The German Passivhaus building standard, with its emphasis on airtightness and very high levels of insulation, has become well known. It is widely applied to produce buildings that have a very low heating energy demand in winter whilst providing thermal comfort. However, there have been, over the last decade, instances of summertime overheating in Passivhaus buildings. Research has shown that the high internal air temperatures during summer in Passivhaus dwellings are mainly due to excessive solar gain through large south-facing glazing and a lack of natural ventilation. A number of well-established passive adaptation measures have received a great deal of research attention, and several have been implemented in to Passivhaus designs to reduce summer discomfort. Some of these approaches, such as window opening and blinds, are user-dependent, while other interventions, such as overhangs, are truly passive and do not require the occupants’ attention. Although thermal mass is not a user-dependent intervention, it typically works in conjunction with night purge ventilation, which is controlled by building users. The research presented here investigated a less examined passive approach to reducing overheating - the potential implementation of the envelope shape as an environmental design strategy to self-shade. This approach is architectural in nature, and so could have both aesthetic and environmental consequences. The research tested if altering the geometric form of a UK Passivhaus (by tilting the south facade to give self-shading) might be capable of passively protecting the house from the excessive solar gain in summer, both for current and future climate scenarios. This study used probabilistic climate change scenarios from the UK Climate Change Projections to determine the overheating risk in an existing Passivhaus dwelling under a high emission 50-percentile scenario in London. Dynamic thermal simulation modelling software (DesignBuilder) was used to examine the impact of various inclinations of the south façade of the Passivhaus dwelling to make use of the self-shading that this form created. A sensitivity analysis of internal temperatures and thermal comfort conditions in the dwelling as a function of building facade inclination and prevailing climatic conditions was undertaken. The research found that implementing an optimum angle tilted façade would moderate indoor temperature variations between day and night in summer and could potentially act as an effective shading device and reduce overheating by a significant amount while still being practical for collecting solar gains in winter. The proposed inclined façade could eliminate the risk of overheating for current climates; however, it was found that using only the geometric considerations would not solely be fully capable of eradicating the risk of future thermal discomfort overheating, particularly for UK climate scenarios of the 2080s. The suggested tilted façade was then analysed alongside other conventional approaches, such as overhangs and reduced window to wall ratios, to compare their relative effectiveness in reducing overheating risk. Manipulating the tilt of the south facing façade will clearly have other impacts on, for instance, winter heating demand, daylighting and natural ventilation air flows, and these parameters have also been examined using the lighting and computational fluid dynamics CFD algorithms in DesignBuilder. The consequences of a slight tilt of the south façade on daylight levels and airflows through the dwelling were apparent but not overly large. The research noted a concurrent increase in the heating demand and artificial lighting, but it was concluded that this increase was an acceptable trade-off compared to the reduced summer overheating risk.

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Studies into architecture in Botswana posit that architecture in the capital city- Gaborone is a result of the imposition of British culture received through the historical conditions of colonisation and independence. This study seeks to go beyond this generalisation by examining architecture in Botswana, grounded in the construction of national and ethnic cultural identities, a sense of history, the idea of culture and its implication on space. It explores the relationship between identity politics and architecture. It traces various postcolonial identity-making practices in the city and traditional villages, which I argue, reveal a scenario whereby identities are re-interpreted and re-inscribed as part of the process of postcolonial manifestations of identities in space. Gaborone was planned as a capital city during the transition to self-rule and was envisioned as a mirror image of a nation, this process involved a search for postcolonial national identity and nation-building imperative. By analysing the archival documents and case study material on the city's planning legacy in relation to the socio-political context, I argue that these material facts provide a lens through which the representative spaces of the nation and state can be critically examined. I suggest that the process of envisioning the city is far more complex and nuanced than it is usually portrayed in literature, and it entails the negotiation between design professionals, the extant Tswana political elite, and colonial administrative officers. The study traces the persistence of national identity construction within the post-colonial period in the urban spaces. It illustrates that the spaces provide a platform where the national ii culture and identity is being formed, promoted, legitimised and consumed through national institutions and cultural activities such as markets and performances. In contrast, the recent ethnic cultural consciousness amongst ethnic communities presents a contrasting case of the construction of culturally derived identities. The analysis of the historic core of the village traces how the ethnic group of Bakgatla is constructing their own cultural spaces by examining historical and cultural landscapes of the Phuthadikobo cultural precinct and the Moruleng cultural precinct. The study argues that the built environment in postcolonial Botswana should be examined in connection with the wider socio-political changes; in this regard, the study draws theoretical insights from cultural studies, colonial, nationalism and postcolonial studies. It makes a contribution to the recent literature on architecture in postcolonial countries, which seeks to go beyond the perspective of colonial power representation as domination, but the constant negotiation between actors and practices. Additionally, it contributes to the conceptualisation of architecture and urbanism in relation to the construction of identities and meaning.

