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). The plans of the various house-types have been evaluated within this framework: the data developed is based on the temporary housing design and a correlation established between their ability to stand up to pandemic conditions and the sizes of the units.

The present paper proposes a reading through the techno-city visions as an attempt to jump into the timeline. The paper examines the experimental architectural works dreaming of the cities of the... Show More

The present paper proposes a reading through the techno-city visions as an attempt to jump into the timeline. The paper examines the experimental architectural works dreaming of the cities of the future in the context of being visionary. The paper interprets the techno-city design example sets within two headings: “Future city dreams” and “Future city dystopias”. The positive atmosphere of technological developments, covering the years the 1960s-1980s, creates future city dreams. Future city dystopias are visible in science fiction and architectural representations, especially after the 1990s, supported by computer technologies and increasing uncertainty. The techno-city visions discussed in the series, it is aimed to make visible the potential and expansions of the act of imagining and designing the future. Finally, it is aimed to put forward a discussion on the question of what the present "visions of city of the future" are. This text aims to understand the channels through which visionary techno-city projects are fed, their meanings, and the expansions they create.

Chinese cities, especially in the Pearl River Delta, have seen enormous development under globalization and the consequent ecological, socio-economic, and political changes. This 'high-speed... Show More

Chinese cities, especially in the Pearl River Delta, have seen enormous development under globalization and the consequent ecological, socio-economic, and political changes. This 'high-speed urbanization' results from various factors (e.g., reorganizing the administrative and institutional system and new modes of production, employment, and investment). These processes lead to transformations in the urban structures with massive growth and concentrations of population, infrastructure, and economic and political power. The complex relations and connections influence the spatial, social, and ecological development in the new-urban areas. Reflecting on the development outcomes in the PRD, this paper examines the possibilities for new strategic action in the economically important and developing Yangtze River Delta area. Based on outcomes from integrating industrial ecology into the planning of new urban developments, this paper argues that applying these ideas to Chinese urbanization could result in shared economic values and sustainable success.