no / This paper presents an overview of existing function-based conceptual design expert (CDE) systems with a view to identifying their scope in the contexts of functional modeling knowledge representation and conceptual design process. A number of heterogeneous function-based CDE systems are identified and listed. A key comprehensive benchmarking framework is developed in this paper that helps in identifying the trend, gaps and scope of current function-based CDE systems. Accordingly, the gaps in the aforementioned contexts are discussed which are to date have not been summarized and highlighted for a well-balanced system development for a product conceptual design.

Scholars widely accept that the well-documented benefits of biophilia–the human being's strong urge to connect with nature–are genuine to improved health. Then why, with the global acceptance and scientific validity of wellness design concepts, do architects not use this beneficial concept regularly–especially when designing isolated workspaces? This qualitative research explores architecture's current design decision process to better understand this design phenomenon, and to identify where architectural biophilic knowledge domains may be deficient. This study explores questions such as: Does the architect's lack of biophilic knowledge and/or structured wellness design decision support framework affect the decision? Would the existence of a wellness design tool better support the design decision? An explanatory case study using a purposeful study sample of architects, biophilia design experts, and associated specialists is used to develop design decision support frameworks. Level 1 establishes a propositional theory derived from the literature and professional experience, level 2 from architect interviews and observational meetings, and level 3 from a Delphi workgroup session. Framework evolutions help identify design-phase-specific knowledge gaps. This study finds that a deficiency in early exposure to a priori, explicit and tacit biophilic knowledge is creating a critical gap, thus diminishing a posteriori biophilic knowledge and research in the architecture profession. This study asserts that early exposure to biophilic theories and principles can enhance the profession and provide a knowledge bridge using an informed biophilia design support framework with a proposed biophilia project management tool. / Doctor of Philosophy / Few will dispute that the well-documented benefits of biophilia–the human being's strong urge to connect with nature–are genuine to improved health. Then why, with the global acceptance and scientific validity of wellness design concepts, do architects not use this beneficial concept regularly–especially when designing windowless workspaces? A qualitative explanatory case study using a purposeful study sample of architects, biophilia design experts, and associated specialists was used to develop a design decision support framework that evolved from level 1-3. Framework progressions helped identify specific knowledge gaps in each design phase. This study found that a deficiency in early exposure to a priori, explicit and tacit biophilic knowledge is creating a critical gap, thus diminishing a posteriori biophilic knowledge and research in the architecture profession. This study asserts that early exposure to biophilic theories and principles can enhance the profession and provide a knowledge bridge using an informed biophilia design decision support framework with a proposed biophilia project management tool.

Designing Net-Zero Energy Buildings (NZEB) is a complex and collaborative team process involving knowledge sharing of experts leading to the common goal of meeting the Net-Zero Energy (NZE) project objectives. The decisions made in the early stages of design drastically affect the final outcome of design and energy goals. The Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry is pursuing ways to improve the current building design process and project delivery methods for NZEBs. To enable the building industry to improve the building design process, it is important to identify the gaps, ways of improvement and potential opportunities to structure the decision-making process for the purpose of NZE performance outcome. It is essential to identify the iterative phases of design decisions between the integrated team of experts for the design processes conducted in these early stages to facilitate the decision-making of NZEB design. The lack of a structured approach to help the AEC industry in making informed decisions for the NZEB context establishes the need to evaluate the argumentation of the NZEB design decision process. The first step in understanding the NZEB design decision process is to map the current processes in practice that have been successful in achieving the NZE goal. Since the energy use performance goal drives the design process, this research emphasizes first the need to document, in detail, and investigate the current NZEB design process with knowledge mapping techniques to develop an improved process specific to NZEB context. In order to meet this first objective, this research qualitatively analyzed four NZEB case studies that informed decision-making in the early design phases. The four components that were studied in the early design phases included (1) key stakeholders involved (roles played), (2) phases of assessments (design approach, (3) processes (key processes, sub-processes and design activities affecting performance) and (4) technology (knowledge type and flow). A series of semi-structured, open-ended interviews were conducted with the key decision-makers and decision facilitators to identify their roles in the early design processes, the design approach adopted, rationale for decision-making, types of evaluations performed, and tools used for analysis. The qualitative data analysis was performed through content analysis and cognitive mapping techniques. Through this process, the key phases of decision-making were identified that resulted in understanding of the path to achieving NZE design goal and performance outcome. The second objective of this research was to identify the NZE decision nodes through a comparative investigation of the case studies. This research also explored the key issues specific to each stakeholder group. The inter-relationships between the project objectives, decision context, occupants usage patterns, strategies and integrated systems, building operation and renewable energy production was identified through a series of knowledge maps and visual process models leading to the identification of the key performance indicators. This research reviewed the similarities and differences in the processes to identify significant opportunities that can improve the early building design process for NZEBs. This research identifies the key decision phases used by the integrated teams and describes the underlying structure that can change the order of key phases. A process mapping technique was adapted to capture the practice-based complex NZEB design approach and draw insights of the teamwork and interdisciplinary communication to enable more comprehensive understanding of linkages between processes, sub-processes and design activities, knowledge exchange, and decision rationale. Ket performance indicators identified for early design of NZEBs resulted in developing a decision-support process model that can help the AEC industry in making informed decisions. This dissertation helps improve understanding of linkages between processes, decision nodes and decision rationale to enable industry-wide NZEB design process assessment and improvement. This dissertation discusses the benefits the proposed NZEB design process model brings to the AEC industry and explores future development efforts. / Ph. D.

