Abstract: The influence of Islam on arts can be found primarily
in calligraphy, arabesque designs and architecture. Also, geometric
designs were used quite extensively. Muslim craftsmen produced
stunning designs based on simple geometric principles and traditional
motifs which were used to decorate many surfaces. The idea of
interlacing simple rectilinear lines to form the patterns impressed
Arabs. Nomads of Persia, Turks and Mongols were equally
impressed with the designs so they begin to use them in their homes
in carpet weaving. Islamic designs, motifs and colours which were
used became common place and served to influence people’s tastes.
Modern life style and contemporary products have changed the style
of people’s daily lives, however, people still long for the nomadic
way of life. This is clearly reflected in people’s homes. In a great
many Muslim homes, Islamic decorative motifs can be seen along
with traditional ‘Bedouin’ style furnishing, especially in homes of the
Arabian Peninsula.
Abstract: Second generation military Filipino Amerasians
comprise a formidable contemporary segment of the estimated
250,000-plus biracial Amerasians in the Philippines today. Overall,
they are a stigmatized and socioeconomically marginalized diaspora;
historically, they were abandoned or estranged by U.S. military
personnel fathers assigned during the century-long Colonial, Post-
World War II and Cold War Era of permanent military basing (1898-
1992). Indeed, U.S. military personnel are assigned in smaller
numbers in the Philippines today. This inquiry is an outgrowth of two
recent small sample studies. The first surfaced the impact of the U.S.
military prostitution system on formation of the ‘Derivative
Amerasian Family Construct’ on first generation Amerasians; a
second, qualitative case study suggested the continued effect of the
prostitution systems' destructive impetuous on second generation
Amerasians. The intent of this current qualitative, multiple-case study
was to actively seek out second generation sex industry toilers. The
purpose was to focus further on this human phenomenon in the postbasing
and post-military prostitution system eras. As background, the
former military prostitution apparatus has transformed into a modern
dynamic of rampant sex tourism and prostitution nationwide. This is
characterized by hotel and resorts offering unrestricted carnal access,
urban and provincial brothels (casas), discos, bars and pickup clubs,
massage parlors, local barrio karaoke bars and street prostitution. A
small case study sample (N = 4) of female and male second
generation Amerasians were selected. Sample formation employed a
non-probability ‘snowball’ technique drawing respondents from the
notorious Angeles, Metro Manila, Olongapo City ‘AMO Amerasian
Triangle’ where most former U.S. military installations were sited
and modern sex tourism thrives. A six-month study and analysis of
in-depth interviews of female and male sex laborers, their families
and peers revealed a litany of disturbing, and troublesome
experiences. Results showed profiles of debilitating human poverty,
history of family disorganization, stigmatization, social
marginalization and the ghost of the military prostitution system and
its harmful legacy on Amerasian family units. Emerging were testimonials of wayward young people ensnared in a maelstrom of
deep economic deprivation, familial dysfunction, psychological
desperation and societal indifference. The paper recommends that
more study is needed and implications of unstudied psychosocial and
socioeconomic experiences of distressed younger generations of
military Amerasians require specific research. Heretofore apathetic or
disengaged U.S. institutions need to confront the issue and formulate
activist and solution-oriented social welfare, human services and
immigration easement policies and alternatives. These institutions
specifically include academic and social science research agencies,
corporate foundations, the U.S. Congress, and Departments of State,
Defense and Health and Human Services, and Homeland Security
(i.e. Citizen and Immigration Services) It is them who continue to
endorse a laissez-faire policy of non-involvement over the entire
Filipino Amerasian question. Such apathy, the paper concludes,
relegates this consequential but neglected blood progeny to the status
of humiliating destitution and exploitation. Amerasians; thus, remain
entrapped in their former colonial, and neo-colonial habitat.
Ironically, they are unwitting victims of a U.S. American homeland
that fancies itself geo-politically as a strong and strategic military
treaty ally of the Philippines in the Western Pacific.
Abstract: Based on the hypothesis that disaster risk is
constructed socially and historically, this article shows the
importance of keeping alive the historical memory of disaster by
means of architectural and urban heritage conservation. This is
illustrated with three examples of Latin American World Heritage
cities, where disasters like floods and earthquakes have shaped urban
form. Therefore, the study of urban form or "Urban Morphology" is
proposed as a tool to understand and analyze urban transformations
with the documentation of the occurrence of disasters. Lessons
learned from such cities may be useful to reduce disasters risk in
contemporary built environments.
Abstract: Taiwanese composer Kuo Chih-Yuan (1921-2013)
studied composition at Tokyo University of the Arts and was
influenced by the musical nationalism prevailing in Japan at the time.
