Architecture, Structures and Construction最新文献

{"title":"Designing for inclusive climate-positive living in Berlin","authors":"Peter Ruge,&nbsp;Lovie Yiqing Tey","doi":"10.1007/s44150-025-00181-z","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s44150-025-00181-z","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>With the plan to accelerate the switch to climate-positive building, the fundamental idea of this paper is to understand, how the construction industry can contribute positively to the building ecosystem instead of halting construction. “The built environment sector is one of the largest contributors to climate change, responsible for approximately 37% of the global energy-related carbon emissions” (United Nations Environment Programme 2023, p.1). Throughout the research, the methodologies for the implementation of inclusive climate-positive buildings are measured through passive design strategies, the application of Computer-Aided Architectural Life-cycle Assessment (CAALA), and a qualitative method based on a universal design framework. The results have proven effective with the application of passive design strategies in building design, the thorough planning of modular elements, and the concept of smart-hybrid construction, with a focus on environmentally friendly and social sustainability. It can be concluded that a building can be identified as inclusive and climate-positive, if the discussion criterion is applied, and further tested by climate-positive partners and organisations. The study of the project has proven how a residential building can mix sustainability, aesthetics, and social inclusivity as a present-day reality, long before a transition to a climate-positive civilisation is expected.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":100117,"journal":{"name":"Architecture, Structures and Construction","volume":"6 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s44150-025-00181-z.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148236833","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Advancing gender equity in construction; the case of Nigeria’s female professionals","authors":"Paul C. Ogbuefi,&nbsp;Francis O. Okeke,&nbsp;Emeka J. Mba,&nbsp;Chioma A. Okeke","doi":"10.1007/s44150-026-00203-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s44150-026-00203-4","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Construction remains one of the most gender-segregated industries and in developing settings these constraints are amplified further. This study examines women’s participation and role distribution in the construction industry, and tests whether perceived barriers, workplace challenges, and preferred interventions differ by location, education, experience, and age. A structured questionnaire was used to administer a quantitative cross-sectional survey to 241 registered female construction professionals, including architects, engineers, builders, land surveyors, and quantity surveyors. However, only 217 valid responses (90.0%) were retained for analysis. Descriptive statistics and group-comparison tests, including multivariate testing, were used to evaluate the data. Findings show that women are concentrated in office-based roles (56%), with fewer in field/site roles (36%) and very limited representation in leadership (7%), indicating constrained progression. The most salient participation barriers relate to gender roles/stereotypes, funding constraints, and limited supportive policies, while key workplace challenges centre on harassment, weak mentoring/network access, and exclusion from decisions. Perceptions of workplace challenges differed significantly by urban–rural location, and participation barriers differed by experience level; intervention preferences were broadly consistent across education groups, with scholarship support showing the clearest age-related difference. Mentorship, skills training, flexible work policies, and awareness initiatives emerged as the most preferred strategies, suggesting that effective reforms should combine capability-building with organisational and cultural change. The study contributes by linking gendered constraints to women’s role adoption using a professional-body sampling frame and by identifying where targeted versus sector-wide interventions are most justified.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":100117,"journal":{"name":"Architecture, Structures and Construction","volume":"6 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s44150-026-00203-4.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148009903","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"3D printing formwork for casting artificial habitats for Northern House Wren (Troglodytes aedon)","authors":"Niloufar Emami,&nbsp;Mia E. Larrieu,&nbsp;Thomas J. Benson","doi":"10.1007/s44150-026-00200-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s44150-026-00200-7","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Rapid urbanization and construction drive land-cover change, environmental degradation, and novel ecosystems, with major implications for biodiversity. Cavity-nesting birds are among the taxa facing reduced availability of suitable nesting sites, which can negatively affect local populations. Grounded in more-than-human design, this study extends the use of computational design and digital fabrication in architecture beyond predominantly human-centered applications by developing and testing artificial nesting habitats for the Northern House Wren (<i>Troglodytes aedon</i>). We