The way in which environmental designers design neighborhood spaces has a role to play in the quality of outdoor spaces that shapes and directs daily outdoor social activities as well as creates a bridge between individuals and the local community. The high quality design of outdoor spaces is fundamental in fostering social cohesion among users/residents in order to produce a healthy social atmosphere, whereas a decline in the quality of outdoor spaces can contribute to antisocial behavior. Today, In Jeddah City, Saudi Arabia, in many cases of new neighborhoods, the outdoor space has become abandoned, and empty, or is avoided. Within this setting, these spaces do not provide opportunities for families with their children to gather and play, to sit and socialize with neighbors, to gather in outdoor activities, to walk to the mosque or school, or to do their daily grocery shopping without being threatened by dangerous car traffic. Moreover, even if users and residents experience problems in their neighborhood, and have their own needs and visions to solve the problem, they do not have the experience to mentally visualize and resolve these problems. Through this qualitative research, the researcher proposes a new approach in incorporating users' imagination in the ideation process of design in order to examine to extend the current normative theory through the development of a more "collaborative ideation process."In this new collaborative process, the representation of ideas becomes more iterative and knowledge exchange between researcher and users becomes more seamless. Through incorporating the researcher's sketching skills as a process of "collaborative-sketching," possible ideas and solutions are explored that are responsive to the needs and desires of users. Using a number of photographs of an outdoor residential space as an example, the objective of this study is to examine the use of collaborative sketching as a way of taping into users' imagination as a rich source of their needs and desires to empower the design process. The findings showed that applying a collaborative sketching process in the early ideation stage of design can result in a rich exchange between designers and user, enabling the designer to have a better and more realistic understanding of needs and desires from the perspective of the user. Through this collaborative-sketching process, the users were continuously, iteratively, and instantly stimulated to not only to narrate their needs and desires, but to visually provide realistic and specific details about the social activities and physical elements including their affordance, rationale of using, value of use, and how social interactions might occur within the different settings. / Ph. D.

Waste from construction and demolition-building activities is increasing every day. Landfills have almost reached their capacity. When thinking about the negative impact of demolishing activities on the environment it becomes very necessary to think about reusing and recycling building materials in new construction or perhaps better recycling our thoughts on how to make use of waste materials. In Kevin Lynch's book, Wasting Away, he wrote: "Architects must begin to think about holes in the ground and about flows of materials." Studies show that construction and demolition activities are the primary source of solid waste worldwide. For example construction and demolition wastes constitute about 40% of the total solid waste stream in the United States. The growing interest in materials and resource conservation in the United States is inherent in the growth of green building practices. The USGBC identifies six categories in the Materials and Resources (MR) section of LEED. One of these six categories is Resource Reuse (RR). Interestingly enough, a recent study about the cost of green buildings indicated that RR was the category credits least often achieved in most LEED certified projects. Literature suggests that there are a number of constraints and barriers to resource reuse primarily due to the complexity of buildings but perhaps the most important barrier, according to many architects, is the lack of easily accessible information to the design team on resource reuse. Therefore, as we promote the idea of building material reuse to a wider audience of designers and architects, we mus not forget that in the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry, both Reuse and Recycle terms are used interchangeably without yet a clear distinction between them. The use of arbitrary descriptions to distinguish reuse from recycle has caused nothing but more confusion to the public. This study argues that the real distinction between reuse and recycle exists in Knowledge and Information. This suggests that design with reuse requires a paradigm shift in the required knowledgebase and the way information flows within the design process. Unfortunately, the structure of this paradigm shift is not known and has not been well defined. Since knowledge forms the core of building a Decision Support Systems (DSS) for a design team in order to consider reuse, it is necessary to capture the required knowledge and information from the industry experts through a Knowledge Acquisition (KA) process. This knowledge can then be used to 1) identify the building material reuse criteria and 2) to build a prescriptive decision model and 3) to map the process design of the current traditional architectural design workflow and the proposed one. The overarching goal of this study is to use the building material reuse knowledgebase for 1) building a Unified Virtual Repository database to be connected to all available physical repositories and share a unified standard of information. 2) When the unified virtual repository is integrated with the Building Information Modeling (BIM) database, the DSS can work as a feedback and feed forward support for architects and designers as they consider building material reuse in new designs and constructions. / Ph. D.

