Recent advances in machine learning have enabled computers to converse with humans meaningfully. In this study, we propose using this technology to facilitate design conversations in large-scale urban development projects by creating chatbot systems that can automate and streamline information exchange between stakeholders and designers. To this end, we developed and evaluated a proof-of-concept chatbot system that can perform design conversations on a specific construction project and convert those conversations into a list of requirements. Next, in an experiment with 56 participants, we compared the chatbot system to a regular online survey, focusing on user satisfaction and the quality and quantity of collected information. The results revealed that, with regard to user satisfaction, the participants preferred the chatbot experience to a regular survey. However, we found that chatbot conversations produced more data than the survey, with a similar rate of novel ideas but fewer themes. Our findings provide robust evidence that chatbots can be effectively used for design discussions in large-scale design projects and offer a user-friendly experience that can help to engage people in the design process. Based on this evidence, by providing a space for meaningful conversations between stakeholders and expanding the reach of design projects, the use of chatbot systems in interactive design systems can potentially improve design processes and their outcomes.

The Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East (EMME) region hosts some of the world’s most influential and troubled cities. It is also a hotspot of climate change and socio-economic and political turbulence, which inflate the already flammable conditions and reinforce existing local vulnerabilities. Some of the most arduous challenges of cities relate to the built environment – although vital for human well-being, buildings rarely offer both sufficient and affordable shelter to their inhabitants. With energy performance regulations coming into effect during the past three decades, a considerable proportion of the worldwide building stock had already been constructed and is now ageing and inefficient. Harmonising the energy performance of buildings at a sufficient level requires common objectives and priorities, and the EMME region consists of nations with different governance and regulations. Scarce literature exists on the existing operational frameworks, and this study aims to offer an overview of the built environment policy scene in the EMME region, identifying gaps, good practices and prospects. The study draws from scholarly literature, national and international regulations and other document sources, as well as local experts. This work finds that although most EMME countries participate in and embrace international agreements, they act individually and not collectively, confirming our hypothesis that the policy agenda reflects the diverse characteristics of the region. By recognising standing failings and strengths, moving forward becomes a possibility through the adoption of integrated governance, common policy agendas and financing mechanisms to create sustainable urban centres inhabited by resilient and equitable communities.

Recent advancements in on-site robotic construction allow a direct modulation of native soil into architecture. To date, this was mainly explored for extra-terrestrial construction. To promote geomaterial reconstitution in architecture, the paper presents a workflow and methods for additive manufacturing, explored using desert soil and a robotic tool. The workflow provides the steps for linking site, material, design, and fabrication, including the robotic setup, simulation, and technical analysis. The paper explores three methods: continuous, discrete, and a method termed here multimode additive. These methods are demonstrated through experiments detailing their design and fabrication processes, and the paper concludes with their comparative analysis. The research expands additive manufacturing with earthen materials, and the outcomes indicate a potential for combining computational design, robotic fabrication, and manual assembly. The paper also clarifies and expands existing terminology regarding part-to-whole relationships in on-site robotic fabrication, promoting resource-conscious, site-tailored additive manufacturing in architecture.

Three-dimensional printing of cementitious materials for construction has been extensively investigated in recent years, with several demonstration projects successfully carried out. These efforts aim to leverage the printing process to achieve more efficient production of components compared to conventional concrete technologies. This includes both the process itself (eliminating the formwork stage) and the flexibility in producing complexly shaped elements. To maximize the potential of 3D printing in the construction industry, additional steps must be taken, grounded in a holistic view of the entire process. This involves integration of the production chain, including design, materials, and manufacturing of components, to create elements with optimal performance, encompassing structural, environmental, and architectural aspects. Such multi-functionality requires the viewing of 3D printing not just as a production technology but as a platform enabling the integration of all these components. To advance this approach, quantitative tools are developed to optimize the following three key components: material composition; manufacturing parameters to ensure buildability; and design tools to optimize multiple performance criteria, particularly structural and architectural shape. A demonstration component, namely a post-tensioned beam, featuring two multi-functional characteristics—structural and architectural—is designed, produced, and evaluated. The scientific concepts and research tools used to develop these quantitative design tools are multidisciplinary, including rheological characterization, control of the internal structure and composition of granular materials, simulation of the mechanical behavior of green material during printing, and the hardened properties of the components, all utilizing structural optimization to enhance performance.

Architectural design decisions are primarily made through an interaction between an architect and a client during the conceptual design phase. However, in larger-scale public architecture projects, the client is frequently represented by a community that embraces numerous stakeholders. The scale, social diversity, and political layers of such collective clients make their interaction with architects challenging. A solution to address this challenge is using new information technologies that automate design interactions on an urban scale through crowdsourcing and artificial intelligence technologies. However, since such technologies have not yet been applied and tested in field conditions, it remains unknown how communities interact with such systems and whether useful concept designs can be produced in this way. To fill this gap in the literature, this paper reports the results of a case study architecture project where a novel crowdsourcing system was used to automate interactions with a community. The results of both quantitative and qualitative analyses revealed the effectiveness of our approach, which resulted in high-level stakeholder satisfaction and yielded conceptual designs that better reflect stakeholders’ preferences. Along with identifying opportunities for using advanced technologies to automate design interactions in the concept design phase, we also highlight the challenges of such technologies, thus warranting future research.