examined whether alternative habitat material, cast concrete, compared with traditional wooden nest boxes, was associated with differences in nest use and reproductive success. We designed a habitat prototype —Nook— informed by (1) preserved nests built inside conventional wooden nest boxes and (2) established guidelines for standard nest-box design. To enable repeatable production, we additively manufactured plastic formwork for casting ten concrete habitats, which were installed in the field alongside ten traditional wooden nest boxes. During the 2025 breeding season (25 June–2 August), birds used 9 of 10 concrete habitats compared with 3 of 10 wooden boxes. Among used units, the success rate (boxes producing young/boxes used) was 88.9% for concrete habitats and 33.3% for wooden boxes. These field observations provide preliminary evidence that cast-concrete habitats can support successful breeding and, under the conditions tested, perform comparably to or better than conventional wooden nest boxes. More broadly, the study contributes a reproducible workflow for translating ecological requirements into fabricated habitat prototypes and evaluating them with ecological performance criteria.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":100117,"journal":{"name":"Architecture, Structures and Construction","volume":"6 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s44150-026-00200-7.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148009271","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Characterization of moisture-induced swelling in timber joining utilizing hygroscopic dimensional change as an assembly mechanism for wood-to-wood connections","authors":"Max Salzberger,&nbsp;Juan Sebastian Cruz Rojas,&nbsp;Gilbert Koskamp","doi":"10.1007/s44150-026-00195-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s44150-026-00195-1","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This research investigates the structural behavior of timber joints under moisture-induced dimensional change and explores the potential of hygroscopic swelling as a mechanism for wood-to-wood joinery. The study is framed as a proof-of-concept for climate-activated timber connections that could support prefabricated construction systems in humid environments such as rural Colombia. The methodology combines material experiments, digital fabrication tests, structural analysis, and mechanical testing. First, the dimensional response of selected timber species was measured under controlled humidity conditions. Second, the manufacturability and assembly behavior of traditional joinery types were evaluated using CNC fabrication. Finally, mechanical tests were conducted on mortise–tenon joints and cross half-lap joints to assess the influence of different humidity conditions on the structural performance on these connections. Across the investigated configurations, specimens conditioned at higher relative humidity consistently reached higher peak loads than corresponding control samples. These observations indicate that moisture-induced swelling can increase contact pressure and friction within timber joints, thereby influencing load transfer behavior. The study provides initial findings that hygroscopic dimensional change can be used as an active parameter in timber joinery and may support the development of climate-responsive, prefabricated construction systems.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":100117,"journal":{"name":"Architecture, Structures and Construction","volume":"6 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s44150-026-00195-1.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147829995","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Parametric modelling of a hybrid timber-earth floor slab for structural and fire safety requirements","authors":"Sandra Hurek,&nbsp;Patrick Fleming","doi":"10.1007/s44150-026-00198-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s44150-026-00198-y","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>In recent years earth-based materials have gained increasing interest in the fields of architecture, structures, and building construction due to their broad availability, natural character, and ability to be readily reused in circular and regenerative construction. One recent development from the HORTUS building near Basel, Switzerland involves a standard hybrid floor structure with simple timber beams, an upper three-layer timber panel, and rammed earth located in the cavity space between each timber beam. This work presents a 3D parametric structural model of this timber and earth floor slab module, for use as a preliminary design tool for future projects and broader application. The parametric model is created with Rhino^® and Grasshopper^® software with Python coding, and takes the floor slab loading, floor slab module width and number of beams, and span length as basic input parameters, among others related to materials and fire rating. Optimized beam cross-sections are then computed for a minimal-material timber beam solution that also satisfies estimated fire requirements in an accidental limit state and static and dynamic structural engineering calculations at both the ultimate and serviceability limit states. The parametric model further creates a 3D model of the desired floor slab module using the state-of-the-art COMPAS Timber open-framework software, thereby providing future potential for compatibility with digital fabrication workflows and manufacturing in the longer term.