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The objective of this paper is to present an assessment of the factors that influence the process of developing and implementing the architectural program (design brief) for buildings projects.

Published literature has been analyzed and interviews with a group of design professionals and owner's representatives were conducted for the purpose of identifying the factors that influence the process of developing and implementing the architectural program for building projects. This resulted in the identification of 28 factors, which were classified into several groups. A questionnaire was developed that included the identified factors to assess their level of importance. Responses to the survey were received from 50 Architectural/Engineering (A/E) design firms and three major owners of building projects. These 53 respondents were distributed throughout the Eastern Province, Riyadh and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia.

The research has confirmed the importance of all the identified factors, and identified the most influential factors in each of the factor groups. The survey findings indicate that the respondents recognize the significance of the factors that relate to the architectural programmer, the role of communication throughout the programming process, the program data, the management and control of the architectural programming process, the allocated time and budget, and the owner and their representatives, in descending order, respectively when endeavoring on the development and implementation of the architectural program for building projects.

This paper provides a practical value to architectural programmers, design professionals, facility managers, and building owners endeavoring on planning, designing, constructing, and operating new building projects.

This paper presents a conceptual framework to store, manage and retrieve facility programming information called a Facility Programming Product Model (FPPM). The FPPM represents an ‘open’ information framework that members of the facility team (owner, planner, designer, constructor and operator) can utilize to satisfy their individual information needs as providers or users of the facility. The FPPM is a systematized approach to creating, organizing, and presenting facility programming information. The framework allows the owner's representative to review the programming product (the programme) for completeness by establishing a structure designed to access programming criteria at varying levels of abstraction, during any phase of the building life cycle. The result is a programme which can be used as a tool to assist decision making and to evaluate objectively performance criteria during the life of a project.

This paper seeks to investigate the theoretical and practical links between teaching and research in a teaching led university in the UK. Focus is on the new architectural technology undergraduate programmes that, in theory at least, provide an opportunity to integrate activities. An extensive literature review demonstrated the benefit to both students and academic staff of incorporating research into the curriculum. The research used was centered on an innovative Level 3 undergraduate module, which was monitored for 48 months. The module was designed with the aim of encouraging architectural technology students to approach architectural detailing from first principles within an environmentally responsible framework. The philosophy behind the module was to incorporate lecturers’ research into the module, both to enhance the student experience and to narrow the gap between research and teaching. The module also sought to form a subject integrating role, bringing together management, technology and design via project work. A brief overview of the development of the module and the teaching and learning strategy is provided before looking at delivery and evolution of the module. The students’ evaluation of the module, via a questionnaire survey, is then reviewed and issues for further consideration highlighted. A number of observations are made relating to the integration of knowledge, which have implications for all contributors to construction education.

Interpreting the meaning structure of architects' actions, behaviours and performances enacted in a building information modelling (BIM) environment is implausible by returning to the classic and ideal imagery of an architect as a natural leader. Yet, little has been empirically explored on how architects perceive their identity and most critically, how they act, behave and perform their way into it in such an environment. Consequently, architects' failing to adapt their core identity to the varying circumstances may lead to their irrelevance and being side-lined merely as aesthetic building surgeons. The current study therefore seeks a better understanding of their perceptions and experiences in manifesting their identities in the phenomenon.

Drawing upon the interpretive phenomenological approach, ten architectural trained individuals were selected for in-depth, semi-structured interviews, and written accounts exercise to disclose their lived experience. The study was conducted in a Malaysian architectural consultancy practice (ACP) setting.

The data analysis resulted in the following five performance identity themes that revolve around the core identity of a successful designer: “performing as a design strategist”, “performing as a design translator”, “performing as a design facilitator”, “reinstating the identity of a design coordinator” and “performing as a design innovator”.

The study serves as groundwork for professional institutional bodies to further reconstruct a career road map alongside the professional development framework towards elevating, developing and facilitating the hybridity of architects' performance identities in such environment.

The study serves as a groundwork for professional institutional bodies to reconstruct the existing continuing professional development (CPD) programmes, materials and framework so that they reflect the performances of future architects practicing in a BIM environment. The elicited experiences may also inform architectural curriculum designers of the appropriate approaches of teaching and learning in architecture that could promote the hybridity of architects' performance identities in such an environment.