Determined to create world-class contemporary works to represent
Taiwan, he created music with elements of traditional Taiwanese
music in ways that had not been done before. The aims of this study
were to examine the traditional elements used in Kuo Chih-Yuan’s
Variations and Fugue on an Ancient Taiwanese Music (1972), and
how an understanding of these elements might guide pianists to
interpret a more proper performance of his work was also presented
in this study.
Abstract: Contemporary theories of sustainability, concerning
the natural and built environment, have recently introduced an
environmental attitude towards the architectural design that, in turn,
affects the practice of conservation and reuse of the existing building
stock. This paper presents an environmentally friendly approach
towards the conservation of vernacular architecture and it is based on
the results of a research program which involved the investigation of
sustainable design elements of traditional buildings in Cyprus. The
research in question showed that Cypriot vernacular architecture gave
more emphasis on cooling rather than heating strategies. Another
notable finding of the investigation was the great importance given to
courtyards as they enhance considerably, and in various ways, the
microclimatic conditions of the immediate environment with
favorable results throughout the year. Moreover, it was shown that
the reduction in temperature fluctuation observed in the closed and
semi-open spaces, compared to the respective temperature fluctuation
of the external environment -due to the thermal inertia of the building
envelope- helps towards the achievement of more comfortable living
conditions within traditional dwellings. This paper concludes with a
proposal of a sustainable approach towards the conservation of the
existing environment and the introduction of new environmental
criteria for the conservation of traditional buildings, beyond the
aesthetic, morphological and structural ones that are generally
applied.
Abstract: Socio-economic development, which is seen around
the world today, has contributed to the emergence of new problems
of a social nature. Different political, historical, geographical or
economic conditions cause that, in addition to global issues of social
policy such as an aging population, unemployment, migration,
countries, regions, there are also specific new problems that require
diagnosis, individualized approach and efficient, planned solutions.
These should include, among others, digital addiction, peer violence,
obesity among children, the problem of ‘legal highs’, stress,
depression, diseases associated with environmental pollution etc. The
central authorities, selected most often with the tools specific to
representative democracy, that is, the general election, for many
reasons, inter alia, organizational, communication, are not able to
effectively diagnose their intensity, territorial distribution, and thus to
effectively fight them. This article aims to show how in Poland,
citizens influence solving problems related to the broader social
policy implemented at the local government level and indicates the
possibilities of improving those solutions. The conclusions of
theoretical analysis have been supported by empirical studies, which
tested the use of instruments of participatory democracy in the
planning and creation of communal strategies for solving social
problems in one of the Polish voivodeships.
Abstract: For the music composer Myriam Marbe the musical
time and memory represent 2 (complementary) phenomena with
conclusive impact on the settlement of new musical ontologies.
Summarizing the most important achievements of the contemporary
techniques of composition, her vision on the microform presented in
The Concert for Daniel Kientzy, saxophone and orchestra transcends
the linear and unidirectional time in favour of a flexible, multivectorial
speech with spiral developments, where the sound substance
is auto(re)generated by analogy with the fundamental processes of
the memory. The conceptual model is of an archetypal essence, the
music composer being concerned with identifying the mechanisms of
the creation process, especially of those specific to the collective
creation (of oral tradition). Hence the spontaneity of expression,
improvisation tint, free rhythm, micro-interval intonation, coloristictimbral
universe dominated by multiphonics and unique sound
effects, hence the atmosphere of ritual, however purged by the
primary connotations and reprojected into a wonderful spectacular
space. The Concert is a work of artistic maturity and enforces respect,
among others, by the timbral diversity of the three species of
saxophone required by the music composer (baritone, sopranino and
alt), in Part III Daniel Kientzy shows the performance of playing two
saxophones concomitantly. The score of the music composer Myriam
Marbe contains a deeply spiritualized music, full or archetypal
symbols, a music whose drama suggests a real cinematographic
movement.
Abstract: In educational technology, the idea of innovation is
usually tethered to contemporary technological inventions and
emerging technologies. Yet, using long-known technologies in ways
that are pedagogically or experimentially new can reposition them as
emerging educational technologies. In this study we explore how a
subtle pivot in pedagogical thinking led to an innovative education
technology. We describe the design and implementation of an online
writing tool that scaffolds students in the evaluation of their own
informational texts. We think about how pathways to innovation can
emerge from pivots, namely a leveraging of longstanding practices in
novel ways has the potential to cultivate new opportunities for
learning. We first unpack Infowriter in terms of its design, then we
describe some results of a study in which we implemented an
intervention which included our designed application.
Abstract: Contemporary city is a subject to rapid economic and
social changes. Therefore, it requires an active policy designed to
meet the diverse needs of their residents, build competitive position
and capacity to compete with other cities. Competitiveness of cities
depends largely on their resources but also to a large extent, on the
policies and performance of local authorities. Cooperation with social
sector also plays an important role, as it affects the use of resources
and builds an advantage over other cities.