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":100117,"journal":{"name":"Architecture, Structures and Construction","volume":"6 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s44150-026-00198-y.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147829239","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Studying the ‘15-minute neighbourhood’ approach for inclusive Urban landscapes in India: A case of Jaipur, Rajasthan","authors":"Aditi Bhattacharyya,&nbsp;Anugrah Anilkumar Nagaich,&nbsp;Navneet Munoth","doi":"10.1007/s44150-026-00197-z","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s44150-026-00197-z","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Cities across the world have expressed their desire to be “15-minute cities”, which for generalization is initially referred to as the “X-minute” cities. This objective frequently forms a component of a proposition to promote cycling and walking in order to lower the corresponding emissions and to ensure a sustainable and healthy urban design. Now that the COVID-19 pandemic emphasized the need for a minimum set of proximity-based services accessible by active travel, more studies are required to operationalize the concept of the “X-minute” contextual to specific urban landscapes in order to show which parts of the city can be accessed by its population on foot within a specific (15-minute) time threshold. Owing to the support of many academicians, urban planners and policymakers who believe that the “X-minute” city idea should be adopted by major metropolitan cities across the world, only very few studies have examined the existing urban cities from an “X-minute” city vantage point. In this paper, the “X-minute” approach is analysed with an assumed time threshold of “15-minutes” in the context of the city Jaipur in the Indian state of Rajasthan. In this study, the authors elaborate on two major evaluation pillars: social and ecological; and the analyses focuses on determining how “15-minute” cities fits the legacy of existing cities as characterised by conventional planning principles. Subsequently, the findings of the authors demonstrate that the “15-minute” city threshold cannot always be taken for granted as the most suitable target, at least not in congested Indian cities. Additionally, the quantity and geographic distribution of the sites providing various urban services have a crucial role in determining the degrees of accessibility to the services. Finally, it is advised by the authors to revive the operational research on accessibility pillars and indicators in order to complicate the operationalization of the overall “X-minute” city concept.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":100117,"journal":{"name":"Architecture, Structures and Construction","volume":"6 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147797132","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Optimization of column layouts in buildings considering structural and architectural constraints","authors":"Yakov Zelickman,&nbsp;Oded Amir","doi":"10.1007/s44150-026-00196-0","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s44150-026-00196-0","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Reducing concrete consumption is important as part of the global effort of fighting the climate change, and specifically in concrete flat slabs as these are among the largest cement consumers. In this study we formulate an efficient gradient-based optimization of column locations, that minimizes the slabs’ thickness with constraints on the deflections, bending moments and shear stresses while accounting for architectural considerations. The results show that the columns’ optimal locations are not trivial and that the slab thickness is very sensitive to the columns’ exact locations. Thus, concrete savings in slabs of up to 20% are possible with minor modification to traditional layouts of columns, and up to 50% with more pronounced updates, which emphasizes the importance of early collaboration between architects and engineers. The results indicate the critical trade-off between structural efficiency and architectural freedom and demonstrate the potential of formal optimization in structural design.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":100117,"journal":{"name":"Architecture, Structures and Construction","volume":"6 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147796514","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A systems thinking approach for managing design change complexities in UAE construction projects","authors":"Rana Al-Tibi,&nbsp;Mohammad Mayouf,&nbsp;Ilnaz Ashayeri,&nbsp;Anushika Ekanayake","doi":"10.1007/s44150-026-00193-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s44150-026-00193-3","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This study investigates the complexities of construction delays in the UAE arising from design changes and proposes a system-based approach to improve their management across the project lifecycle. A case study strategy was adopted, employing semi-structured interviews and site observations to capture stakeholder-specific perspectives on the causes, impacts, and mechanisms of design changes. Using thematic analysis, the study integrates systems thinking to map interdependencies between stakeholders, project phases, and design change events. The findings demonstrate that design changes represent multi-dimensional challenges requiring coordinated, stakeholder-sensitive strategies. This study introduces a novel systems thinking-based model incorporating storytelling techniques to support the management of design changes in UAE. By addressing project complexity holistically, the model provides a foundation for improving design change management across diverse project contexts.