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Studies related to biophilic design (BD) have not clarified the user's role in applying its elements and features to improve quality of life (physical and mental health). This paper aims to highlight the users' role (experience, practice, and advice) when utilising aspects of BD in the interior environment of modern houses (MH) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, as a case study.

A study of users' experiences was conducted through a qualitative approach by analysing semi-structured one-to-one interviews with a representative sample from Jeddah (12 heads of the family) using an adapted Biophilic Interior Design Matrix. An inductive approach was applied by extrapolating the users' role in employing BD elements in the MH's interior environment based on their experience in employing various biophilic elements.

The findings demonstrate the importance of the user's role when incorporating biophilic elements in living spaces. The levels of employment of BD elements of various kinds in the interior environment of the MH as a whole are considered high. A high percentage was observed regarding the availability of BD elements in the 40–59 years age group (87%), and a relationship was observed between housing type (villas vs apartments) and availability of BD elements. Additionally, a relationship was observed between the use of a professional designer when designing the house and the availability of biophilic elements. However, the sample did not have a grasp of several BD concepts. The application is generally made without knowing the positive impact on mental health. The user matrix was compiled as a reference that reflects the features and elements that are easily enjoyed in activating BD and enhancing the users' role in raising the level of BD in their homes. An initial classification of BD features was elaborated regarding the physical structure (PS) of a building, features regarding the user under control (UUC) and features regarding the user out of control (UOC).

The classification was preliminarily based on PS, UUC, and UOC. Future research is required to confirm what has been communicated through advanced and in-depth research for housing analysis to confirm and enhance the user's role. This approach is a quick alternative solution to employ biophilic elements.

The authors focussed on the immaterial aspect of BD in interior spaces from the user's experience. BD-related studies have focussed on the physical aspect of architectural space.

With the trend of adaptive reuse of old buildings and the continuous development of the sports industry in China, transforming stadiums that are no longer suitable has become a pressing issue. Based on this, the basic problems of adaptive transformation of urban stadium were discussed, and the motivation and principles of stadium reconstruction were analyzed. From the sense of place context, the openness of the interface and the integrity and diversity of the environment space, the reconstruction of the exterior space of the stadium was planned. In the reconstruction of the interior space of the stadium, the use of the interior space of the stadium and the needs that should be satisfied were mainly planned. Taking Yubei stadium in Chongqing as an example, the analysis was carried out. The planning structure, functional requirements, transportation, environment, spatial integrity and diversity were studied, and the current development trend of the stadium was reflected from the planning of interior and exterior space of gymnasium. In conclusion, this study provides a theoretical basis for the adaptive transformation of the stadium, and it is of great significance.

This paper aims to examine the concept and practice of green building for office interiors: whether the green intent can be effectively implemented in an interior retrofitting project.

Reviewing green building rating systems for interiors, examining certified interior projects and interviewing occupants working in certified green offices.

The green building credits for interiors fall into three relational layers: the urban context, the host building and interior fit-outs. Most projects under study performed well on credits for interior fit-outs (e.g. low emitting materials, energy efficient equipment and appliances, etc.), while underperformed on credits for its host building (e.g. air-conditioning systems, ventilation, etc.). The latter might more significantly affect working experience. The other important green aspects, such as daylight availability, facilities accessibility, might be subject to its location and urban context.

This article presents a multi-examination of green interiors. The data came from second-hand Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design scorecards and qualitative interviews. More quantitative surveys are expected to be conducted.

Green interior retrofitting should go beyond selecting environmental-friendly finishes and furniture or resource-efficient fixtures and appliances. It should proactively start from assessing the environmental performance of the host building and its urban context.

Most research looked at green building as a whole. Green interiors are actually more practical for tenants who intend to reduce their corporate environmental impacts, whereas they do not have control over whole building design and operations. This article highlights the importance of green interior retrofitting and provides guidance.

The study assesses user satisfaction of workspaces modified at home in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, thereby analyzing the flexibility of modern homes in the twenty-first century in the United Arab Emirates.