Sustainable innovations are observed as a major way by which the ill-effects of the built environment can be avoided or offset. The adoption of innovations are critical to the society, as they pave the way for further incremental or radical innovations, depending on the feedback from their users. In this process, the attributes of an innovation play an important role in its adoption. The objective of this study was to determine whether observability, one of many attributes of innovations identified in the literature as affecting their adoption, plays a critical role in the adoption of sustainable innovations, specifically Rainwater Harvesting Technologies and Strategies (RwHTS). Further, the study aimed to determine whether the use of Building Information Modeling (BIM) resulted in frequent adoption RwHTS. Last but not least, the study also sought to understand how designers used BIM to enhance the acceptance of RwHTS in capital projects. The stakeholders identified for this study were architectural firms that are geographically located in the southeastern states of the United States, and the study was conducted from their perspective. This study was segregated into two major phases. The first phase involved a survey of 2,200 designers/architects located in seven southeastern states, including Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Virginia, Maryland, and District of Columbia. The survey questions targeted experiences associated with the implementation of RwHTS and the use of BIM for designing and constructing facilities over the last decade by the architectural firms. Based on the responses received, six firms were purposively selected for Phase II, which involved a case study approach that included meeting with the designers, conducting interviews, understanding general firm policies for capital projects, identifying factors that result in the adoption of RwHTS, and developing a process-based profile undertaken by the firm to understand how key decisions were made. By the end of this phase the researcher identified the factors that result in the adoption of RwHTS. In addition, the researcher also found that observability did not emerge as an attribute that played a critical role in the adoption of RwHTS, in comparison to the other attributes. The study also found that the current use of BIM did not result in the frequent adoption of RwHTS. Finally, the study was able to produce a generalized process map that depicted the steps undertaken during the design process for the adoption of RwHTS in capital projects. This study encompassed the basic principles of sustainability in the built environment, adoption of innovation, and Building Information Modeling use within the design industry. / Ph. D.

This study investigates the application of the cluster design space framework (CDSF) in developinga project-specific dashboard to visualize website health and performance withina content management system (CMS). Adopting a research-through-design approach, theproject emphasizes the importance of relevance and iterations in a design processes. Threedifferent data collection methods were employed: semi-structured interviews, a workshop,and a survey. Four expert users, all related to Knowit Experience and utilizing the sameCMS, participated in the study, providing data across all methods. Interview data wastranscribed and organized within predefined design space categories, while workshopand survey results were similarly aligned with these categories. Interestingly, all datacollection methods identified cluster number (5) Operational Decision-Making as the mostsuitable for this project. Drawing from interview responses and the final concept fromthe workshop, a high-fidelity prototype was developed to illustrate a potential dashboardvisualization. By applying the CDSF proactively in future designs, rather than retrospectively,this study aims to shed light on its potential to tailor and guide the design processfor future dashboard projects, encouraging effectiveness and precision.

Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal. / L'objectif de la présente recherche est d'élaborer une description informatique d'une approche qui permet la manipulation dynamique des interactions entre différents aspects d'un projet architectural. Nous avons commencé par une étude du processus de conception architectural qui nous a permis d'identifier les opérations de base. Parmi les représentations qui appuient la conception nous avons repéré le diagramme comme outil important. Nous avons exploré les méthodes d'analyse du projet architectural afin d'identifier les principes de base pour notre approche et d'élaborer une méthodologie analytique pour l'étude de cas. Nous avons étudié trois approches à la conception assistée par ordinateur afin de définir les propriétés informatiques de notre approche. Nous avons entrepris, ensuite, une étude de cas de la villa Savoye qui nous a permis d'identifier un processus de conception spécifique pour vérifier la cohérence de la base théorique, et sur lequel fonder rapproche pour la manipulation dynamique des interactions. Dans la dernière partie de notre recherche, nous avons élaboré la description informatique de rapproche à partir des fonctions développées lors de l'expérimentation. Nous avons constaté que la définition générique des composantes du système permet une flexibilité importante quant à la mise en pratique de rapproche. L'approche laisse la définition des composantes et donc la description des connaissances dans les mains du concepteur tout en lui permettant de sauvegarder ces connaissances dans l'environnement informatique. L'approche devrait, alors, être en mesure de supporter différentes méthodologies de conception. / The objective of this research is to elaborate a description of a computational approach, which will allow for the dynamic manipulation of interactions between different aspects of an architectural project. We began with a study of the architectural design process, which allowed us to identify the basic operations. From among the representations that support the design process, we identified the diagram as an important tool. We explored the methods of analysis of the architectural project in order to identify the essential principles to include in our approach and to establish the analytical method to use in the case study. We looked at three approaches of computer- aided design in order to define the computational properties of our approach. We then undertook a case study of the Villa Savoye that allowed us to identify a specific design process in order to verify the coherency of our theoretical foundation and on which to base our approach for the dynamic manipulation of interactions. In the final part of our research we elaborated the computational description of the approach from functions developed during experimentation. We determined that the generic definition of system components allows for significant flexibility m the implementation of the approach. The approach leaves the definition, and therefore the description of knowledge in the hands of the designer while allowing him to save this knowledge in the computer environment. The approach should, therefore, be able to support different design methodologies.

Dagens industri håller på att förändras inom en mängd olika sektorer på grund av det ökade intresset för AI. Efterfrågan på AI blir allt större även inom designyrken, vilket gör att blivande UX-designers behöver bredda sina kunskaper inom området. Tidigare forskning visar att AI kan på många sätt påverka eller förändra designprocessen. I takt med att nya AI-verktyg kommer ut på arbetsmarknaden, ökar behovet av att utforska upplevelsen av dess effekter. En viktig målgrupp som drabbas av denna förändring är UX-design studenter, som är framtidens designers. Det finns därför ett behov av att utforska studenters upplevelser av AI inom UX-design. Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka UX-design studenters upplevelse kring användningen av AI-verktyg i designprocessen. Det ville även utforska hur implementeringen av dessa verktyg påverkar upplevelsen av kreativitet hos studenter. Studien vägleddes av det teoretiska ramverket AI Device Use Acceptance (AIDUA) modellen. Studien utgick från en kvalitativ ansats för att få mer djupgående individuella svar från deltagarna. Undersökningen bestod av ett användartest med observation och en semistrukturerad intervju. För att analysera datan utfördes en tematisk analys. Dessa metoder avslöjade att studenter upplever AI-verktyg som mest användbara i början av designprocessen för idégenerering. De är däremot vaksamma med att använda det i en alltför stor grad, eftersom UX anses fortfarande vara ett hantverk som kräver mänsklig förståelse. De upplever att kreativiteten påverkas mer eller mindre beroende på det genererade svaret från AI. Studien rekommenderar vidare forskning om seniora UX-designers upplevelse av AI för ett bredare perspektiv. / Today's industry is changing in a variety of sectors due to the increased interest in AI. The demand for AI is also increasing in design professions, which means that future UX-designers need to broaden their knowledge in the field. Previous research shows that AI can influence or even change the design process in many ways. As new AI tools are presented, the need to explore the experience of its effects increases. An important target group affected by this change is UX-design students, who are the designers of the future. Therefore, there is a need to explore students' experiences of AI in the field of UX-design. The purpose of this study was to investigate the experience of UX-design students regarding the use of AI-tools in the design process. The study also explored how students perceive the effects of AI on creativity. The study was guided by the AI Device Use Acceptance (AIDUA) theoretical framework. The study was based on a qualitative approach to get more in-depth individual responses from the participants. The research consisted of a user test combined with observation and a semi-structured interview. A thematic analysis was conducted to analyze the data. These methods revealed that students find AI-tools most useful for idea generation at the beginning of the design process. However, they are cautious of using it to an excessive degree, as UX is still considered a craft that requires human understanding. They feel that creativity is affected more or less depending on the generated response from AI. The study further recommends research on senior UX designers' experience of AI for a broader perspective.

