Margie and Bill Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design
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Browsing Margie and Bill Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design by Department "Architecture and Planning"
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Item A Multimodal Appraisal of Zaha Hadid's Glasgow Riverside Museum—Criticism, Performance Evaluation, and Habitability(2023-01-09) Salama, Ashraf M.; Salingaros, Nikos A.; MacLean, LauraHigh-profile projects promoted by governments, local municipalities, and the media do not always meet program requirements or user expectations. The Riverside Museum in Glasgow by Zaha Hadid Architects, which has generated significant discussion in the media, is used to test this claim. A multimodal inquiry adopts three factors: criticism, performance evaluation, and habitability. Results from this method are then correlated with visual attention scans using software from 3M Corporation to map unconscious user engagement. A wide spectrum of tools is employed, including a walking tour assessment procedure, contemplation of selected settings, navigational mapping, and assessing user emotional experiences. Key aspects of the design and spatial qualities of this museum are compared with an analysis of critical writings on how the project was portrayed in the media. Further, we examine socio-spatial practices, selected behavioral phenomena, and the emotional experiences that ensue from users' interaction with the building and its immediate context. The findings suggest design shortcomings and, more worrisome, that spatial qualities relevant to users' experiences do not seem to have been met. In going beyond the usual method of analysis, we apply new techniques of eye-tracking simulations, which verify results obtained by more traditional means. An in-depth analysis suggests the need for better compatibility between the imagined design ideas and the actual spatial environments in use.Item An Intelligent Approach for Performing Energy-Driven Classification of Buildings Utilizing Joint Electricity–Gas Patterns(2021-11-09) Nichiforov, Cristina; Martinez-Molina, Antonio; Alamaniotis, MiltiadisBuilding type identification is an important task that may be used in confirming and verifying its legitimate operation. One of the main sources of information over the operation of a building is its energy consumption, with the analysis of electricity patterns being at the spotlight of a non-intrusive identification approach. However, electricity patterns are the only source of information, and therefore, their analysis imposes several restrictions. In this work, we introduce a new approach in energy-driven identification by adding one more source of information beyond the electricity pattern that may be utilized, namely the gas consumption pattern. In particular, we propose a new intelligent approach that jointly analyzes the electricity–gas patterns to provide the type of building at hand. Our approach exploits the synergism of the matrix profile data analysis technique with a feed-forward artificial neural network. This approach has applicability in the energy waste elimination through the implementation of different energy efficiency solutions, as well as the optimization of the demand-side process management, safer and reliable operation through fault detection, and the identification and validation of the real operation of the building. The obtained results demonstrate the improvement in identifying the type of the building by employing the proposed approach for joint electricity–gas patterns as compared to only using the electricity patterns.Item Architectural Design Qualities of an Adolescent Psychiatric Hospital to Benefit Patients and Staff(SAGE Publications, 2023-06-26) Norouzi, Neda; Martinez, Antonio; Rico, ZayraObjectives: This study is focused on how architectural design of adolescent psychiatric hospitals could positively affect not only patients but also staff members working at the hospitals. Background: Adolescents between the ages of 12 and 18 are among the young population with the highest percentage of mental illness. However, there are limited number of intentionally designed psychiatric hospitals for adolescents. Staff who work in adolescent psychiatric hospitals may face workplace violence. Studies on environmental impacts suggest that the built environment affects patients’ well-being and safety as well as staff’s satisfaction, working condition, safety, and health. However, there are very few studies that focus on adolescent psychiatric hospitals and the impact of the built environment on both staff and patients. Methods: Data were collected through literature analysis and semi-structured interviews with staff of three psychiatric state hospitals with adolescent patient units. The triangulation of multiple data sources informed a set of environmental design conditions that captures the complexity and connectedness of architectural design and the occupants of an adolescent psychiatric hospital. Results: The results present architectural composition, atmosphere, lighting, natural environment, safety, and security as indispensable design conditions to create an enclosed and city-like campus that provides a serene, secure, and structured environment that