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The paper aims to research the applications of topological geometry to the architectural concept design process and their combination with the modern digital technology to find novel architectural spaces and forms which are dynamic, easily adaptable to the context and surroundings.

The article uses the method of studying the existing literature on topological geometry and architectural design theory including design thinking, architectural design methods and architectural compositions to analyze and compare them with architectural practices and suggest new topological design tools and methods. Moreover, the paper tests the proposals with a number of preliminary design research experiments. In addition, graphic design software, parametric design, building information modeling (BIM) and digital development trends in architecture were explored and experienced to reveal the application potential of topological design thinking and methods in the trend of architectural digitization.

The paper has analyzed, synthesized and systematized the basic theories of topological geometry in order to clarify their applications in the architectural concept design process. On that basis, the paper proposes a novel topological design thinking and method for finding rich diversified architectural ideas and forms based on original invariant design constraints. Finally, the paper clarifies the combination as well as the mutual, motivating relationship between topological geometry and modern digital technologies when applied to architectural design.

The research contributes a novel design thinking and method based on topological geometry combined with modern digital technology to the architectural design theory. It will be a valuable tool capable of suggesting architects how to think and innovate in architecture in the era of industrial revolution 4.0.

This study is based on a research approach proposal aiming to reveal tacit knowledge that shapes architectural design processes through subjective accumulations and tools. With the premise that design embodies tacit and personal knowledge, it proposes an alternative way to decipher this subjective medium.

The proposed research approach, “(architectural) design research through reflection”, basically belongs to “research by design” method and narrowed in the focus of reflection. It enables to study how tacit knowledge functions within processes of architectural design without being its very subject. The proposal and the product of the approach, revealing diagram, are developed through the “architect's” tools and the involvement of the “researchers” in the process. It is also supported by a conceptual basis created from literature on reflection.

By means of the proposal, the reflective accumulation of the subjects, that is, the tacit knowledge, is investigated in relation to practice. The revealing diagram is presented as a tool through which relations can be interpreted within the framework of subjects. It is a tool by which the subjects, tools and processes of the architectural design product can be analysed.

The study contributes to architectural research by shifting the perspective on reflective knowledge that shapes design processes.

In this paper we extend established concepts of product and process architectures to propose a concept of organization architecture that defines the essential features of the system design of an organization needed to achieve an effective strategic alignment of an organization with its competitive and/or cooperative environment. Adopting a work process view of organization, we draw on concepts of product and process architectures to elaborate fundamental elements in the design of an organization architecture. We suggest that organization architectures may be designed to support four basic types of change in organization resources, capabilities, and coordination, which we characterize as convergence, reconfiguration, absorptive integration, and architectural transformation. We also suggest the kinds of strategic flexibilities that an organization must have to create and implement each type of organization architecture. We identify four basic types of strategic environments and consider the kinds of changes in resources, capabilities, and coordination that need to be designed into an organization's architecture to maintain effective strategic alignment with its type of environment. We then propose a typology that identifies four basic ways in which organizational architectures may be effectively aligned with strategic environments. Extending the reasoning underlying the proposed alignments of organization architectures with strategic environments, we propose a strategic principle of architectural isomorphism, which holds that maintaining effective strategic alignment of an organization with its environment requires achieving isomorphism across a firm's product, process, and organization architectures. We conclude by considering some implications of the analyses undertaken here for competence theory, general and mid-range strategy theory, and organization theory.

The purpose of this paper is to present a model of the architectural design process as a set of interlinked conversations, to explain the role of the artifacts of the design process in facilitating these conversations, and to demonstrate alternative perspectives on the architectural process enabled by such a model.

Applying concepts and terms of Pask's Conversation Theory, the conventional architectural process is analyzed in terms of the nature of the conversations and artifacts at play within each phase. The implications of a rethinking of the architectural process in terms of Conversation Theory are extrapolated.