The thesis paper Design takes place in our lives, naturally and sometimes invisibly, but how can we become alert to its impact on us? How can we as designers elaborate on our role in creating tools for people’s lives? A handmade metal wire toy I found in my parents’ house made me discover the world of mandalas; a Buddhistic symbol and a tool for spiritual enlightenment. Mandalas speak of the relation between us and the world and balance between body and mind. In my Master’s project, the act of playing is explored as a tool for altering perspectives on our physical environment. Inspired by the mandala, an alternative approach to functional form is visualized, connecting our bodies and minds in closer relation to a playful and imaginative state of being. By investigating our physical environment and encouraging interaction, new mantras for our everyday lives may be created. The design process Using the metal wire mandala as my starting point, I have explored spatial forms with possibilities in transformation. Different combinations of the same parts; half circles of bent metal wire which connected can move and therefore change the other shape of the construction, creates different kinds of space with more or less clear practical application. The ambition of this project has been to investigate the metal construction as foundation and frame for textile in and as architecture; building a whole space, as visual room dividers indoor or outdoor and as sun screen. The design is based on transformation and reuse of the same parts to build new forms. The textiles have been designed and produced with the metal construction as frame. The textiles are knitted with nylon thread, hand dyed and mounted onto the construction. The technique of partial knitting makes it possible to create the round shapes with an even elasticity in all directions, and an open centre for the next piece overlapping. When knitting, no waste material I generated since nothing is cut away after production. Using punch cards, patterns and structure is added to the surface. The need to create smaller spaces within a larger space is present in many places; indoors as well as out doors. The public environment in which we live, controls and shapes our lives. By creating more intimate sites, with the possibility for visual and mental rest, we can come closer one another and hold other types of conversations. This will create new patterns of behaviour; new mantras for everyday life. During the Konstfack Degree Exhibition 2013, I displayed one of the possible forms in full scale with textiles, along side a smaller size model of the same shape and one other possible shape with closer resemblance to the original wire toy. On site in the exhibition, visitors could meet and try the space in a real setting. / Thesis uppsats Formgivning sker i våra liv, naturligt och ibland osynligt, men hur kan vi bli uppmärksamma på dess inverkan på oss? Hur kan vi som formgivare utveckla vår roll i att skapa redskap för människors liv? En handgjord leksak av metalltråd som jag hittade i mitt föräldrahem fick mig att upptäcka mandalans värld – en buddistisk symbol och ett redskap för andlig upplysning. Mandalan vittnar om förhållandet mellan oss och världen och jämvikt mellan kropp och själ. I mitt masterarbete utforskas lekaktivitet som ett redskap för att ändra perspektiv på vår fysiska omgivning. Med inspiration från mandalan åskådliggörs en alternativ infallsvinkel på funktionell form som förenar våra kroppar och sinnen mer intimt med en lekfull och fantasifull tillvaro. Genom att undersöka vår fysiska omgivning och uppmuntra samspel kan vi skapa nya mantra för vardagen. Designprocessen Med leksaken av metalltråd som utgångspunkt, har jag utforskat rumsliga former med möjlighet till transformation. Olika kompositioner av samma byggstenar; halvcirklar av böjd metalltråd vilka sammanlänkade kan röra sig mot varandra och på så vis förändra den yttre formen, skapar olika typer av rumsligheter med mer eller mindre definierad praktisk användning. Projektets ambition har varit att utforska metallkonstruktionens möjligheter som stomme för textil i och som arkitektur; som skapande av hela rum, som visuella rumsavdelare inomhus eller utomhus samt som solskydd. Designen bygger på förvandling och återanvändning, där samma delar kan användas till att sätta samman nya former. De textila materialen har arbetats fram med metallkonstruktionen som utgångspunkt och ram. Textilierna är stickade i nylon, färgade och monterade i konstruktionen. Tekniken att delsticka på stickmaskin möjliggör att de runda formerna med jämn elasticitet åt alla håll, och ett hål lämnas i centrum för nästa överlappande del i den monterade konstruktionen. I stickningen skapas heller inget spillmaterial eftersom ingenting klipps bort efter tillverkningen. Med hjälp av hålkort integreras mönstringar och strukturer. Behovet av att skapa mindre rum i större rum finns många platser; inomhus såväl som utomhus. De offentliga platser vi rör oss på styr vårt beteende och formar våra liv. Med intimare mötesplatser och möjlighet till visuell och mental vila kan vi komma närmare varandra och föra andra typer av samtal vilket kan skapa nya mönster av beteende; nya mantran. Under Konstfacks vårutställning 2013, visades en av de möjliga formerna i fullskala med textilier, samt en mindre modell av denna samt en annan form med tydlig anknytning till mandala-leksakens ursprungliga form. På plats i utställningen kunde besökare pröva rummet i ett verkligt sammanhang.