Consonance in urban form : morphogenetic analysis of architectural elements within urban forms

"By understanding how places have evolved, we are better able to guide development and change in the urban fabric and avoid the incongruity created by so much of the modern environment" (MacCormac, R (1996), An anatomy of London, Built Environment, Dec 1996 This paper proposes a theory on the relevance of mapping the evolutionary aspects of historical urban form in order to develop a measure of evaluating architectural elements within urban forms, through to deriving parameters for new buildings. By adopting Conzen's identification of the tripartite division of urban form; the consonance inurban form of a particular palce resides in the elements and measurable values tha makeup the fine grain aggregates of urban form. The paper will demonstrate throughthe case study of Brisbane in Australia, a method of conveying these essential components that constitute a cities continuity of form and active usage. By presenting the past as a repository of urban form characteristics, it is argued that concise architectural responses that stem from such knowledge should result in an engaged urban landscape. The essential proposition is that urban morphology is a missing constituent in the process of urban design, and that the approach of the geographical discipline to the study of urban morphology holds the key to providing the evidence of urban growth characteristics, and this methodology suggests possibilities for an architectural approach that can comprehensively determine qualitative aspects of urban buildings. The relevance of this research lies in a potential to breach the limitations of current urban analysis whilst continuing the evolving currency of urban morphology as an integral practice in the design of our cities.

Morphogenetic analysis of architectural elements within the townscape

When a new form is inserted in an existing townscape, its consonance within the urban fabric is dependent on the level of attention paid to the evaluation and management of its architectural elements. However, despite the established principles and methods of urban morphology that enable the systematic analysis of the built environment, a formula for ensuring that new development relates to its context so as to achieve congruent outcomes is still lacking. This paper proposes a new method of evaluating and measuring architectural elements within evolving urban forms, with particular emphasis on a three-dimensional study of buildings. In a case study, detailed mapping of both current and past forms provides the basis for evincing predominant characteristics that have changed over time. Using this method, it is possible to demonstrate objectively how the townscape has been affected through changes in its architectural configuration.

Start making sense: Applying a salutogenic model to architectural design for psychiatric care

Purpose This paper aims to look into the significance of architectural design in psychiatric care facilities. There is a strong correlation between perceptual dysfunction and psychiatric illness, and also between the patient and his environment. As such, even minor design choices can be of great consequence in a psychiatric facility. It is of critical importance, therefore, that a psychiatric milieu is sympathetic and does not exacerbate the psychosis. Design/methodology/approach This paper analyses the architectural elements that may influence mental health, using an architectural extrapolation of Antonovsky’s salutogenic theory, which states that better health results from a state of mind which has a fortified sense of coherence. According to the theory, a sense of coherence is fostered by a patient’s ability to comprehend the environment (comprehensibility), to be effective in his actions (manageability) and to find meaning (meaningfullness). Findings Salutogenic theory can be extrapolated in an architectural context to inform design choices when designing for a stress-sensitive client base. Research limitations/implications In the paper an architectural extrapolation of salutogenic theory is presented as a practical method for making design decisions (in praxis) when evidence is not available. As demonstrated, the results appear to reflect what evidence is available, but real evidence is always desirable over rationalist speculation. The method suggested here cannot prove the efficacy or appropriateness of design decisions and is not intended to do so. Practical implications The design of mental health facilities has long been dominated by unsubstantiated policy and normative opinions that do not always serve the client population. This method establishes a practical theoretical model for generating architectural design guidelines for mental health facilities. Originality/value The paper will prove to be helpful in several ways. First, salutogenic theory is a useful framework for improving health outcomes, but in the past the theory has never been applied in a methodological way. Second, there have been few insights into how the architecture itself can improve the functionality of a mental health facility other than improve the secondary functions of hospital services.