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":100117,"journal":{"name":"Architecture, Structures and Construction","volume":"6 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s44150-026-00193-3.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147737823","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Advancing sustainable heritage conservation: thermal performance and policy frameworks for laterite-based architecture in tropical climates","authors":"Kirti Nishant Nikam,&nbsp;Lakshmisagar Shetty,&nbsp;Yashaswini Birjerane","doi":"10.1007/s44150-026-00191-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s44150-026-00191-5","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The study investigates the potential of laterite stone as a sustainable construction material, emphasizing its application in heritage architecture in Udupi, Karnataka. Through a detailed case study of the Shettybettu House, the research employs simulation-based methods using Design Builder and Energy Plus to compare laterite’s thermal and energy performance with conventional materials such as clay and cement blocks. The findings demonstrate that laterite’s high thermal mass significantly enhances indoor thermal comfort, reduces cooling energy demand, and contributes to energy efficiency in tropical climates. Laterite walls reduced annual cooling load by 6–8% compared to clay and concrete blocks under identical simulation conditions. Beyond its technical advantages, laterite embodies cultural and architectural identity, reflecting regional heritage and traditional craftsmanship. The study advocates for circular and eco-friendly practices by reusing existing laterite from heritage structures, minimizing environmental impact, and promoting resource efficiency. It also discusses policy implications, urging the integration of traditional materials like laterite into sustainable building guidelines to support resilient, culturally respectful architecture. Limitations identified include the need for long-term operational data and broader validation across diverse climates and building typologies. Overall, the research positions laterite stone as a viable, eco-friendly material that bridges heritage conservation with modern sustainable practices, fostering environmentally responsible and culturally meaningful construction.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":100117,"journal":{"name":"Architecture, Structures and Construction","volume":"6 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147738090","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Regional design patterns in high-rise timber towers: a comparative study","authors":"Hüseyin Emre Ilgın","doi":"10.1007/s44150-026-00194-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s44150-026-00194-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This paper investigates cross-regional design patterns and space-efficiency characteristics in high-rise timber towers, a rapidly emerging building type that addresses sustainability challenges in high-rise construction. Timber’s renewable qualities, carbon storage capacity, and suitability for prefabrication make it a viable alternative to conventional materials. This study analyzes a dataset of 79 towers across three regions (Europe, North America, Asia-Pacific), evaluating architectural form, structural system, and spatial efficiency. Rather than focusing solely on geographical comparison, the study examines how design and construction approaches associated with tall timber buildings vary across regions and how these variations relate to space-efficiency outcomes. The methodology combined dataset compilation from verified sources, typological coding of function, core type, form, structural system, and material composition, and measurement of spatial efficiency ratios. Comparative synthesis and visual analysis were applied to identify both convergences and divergences across regions within the existing population of tall timber residential buildings. The findings indicate that: (1) Europe leads with policy-driven adoption, dominated by residential towers, prismatic forms, central cores, and a balance between timber-only and hybrid systems; (2) North America shows market-oriented diversification, favoring hybrid timber–concrete structures, greater functional variety including office use, and the highest spatial efficiency, often above 90%; (3) Asia-Pacific demonstrates cautious but diverse experimentation, with reliance on hybrid systems shaped by seismic and fire regulations, producing moderate efficiency outcomes. Overall, the results highlight that tall timber buildings exhibit regionally differentiated design and construction patterns, reflecting varying regulatory environments, market conditions, and construction practices. For stakeholders, this study provides evidence of competitive space efficiency, documented design tendencies, and regionally distinctive pathways for the further adoption of timber high-rises.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":100117,"journal":{"name":"Architecture, Structures and Construction","volume":"6 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s44150-026-00194-2.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147642339","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}