Table Of ContentShaimaa Kamel · Hanan Sabry ·
Ghada F. Hassan · Mostafa Refat ·
Abeer Elshater · Ahmed S. Abd Elrahman ·
Doaa K. Hassan · Rowaida Rashed Editors
Architecture
and Urbanism:
A Smart
Outlook
Proceedings of the 3rd International
Conference on Architecture and Urban
Planning, Cairo, Egypt
Architecture and Urbanism: A Smart Outlook
Shaimaa Kamel Hanan Sabry
(cid:129) (cid:129)
Ghada F. Hassan Mostafa Refat
(cid:129) (cid:129)
Abeer Elshater Ahmed S. Abd Elrahman
(cid:129) (cid:129)
Doaa K. Hassan Rowaida Rashed
(cid:129)
Editors
Architecture and Urbanism:
A Smart Outlook
Proceedings of the 3rd International
Conference on Architecture and Urban
Planning, Cairo, Egypt
123
Editors
ShaimaaKamel Hanan Sabry
AinShamsUniversity AinShamsUniversity
Cairo, Egypt Cairo, Egypt
Ghada F.Hassan Mostafa Refat
AinShamsUniversity AinShamsUniversity
Cairo, Egypt Cairo, Egypt
Abeer Elshater Ahmed S.Abd Elrahman
AinShamsUniversity AinShamsUniversity
Cairo, Egypt Cairo, Egypt
Doaa K.Hassan Rowaida Rashed
AinShamsUniversity AinShamsUniversity
Cairo, Egypt Cairo, Egypt
ISBN978-3-030-52583-5 ISBN978-3-030-52584-2 (eBook)
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-52584-2
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Preface
With the advent of the new millennium, it became obvious that rapid urbanisation
has serious repercussions on the world’s ecosystems. As innovative solutions are
needed to confront new challenges, the Faculty of Engineering at Ain Shams
University invited renowned international multi-disciplinary keynote speakers,
along with researchers and practical exemplars from the fields of architecture and
urban planning, to discuss both innovation and technological opportunities and
challengesforthebuiltenvironment.Theaimwastodepicthowsmartapproaches
and prospects could transform future buildings and urban areas into places of
enhanced value and quality.
The event, which took place in October 2019, created an open and dynamic
space for profound exchange over the course of three days. The speakers shared
different philosophies and experiences, while revisiting the conventional model of
design production. Moreover, speakers applied smart solutions to a variety of
design challenges touching on urban regeneration and development, contextuality,
human-centred design, integrative design, adaptive buildings, innovative
technology-based materials, and product design. The research papers collectively
intersected with a smart outlook as a common paradigm.
Theeditorsofthisbookwerecommittedtoselectingoutstandingleadingresearch
papersinanattempttoencapsulatethedifferentconceptsandapproachesthatwould
help shape a holisticvisiontowards a smart sustainablebuiltenvironment.
The book comprises 34 chapters grouped under five main areas: smart archi-
tecturaldesigneducationandpractice,smartenvironmentalsolutions,smartcultural
heritage, smartpublic spaces, and climate-smart cities.
Part I: Smart Architectural Design Education and Practice
Architecture today is fundamentally different from the time when Vitruvius wrote
his books on architecture. Nonetheless, technology and architecture remain epis-
temologically inseparable. With the increasing importance of technology in the
v
vi Preface
builtworld,itbecomesobviousthattechnologyplaysaninfluentialroleshapingthe
architect’s artistic and spatial considerations. Today, the role of the architect has
developed with the imperative of needing to embrace technology without com-
promisingtheartisticintegrity.Newtechnologieshavealwaysdriveninnovationin
building design, while providing the profession with a myriad of design tools that
could take building design further.
The chapters to follow are concerned with architectural education and design.
Five chapters tackle enhancing practice-based education pedagogy by adopting
concepts that would help students develop their competences and skills for pro-
fessional practice and adapt to the rapidly evolving future: creativity, ambiguity
tolerance,natureimitation,sustainability,andlearningalgorithms,whereasthelast
three chapters in this part address the enhancement of building design through the
development of three tools and approaches: swarm intelligence, biomimicry, and
multisensory design.