Consonance in urban form: The architectural dimension of urban morphology

Consonance in urban form is contingent on the continuity of the fine grain architectural features that are imbued in the commodity of the evolved historic urban fabric. A city's past can be viewed therefore as a repository of urban form characteristics from which concise architectural responses can result in a congruent urban landscape. This thesis proposes new methods to evaluate the interplay of architectural elements that can be traced throughout the lifespan of the particular evolving urban areas under scrutiny, and postulates a theory of how the mapping of historical urban form can correlate with deriving parameters for new buildings.

Integration of Saudi Arabia’s conservative Islamic culture in sustainable housing design

The cities of Saudi Arabia have perhaps the largest growth rates of cities in the Middle East, such that it has become a cause in shortage of housing for mid and low-income families, as is the case in other developing countries. Even when housing is found, it is not sustainable nor is it providing the cultural needs of those families. The aim of this paper is to integrate the unique conservative Islamic Saudi culture into the design of sustainable housing. This paper is part of a preliminary study of an on-going PhD thesis, which utilises a semistructured interview of a panel of nine experts in collecting the data. The interviews consisted of ten questions ranging from general questions such as stating their expertise and work position to more specific question such as listing the critical success factors and/or barriers for applying sustainability to housing in Saudi Arabia. Since the participants were selected according to their experience, the answers to the interview questions were satisfactory where the generation of the survey questions for the second stage in the PhD thesis took place after analysing the participant’s answers to the interview questions. This paper recommends design requirements for accommodating the conservative Islamic Saudi Culture in low cost sustainable houses. Such requirements include achieving privacy through the use of various types of traditional Saudi architectural elements, such as the method of decorative screening of windows, called Mashrabiya, and having an inner courtyard where the house looks inward rather than outward. Other requirements include educating firms on how to design sustainable housing, educating the public on the advantages of sustainable housing and implementing new laws that enforce the utilisation of sustainable methods to housing construction. This paper contributes towards the body of knowledge by proposing initial findings on how to integrate the conservative Islamic culture of Saudi Arabia into the design of a sustainable house specifically for mid and low-income families. This contribution can be implemented on developing countries in the region that are faced with housing shortage for mid and low-income families.

Towards consonance in urban form

By presenting the past as a repository of the characteristics of urban formation, urban morphology utilizes a knowledge platform as the basis for interpretation of accordant architectural responses (Levy, 1999). Operating within this framework at the scale of architectural features of individual buildings, and imbued with reference to the intrinsic architectural elements of both preceding and existing building forms, micro-morphology (Larkham, 2006, p. 126) provides the efficacy for new architecture that emerges from such a manner of composition...

Challenges facing the application of sustainability to housing in Saudi Arabia

Modern Saudi housing supply is neither sustainable nor efficient in meeting the conservative Islamic culture of the community and the local environmental conditions. This thesis develops a model for successful development of sustainable housing in Saudi Arabia by incorporating multi stakeholder inputs on key barriers, critical success factors and best practice case studies. The model will help create public awareness and education tools for both private and public sectors on sustainable housing. It provides a framework that includes cultural and environmental needs of the conservative Saudi neighbourhood. It may assist the Saudi government to regulate new building codes and regulations.

The Influence of Constantinople on Middle Byzantine Architecture (843-1204) : A typological and morphological approach at the provincial level.

The influence of the architecture of the Byzantine capital spread to the Mediterranean provinces with travelling masters and architects. In this study the architecture of the Constantinopolitan School has been detected on the basis of the typology of churches, completed by certain morphological aspects when necessary. The impact of the Constantinopolitan workshops appears to have been more important than previously realized. This research revealed that the Constantinopolitan composite domed inscribed-cross type or cross-in-square spread everywhere to the Balkans and it was assumed soon by the local schools of architecture. In addition, two novel variants were invented on the basis of this model: the semi-composite type and the so-called Athonite type. In the latter variant lateral conches, choroi, were added for liturgical reasons. Instead, the origin of the domed ambulatory church was partly provincial. One result of this study is that the origin of the Middle Byzantine domed octagonal types was traced to Constantinople. This is attested on the basis of the archaeological evidence. Also some other architectural elements that have not been preserved in the destroyed capital have survived at the provincial level: the domed hexagonal type, the multi-domed superstructure, the pseudo-octagon and the narthex known as the lite. The Constantinopolitan architecture during the period in question was based on the Early Christian and Late Antique forms, practices and innovations and this also emerges at the provincial level.