Data was collected using a structured online survey from 113 participants about their home office created to accommodate working/studying from home. Analysis of survey revealed the importance of type of residence in affecting satisfaction of functionality and well-being.

The collected demographic variables played a crucial role in affecting satisfaction with various elements, from indoor air quality of the working space to the amount of natural light received by the space. Finally, participants who felt the need to add color and change furniture layout, experienced feelings of productivity, commitment and motivation by working from home. The same participants decided to keep the amended changes to their living spaces, even after they return to working from their offices. The study concludes by presenting implications of this experience on future home designs; thereby offering suggestions of authorities, and designers to produce more flexible and resilient houses.

A relatively small sample with limited professions was considered. Further research recommendations include increasing the sample size to target more categories of the residents of the UAE. Future research can expand the criteria used to evaluate satisfaction and include noise levels as well as accessibility.

The study offers suggestions to authorities and designers to produce more flexible and resilient homes, taking demographics into consideration. Roof gardens, shading devices and privacy needs are crucial elements for the future home.

The research provides enough information to inform designers about the future of space interiors, how well they are configured, serviced and how adaptable they are, in order to enhance user satisfaction.

1. Satisfaction was affected by individual differences.

2. Those who changed furniture layout showed least average satisfaction.

3. Females reported higher satisfaction with indoor air quality and lighting than males.

Satisfaction was affected by individual differences.

Those who changed furniture layout showed least average satisfaction.

Females reported higher satisfaction with indoor air quality and lighting than males.

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the compulsory quarantine of many of the world's inhabitants, and by staying at home, several functional developments emerged in residential spaces in Jeddah that affected the role of the house as a contributor to individuals' quality of life under the pressures of quarantine. Given the necessity of the apartments to adapt to these emerging developments, this study explores the determinants associated with the flexibility of residential apartments by looking at the extent to which they meet the new psychological, social and cultural roles required by their users post-COVID-19.

The qualitative approach (1) extracted concepts related to the flexibility of housing from the available literature and (2) extrapolated the flexibility of the residential apartments from the participants' study (12 families) in different areas of Jeddah by analyzing the results of targeted interviews.

There is a gap in the participant's understanding of the quality of housing and the level of satisfaction with a housing design that differs before and after their quarantine experience. The participant's adaptation to self-quarantine was mainly through furniture distribution, and housing flexibility was less reliant on the physical transformation of the place than on the change in the inhabitants' perceptions. There was an indication that the deficiencies of flexibility in design relates to the functional, cultural and structural aspects of residential buildings.

This study generated suggestions to develop the foundations for flexible housing design and activate its role under the post-quarantine context according to social and cultural variables. Some proposals should become future requirements for residential apartments to benefit officials and stakeholders to develop housing flexibility.

The relationship between the child and his/her physical environment is an area of interaction that includes social, psychological and cultural factors along with the spatial experience, perception and behavior of the child. This study is based on the effects of spatial perception and behavior of the child within the physical environment of primary schools. In this direction, the purpose of this paper is to investigate how spatial and physical characteristics of primary school typologies affect the spatial perception and behavior of the child. Also, the parameters affecting spatial perception and behavior are examined.

The question to be investigated is how the spatial and physical characteristics of the school’s physical environment affect the child’s spatial perception and behavior in primary schools with different typologies. Within this scope, Istanbul’s Kagithane region is selected as a case study. Schools are chosen for their similar spatial and dimensional features and similar socio-economic environment. The methodology of the study consists of a literature review, an observational study carried out to discover the interaction between the child and his/her school building and the analysis of the student’s cognitive maps. These maps were evaluated according to topological, projective, metric and imaginative parameters.

The results show spatial organization and physical characteristics of primary school buildings with a structure that allows for change and transformation, and contributes to the physical and cognitive development of children.

This study will provide an opportunity to develop the design of future primary school buildings that can support the spatial perception and spatial experiences of the children.

The focus of this paper is the changes in domestic social patterns from independence (1956) in Khartoum and their effects on domestic architecture, analysed using space syntax analysis. The built representation of the political change in Khartoum, which had led economic, cultural and social transformation, has not been well investigated. The domestic architecture is envisaged here to reflect the change from a liberal and secular British colonial lifestyle to a post-colonial native conservative and religious one.