Going in depth through Chap. 1, Doaa Hassan investigates the effect of
improvisation on students’ mindsets and creative climate, then consequently on
creativeproblemsolving(CPS)whileengaginginanarchitecturaldesigntask.The
author develops an educational experiment on two similar brainstorming sessions,
where the second session starts with improvisation activities to explore the influ-
ence of training in such skill. These results go in line with Chap. 2, where Meral
Omar et al. proposed a framework of criteria for adopting biomimicry in archi-
tectural design education. The authors provide a comparative analysis of current
architectural design programs and experimental studies incorporating biomimetic
design into their curricula in junior through senior levels. These studies are
reviewed and analysed in terms of their impact on students’ creativity.
InChap.3,LailaKhodeiretal.assumethatteachingsustainabledesigncourses
(SDC) in early academic years can have a significant influence on students’ works
in design studios. The awareness of current sustainable issues could enhance stu-
dents’designconceptsvialearninghowtointegratedifferentecological,social,and
economic attributes of sustainability in their designs. In Chap. 4, Ayman A. Farid
offersacriticalanalysisofpossiblegapsinmeetingsustainablearchitecturedesign
training and education in Egypt. He provides a case study that held 90 students
from the faculty of engineering at Ain Shams University, who were introduced to
multiple architectural short-training modules to test their response to each module.
The chapter provides a quantitative analysis for further improvements.
Nevertheless, Chap. 5—written by Omar O. Elrawy et al.—tries to develop a
computational model that evaluates architectural designs using machine learning
algorithms to fulfil the project goal of investigating the computer’s ability to
generate architectural designs. The results recommend adopting three evaluation
criteria related to spaces orientation, functional zoning, and usability of the area.
The next chapters discuss the enhancement of building design through the
developmentofthreetoolsandapproaches.Chapter6introducestheapplicationof
swarm intelligence in architectural design. Algorithms in architectural design have
Preface vii
been able to transcend their role as frameworks of formalisation and abstraction.
Thealgorithms’outputcouldnowdirectlyvisualisethedigitalfabricationmethods
thatthearchitectcould usetobuildtheproduction. Thisargumentopensupanew
role for algorithms as a design tool. Swarm intelligence represents one of these
algorithms. The application of swarm intelligence in architecture ranges from
visualisation and self-organisation of a multi-agent system to the design of urban
forms. Hagar Magdy and Hazem Eldaly analyse swarm intelligence with their
differenttypesandexamplesinarchitecture,suggestingthreedifferent methodsfor
applying swarm intelligence in architectural design. Those methods include
achievingdesignaimsalongwithoptimisationalgorithms,applyingthestrategyof
learning and responding, and generating design alternatives.
Furthermore, Sara Samy et al. tackle the biomimicry-based design process in
Chap.7.Thebiomimicryapproachseekssustainablesolutionstohumanchallenges
through inspiration from nature, its forms, systems, and procedures. It could be
highlybeneficialinshapingsustainabledesignandinnovationinarchitecture.This
chapterclaimsthatbiomimicryisstillanemergingfieldinarchitecturaldesigndueto
theabsenceofasystematicdesignprocessmodeltoserveasaguidethroughoutthe
design process. The concluding remarks attempt to bridge this gap, aiming at cor-
relating biomimicry theories and the architectural design process. This theoretical
baseachieves,throughacomprehensivecriticalanalysisofbiomimicrydefinitions,
concepts, approaches, levels, initiatives to incorporate these attributes into an inte-
gratedarchitecturaldesignprocess,andanalysisofcasestudiesofbiomimicry-based
architecture. The results end with a proposal conceptual framework for
biomimicry-based architectural practices markingthe shift from theoryto practice.
For architecture in the digital age, domination of technology implementation
usuallyovershadowsmulti-sensorydesign.Thechallengeisfurtheremphasisedby
thetechnology-saturatedstatethatcharacterisescontemporarysocieties.Architects,
now more than ever, should become more sensitive to sensorial experiences as a
design tool to enhance the experiential qualities of the built environment. Dina
Bakir et al., in Chap. 8, explore a phenomenological investigation of vivid expe-
riences. This chapter is a step forward to achieve a design that creates a truly
memorable multi-sensorial experience of place. The authors here investigate the
phenomenology of multi-sensory perception of architecture. A phenomenological
research approach serves the aim of contributing to a better understanding of the
relationshipbetweenspatialqualitiesandthemulti-sensorialknowledgeofthebuilt
environment. Through a qualitative interpretive analysis, different vivid environ-
mentalexperiences characterisedbyspecificambiences areexploredandanalysed.