Arquitetura crustal da bacia de Almada no contexto das bacias da margem lesste da América do Sul

A Bacia de Almada, localizada no estado da Bahia, compartilha características similares com as outras bacias da margem leste do Brasil, quando é analisada segundo aspectos como os processos sedimentares e o regime de esforço dominante durante a sua formação. Observa-se uma diferença marcante em relação as outras bacias quando é analisada sob a ótica da composição da crosta transicional, uma vez que não se registra atividade vulcânica durante a fase rifte. A aquisição de um extenso levantamento sísmico 3D, com cabos de 6 km de comprimento e 9.2 segundos de tempo de registro (tempo sísmico duplo), resultaram em imagens sísmicas de boa qualidade das estruturas profundas do rifte. Adicionalmente, estudos de modelagem gravimétrica foram integrados com a análise sísmica para corroborar o modelo geológico. A Bacia de Almada é parte dos sistemas de rifte continentais, desenvolvidos durante o Berriasiano até o Aptiano, que antecederam a quebra do continente do Gondwana, evoluindo posteriormente para uma margem passiva divergente. O processo do rifteamento desenvolveu cinco sub-bacias de orientação NNE-SSO, desde posições terrestres até marinhas profundas, produzindo um arcabouço estrutural complexo. Os perfis da sísmica profunda mostram o afinamento progressivo da crosta continental até espessuras da ordem de 5 km, abaixo da sub-bacia mais oriental, com fatores de estiramento crustal próximo a 7 antes do desenvolvimento de crosta oceânica propriamente dita. As imagens sísmicas de boa qualidade permitem também o reconhecimento de sistemas de falhas lístricas que se iniciam na crosta superior, evoluem atravessando a crosta e conectando as sub-bacias para finalizar em um descolamento horizontal na crosta inferior estratificada. Adicionalmente, a bacia apresenta um perfil assimétrico, compatível com mecanismos de cisalhamento simples. As margens vulcânicas (VM) e não vulcânicas (NVM), são os extremos da análise composicional das margens divergentes continentais. Na Bacia de Almada não se reconhecem os elementos arquiteturais típicos das VM, tais como são as grandes províncias ígneas, caracterizadas por cunhas de refletores que mergulham em direção ao mar e por intenso vulcanismo pré- e sin-rifte nas bacias. Embora a margem divergente do Atlântico Sul seja interpretada tradicionalmente como vulcânica, o segmento do rifte ao sul do Estado da Bahia apresenta características não-vulcânicas, devido à ausência destes elementos arquiteturais e aos resultados obtidos nas perfurações geológicas que eventualmente alcançam a seqüência rifte e embasamento. Regionalmente a margem divergente sul-americana é majoritariamente vulcânica, embora a abundância e a influência do magmatísmo contemporâneo ao rifte seja muito variável. Ao longo da margem continental, desde a Bacia Austral no sul da Argentina, até a Bacia de Pernambuco no nordeste do Brasil, podem ser reconhecidos segmentos de caráter vulcânico forte, médio e não vulcânico. Nos exemplos clássicos de margens não vulcânicas, como a margem da Ibéria, a crosta transicional é altamente afinada podendo apresentar evidências de exumação de manto. Na Bacia de Almada, a crosta transicional apresenta importante estiramento embora não haja evidências concretas de exumação de manto. Os mecanismos responsáveis pela geração e intrusão dos grandes volumes de magma registrados nas margens divergentes são ainda sujeitos a intenso debate. Ao longo da margem divergente sul-americana há evidências da presença dos mecanismos genéticos de estiramento litosférico e impacto de plumas. Alternativamente estes dois mecanismos parecem ter tido um papel importante na evolução tectônica da margem sudeste e sul, diferenciando-as da margem continental onde foi implantada a Bacia de Almada.