This thesis offers a historical and critical analysis of how the travel praxis (c. 1947-1959) of Danish architect Jørn Utzon (1918-2008) influenced the intellectual trajectory of his approach to architecture. Hence, this thesis examines his travels in North Africa, Europe, North America, Central America, the Far East, and Middle East, as he sought to recast anew an understanding of the levels beneath the superficial stylistic tropes of different civilizations, redeeming, as it were, transcultural architectural principles of how people respond to place, lying beyond the periodicity of history. In the existing literature, it is already well established that Utzon’s travel studies were not only critical to his own work, but historically significant for the course of the Modern Movement during the post-war period. Yet, his travel praxis has only been superficially reviewed, largely because of a previous lack of primary source evidence. In 2012, new research possibilities emerged, as Utzon’s family made significant parts of Utzon’s personal archive collection, from his life and work as an architect, available for research. Using inductive grounded theory as a methodological framework, this thesis offers the first extensive analysis of such material. Key findings are: Utzon’s travels were not just tied to personal, artistic agendas, but were a critical form of study that evolved gradually over the course of his formative period and underpinned his approach to architecture. Namely, it is argued that his travel praxis may be characterised as a process of integrating existential perceptions in an experiential manner. Both trajectories are grounded in a belief that architecture does not lend itself well to overly academic studies or distant observation and emphasise the study of architecture by means of a detour that accentuates the human forces and conditions – land, people, and time – that brought it into being. At the same time, this juxtaposition of an experiential approach with existentialism indicates an almost ontological stance, which places ‘profoundly being’ at the heart of the discipline. Finally, these findings are used, not only to deepen our understanding of Utzon’s oeuvre, but as an opportunity to engage with a wider perspective on the relativity between critical travel praxis and intellectual and creative identity formation, asserting the continued relevance of transcultural studies in contemporary architecture.

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The emerging problems from the rapid rural urbanization under the top-down ideologies and approaches in contemporary China have challenged the very fundamental definitions of architecture and architects originated from the Western discourse. It is within this broader context that this thesis started from an attempt to embed a thicker interpretation of Chinese rural villages in the major debates of contemporary architecture. Through conceptualizing and exploring an alternative form of architecture, the thesis aims to understand the up-to-dated situations and seek a sustainable path to transform Chinese rural villages under the current hegemonic urbanization. The form is manifested in the twin concepts – ‘hybrid building’ and ‘hybrid practitioner’, both emerged from and rooted in the rural-urban realities in the transitional China, and provide a modus operandi for a bottom-up architecture of social engagement. The first part of the thesis briefly interrogates the accumulated past and the present realities of Chinese rural villages from political, legislative, economic, cultural and social perspectives, which constitute the immediate operating context for architectural design and engagement in all its complexities and contradictions. The second part explores and examines six selected architectural cases and their overlooked production of objects, processes and infrastructures in Chinese rural villages from 2006 to 2016, narrating an architectural modus operandi of hybridity, of engagement, and of social sustainable transformation. Based on social-anthropological field research and socially-engaged architectural action learning, the thesis concludes that hybrid building and hybrid practitioner as an alternative form of architecture will not only navigate into the system of decaying villages, but also transform it in a more socially-resilient way, by prompting architectural activisms and triggering architectural hybridity from within the very fabric of Chinese rural villages. The thesis aimed to be the first attempt to place contemporary architectural design practice in Chinese rural villages within a broader framework combining anthropology and activism.

Climate change driven by anthropogenic activities is leading to atmospheric warming. In tandem rapid urbanization and densification of cities is exacerbating the urban heat island effect. A phenomenon where surface and air temperatures in urban areas is higher than that of adjacent rural areas, despite these locations experienced the same weather conditions. Urban heat islands are driven by 1. an inability to dissipate solar energy through the absorbance of incoming radiation, and the slow re-radiation of infra-red energy from hard surfaces (brick, concrete, tarmac etc.) and 2. the release of heat energy from anthropogenic activities (machinery, building heating or cooling systems, computers, vehicle engines and emissions). Although urban heat islands are understood at a city and neighbourhood level, information is still limited at a more local scale. This research aimed to partially address this by providing a better understanding of thermal behaviour around roadways, in a northern temperate-climate city, i.e. Sheffield. Specifically, the research aimed to understand how roadside structure and features influenced the local thermal properties of the roadways. Empirical experiments using high replication rates were employed to determine the influence of road location, the presence of infrastructure (buildings, trees etc.), sunlight angle and vehicle flow on local microclimates. The data confirmed previous findings that green infrastructure especially trees, but also hedges and grass provided a significant local surface cooling effect (up to 4-5oC). In contrast, hard surfaces such as offices and houses promoted higher temperatures. Temperature gradients between green and grey infrastructure were noted at an intimate scale (e.g. across roadways), but also across neighbourhoods (e.g. moving from a park towards highly dense build housing). The local cooling effect of trees on pavements and roadways was clearly demonstrated using the transactional road profile methodology. Trees at either side of the road providing a more uniform cooling affect across a roadway, than trees just at one side or the other. Higher numbers of vehicles significantly enhanced road surface temperatures (roads were warmer at rush hour, compared to equivalent quieter periods). Road temperatures were influenced strongly by the amount of incoming solar radiation and sunlight angle (time of day), but in general, the middle of the road was often warmer than other parts of the road transactional profile. This may be due to it experiencing more sunlight for longer during the day, but may also be influenced by colour of material (black tarmac) and indeed, vehicle movements. Other key factors influencing road temperatures could include the 'openness' of the site and degree of shading from adjacent objects (as measured by the 'sky view factor'). These results are discussed within the context of roadway design within a changing climate.

