Browsing by Author "Dall'Ara, Enrica"

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    Design Studio Matrix: Supporting the Decision-Making Process as Part of a Reflective Practice
    (2021-04) Abegglen, Sandra; Dall'Ara, Enrica; Livesey, Graham; Neuhaus, Fabian; Taylor, Mary-Ellen
    Design is described as a process of making decisions based on reflection in and on action (Schön, 1983). This report outlines the findings of the Design Studio Matrix: Supporting the Decision-Making Process as Part of a Reflective Practice research project, and provides recommendations for both future research and teaching. The Design Studio Matrix was funded by the grants program of the Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning at the University of Calgary. The principal grant holder was Dr. Fabian Neuhaus, Associate Professor at the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape, University of Calgary. The project was carried out at the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape, University of Calgary, with a focus on three Masters design studio courses: the EVDS 620 Urban Design Studio/EVDA 782.01 Senior Architecture Design Studio course in fall 2019, the EVDP 644 B02 Advanced Professional Planning Studio course in winter 2020 and the EVDP 616 Planning course in fall 2020. The project ran for two years, from spring 2019 to Spring 2021. Its aim was to analyze design studio pedagogy and to further develop the Design Studio Matrix (DSM), a teaching and learning tool that was developed by Dr. Graham Livesey, Dr. Enrica Dall’Ara and Dr. Fabian Neuhaus. The hypothesis was that the DSM would help shift the focus of design education away from the product towards the process and the reflection thereof. The research was led by Sandra Abegglen and adopted a mixed or multi method approach consisting of focus group discussions, semi-structured interviews, in-class observations and questionnaires. In addition, material created by the students such as diagrams and survey data were analyzed. Ethical approval for the research was sought and granted by the University of Calgary Conjoint Faculties Ethics Board in August 2019. A total of 100 students have worked with the DSM to date. Of those, 53 students were registered for one of the courses included in this study, with 38 students fully participating in the research and 3 students partially participating. Participation in the research project was voluntary, with students being able to opt in or out of all, or particular research elements.
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    Marginal Enclosures: An Exploration of the Viability of a Social Housing Siting and Maintenance Framework Based on Stakeholder Experience - The Case of Lagos State, Nigeria
    (2021-08-31) Daniels-Akunekwe, Chika Chioma; Sinclair, Brian Robert; Keough, Noel Gerard; Dall'Ara, Enrica; Dotson, Olon; Patterson, Matt; Keenan, Thomas Patrick
    In Nigeria, social housing, which is fundamentally associated with the most disadvantaged people in the society, accounts for about 5% of the total housing stock. Within this percentage, a significant number of developments are lost due to reasons predominantly associated with siting and maintenance. Typically, social housing is located at urban fringes where, with barely any attention from government or developers, it is vandalized and/or abandoned. In addition to suffering the same fate (of vandalism and/or abandonment), social housing developments (infrequently) constructed at the boundaries of high(er) income neighborhoods are also often met with severe opposition from residents of such neighborhoods. This opposition has customarily led to abandonment of the project either at inception or before completion. There is scant research on understanding and developing strategies/systems to address the siting and maintenance of such developments, this is evidence that there is a knowledge gap to be filled. While this is not a novel study, it can be implied that the persistence of the problem signifies a limitation in previous studies. My research hypothesizes that if social housing developments are properly located and maintained, they will be more successful. Based on existing theories, my study seeks to create a framework to guide the siting and maintenance of social housing developments in Lagos, by considering the participation of key stakeholders.
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    Modular Urbanism: Combining modular and multi-scalar design strategies in creating sustainable landscape architecture design and construction processes
    (2020-09-23) Skilling, Gordon; Fox, J. Kris; Dall'Ara, Enrica; Fox, J. Kris; Ragsdale, Joseph
    In the continued effort to fulfill its professional mandate to build sustainably, the discipline of landscape architecture has begun the transition from emphasizing site-specific design and construction (a “one-off” approach) towards more expansive methods that better address material efficiencies, life cycle performance, and end of life building practices through redevelopment, adaptive re-use and retrofitting. Within this context, this thesis asks how modular design thinking could offer an alternative approach, especially when combined with the multi-scalar techniques and principles of tactical urbanism and placemaking in the (re)design and construction of sustainable urban spaces. Often thought of as generic, repetitive, and monotonous, with regard to the built environment, this thesis will suggest that modular design thinking, at the site scale, has direct application to landscape architecture in not only (re)activating urban spaces, but in creating meaningful sense of place. Highlights will include three interdisciplinary design case studies, that engaged community, and municipal stakeholders. This thesis will touch on the importance of interdisciplinary practice in the development of novel, specific yet scalable, adaptable yet economical forms of urbanism, and in doing so, develop possible alternative design processes in generating normative practices in landscape architecture design and construction.