This chapter determines the spatial qualities of the built environment that could
provoke more holistic and more productive experiences, moving forward to
developing multi-sensory design approaches in architecture.
viii Preface
Part II: Smart Environmental Solutions
Agroupofresearchersdiscusssustainablearchitecturethroughtheusageofdesign
strategies that reduce the negative environmental impact of built environment and
ensure an efficient building performance quantitatively. This group discusses the
implementation of these strategies in buildings to achieve energy saving. They
includebuildingshape,orientation,andfaçadeskin.Generallyspeaking,researchers
worldwide investigate the conjunction of renewable energy systems with smart
strategies.Furtherimplementationoftheseapproachesgoesforwardtoconcentrate
on the concept of net zero-energy building. This implementation is considered the
futureinternationalgoalforsavingenergy.Theresultsemphasisetheimportanceof
investigating the combination of passive design strategies and energy generation
systems inresidential housing as means toachieving energy saving.
In this domain, one of the traditional passive strategies is the courtyard inves-
tigated in Chap. 9 by Mohammed Abd El-Samea et al. The focus is to define the
optimum ratio that achieves thermal comfort and efficient energy performance in a
school located in Upper Egypt. This study simulates 20 different design scenarios
using DesignBuilder. The results show that better thermal conditions are achieved
by reducing courtyard width and increasing building height. The results also
illustrate that the deep courtyard is more effective and provides better thermal
conditions than the shallow one. Moreover, the concluding remarks show that an
increase in the courtyard width and building height leads to higher annual school
energyconsumption,especiallywhenthecourtyardwidthexceeds10 mduetothe
façade exposure to solar radiation.
In Chap. 10, Rana El-Dabaa et al. discuss soft, adaptive building skins for
energy-efficient architecture. The adaptive façades require complex mechanical
systems that control their motion. Programmable materials are increasingly
replacing mechanical systems by encoding their inherent properties to achieve
passive controlled motion response to external stimuli, thus acting as zero-energy
adaptive systems. This chapter identifies design parameters and motion grammars
of HMTM, a hygromorphic–thermobimetal laminated composite that consists of
wood. This chapter uses a computational approach to capture, track, and pro-
grammeitsresponsebehaviourovertime.TheresultsshowthattheHMTMmotion
framework pushes the limits of low-tech and low-cost programmable materials to
replace mechanical systems with passive, responsive actuators, as well as its
applicability in different climatic zones.
Bassent Adely et al. in Chap. 11 evaluate the potential of applying passive
techniquesandPVpanelsasameansforreachingnearly/netzero-energyresidential
housinginanexistinggatedcommunitylocatedinGreaterCairo.Thischapteruses
simulationanalysis byDesign-Buildertoevaluatethefeasibilityofintegratingtwo
strategies in a single-family house. As an annual result, there was nearly zero
energy consumption, which is quite a reduction for the whole residential buildings
of the community. Additionally, in Chap. 12, Hussein Hamza et al. emphasise the
balance between energy consumption and production to reach the net plus energy
Preface ix
housedesign.Forthecasestudy,theauthorshereselectathree-bedroomapartment
prototype set in three different climatic zones in Egypt. These locations are Cairo,
Alexandria, and Aswan. IES-VE software presently uses energy simulation anal-
ysis.Theresultsindicatethatthesignificanceofapplyingthesestrategiesisnotthe
same for all climatic conditions. Theoretically, the results find that it is possible to
achieve net plus-energy housing in Egypt, where energy production from PV cell
arrays exceeds the total annual primary energy consumption.
Qualitative approaches in research have always been a trusted tool when it
comes to user experiences, as they directly encapsulate the perceptive dimension
into conclusions, In Chap. 13, Dalia Hafiz and Vrushali Mhatre investigate the
dimension of well-being through qualitative indoor environments via a compre-
hensive scope, including lighting, acoustics, and thermal comfort. Their findings
and proposed recommendations could help in promoting occupant comfort,
increasing productivity, and enhancing occupant quality of life. In the reflection
towards a broader life spectrum, researchers pay attention to spaces occupied by
juniors.Schoolsareamongbuildingsnotonlyinfluencinginstantaneousoccupants’
satisfaction but also severely reflecting educational quality and consequently
propagating its effect onto future expectations.
