The pandemic of the COVID-19 disease has radically changed human lifestyle and the usage of living space, especially in cities. With the prolongation of the crisis, the effects of COVID-19 on urban spaces are becoming more noticeable, but the definite changes that can inform approaches to future development, planning, and use of urban space have not yet been determined, as evidenced by the research carried out in this study. The research revealed that there exists the consensus in terms of several new guidelines whose application in design can simultaneously increase the resilience of urban environment to future pandemics and improve the overall quality of city life. These presented guidelines show that we may expect in the future a greater integration of nature-based solutions at various scales of the city, i.e., better ventilated, and naturally lit, more spacious, mixed-use, and flexible buildings surrounded by enlarged, multiplied, and multifunctional open spaces that safely receive the users who are carrying out those activities that were moved from the inner to the outer space.

Design studio, workshop, practical placement and design-build concept, are all forms of experiential learning. The aim of this paper is to investigate the significance of design-build concept and to define the extent to which it has penetrated into architectural curricula. Results indicate variety in understanding, programming and implementation among different schools. Conducted comparative analysis of different case examples could be used as a guideline to schools in which this concept has not been introduced yet.

This study explores the perspectives and practices of architects regarding the reuse of wood in construction across five South–Central European countries: Slovenia, Serbia, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), and Montenegro. Based on a survey of architectural professionals, this research explores their attitudes, challenges, and motivations for using reclaimed wood, with a focus on circular construction principles. Key findings reveal unanimous agreement among respondents that both their profession and government entities inadequately support or promote wood reuse within the context of circular construction. While architects value reclaimed wood, there are country-specific variations. Environmental benefits, unique aesthetics, historical value, and sustainability are cited as primary motivators for reclaimed wood use. Additionally, respondents emphasize the ecological aspect as the most important consideration in wood product reuse, followed by economic and technological factors. Common concerns revolve around the long-term quality and maintenance of wood products. This research provides insights into the challenges and opportunities surrounding reclaimed wood use in South–Central Europe, highlighting the need for support mechanisms and increased awareness to advance circular construction practices in the region. These findings can have implications for architects and investors by identifying market opportunities, promoting eco-friendly practices, and providing valuable insights for future building designs with a focus on reclaimed wood elements within circular construction.

The research of traditional rural architecture in developing regions is important to both the preservation of cultural heritage and the mitigation of the trends and consequences of unsustainable rural shifts. In the Western Balkans, for example, negative transformation of the rural environment happens more rapidly than the recording of its traditional built assets. For that reason, the objectives of the present research were to explore general and specific (sustainability-related) characteristics of traditional rural houses in the so far insufficiently studied microregion of the Western Balkans of Sirinićka Župa (Sirinić), to reveal their values and to initiate discussion of the role of heritage regeneration in sustainable rural development. Study has shown that the most significant values of Sirinić houses include opulent spatial-functional typology, distinct architectural expression, and sustainability-related quality in terms of applied materials, structural systems, and multipurpose techniques and elements, as well as a high level of spatial comfort. A necessary regeneration of the traditional houses of Sirinićka Župa must be formulated in a way that enables preservation of recognized general values and further improvement of environmental quality and climate resilience. Simultaneously, functional reactivation of traditional houses should be understood as a contribution to the sustainable development of Sirinićka Župa.

The study conducted in this paper is focused on a predominantly residential area of the City of Ljubljana—Koseze, which is characterized by generally favorable (bio)climatic conditions. Nonetheless, thermal satellite images showed that residential neighborhoods within the Koseze district display unexpected variations in summer temperatures. This observation called into question the benefits of existing bioclimatic features and indicated the need to investigate and compare two neighborhoods with similar urban parameters, with the aim to identify morphological differential characteristics impacting urban heat island (UHI) intensity. By applying the study methodology based on a literature review, surveys of key precedents, detailed mapping in two Koseze locations, in situ measurements, observations and recordings, thermal imagery, and the analyses of statistical data, as well as by defining the four main categories of morphological urban parameters—structure, cover, fabric and metabolism, it was concluded that both neighborhoods have common morphological elements mitigating the UHI effect. Additionally, it was found that the neighborhood with higher UHI intensity has several less favorable features, such as busier roads, larger surface of parking corridors, and the existence of underground parking space. The traffic as an element of urban morphology hence represents the main cause of differences among UHI levels in the two Koseze neighborhoods.

To achieve material efficiency, the ongoing initiative to improve thermal properties of family houses in the Republic of Serbia should include harmonization with internationally established and nationally adjusted principles of circular economy. The overall aim of this study was to propose a methodology for optimal decision making between alternative materials and components for energy refurbishment of façades in existing family houses. Together with developed criteria, and their belonging indicators, the methodology was tested on selected case study houses located in the central zone of the city of Belgrade. Using the VIKOR method, five suggested scenarios and three sub-scenarios for façade thermal upgrades were assessed against five determined types of criteria: Economic Cost, Function, Circularity Features, Appearance, and Innovativeness. Obtained results—ranking lists of proposed scenarios—indicate that the optimal solution for energy refurbishment of façades in existing houses could include polyurethane insulation material in combination with the wooden window frames and low-E insulation glass. In future research, it will be necessary to introduce an additional assessment criterion related to the ecological quality of proposed scenarios, as the study revealed that a gap between circularity-related quality, and ecological sustainability, of building materials could be significant.