Estado de conservación de los elementos constructivos del Palacio Guevara (Segura - Gipuzkoa)

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O sistema fluvio-estuarino da Baía de Sepetiba preservado na estratigrafia rasa da plataforma continental interna adjacente (RJ)

A análise de dados de reflexão sísmica monocanal boomer (Hz ~ 700-4,000; penetração ~ 70 ms) adquiridos na plataforma continental interna-média (até ~ 50-60 m de profundidade) ao largo do sistema estuarino baía de Sepetiba, no Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, revelou a ocorrência de uma sucessão sedimentar preservada 15-20 m, sismicamente interpretada como representando ambientes fluvio-estuarinos para marinhos rasos. Estas séries são sotopostas à inconformidade regional mais superior reconhecida na escala de plataforma, chamada superfície S3. Esta superfície é erodida por numerosas incisões fluviais, que sugerem processos erosivos associados à prolongada exposição subaérea da plataforma continental durante o estágio isotópico marinho 2 (MIS 2), globalmente datada em ~ 20 ka A.P.. A preservação de tais unidades de corte e preenchimento estuarinho presumíveis Pleistoceno Superior-Holoceno na plataforma interna-média (até ~ 30 km da costa) evidencia pela primeira vez na área a existência de um paleo sistema fluvial bastante desenvolvido e processos dominantes de denudação na bacia hidrográfica a montante que atualmente alimenta a baía de Sepetiba. Bem como que, uma série de elementos arquiteturais sísmicos dentro desta sucessão estuarina, como canais de maré retrogradantes, registram a evolução do paleo sistema estuarino de um sistema aberto à um sistema parcialmente protegido durante a transgressão Holocênica. A formação e erosão de uma sucessão de ilhas barreira isoladas e canais de maré durante a transgressão persistiu até o desenvolvimento de uma superfície estratigráfica superior na área, interpretada como a superfície de máxima inundação (MFS) no registro estratigráfico. A ilha barreira atual (restinga da Marambaia) prograda sobre a MFS como uma feição deposição regressiva, apontando para uma idade mais jovem do que cerca de ~ 5 ka A. P., idade da transgressão máxima na área, de acordo com a literatura disponível.

Arcabouço estratigráfico e ciclicidade deposicional dos sistemas sedimentares quaternários da plataforma sul da Bacia de Campos (RJ)

A análise sísmica de ~ 3000 km de dados sísmicos sparker de reflexão monocanal permitiu a proposição de um arcabouço estratigráfico englobando a seção rasa (~300 milisegundos) da plataforma continental sul da Bacia de Campos. Cinco sequências sísmicas foram reconhecidas (Sq1-Sq5), limitadas por superfícies erosivas de escala plataformal (superfícies S1-S5), interpretadas como sequências deposicionais formadas por oscilações glacioeustáticas e limites de sequências (discordâncias regionais) esculpidos durante longos períodos de exposição subaérea e total da plataforma, indicando condições de diminuição de nível de base e destruição parcial de espaço de acomodação sedimentar. As sequências Sq1-Sq4 são dominantemente regressivas, compostas principalmente por prismas de regressão forçada de borda de plataforma/talude superior. A sequência superficial Sq5 é constituída essencialmente de unidades retrogradantes restritas à plataforma continental, interpretadas como compondo uma sequência eminentemente transgressiva. A correlação entre dados sísmicos e cronoestratigráficos de um poço exploratório disponível na área permitiu posicionar a deposição desta sucessão estratigráfica entre o Pleistoceno Médio- Holoceno (últimos ~500 ka). Além disso, a correlação entre a base de dados com curvas globais de variações eustáticas, baseadas nas razões isotópicas de 18O (estágios isotópicos marinhos), permitiu ainda sugerir que a sucessão estratigráfica Sq1-Sq4 registra sequências regressivas de quarta ordem, refletindo deposição durante ciclos glacioeustáticos de ~ 100 -120 ka de duração e de alta amplitude de oscilação eustática (100-145m), que caracterizam o sinal eustático nos últimos ~500 ka. A sequência Sq5 seria uma sequência ainda em formação, constituída por depósitos transgressivos e de mar alto formados durante o Pleistoceno Tardio-Holoceno.