The study contributes to the identity literature by yielding valuable new insights about the experiences and behaviour of architects practicing in a BIM environment. Understanding such complexity would not be possible merely based on the theoretical lenses of professional identity and organisational identification as adopted in previous studies.

Most larger companies and corporations who own or lease multiple locations face challenges in designing, tracking and managing property. The following case study examines the work of the Facilities Design and Planning Group at Dow Jones & Co. The study follows the group’s efforts to improve the strategic efficacy of its operations by expanding its implementation of its computer‐aided facility management (CAFM) system and by developing some novel CAFM tools. These technologies are intended to reduce management costs by creating a central and comprehensive resource of facilities information. Both facilities professionals and those seeking facilities‐related information can then use this resource. These tools support day to day facilities operations, from master planning to project design and budgeting, from construction to lease management. Such technology increases accuracy through data validation, but remains flexible in reporting and inquiry. This paper documents both the evolution of these tools, and the decisions that guided their development. It aims to describe in detail the particular business circumstances that influenced Dow Jones’ efforts as well as expose the setbacks in using and expanding various aspects of the technology.

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the postgraduate disciplinary trends in architecture in Jordan. It highlights current research topics in master theses of architecture programs, to enhance the selection of postgraduate thesis topics that are more responsive and adaptive to the raised research demands of communities and the profession.

The paper analyzed 254 master's theses published from 2009 to 2019 in three Jordanian universities. The paper employed a descriptive and content analysis for theses' titles and abstracts.

The principal results identify unique geographical, temporal and disciplinary trends in the mapped theses. The findings illustrate an interest in disciplines of design studies, building technology, housing and community and urban design among postgraduate students. The findings also highlight a centralization of theses' number and geographical location within Amman governorate. Many theses also focused on residential spaces as a scale of analysis.

The proposed suggestions include collaborative efforts and practical mechanisms by higher education institutions, practitioners and decision-makers for advancing rigorous, diverse and relevant research topics in postgraduate theses.

The paper provides a comprehensive mapping of the topics of postgraduate theses in the field of architecture. It highlights how they have evolved or have been influenced by community needs. It also draws attention toward specific disciplines that have been the focus of major architectural programs in Jordan. Finally, it highlights the coexistence of interdisciplinarity within the field of architecture.

Through a project of cooperation between the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism (MHT) and Sultan Qaboos University (SQU), a team including faculty members, technicians and students from the SQU department of civil and architectural engineering (CAE), was involved in the project of documentation, survey and the development of management plans of four (4) Omani Vernacular settlements (Harat). Such an experience was meant to initiate students from different levels in undergraduate programs of civil and architectural engineering to the fieldwork and professional practice in the field of built heritage studies. The present research aims to explore the effect of such an experience on the learning process and skills acquired by the involved students.

The research was undertaken with students of CAE undergraduate programs at SQU. The documentation method has been implemented in 4 different settlements with the same students. A questionnaire has been administered to the participating students after their graduation to collect their feedback regarding the benefits of this experience on their education and skills development. The data was complemented by active observation and semi-directive interviews with some students randomly selected among the respondents to the questionnaire.

The outcome of each documentation campaign as well as the results of the questionnaires administered revealed that this experience has raised students' awareness about the importance of studying the built heritage and safeguarding it. The research has shown that important soft skills, such as team-working, leadership and communication, have been consolidated. It has also revealed that this experience was an opportunity for students to discover the variety of options within the profession of architecture and its intellectual and ethical responsibilities. Such aspects are hardly grasped when taught within a “classical” teaching/learning setting.

The main limitations of this research were the hard working conditions during the summer in Oman and the direct interaction of the students with the buildings. Even cautious, such interaction represents a risk for an already fragile heritage.

The paper includes a detailed description of the architectural documentation tools and methods used in the case studies. These tools and methods can easily be applicable, with slight adaptations, in other architectural documentation projects involving undergraduate students. The documentation methodology and the generated corpus of 3D digital models can be used in other documentation projects and further studies such as architectural typologies, bioclimatic properties, natural ventilation patterns, daylight performance, etc.

This paper reports on the outcomes of the first experience of its kind in Oman and the Gulf region, where undergraduate students (predominantly females) were involved in an interdisciplinary project for the documentation of important vernacular settlements and their buildings. The added value of this research is that its methodology can be a reference for professors of Architecture and related specialties aiming to integrate research and field work with education.