The subject of this article is city's contemporary problems of
development with particular emphasis on central areas. This issue is a
starting point for reflection on the process of urban regeneration in
medium size cities in Poland, as well as cooperation between various
actors and their roles in the revitalization processes of Polish cities'
centers.
Abstract: Planning of infrastructure and processes in logistic
center within the frame of various kinds of logistic hubs and
technological activities in them represent quite complex problem.
The main goal is to design appropriate layout, which enables to
realize expected operation on the desired levels. The simulation
software represents progressive contemporary experimental
technique, which can support complex processes of infrastructure
planning and all of activities on it. It means that simulation
experiments, reflecting various planned infrastructure variants,
investigate and verify their eligibilities in relation with corresponding
expected operation. The inducted approach enables to make qualified
decisions about infrastructure investments or measures, which derive
benefit from simulation-based verifications. The paper represents
simulation software for simulation infrastructural layout and
technological activities in marshalling yard, intermodal terminal,
warehouse and combination between them as the parts of logistic
center.
Abstract: Facing the understanding problem of update and
preservation of urban history space under background of rapid Chinese
urbanization, so at first there is a need to dig the philosophic principles
of “antithesis” and “unification” which are contained in the traditional
Chinese literature known as “antithesis” and do the job of planning
translation by personal understanding in order to form understanding
and value systems of dialectical urban history space under the
foundation of “antithesis”. Then we could put forward a “context”
concept for urban history space under the foregoing basis. After that,
we will take the update and preservation of Ningbo Tianyi Pavilion’s
historical district as an example to discuss problems related to
understanding of urban history area under the basis of Chinese
tradition culture, improvement of value system, construction of urban
trait space and Chinese “localization” of planning theory.
Abstract: Qatar, a Gulf country highly dependent on its oil and
gas revenues – is looking to innovate, diversify, and ultimately reach
its aim of creating a knowledge economy to prepare for its post-oil
era. One area that the country is investing in is Contemporary Art,
and world renowned artists such as Damien Hirst and Richard Serra –
have been commissioned to design site-specific art for the public
spaces of the city of Doha as well as in more remote desert locations.
This research discusses the changing presence, role and context of
public art in Doha, both from a historical and cultural overview, and
the different forms and media as well as the typologies of urban and
public spaces in which the art is installed. It examines the process of
implementing site-specific artworks, looking at questions of scale,
history, social meaning and formal aesthetics. The methodologies
combine theoretical research on the understanding of public art and
its role and placement in public space, as well as empirical research
on contemporary public art projects in Doha, based on documentation
and interviews and as well as site and context analysis of the urban or
architectural spaces within which the art is situated. Surveys and
interviews – using social media - in different segments of the
contemporary Qatari society, including all nationalities and social
groups, are used to measure and qualify the impacts and effects on
the population.
Abstract: Cavitation in cryogenic liquids is widely present in
contemporary science. In the current study, we re-examine a
previously validated acoustic cavitation model which was developed
for a gas bubble in liquid water. Furthermore, simulations of
cryogenic fluids including the thermal effect, the effect of acoustic
pressure amplitude and the frequency of sound field on the bubble
dynamics are presented. A gas bubble (Helium) in liquids Nitrogen,
Oxygen and Hydrogen in an acoustic field at ambient pressure and
low temperature is investigated numerically. The results reveal that
the oscillation of the bubble in liquid Hydrogen fluctuates more than
in liquids Oxygen and Nitrogen. The oscillation of the bubble in
liquids Oxygen and Nitrogen is approximately similar.
Abstract: This paper focuses on the contemporary phenomenon
of Anti-Gypsyism which diffused widely throughout social
representations of the so called “Gypsies”. In Europe and especially
in Italy, the media tends to reproduce racist stereotypes and
prejudices through a xenophobic depiction of this ethnic group, often
offering an ethnocentric point of view. From an anthropological
perspective, Roma people are a minority group facing diasporic
phenomena across Europe, produced by the host societies.
Abstract: The article discusses multimodal mobility in
contemporary societies as a main planning and organization issue in
the functioning of administrative bodies, a problem which really
exists in the space of contemporary cities in terms of shaping modern
transport systems. The article presents classification of available
resources and initiatives undertaken for developing multimodal
mobility. Solutions can be divided into three groups of measures –
physical measures in the form of changes of the transport network
infrastructure, organizational ones (including transport policy) and
information measures. The latter ones include in particular direct
support for people travelling in the transport network by providing
information about ways of using available means of transport. A
special measure contributing to this end is a trip planner. The article
compares several selected planners. It includes a short description of
the Green Travelling Project, which aims at developing a planner
supporting environmentally friendly solutions in terms of transport
network operation. The article summarizes preliminary findings of
the project.