苏里格气田苏6加密井区山1-盒8层段河流沉积体系分析

Sulige gas field is located in Northwest of Yi-Shan Slope of the Ordos Basin. The Shan 1 Member of the Shanxi Formation and He8 Member of the ShiHeZi Formation are not only objective strata of research but also main producing strata of the Sulige Field. From core and wireline log data of 32 wells in well Su6 area of Sulige field, no less than six lithofaice types can be recognised. They are Gm,Sl,Sh,Sm,Sp,Fl,Fm. Box-shaped, bell-shaped, funnel-shaped and line-segment-shaped log are typcial gamma-ray log characters and shapes. The Depositonal system of the Shan1-He8 strata in research area have five bounding-surface hierarchies and was composed of six architectural elements, CH, LS,FF（CH）,SB,LA,GB. The depositional model of Shan 1 was the type of a sandy meandering river with natural levee, abandoned channels and crevasse splay. Channel depth of this model maybe 7-12 m and the fullest-bank flow can reach 14 m high. Based on analysis of depositional causes, a sandy braided river model for the depositional system of He 8 can be erected. It consists of active main channels, active chute channels, sheet-like sand bars, abandoned main channels and abandoned chute channels. Channel depth of this model can be 3-4 m with 9 m of highest flow. Six gamma-ray log cross sections show that the connectivity of sandbodies through Shan 1 Member is lower than He 8. Influenced by occurrence of mudy and silty deposits, vertical connectivity of sandbodies through He 8 is not high.