The study explored twenty representative samples from the two eras in order to reveal the hidden nature of these patterns by employing space syntax analysis, particularly convex mapping. This analysis attempted to both decipher space transition and to identify patterns. Interviews were conducted to interpret the social meaning of these configurations and to factor in the historical context of the transition.

The analytical comparisons revealed that these socio-cultural changes had subtle effects on the transformations experienced in the use and spatial organization. The change shows the emerging dominance of privacy: the relationship with exterior had started to diminish, and some interior spaces were redefined. This privacy centred patterns also, in many post-colonial cases, have pushed the core of integration deeper in the access graph.

The study sheds lights on the transition in the Sudanese society, reflected on the spatial arrangement of houses and traditions. It is directed to the Sudanese as well as regional societies who passed the transition before and after colonial eras.

The enclosed j-graph study on houses' plans is original and haven't been investigated using this space syntax approach.

The advent of the COVID-19 pandemic brought various and radical changes at the worldwide level. Globally, severe preventive measures were imposed to respond to the crisis such as lockdowns which forced the people to quarantine themselves inside their houses for longer periods. This issue stressed the crucial role of healthy houses in providing the various needs of residents during crises.

This study methodology adopted both inductive approach and a Study Application Model to define the Healthy House Criteria and fulfill the study objectives. Under the inductive approach a holistic literature review was undertaken while the Study Application Model implied defining the conception of the overall Criteria of the Healthy House's interior design under the COVID-19.

The finding of the study showed some areas needed to improve current healthy house's criteria in terms of its interior design that may be used to cope with potential crises such as the COVID-19. Based on the revealed findings, the researcher suggested a conceptual framework for healthy house's criteria and further research areas.

The current research may provide applicable framework for both interior designers and households in terms of how to design and implement a healthy house, which is valid to accommodate residents during potential crises such as the COVID-19.

Flexibility is known as an important term in the field of open buildings especially during modern era. Idea of flexibility has been one of the prominent implications in traditional Iranian architecture emerged in spatial organizations. Although, during modern period this quality of spaces has been mostly ignored some of the contemporary architects attempted to reconsider this characteristic in their projects. However, providing an interview with 7 pioneering contemporary Iranian architects and visiting their 25 residential projects it seems that flexibility has been reinterpreted in some of their projects. This research is an attempt for examining the idea of flexibility in 6 projects of 3 of these architects who were obsessed with this spatial term in their architectural works. Based on the architect’s words and analysis of their projects, and also looking for the roots of flexibility in traditional architecture, it can be asserted that there is an authentic emergence of flexibility in these projects. Examining these projects according to three main indicators of flexibility in modern architecture as structural systems, service organization and architectural layout, it is also tried to find their relation with traditional architecture. Being adapted with new lifestyles while ingrained in cultural and environmental issues of its context, idea of flexibility employed as an authentic characteristic of spatial configuration in some of the contemporary buildings in Iran.

The existence of retail spaces lies far back in history. However, retail design as an academic field of work is relatively recent and available for development. The common points and differences between commercial spaces and retail spaces, as well as the relationship between private and public spaces, require academic attention from a retail perspective. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the academic knowledge on retail design by interpreting retail spaces according to their relationship with their surroundings and their way of defining borders.

The focal point of the paper lies on a case study based on built examples of retail spaces in Turkey. An actual perspective, along with the historical background of retail design, provides the theoretical framework of the study, as the term “border” is being interpreted according to encountered restrictions and intentions throughout the retail design process.

The case study conducted in the scope of this paper has shown that borders are an important component in retail design and they are affected by various factors like the limitations of the surroundings and atmospheric tools such as colours, lighting, sound or scent.

Although there are existing studies on retail design from various perspectives, the interpretation of retail spaces in relationship with their borders is missing in academic literature. This paper provides a definition of borders in retail design including the elements that describe them and the knowledge of borders according to different corporate tendencies.