Abstract: Web-based Cognitive Writing Instruction (WeCWI) is
a hybrid e-framework for the development of a web-based instruction
(WBI), which contributes towards instructional design and language
development. WeCWI divides its contribution in instructional design
into macro and micro perspectives. In macro perspective, being a 21st
century educator by disseminating knowledge and sharing ideas with
the in-class and global learners is initiated. By leveraging the virtue
of technology, WeCWI aims to transform an educator into an
aggregator, curator, publisher, social networker and ultimately, a
web-based instructor. Since the most notable contribution of
integrating technology is being a tool of teaching as well as a
stimulus for learning, WeCWI focuses on the use of contemporary
web tools based on the multiple roles played by the 21st century
educator. The micro perspective in instructional design draws
attention to the pedagogical approaches focusing on three main
aspects: reading, discussion, and writing. With the effective use of
pedagogical approaches through free reading and enterprises,
technology adds new dimensions and expands the boundaries of
learning capacity. Lastly, WeCWI also imparts the fundamental
theories and models for web-based instructors’ awareness such as
interactionist theory, cognitive information processing (CIP) theory,
computer-mediated communication (CMC), e-learning interactionalbased
model, inquiry models, sensory mind model, and leaning styles
model.
Abstract: The majority of contemporary insulation materials
commonly used in the building industry is made from non-renewable
raw materials; furthermore, their production often brings high energy
costs. A long-term trend as far as sustainable development is
concerned has been the reduction of energy and material demands of
building material production. One of the solutions is the possibility of
using easily renewable natural raw material sources which are
considerably more ecological and their production is mostly less
energy-consuming compared to the production of normal insulations
(mineral wool, polystyrene). The paper describes the results of
research focused on the development of thermal and acoustic
insulation materials based on natural fibres intended for floor
constructions. Given the characteristic open porosity of natural fibre
materials, the hygrothermal behaviour of the developed materials was
studied. Especially the influence of relative humidity and temperature
on thermal insulation properties was observed.
Abstract: Sustainable tall buildings that provide comfortable,
healthy and efficient indoor environments are clearly desirable as the
densification of living and working space for the world’s increasing
population proceeds. For environmental concerns, these buildings
must also be energy efficient. One component of these tasks is the
provision of indoor air quality and thermal comfort, which can be
enhanced with natural ventilation by the supply of fresh air. Working
spaces can only be naturally ventilated with connections to the
outdoors utilizing operable windows, double facades, ventilation
stacks, balconies, patios, terraces and skygardens. Large amounts of
fresh air can be provided to the indoor spaces without mechanical
air-conditioning systems, which are widely employed in
contemporary tall buildings.
This paper tends to present the concept of natural ventilation for
sustainable tall office buildings in order to achieve healthy and
comfortable working spaces, as well as energy efficient
environments. Initially the historical evolution of ventilation
strategies for tall buildings is presented, beginning with natural
ventilation and continuing with the introduction of mechanical airconditioning
systems. Then the emergence of natural ventilation due
to the health and environmental concerns in tall buildings is handled,
and the strategies for implementing this strategy are revealed. In the
next section, a number of case studies that utilize this strategy are
investigated. Finally, how tall office buildings can benefit from this
strategy is discussed.
Abstract: In order to respond the human needs, all regional, social, and economical factors are available to gain residents’ comfort and ideal architecture. There is no doubt the thermal comfort has to satisfy people not only for daily and physical activities but also creating pleasant area for mental activities and relaxing. It costs energy and increases greenhouse gas emissions.
Reducing energy use in buildings is a critical component of meeting carbon reduction commitments. Hence housing design represents a major opportunity to cut energy use and CO2 emissions.
In terms of energy efficiency, it is vital to propose and research modern design methods for buildings however vernacular architecture techniques are proven empirical existing practices which have to be considered. This research tries to compare two architectural solution were proposed by Persian vernacular architecture, to achieve energy efficiency in hot areas.
The aim of this research is to analyze two forms of traditional Persian architecture in different locations in order to develop a systematic research and sustainable technologies on adaptation to contemporary living standards.
Abstract: In this increasingly visual world, how can we best decipher and understand the many ways that our everyday lives are organized around looking practices and the many images we encounter each day? Indeed, how we interact with and interpret visual images is a basic component of human life. Today, however, we are living in one of the most artificial visual and image-saturated cultures in human history, which makes understanding the complex construction and multiple social functions of visual imagery more important than ever before. Themes regarding our experience of a visually pervasive mediated culture, here, termed visual spectacle.