河流成因储层沉积微相与剩余油分布及形成机理研究

Based on the study of fluvial sandstone reservoir in upper of Guantao group in Gudao and Gudong oilfields, this paper first introduces A.D.Miall's(1996a) architectural-element analysis method that was summarized from ground outcrop scale into the reservoir formation research of the study area, more subtly divides sedimentary microfacies and establishes sedimentary model of research area.on this base, this paper summarizes the laws of residual oil distribution of fluvial formation and the control effect of sedimentary microfacies to residual oil distribution, and reveals residual oil formation mechanism. These results have been applied to residual oil production, and the economic effect is good. This paper will be useful for residual oil research and production and enhancement of oil recovery in similar reservoir. The major conclusions of this paper are as follows. 1. Using the architectural-element analysis method to the core data, a interfacial division scheme of the first to the dixth scale is established for the studied fluvial formation. 2.Seven architectural-elements are divided in upper of Guantao group of study area. The sandstone group 5～1+2 of Neogene upper Gutao group belongs to high sinuous fine grain meandering river, and the sandstone group 6 is sandy braided river. 3. Inter layer, the residual oil saturation of "non-main layer" is higher than "main layer", but the residual recoverable reserve of former is larger. Therefore, "main layer" is the main body of residual oil distribution. The upper and middle part of inner layer has lower permeability and strong seeping resistance. Addition to gravity effect in process of driving, its driving efficiency is low; residual oil saturation is high. Because of controlling of inside non-permeable interlayer or sedimentary construction, the residual oil saturation of non-driving or lower driving efficiency position also is high. On plane, the position of high residual oil saturation mostly is at element LV, CS, CH (FF), FF etc, Which has lower porosity and permeability, as well as lens sand-body and sand-body edge that is not controlled by well-net, non-perfect area of injection and production, lower press difference resort area of inter-well diffiuent-line and shelter from fault, local high position of small structure. 4.Microscopic residual oil mainly includes the non-moved oil in the structure of fine pore network, oil in fine pore and path, oil segment in pore and path vertical to flow direction, oil spot or oil film in big pore, residual oil in non-connective pore. 5.The most essential and internal controlling factor of fluvial formation residual oil distribution is sedimentary microfacies. Status of injection and production is the exterior controlling factor of residual oil distribution. 6. The controlling effect of formation sedimentary microfacies to residual oil distribution indicates inter-layer vertical sedimentary facies change in scale of injection and production layer-series, planar sedimentary face change and inner-layer vertical sedimentary rhythm and interbed in single layer to residual oil distribution. 7. It is difficult to clear up the inter-layer difference in scale of injection and production layer-series. The using status of minor layer is not good and its residual oil saturation is high relatively. It is obvious that inter-layer vertical sedimentary facies changes control inter-layer residual oil distribution at the same or similar conditions of injection and production. For fluvial formation, this vertical sedimentary facies change mainly is positive gyration. Namely, from down to top, channel sediment (element CHL, LA) changes into over-bank sediment (element LV, CR, CS). 8. In water-injection developing process of transverse connecting fluvial sandstone oil formation, injection water always comes into channel nearby, and breaks through along channel and orientation of high pressure gradient, does not expand into side of channel until pressure gradient of channel orientation changes into low. It brings about that water-driving status of over-bank sedimentary element formation (LV, CR, CS) is not good, residual oil saturation is high. In non-connective abandoned channel element (CH) formation with channel, because this reverse is difficult to control by injection and production well-series, its using status is not good, even terribly not good, residual oil is enrichment. 9. The rhythm and sedimentary structure, sedimentary facies change in single sand body brings about vertical changes of formation character, growth character of inner layer interbed. These are important factor of controlling and affecting vertical water spread volume and inner layer residual oil forming and distribution in single sand body. Positive rhythm, is the principal part of fluvial sandstone inner layer sedimentary rhythm. Namely, from down to upside, rock grain granularity changes from coarse to fine, seeping ability changes from strong to feebleness. It brings about that water-driving status of inner layer upside is not good, residual oil saturation is high. Inner layer interbed has different degree affecting and controlling effect to seeping of oil and water. Its affecting degree lies on interbed thickness, extending scale, position, and jeted segment of production or injection well. The effect of interbed at upside of oil formation to oil and water seeping is less; the effect of interbed at middle of oil formation to oil and water seeping is more. 10. Indoor experiment and research indicate that wettability, permeability step, vertical permeability, position of Kmax and ratio of oil viscousity and water viscousity all have great effect on the water-driving recovery ratio. 11. Microscopic residual oil distribution is affected and controlled by formation pore network structure, pressure field distribution, and oil characteristic. 12.The residual oil forming mechanism: the over-bank sedimentary element and upper part of a positive rhythm sandstone have fine pore and throat network, permeability is low, displacement pressure of pore and throat is high. The water-driving power usually falls short of displacement pressure that brings about injection water does not spread into these pore and throat network, thereby immovable oil area, namely residual oil, is formed. At underside of channel sedimentary element and positive rhythm sandstone, porosity and permeability is relatively high, connecting degree of pore and throat is high, displacement pressure of pore and throat is low. Thereby injection water is easy to enter into pore and throat, driving oil in them. Because the pore space is irregular, the surface of pore wall is coarse and non-flat. That the oil locate on concave hole of pore wall and the dead angle of pore, and the oil attaches on surface of pore wall by surface tension, are difficult to be peeled off, becoming water-driving residual oil (remaining oil). On the other hand, Because flowing section lessens, flowing resistance increase, action of capillary fore, or seeping speed decreases at process of transfer at pass narrow throat path in the course carried by driving water. The "oil drop", "oil bead", or "oil segment" peeled off by driving water is difficult to carry and to drive out by water at less pressure difference. Thereby they are enclosed in pore to form discontinuous residual oil. 13.This results described above have been applied in nine develop blocks of Gudao and Gudong oilfield. Its applying effect is marked through local injection production adjustment, deploying replacement well, repair hole, replacement envelop, block off water and profile control etc. Relative method and technology can be applied to other oil production area of Shengli oilfield, and obtain better economic and societal effect.