This research presents a review and assessment of the factors affecting the implementation of remodeling projects, during their lifecycle.

A mixed design approach comprising of qualitative and quantitative methods was utilized. The research commenced with a literature review to identify the factors affecting remodeling projects over their lifecycle phases, namely re-programing, design, construction, and operation and maintenance. A survey was administered, to solicit experts' evaluation of importance, on a sample of 90 professionals, including 30 architects, 30 contractors and 30 real estate developers, to obtain a diversified assessment of the factors. Based on the values of their relative importance indices, a set of 27 factors were ranked and correlated, among all areas, to expose the differentiation of their views.

The research has empirically determined that data availability of the remodeling project, contractor competency for carrying out the remodeling project, and safety during the disassembly and demolition (D&D) activities are the most important lifecycle factors leading to a successful delivery of the remodeling projects. These factors provide a practical guide for professionals endeavoring on delivering a successful and effective remodeling of built facilities.

This research explores professional practice in comparison to the literature and the legislative discourses, to ensure an effective delivery of remodeling projects over their lifecycle. This research provides practitioners, and regulators with a lacked area of research, while introducing a thorough investigation upon the factors affecting remodeling projects, their importance and ranking, from a project's lifecycle perception.

This study analyzes the effect of the techniques of active teaching and learning as a way of delivery on the outcomes of quality learning. Focusing on the courses of architectural science taught in a nontraditional method using various active learning strategies, the study takes the case study of the course Building Illumination and Acoustics (BIA) delivered in the academic year 2019–2020 at the University of Sharjah (UoS)'s Architectural Engineering Department (AED).

Utilizing both quantitative and qualitative research approaches, the study applied a case study and survey as methods. A questionnaire was designed and performed to assess the level of students' satisfaction with the implemented active teaching method.

The vibrant learning setting made the students actively engaged and more motivated and enthusiastic. The active learning practices used, including employing senses as in sight and hearing, reasoning rationally and intuitively, reflecting and acting, working steadily and in fits and starts, creating mathematical models, visualizing and memorizing and drawing analogies, were efficient in boosting their ability to comprehend theoretical concepts more effectively. The delivery style effectively enhances quality learning when various active techniques are used pedagogically beyond being merely a utilitarian instrument to prepare novice students of architectural engineering to fulfill practical challenges.

This article focuses specifically on a theoretical, scientific non-studio course in a particular program of architectural engineering in a particular semester before the dramatic changes in styles of teaching delivery that happened due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Future research could further highlight its results by comparing them to statistical evidence of the development of the course, especially for the duration of online teaching during the pandemic and the hybrid teaching period after it.

This article contributes to the development of teaching and learning of architectural engineering in the local Emirati context by putting original theories of teaching into practice. This paper further contributes to the field of architectural pedagogy in terms of the effect of active learning in the architecture field in the non-studio courses in higher education in the United Arab Emirates.

An unspoken issue of increasing priority in architectural education is the under developed differentiation between architecture and technology. Almost all of the qualifications whereby an architect is prepared for and is permitted to practice professionally are technological parameters. But architecture is not technology. Architecture is, however, both protected by and obscured thru technology being in the forefront that means it is both of benefit and a hindrance.

Architecture being undifferentiated from technology and named in terms of technology thus allows the issue to stay safely within the pragmatic assertion of professionalism that is set up during an education mainly controlled by the profession. Within that is a nascent architectural impulse that resides largely unspoken but which is nonetheless evolved and evolving and shared. The unrevealed architecture generates an aura of the mysterious and the radical which that contributes a greatly to the intensity of mundane and well known work.

This paper examines how architectural technology obviates a space of differentiation within architecture, which may be examined phenomenologically in terms of the essence of humanity, whereby architecture has an original ontological correlation with human aspiration. This will be supported with the well known — for brevity — theoretical and practical examples around the work of Heidegger, Louis I. Kahn. Along with phenomenology, we will introduce philosophies of spiritual practice collectively called rajayoga. The latter is a millennia long experiment with well documented research into human aspiration. The paper concludes with examples of architecture presencing this space of differentiation and suggests the implications on the profession of an education that scan develop the super-ordinate program that is architectural practice.