benefit staff and adolescent patients. Conclusion: The specific design strategies that need to be incorporated in the architectural design of a safe and secure adolescent psychiatric hospital include an open floor plan that respects patients’ autonomy and offers privacy while always providing staff with full visibility of patients.Item Enhancing Historic Building Performance with the Use of Fuzzy Inference System to Control the Electric Cooling System(MDPI, 2020-07-21) Martinez-Molina, Antonio; Alamaniotis, MiltiadisIn recent years, the interest in properly conditioning the indoor environment of historic buildings has increased significantly. However, maintaining a suitable environment for building and artwork preservation while keeping comfortable conditions for occupants is a very challenging and multi-layered job that might require a considerable increase in energy consumption. Most historic structures use traditional on/off heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system controllers with predetermined setpoints. However, these controllers neglect the building sensitivity to occupancy and relative humidity changes. Thus, sophisticated controllers are needed to enhance historic building performance to reduce electric energy consumption and increase sustainability while maintaining the building historic values. This study presents an electric cooling air controller based on a fuzzy inference system (FIS) model to, simultaneously, control air temperature and relative humidity, taking into account building occupancy patterns. The FIS numerically expresses variables via predetermined fuzzy sets and their correlation via 27 fuzzy rules. This intelligent model is compared to the typical thermostat on/off baseline control to evaluate conditions of cooling supply during cooling season. The comparative analysis shows a FIS controller enhancing building performance by improving thermal comfort and optimizing indoor environmental conditions for building and artwork preservation, while reducing the HVAC operation time by 5.7%.Item Historic Roots of Modern Residential Segregation in a Southwestern Metropolis: San Antonio, Texas in 1910 and 2010(2017-06-01) Walter, Rebecca J.; Foote, Nathan; Cordoba, Hilton A.; Sparks, Corey S.This study seeks to understand the historic roots of modern segregation by comparing residential racial patterns in the city of San Antonio over time. The year 1910 is recreated for San Antonio by georeferencing and digitizing historic Sanborn maps and aligning residential structures with historical census and city directory race data for the head of household. The historical point data are aggregated to the census block level and compared to 2010 householder race data by calculating the two most common dimensions of residential segregation: evenness (dissimilarity and Theil’s index) and exposure (isolation and interaction). The findings reveal that by 1910 San Antonio was already a remarkably segregated city and the original patterns of residential segregation resemble contemporary San Antonio. Particularly, residential racial segregation in the Hispanic concentrated southwestern portion of the city has increased over time resulting in an exceptionally racially divided metropolis.Item Housing perceptions and code enforcement: An assessment of demolition orders using street view imagery and machine intelligence(SAGE Publications, 2024-03-04) López Ochoa, Esteban A.; Zhai, WeiThe rapid growth of U.S. Sunbelt cities has intensified urban development pressures. Low-income housing demolitions are a result of such pressures as they are “low hanging fruit” for urban renewal, which can be further intensified by housing quality perceptions. By combining deep learning on Street View images (STV) with machine learning, we provide a model that accurately predicts demolition orders and allows assessing the heterogeneity of these predictions depending on the evaluator’s perceptions. Based on fast-growing San Antonio (TX) data, our results show that automated models can be useful to assess human perception biases of code enforcers.Item Intergenerational Day Centers: A New Wave in Adult and Child Day Care(2023-01-01) Norouzi, Neda; Angel, Jacqueline L.Intergenerational Day Centers (IDCs) are an innovation that addresses two important societal challenges, the continuing need for childcare and the emerging demand for older-adult supportive services that help them remain independent in their homes. These facilities provide care, and specialized resources and activities for both older adults and children in one location. While the importance and benefits of these programs have been proven, there is scant information in the literature and best-practice guidelines on the planning and development of these programs. This qualitative study focuses on the research, planning, and building development for new IDCs in metropolitan areas. It is based on a case example of the process of establishing an IDC in the City of Austin, which was an element of the Age-Friendly Austin Plan. It examines the applicable literature and the extensive involvement of experts in architecture, community planning, and public health policy as well as data collected from community engagement workshops to facilitate the IDC's creation and operation. This study offers a