This paper aimed to develop a multisensory approach in a university campus, based on quantitative and qualitative approaches, investigating sense walk experiences (thermo-visual sound walk) under interactions of luminous, thermal, and auditory environments. The study was conducted in October 2021, in Chetma university campus in Biskra city, southern Algeria, which remains a famous oasis settlement of arid regions over the country. A comparative and correlation analysis was performed between the physical dimensions collected through a walking experience in three campus routes (outdoor, semi-outdoor and indoor). In addition, a multisensory survey of the walking experience on perceptual dimensions was evaluated in parallel to the empirical contribution. The paper shows that walkers’ thermal levels were balanced between neural and slightly hot in different spatial aspects. The glare was almost unperceived regarding the luminous conditions in the study site. The auditory experience reveals that the conducted points were generally quiet and well placed for educational requirements. Findings also show a strong relationship between the physical dimensions of the luminous and auditory environment. Furthermore, the findings suggest that the thermal and luminous environments are more perceptible than the auditory environment for the walkers of the outdoor and indoor routes. In contrast, the semi-outdoor route is often perceptible by the perceptual dimensions of the luminous and auditory environments. The findings on sensorial thresholds and spatial adaption are essential for the educational practices’ architectural and urban strategies for the Saharan cities and oasis settlements.

This paper aimed to examine the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown in Algeria on the soundscapes’ components throughout the cafe terraces in coastal cities. The methodology is based on a laboratory qualitative approach established and divided into two stages. And the monitoring of sound recordings through twenty-one cafe terraces inside the coastal city of Azzaba in Algeria was conducted before and after the lockdown of whole the country due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Using the McNemar’s test on the first stage, results suggest that the lockdown measures in Algeria affect the soundscape components of the cafe terraces, specifically the predominance of the anthrophonical sounds over the natural sound components. The predominance of traffic sounds on the soundscapes after the lockdown period does not reflect an increase in noise level, whereas the soundscapes through the cafe terraces during the two periods were similar, and showed as less noisy by the semantic difference analysis evaluation, of the second stage. The factors of the principal component analysis suggest that the soundscapes of the cafe terraces reflect the main patterns of the acoustics design in the public spaces, such as functions (relaxation and communication), space-time for the two factors of the soundscapes of the period before the lockdown, and by relaxation, space and time for the three factors of those of the period after lockdown. Otherwise, the Marginal Homogeneity Test shows that there are significant differences in the assessment of the soundscapes of the cafe terraces during the two periods, which were only associated to the functions. Findings suggest that additional long-term research is needed to preserve and improve the cultural soundscapes among the urban spaces to ensure the acoustic comfort of the occupants and preserve their health.

Buildings account for a substantial share of global energy consumption, much of which is associated with heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems for indoor climate control. Passive strategies rooted in historical architectural typologies, such as courtyard buildings, offer potential to enhance energy efficiency and indoor comfort. This Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses-guided systematic review analyzed 83 peer-reviewed studies published between January 2014 and September 2025. Using thematic content analysis, we synthesized evidence on how key configuration parameters (orientation, aspect ratio, height-to-depth ratio, window-to-wall ratio, and length-to-width ratio) affect three performance domains—thermal comfort, energy efficiency, and daylight performance—across major climate zones (tropical, hot-arid, temperate, and continental). The literature is concentrated in hot-arid and temperate climates, whereas tropical and continental zones remain comparatively underexplored. Orientation and aspect ratio were the most frequently investigated parameters, and simulation-based methods predominated. The review also identifies critical gaps in theoretical grounding, methodological standardization, and empirical diversity. Most of the studies show limited interdisciplinary integration, minimal consideration of occupant/population differences, and restricted real-world applicability, particularly for public and institutional buildings. By consolidating global evidence, this review further proposes a performance-oriented framework to interpret and advance Chinese courtyard architecture, including siheyuan, sanheyuan, and tulou, across diverse climatic and urban–rural contexts. These findings highlight priorities for China-focused research, including multi-objective performance assessment, empirical validation, and climate-sensitive design strategies. Overall, the review provides actionable insights for architects, urban designers, and policymakers seeking to advance climate-adaptive and context-responsive architectural practice.

The atrium is becoming more prevalent in desert regions as a key architectural and functional element in the urbanlandscape. In southern Algerian cities, we are observing an increasing integration of centralized atriums in publicbuildings. However, this integration may have an impact on the indoor environmental conditions of the buildings. Thisstudy investigates the influence of architectural aspects on the indoor thermal behavior of an existing centralized andenclosed atrium in the hot and dry climate of Laghouat. The study analyzes the influence of tow parameters, namelyheight and glazed area ratio, during summer season. The EDSL-Tas software for dynamic thermal simulation modelingwas used. The results revealed that the vertical temperature distribution in the atrium varies depending on its design,as a result of incoming solar radiation.