Urban morphology in combination with soundscape planning and design are important parameters towards the development of sustainable cities. Towards this direction this study primarily investigates the effect of urban morphology and green-space related parameters on traffic noise in different analysis levels. Secondly, it complements this first objective approach with a subjective one, investigating peoples’ perceptual attributes using auditory and visual stimuli. Both approaches aim at merging the gap between acoustics and planning on the grounds of the new holistic approach of urban sound planning. At first, a triple level analysis was conducted including case study cities across Europe with a view to understand to what extent greener cities can also be quieter. The analysis was conducted using GIS tools and noise data from European databases combined with land cover parameters. Results were scale-dependent with lower noise levels to be achieved in cities with a higher extent of porosity and green space coverage. A further cluster analysis combined with land cover data revealed that lower noise levels were detected in the cluster with the highest green space coverage. At last, a new index of ranking cities from the noisiest to the quietest was proposed. Using the findings concerning green spaces and traffic noise from the previous study, a second analysis was conducted focused on eight UK cities. The green space variables were adjusted to incorporate also parameters related to spatial pattern and smaller ontologies, such as vegetated backyards or front yards. Parameters related to urban morphology, such as buildings and roads were also investigated. The analysis was conducted in a macro, meso and micro scale using regression models and GIS tools. Cities were divided in two types of settlement forms (linear, radial) and results showed that the latter were associated with a higher green space ratio. Green space and morphological parameters managed to predict the Lden levels in two cities with an explained variance up to 85%. Results suggested that urban green space variables combined with other features of urban morphology conduct a significant role in traffic noise mitigation and can be used as a priori tool in urban sound planning. The third part of the study focused particularly on the effects of vegetation and traffic-related parameters on the sound environment of urban parks. The sound environment was evaluated using both simulated traffic data and in situ measurements from mobile devices inside the parks. Results showed that simulated noise distribution in the park scale varied between 43 and 78 dB(A) with a maximum range of 9 dB(A) per park and higher noise variability for LA10. Two groups of parks were identified according to the distance from the international ring road. For measurement data, LA90 and LA10 were higher outside the parks with differences up to 6 dB(A) for LA90 and up to 14.3 dB(A) for LA10. Additional correlations were also detected between noise levels and morphological attributes, while slightly higher noise levels were detected in areas covered with grass compared with tree areas. The previous objective findings were combined with a perceptual study on the transition from prediction to soundscape and design implementation. In this study the relationship between land use and sound sources was explored. The stimulus material was based on binaural recordings and 360°-videos. Participants were required to assess the dominance of sound sources and the appropriateness of land use and socio-recreational activities. Results showed that the activity-based environment can be explained by two main Components. The green space coverage and the proximity to roads were the most significant parameters in the prediction of these two components. In the final stage, a multivariate analysis (MANOVA) was used in order to identify significant variations for the land use activity variables in the three urban activity profiles. The whole process emphasized on the importance of linking urban planning and design with soundscape from the land use activity viewpoint. In the final stage, two of the previous UK case study cities were selected in order to develop a mapping model to aid soundscape planning with parallel implementation and assessment of its effectiveness. Ordinary Kriging interpolation was used in both cases to simulate the predictive values in unknown locations. In Sheffield, the soundscape model was based on the prediction and profiling of sound sources, while in Brighton in the prediction and profiling of perceptual attributes. The cross-validation process in both cases presented small errors with slightly underestimated prediction values. The outcomes from both case studies can be applied in environmental noise management and soundscape planning in different urban scales.

The thesis explores the effects of the urban morphological characteristics on the general level and the spatial distribution of urban traffic noise with employing the state-of-the-art noise mapping method and a series of quantitative research approaches. In a systematic applicability test, it was found that the state-of-the-art EU noise mapping method is applicable in most of the complicated urban space scenarios selected in China; while for some complicated urban environment features, optimisation of the calculation configuration, modelling method, or calculation algorithm is required to ensure acceptable accuracy. A comparison study was then conducted between a series of urban areas with similar functions and distinct urban morphological features in two typical urbanised areas selected in the UK and China. The result reveals strong influences of urban morphological features on the noise distribution patterns. The effect of the social-economic factors on the spatial distribution of traffic noise was also explored. A parametric study based on a series of idealised cases was conducted to further explore the effects of urban morphological features on the traffic noise. A number of urban morphological indices were found to have significant effects on the general level and distribution of traffic noise and series of prediction models were also developed based on multilinear regression analyses, and it was found that the variation of up to 73.1% of the ground noise level and 70.7% of the indoor noise level can be predicted by 2-3 urban morphological indices. Based on the findings, a series of practical suggestions were then given for the potential of predicting and mitigating the traffic noise impact through urban planning and urban design measures.