developmental strategy method that can be adopted and utilized by other cities, developers, and designers who are interested in building IDCs.Item Measuring the Spatial Dimension of Automobile Ownership and Its Associations with Household Characteristics and Land Use Patterns: A Case Study in Three Counties, South Florida (USA)(2017-04-06) Song, Jie; Wang, RuoniuMotorization and increased levels of car ownership have partly contributed to traffic congestion and air pollution, which is a prime concern in the era of climate change. Therefore, vehicle ownership-related topics have been extensively explored by transportation scholars, economists, and planning researchers. However, relatively fewer scientists have investigated the spatial patterns and socioeconomic factors of car ownership simultaneously within a large geographic scale. Thus, the goal of this article is to illuminate how high levels of auto ownership may cluster spatially and what factors relate to such phenomena by developing an integrative framework and applying it in three counties in South Florida (US). Specifically, this study first evaluated whether vehicle ownership is spatially autocorrelated using Global and Local Moran’s I statistics. It then justified significant factors associated with car ownership by employing Poisson and Corrected Poisson regression models. The findings, using raw data, show that there exist locally spatial clusters of the households with high levels of automobile ownership, while globally the patterns of auto ownership are statistically random. Furthermore, the results suggest that the number of drivers, the number of workers, household income level, housing tenure, the proximity to schools, and net house density significantly influence car ownership levels. The results can assist urban planners and local governments in developing planning schemes that aim at transit, cycling, walking, and other non-motorized travel modes, thereby furthering environmentally friendly communities.Item New Mobility Study: Considerations for the UTSA Downtown Campus and Community(UTSA Urban and Regional Planning, 2019-12-10) Alobaidli, Amina; Bastoni, Matthew; Eng, Genesis; Escalera-Ibarra, Veronica; Griffin, Greg; Hernandez, Christopher; Herrera, Jose Antonio; Malone, Justin; Nuri, Stori; Pena, Gilbert Jr.; Sestak, Jacob; Spencer, EronThis New Mobility Study addresses rapid technological changes in transportation and communication technology, tailored to the context of downtown San Antonio. Graduate students at the University of Texas at San Antonio in Urban and Regional Planning reviewed the existing context of the UTSA Downtown Campus area in light of new mobility concepts, leveraging recent research to guide ideas for the location’s future. Students performed field studies, integrated urban planning concepts, and recommended potential transportation solutions under the guidance of their professor. This study offers recommendations regarding public transit, bicycling, curb utilization, e-scooter and pedestrian modes that can inform the university and city’s next steps for the area. The UTSA team suggests the city, university, and local partners should view both existing policies and new proposals through an equity perspective. Existing conditions reflect past planning for driving cars for most trips, but with a well-connected street grid and generous right-of-way that could support advancements for other modes. Student researchers measured streetscape noise levels averaging 36 decibels along pedestrian-oriented sections of Houston Street. Bus transit speed averaged 16 mph on the Via 100 Primo, comparable to automotive speeds. Non-motorized pedestrian traffic (115 per hour) and bicycle traffic (11 per hour) on South Flores is substantial, despite limited infrastructure. Opportunities include leveraging new mobility options to use the street space to improve access while decreasing crashes. Risks include a decline in downtown’s vibrancy and equity from failure to anticipate challenges, such as people using autonomous vehicles to live further from their workplaces and schools, and jobs such as truck and taxi drivers being replaced. Some key recommendations of this study include: • Prioritize existing public transit services as a key for mobility for all. • Rapidly build bicycle infrastructure to sustainably and safely support growth in the area. • Reconsider curb utilization to begin planning for a more shared, autonomous future. • E-scooter and pedestrian interactions require urgent attention, focusing on sidewalk improvements and micromobility policy improvements. Maintaining and improving pedestrian access is key for the downtown San Antonio area and should be central in any new mobility initiative. As the city advances with new mobility approaches, community-engaged research can help anticipate challenges and create better mobility for all.Item Review: An Introduction to Fully Integrated Mixed Methods Research, by Creamer, Elizabeth G(Sage, 2021-03-23) Griffin, Greg; Spencer, EronIf complexity and interdisciplinarity are crucial challenges for urban planning research, our field should build more sophisticated approaches to understanding problems. An Introduction to Fully Mixed Methods Research provides a clear and comprehensive basis for the simultaneous integration of