Meanwhile,Chap.14bySherifAbdelmohsenetal.experimentsacomputational
approach for the efficient management of school-shared facilities in Egypt. The
purpose is to maximise the benefits of integrating BIM and GIS into a compre-
hensivevisionforvariousstakeholders.InChap.15,AlaaEl-Telwanyetal.explore
via a research framework the quality of outdoor environments in primary schools.
The authors assess the Egyptian and UK guidelines in terms of values supporting
outdoor educational environments. The resulting structure could be incorporated
into design guidelines and requirements for education.
Chapter 16, written by Bassant Sorrour et al., concentrates on post-occupancy
evaluation (POE) of the emergency department in healthcare facilities. Both qual-
itativeandquantitativemethodsareappliedtodefinearchitecturaldesignguidelines
that could enhance the performance of the emergency department based on users’
experience. The aim is to minimise the gap between the design of the department
and its operation phase.
Part III: Smart Cultural Heritage
Architecture, as a cultural discipline, cannot be understood without addressing the
gradual build up of the natural and the social sciences applied in technologies and
concepts;alsohistorycannotbeignored.Inthearchitecturalfield,historicalvalues
are of importance, given that a building can be envisioned as the outcome of a
continuousprocessof modification andstratification that took place during its life.
At the outset of the new millennium, the advent of modern technologies into the
citiesthatarerichinarchitecture,identity,art,andhistory,aswellastheinteraction
x Preface
ofthearchitecturewith ever-growing technologies, aresignificant andnoteworthy.
Thechaptersinthispartenrichtheheritageconservationfieldthroughapproaching
it from various distances and different angles of experience and knowledge.
Chapter 17, by Noran Elbaz et al., investigates system-based knowledge using
HeritageBuildingInformationModelling(H-BIM).Theyfocusontheutilisationof
modern technologies in architecture and its integration with traditional and ancient
structures and elements. The main conclusion of their work confirms the essential
role of cultural values and the principles of local and traditional architecture.
A future direction of research could investigate new additions to the architect’s
toolboxthatcould change theway ofheritage preservation.The universalvalue of
cultural heritage puts amassive demandforapplyingsuchtechnologyinthisfield,
whichrequiresaninnovativesystemindatamanagementforthedocumentationof
historical buildings. Modelling historical buildings stands on heterogeneous data-
setsandcouldbeinteroperablewithdifferentsoftwaretools.Theauthoroutlinesthe
importance of interoperability in optimising the usage of data by reducing wasted
time andeffortingathering,translating, andintegratingdata. Besides,itallowsfor
broader dissemination, which permits public users to benefit from the documen-
tation and conservation process for a deeper understanding of heritage sites.
In Chap. 18, Rasha Abd El-Lateef et al. investigate the Christianisation of
ancient Egyptian cosmology with an in-depth review of Philae in late antiquity.
This chapter focuses on the Ptolemaic temple of Isis on Philae island as the last
temple built in that era. The authors here begin by setting the intrigue of historical
settingsoftheregionalsituationpoliticallyandculturally.Indoingso,theyattempt
to interpret the temple’s transformation as a unique phenomenon reflecting the
public ontological understanding of the sacred power. The concluding remarks
stress thatthecosmicvalue ofancientreligiousbuildingsshouldbeadoptedrather
than the traditional absolute practical vision.
Chapter 19 by Sara Adam et al. deals with the concept of Historic Urban
Landscape (HUL) that was introduced by the UNESCO as an approach for the
identification, preservation, and valorisation of cultural heritage. The authors
develop a comprehensive urban regeneration framework through exploring the
potentialsoftheHULapproachandapplyingittoRosettaCity,whichissituatedin
auniquecoastalpositioninEgypt.Indoingso,theygiveabriefoverviewofurban
regeneration policies and previous heritage conservation theories, emphasising the
change from place-oriented to people-oriented approaches, while illustrating the
best practices of the HUL approach and learning from their experiences. The
authors conclude that the effectiveness of HUL lies in the fact that it is an
unconventional adaptive approach that believes in the improvement of lives and
knowledge as the genesis of preservation. They emphasise the importance of
integrating the conservation of urban heritage with socio-economic development
based on a balanced and sustainable relationship between the built and natural
environments.
Additionally,thecontributingauthorshaveputforwardthreechaptersregarding
the rehabilitation of contemporary cities and regenerative urbanism. According to
them, the adaptive reuse of buildings is an effective strategy for improving the