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    Towards A New Practice of Integrated Landscape Design and Care
    (2023-07) Tsang, Amy; Natvik, Mathis; Dall'Ara, Enrica; Livesey, Graham David; Hlimi, Tawab; King, Andrew John
    This research examines how to bridge an existing gap between landscape design and maintenance within the overarching goal of supporting and enhancing ecological function in designed landscapes. Emerging from a practice-based problem, the research solution aims to bring together the working ecosystems of design and maintenance through a process of building strong and effective teams working towards common goals. The UK Design Council’s Double Diamond was used as the guiding framework for the development of the thesis problem and solution. Two research methodologies, Design Science Research and practice-based research were used to identify and solve the problem by generating new knowledge and insights around integrating ecological landscape design and maintenance. Three major components of research were conducted: 1) “On the Ground” interviews, 2) Key Informant interviews, and 3) a Practitioners Precedent review. These were used to inform the research solution, a “Model of Care”. The “Model of Care” is based on the fundamental principles of common values and goals, support structure, knowledge transfer, communication, and capacity-building. To test and describe the solution, four care archetypes were developed: 1) “Self”, 2) “Community”, 3) “Contractor”, and 4) “Staff”. For each of these archetypes, a persona and design fiction narrative were developed to describe how the “Model of Care” could be applied in practice. The research demonstrated how an integrated approach to design and care of landscapes can lead to better outcomes for not only ecologically designed landscapes, but designed landscapes in general. The research also illustrated the value and importance of reflection, innovation, and experimentation within a practice-based context towards solving complex challenges.
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    Urban design, climate + context: Exploring the interplay of thermal comfort and human perception in the case of Lahore, Pakistan.
    (2024-10-28) Mazhar, Naveed; Dall'Ara, Enrica; Sinclair, Brian Robert; Kenny, Natasha; Hachem-Vermette, Caroline
    Weather is arguably the most important human thermal comfort factor, both as an actual and perceived component, from a user's viewpoint. The user's received energy, real or presumed, is highly decisive in how well an outdoor space is used. The present study illuminates the human perceptual mechanisms involved in an urban open environment and human thermal comfort assessment, emphasizing hot climates. The primary objective is to identify underlying conditions influencing people's behaviour and usage of outdoor spaces. An in-depth literature review demonstrated that a physiological approach alone is inadequate in characterizing human thermal comfort conditions. Therefore, embracing a holistic approach, a novel conceptual model is proposed, aligning direct and indirect factors. The proposed model, Man vs. Machine, is a two-pronged approach focusing on qualitative and quantitative parameters. This study deciphered the effects of weather parameters (e.g., air temperature, wind, and solar radiation) and personal factors (e.g., place perception, emotions, sensations, and behaviours) on participants' emotional estimations of urban open spaces. Fused with the physical design components, the proposed model distinguishes the simultaneous and equal assessment of the two fundamental characteristics – empirical measurements and subjective human feelings. The study investigated four neighbourhoods – Mohallaz in the Walled City of Lahore, Pakistan. Users of urban open spaces are the fulcrum, and the intended Man vs. Machine conceptual framework is a robust side-by-side comparative analysis of the unique domains of urban microclimates, human psychology, and behaviour. The proposed study model handled only simple computations through the COMFA model to ensure quality results, such as charts of energy budgets and the total amount of radiation absorbed by a person ( Rabs) and a comparative analysis. At the collective level, the comparative charts based on site surveys informed the behavioural pattern(s) obtained from a 20-day field study comprising 800 respondents. At the individual level, cross-comparisons of thermal comfort and spatial perception helped derive theoretical and practical environment-behaviour relationship(s). The final results, derived from 800 studies, were categorized into two key factors: a) the site’s microclimate and b) the user’s spatial psychology. The analysis revealed that 65% of respondents (520 out of 800) sitting outdoors during summer felt satisfied with their experience. However, it is crucial to note that despite these perceptions of spatial satisfaction, 62% of the recorded time data indicated that respondents were vulnerable to danger or extreme danger of heat stress, according to the HTCI scale. The study determined that outdoor thermal discomfort is peripheral for users compared to the sense of place factor. The motivational factors with the most demonstrable impact on human spatial perception(s) and outdoor open space usage are space uniqueness, spatial affinity and individual features of traditional Mughal architecture. The study is groundbreaking, unique, and unparalleled in the realm of hot-climate cities. It represents a substantial and valuable advancement in comprehending the psychological factors that impact human thermal perception and behaviour in urban environments, with implications for urban design. The results of this research aimed to change how architects and environmental behaviour experts approach urban design and improve the built environments by using design recommendations outlined in the research.