qualitative and quantitative information, strengthening the alignment of how we think about complex truths in urban planning and how we devise solutions that integrate the breadth of knowledge for wicked problems. To evaluate the book for multiple audiences, we approach this review as a professor and graduate student team.Item San Antonio 360: The Rise and Decline of the Concentric City 1890–2010(2017-04-19) Caine, Ian; Walter, Rebecca J.; Foote, NathanThis paper catalogs the suburban expansion of San Antonio, Texas by decade between the years 1890 and 2009, a time frame that saw the city reorganize its morphological structure four times. The city inhabited a 36-square mile grid until the late nineteenth century; expanded radially along streetcar lines during the early twentieth century; grew concentrically along automotive ring roads during the mid-twentieth century; and has assumed a polycentric organization within the past two decades. This research places San Antonio’s recent demographic and geographic boom into historical perspective, utilizing construction completions in host Bexar County to answer the following question: how did the form, location, and type of suburban growth shift over 120 years? The research reveals three trends: first, that historically concentric growth patterns began to assume a polycentric configuration in the late twentieth century; second, that patterns of centrifugal expansion began to accelerate dramatically during the same time period; and third, that the relative increase of multifamily completions has surpassed that of single-family completions in five of the last six decades. These findings suggest that the City of San Antonio, in order to establish a sustainable growth model, must prioritize the opportunities and constraints associated with polycentric suburban expansion.Item The Importance of Domestic Space in the Times of COVID-19(2021-10-19) Aresta, Marco; Salingaros, Nikos A.This essay discusses a deep malaise of contemporary architecture, made more obvious by experiencing COVID-19 lockdowns for several months. Evidence-based arguments urge society to improve human health and well-being by re-considering the design of interior and exterior spaces. So far, predictions of how design will “improve” after COVID-19 just continue business-as-usual, ignoring accumulated evidence. Yet, the negative emotional experience of families cooped up during the pandemic reveals the failure of the standard approach to designing spaces. An architecture that adapts to human biology and psychology starts with the relatively new understanding of people interacting unconsciously with their environment and broadens it. A traditional design toolkit, augmented by the latest technology, can generate healing spaces as judged by their ability to enhance users’ subjective well-being. We recommend implementing specific design innovations to achieve this goal—replacing industrial-minimalism with biophilic and neuro-based design and using documented patterns that trigger feelings of happiness in users.Item Using neighborhood characteristics to predict vacancy types: Comparing multi-scale conditions surrounding existing vacant lots(SAGE Publications, 2023-03-10) Lee, Ryun Jung; Newman, Galen; Van Zandt, ShannonVacant and abandoned land can be public eyesores that can potentially result in neighborhood distress in the long term. In some cases, the contextual conditions of a neighborhood have been shown to have more of a negative effect on communities than the vacant property itself. Maximum opportunities to actually reuse vacant and abandoned land is known to primarily exist in cases where the surrounding area has locational benefits or when local economic conditions are hopeful. This study examines and compares neighborhood socioeconomic characteristics around vacant lots in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, to identify spatial heterogeneity within vacancy types and neighborhood characteristics. Specifically, we examine 1) if the socioeconomic characteristics of a neighborhood can predict existing vacant lots and 2) what neighborhood characteristics are associated with certain vacant lot types. Three logistic regressions were tested with different buffers around each vacant lot, and a total of eighteen regressions were performed to capture the effects on six vacancy types. Results suggest that there are various types of vacancies interacting differently at the neighborhood scale, and that a large-scale neighborhood context matters when predicting vacancy types. The results also indicate three salient points. First, minority populations are a strong predictor of residential and commercial vacancies. Second, high-income areas tend to predict vacancies with potential investment opportunities or vacancies as a part of an existing park or recreational system. Third, vacant properties designated for institutional land uses tend to be found in lower-income areas, yet, not necessarily in areas with high minority populations. Managing and repurposing vacant and abandoned land should be handled more progressively with a better understanding of the socioeconomic characteristics of neighborhoods. Further, examining vacancy types by community can be a way to diagnose potential neighborhood risks associated with vacant and abandoned land.