A Conversation Theory perspective on the architectural design process reveals the arbitrariness of the convention of the building as a final and fixed product. The introduction of a new class of artifacts in the design process could support a more sustainable and open approach to architecture.

The conceptualization of the software dimension of a building as an “entailment mesh” preserving and perpetuating the shared concepts constructed through the design process contributes new concepts to the discourse of responsive architecture.

Learning is an internalization process that depends on individual components. This study focuses on the problematic of learning in architectural design education process and examines its components. The relationship between learning and perception and how it can be handled in the architectural environment is discussed. Answers are searched on the axis of “individual, experience, perception” and especially is focused the concept of “filtering”. The learning environment in the architectural design studio is seen as a cultural environment where all actors share their experiences. It is thought that these variables should be brought to the forefront in order not to lose the originality, with so many variables connected with these cultural actors. In this context, it is aimed to examine the relation between filtering and authenticity in the process of debating the problem of learning in working. The discussion was conducted through a blended learning environment that is supposed to support the aforementioned relationship.

The study is based on the constructing grounded theory as a qualitative research pattern. The dynamic structure that can be empowered by the field experience of the selected research pattern has been a driving force in the study. Temporary hypotheses were identified with the preliminary problems and conceptual samples that were expected to be discussed, and then an experience environment was created that could generate data for the study. Then an experience environment was created that could generate data for the work. The implications of the observations, the open-ended questionnaires and the process of making the interviews were evaluated by descriptive analysis. With this approach, problems can be observed on an individual basis; and some of the problems that were grounded were brought into questionable positions with the architectural design studio.

This study aims to examine whether a text stimulus could enhance students' imagination and thus enhance their creativity in the architectural design studio. The assumption is that adopting the text stimulus in the conceptual design stage would support students' imagination through a nonlinear design process, and ultimately produce the creative values of design outcomes.

A curriculum that adopts a text stimulus was developed and used for first-year university students. The aim was to implement an architectural setting to stimulate students' imagination with a framework for creativity evaluation. The study focused not only on the design process that characterizes the generation of concepts and ideas, but also on the processes related to the creative practices that students need for developing their own expression methods to solve problems they encounter.

The results show that design education that emphasizes the imaginary could enhance students' creative thinking, thus leading to creative design. As a training tool in the design studio, the diversity of interpretation following the text stimulus was revealed to provoke a nonlinear design process and to eventually enhance students' originality, differential and inventiveness, which are associated with the creativity criteria for evaluation.

The study explores the translation of imaginary spaces from text into spatial design as a conceptual tool in order to characterize and support creativity throughout design education in the architectural design studio.

The purpose of this paper is to define the identity, city identity and architectural identity; to review, analyze and synthesize different pieces from literature to explore and define the factors that shape the city identity; to define the strategies of hybridization process that can be used to re-locate (re-define) the city identity; to examine the most effective factors that shape the identity of Amman city from various perspectives, to examine the relationships/interrelationships between all the factors that shape any city identity from the designers’ perspective, finally, to apply the strategies of hybridization process to re-locate (re-define) Amman’s city identity.

This research used two research methods to collect data as follows: literature review, content analysis and face-face questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were used to examine the most effective factors that shape the Amman’s identity from different perspectives. The Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient (Pearson r) was computed to assess the relationships between all factors that shape the identity of any city from the perspective of Jordanian designers and experts.

This research concluded that the factors that shape the city identity are cultural factors (socio-cultural, historical, economical and globalization factors), environmental factors (geographic, climate and building materials factors) and urban and architectural factors (spatial design organization, architectural style, open spaces and parks, urban structure factors). Additionally, the six urban development factors that responsible for the hybridization process in a city are new architectural typology and new special configuration, urban edges and hybrid textures, public hybridization open spaces, roads highway-scapes, urban redevelopment through super sites by star architects and downtown urban developments. This research found that there are different perspectives about the definition and factors that shape the identity of Amman’s city because of differences in cultures, experiences, knowledge, education level and personal preferences. The city identity is not a constant concept. It is changed according to time, place, people, culture, global trends, economic status and experience. Moreover, the correlation results revealed that the relationships/interrelationships between all the factors that shape the identity of any city have strong/very strong positive linear associations and significant relationships (r > 0.89).

Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) should provide a vision to redefine the identity of Amman city and control over the development pressure, built form and image of the city. This vision should be based on research, analysis and adoption of the most effective road map. GAM and all stakeholders should establish and enforce using specific architectural styles, urban design guidelines, building codes, policy tools and land use regulations to re-define the city identity. GAM should review, assess, approve and supervise all development projects through all design and construction phases especially in sensitive areas. GAM should focus on building capacity, empower its architects and planners, and re-organize (re-structure) their units and administrations especially planning and licensing departments to improve the city image and guide development. This research recommended that architects should design new, diverse and innovative architectural concepts, typologies and spatial configurations. Rapid development and new edges should be planned, designed and managed from the parts to the whole. The heterogeneous landscape and everyday activities will improve the vitality of urban and open public spaces and form of public culture. Architects and star architects ought not to make a clear and sharp separation between old and new development, architectural styles and typologies. Architects and urban designers ought to design hybrid physical urban environments, urban morphology, urban multi-functional activities, mix-use buildings, open spaces for social life, street patterns and furniture, squares, architectural style and typologies, spatial connectivity, green spaces and landscape entities. The designers and planners should consider how to create a city for living, working and recreation.

This research defined the identity, city identity, architectural identity and the factors that may shape the city identities. This research proposed and used the hybridization process as a tool to re-locate (re-define) the identity of Amman city and any city to be more obvious. Additionally, this research examined the relationships/interrelationships between the factors that shape the city identity.

Architectural design process is subject to ambiguities surrounding not only definition of the procedures and the flow of the process, but also the nature of the information to be analyzed. This state of affairs is generally thought to require creative thinking for solving both different aspects of the problem, and integration of the parts of the solution. Creativity is mainly explained on the basis of novelty, utility and surprise. But it is not considered to be a unitary concept.

The underlying structure of the design process has been introduced by the present study in relation to the levels of the decision making concerning the process. In addition a multidimensional view of architectural design has been provided as part of creative design-solving process, based on a multi-sensory perception of architecture, human needs, designer's theoretical orientation for creativity, and incremental steps of creative problem-solving activity. The major realms of inquiry as part of the incremental steps of problem solving have been identified with reference to the study areas in professional degree programs in architecture. The model of architectural design process introduced is expected to help the problem solver interlink different parts of the solution established through creative design problem solving procedures.

The complexity of knowledge in architectural design results in its unique management characteristics not being fully recognized and appreciated. Little research has been done in this area. This paper aims to bridge this knowledge gap.

A multiple‐case study methodology is applied to identify the knowledge sharing pattern in architectural design institutes in the People's Republic of China. Content analysis is employed to analyse the qualitative data collected by in‐depth interview, site observation and document review.

The results show that individual architects share their own knowledge by means of reflection‐in‐action, conversation and problem solving. Either formal or informal mentoring, legitimate peripheral participation, communities of practice and workshops are the major mechanisms for architectural design institutes to share organizational knowledge but the knowledge sharing pattern are quite different for different kinds of architectural design institutes.

The major limitation of this research is associated with sample selection. Although the cases being selected are fairly representative of the architectural design institutes in People's Republic of China, not all types of architectural design institutes are included due to the availability of data.

The identified knowledge sharing patterns can help managers of architectural design institutes as well as individual architects to better understand how knowledge is shared in their field and how to improve their overall performance.

This paper contributes to the existing body of research on how knowledge is shared in the construction industry. In particular, a knowledge sharing pattern is identified to offer insights in architectural design institutes in China. The paper addresses a number of research questions which are not fully explored in current literature.