High-rise residential tower is an inevitable and prevalent building type in high-density areas such as China. Because of the large population such buildings accommodate, improving the quality of people's lives in these towers has significant meaning. One of the important problems in such environments is the loss of identity of individual homes. This occurs because living spaces cannot fit individual families' unique and changing physical and spiritual needs. People can identify their lives and express their individual values in their homes in only the most meager ways. Consequently, people and their communities suffer deeply for the loss of identity of individual homes.The first focus of this thesis is to bring the question of individual control into light with the issue of identity of individual homes. Identity of any built environment results from the interplay of both shared values and individual values. In an identifiable and accommodating environment, both value sets should be in balance, over time. In high-rise residential towers, individual values are hardly presented because of the lack of individual control. So the radical way to establish identity of individual homes is to enable individual control in the building process.The second focus of this thesis is a study in architectural design of the distribution of control in such high-rise environments. Two kinds of individual controls are assumed and distributed: the control of the dwelling layouts and the control of dwelling unit facades. To enable these tow configurations of parts to be subject to individual control, propositions for setting up a new balance between centrally controlled parts and individually controlled parts in high-rise residential towers are put forward.To demonstrate these propositions, a specific high-rise residential tower in Beijing is redesigned to the solution of technical problems, regulatory issues and conventions when control is distributed. Individual control of both the dwelling layouts and the facades are simulated in a methodical way.Finally, notes about supportive products and management techniques, broader developments in other types of high-rise buildings, and the cultivation of shared values out of individual values are offered. / Department of Architecture

Emergency evacuation in high-rise apartment building is a challenge for fire safety professionals. Lift evacuation is a controversial issue because the safe operation of lift is not ensured under the existing design and operating conditions. Lifts are not permitted for public evacuation in apartment buildings during fire emergencies as per the provisions of building codes and regulations. However, the concept of using lifts for emergency evacuation has been gaining considerable attention during recent years. The lift evacuation can be considered as an alternative facility if it is efficient, reliable and readily accessible. It can also provide a safer means of evacuation for the aged and disabled persons, who may not be able to evacuate promptly, efficiently and unassisted using the exit stairs during fire emergencies. Moreover, lifts can enable building corporate management to easily and promptly access the fireaffected floor and commence fire fighting. The work on the use of lifts for emergency evacuation was initiated in the early 1990s at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST, USA) in which pros and cons were analysed in order to develop suitable guidelines. This research project examines the feasibility of using lifts along with design modifications as an alternative facility for a safer and more efficient emergency evacuation. The scope of this research is limited to apartment buildings where occupant load is low and fire load is generally confined to dwelling compartment units. This research project analysed the important issues in relation to the use of lifts for emergency evacuation. The issues were divided into three categories: human behavioural response, fire hazards and lift operational mechanism. Output variables relating to human behavioural response were modelled and analysed as a stochastic process. Residents’ choice for using evacuation routes was determined using a survey. The issues of fire hazards (fire, smoke and toxic gases) were analysed for occupant safety under variable conditions using the concept of fire safety index. The issues of lift operational mechanism such as lift malfunctioning due to excessive temperature, electric power failure and water damage were considered for developing probabilistic models. An integrated approach of risk assessment for the issues of human behavioural response and fire hazards (such as ‘decision uncertainty’, ‘panic’, ‘nonfatal and fatal injuries’) was developed based on the Multi-Objectives Decision Analysis method. The results for lift and stair systems were compared and the feasibility of using lift with design modifications was analysed for alternative designs and evacuation strategies. The outcomes of this research have shown that using lifts with a protected lobby for up to one-fourth of the building population (who may be aged and disabled) has huge potential as an alternative evacuation facility with enhanced level of safety. Lifts with protected lobby for one-fourth of the building population showed an improved level of fire safety from exposure to fire effluents. The reliability of lift operational mechanism is also improved in protected lift shafts. Lifts with protected lobby for up to one-fourth of the building population and stairs for up to three-fourth of the building population showed an improved evacuation safety. The risks in combined evacuation systems (protected lifts and stairs) are found to be lower when compared to using stairs or protected lifts. Lifts with double lobby protection (for example, two levels of compartmentation with fire and smoke doors for lift lobby) showed further improvements. This research has proposed alternative designs for lifts and developed models for analyzing evacuation effectiveness based on risks related to human behaviour, fire hazards and operational mechanism. It has shown that a combined use of lifts and stairs has significant advantages. The performance based lift evacuation system is achievable in apartment buildings. These research findings are based on uncertainty analysis, which can be further extended to other types of buildings in the future.

Thesis (B. Arch.)--Roger Williams University, 2007. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references. Online version available via Digital Commons @ RWU.

Thesis (M. Hous. M.)--University of Hong Kong, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 76-77)

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hong Kong, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 264-277). Also available in print.

Thesis (M. Hous. M.)--University of Hong Kong, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 70-73).

Thesis (M.F.A.)--Rochester Institute of Technology, 1996. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.A.)--Ball State University, 2009. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on July 12, 2010). Research paper (M.A.), 3 hrs. Includes bibliographical references (p. 52-55).

Thesis (M.Hous.M.)--University of Hong Kong, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 70-73) Also available in print.

Thesis (M.Arch)--Unitec New Zealand, 2009. / Statement of responsibility from cover. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 54 & 56).