U. Pottgiesser
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1
Journal article
(2026)
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Matthias Sahli, Jan Bieser, Jonathan Chenoweth, Jeff Love, Mi Lin, Marco Martens, Maureen Pennock, Uta Pottgiesser
Digitalization has transformed the book market with significant environmental consequences. Various life cycle assessments (LCAs) compare the per-unit greenhouse gas (GHG) impacts of reading paper books and e-books. However, they do not capture the net GHG effects of digitalization, which also depend on changes in production and consumption volumes in both formats. This article assesses whether digitalization has increased or decreased the GHG footprint of the book market by combining evidence from LCAs with economic insights on how digitalization affects book supply and demand. Our results show that e-books can lower emissions for heavy readers, while paper books may be more climate-friendly when they are widely shared. While e-books offer advantages such as accessibility and portability that support substitution, many digitalization-driven supply and demand effects expand the overall book market by improving discoverability, lowering costs and prices, and accelerating publication and distribution. Our quantitative analysis indicates that e-books reduce emissions only if they substantially displace print, yet evidence suggests substitution rates are low and emissions may therefore increase. This shows that treating e-books as simple substitutes for paper books is overly simplistic, and that integrated environmental and economic perspectives are needed to assess their net sustainability impact.
...
Digitalization has transformed the book market with significant environmental consequences. Various life cycle assessments (LCAs) compare the per-unit greenhouse gas (GHG) impacts of reading paper books and e-books. However, they do not capture the net GHG effects of digitalization, which also depend on changes in production and consumption volumes in both formats. This article assesses whether digitalization has increased or decreased the GHG footprint of the book market by combining evidence from LCAs with economic insights on how digitalization affects book supply and demand. Our results show that e-books can lower emissions for heavy readers, while paper books may be more climate-friendly when they are widely shared. While e-books offer advantages such as accessibility and portability that support substitution, many digitalization-driven supply and demand effects expand the overall book market by improving discoverability, lowering costs and prices, and accelerating publication and distribution. Our quantitative analysis indicates that e-books reduce emissions only if they substantially displace print, yet evidence suggests substitution rates are low and emissions may therefore increase. This shows that treating e-books as simple substitutes for paper books is overly simplistic, and that integrated environmental and economic perspectives are needed to assess their net sustainability impact.
Docomomo International is proud to present the second issue of the Docomomo Journal co-edited with the International Specialist Committee on Interior Design (ISC/ID), represented by guest editors Zsuzsanna Böröcz and Deniz Hasirci. Established at the Council Meeting during the 16th International Docomomo Conference in Lisbon in 2016, the ISC/ID has since grown and evolved, as evidenced by significant activities, including seminars, discussions, and publications. Already before the establishment of the ISC/ID, interior design and modern living have been explicit themes in two Docomomo Journal issues: no. 46 Designing for Modern Life and no. 47 Global Design, both published in 2012, extended beyond the architectural scale to encompass the qualities of interior space and the constituent elements and materialities of daily life.
...
Docomomo International is proud to present the second issue of the Docomomo Journal co-edited with the International Specialist Committee on Interior Design (ISC/ID), represented by guest editors Zsuzsanna Böröcz and Deniz Hasirci. Established at the Council Meeting during the 16th International Docomomo Conference in Lisbon in 2016, the ISC/ID has since grown and evolved, as evidenced by significant activities, including seminars, discussions, and publications. Already before the establishment of the ISC/ID, interior design and modern living have been explicit themes in two Docomomo Journal issues: no. 46 Designing for Modern Life and no. 47 Global Design, both published in 2012, extended beyond the architectural scale to encompass the qualities of interior space and the constituent elements and materialities of daily life.
Sustainable Design for Mental Health
A Framework of Spatial Indicators for University Campuses
The mental health crisis among university students is gradually increasing, from psychological fatigue, burnout, and anxiety to suicide, forcing universities to integrate a mental health focus in sustainable campus planning. Mental health can be influenced, either alleviated or exacerbated, by the academic environment. Campus Sustainability Assessment Tools (CSATs) provided various indicators, but few include spatial indicators related to mental health. To bridge this gap, it is essential to understand the influence of spatial aspects on students’ psychological well-being. Identifying environmental stressors and spatial qualities and translating them into indicators that can be consistently defined and evaluated is relevant. This study aims to address the gap in CSATs regarding students' mental health and to develop spatial indicators for universities to embed mental health. The goal is to propose spatial indicators that allow universities to evaluate and measure the relationship between the built campus environment and mental health. A comparative analysis was conducted on ten CSAT frameworks and two related frameworks, including the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and the Circular Economy (CE), with a focus on identifying and evaluating existing assessments. In parallel, a review was conducted to analyze key psychological stressors and interventions in the academic environment for university students' mental health. This included formulating spatial indicators that describe, quantify, and assess the relationship to psychological outcomes. Findings show that existing CSATs prioritize curriculum and teaching approaches, and research includes scholarship, social network, and operational aspects. However, only the Sustainability Tool for Auditing Universities' Curricula in Higher Education (STAUNCH) and Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS) explicitly reference mental health. Apart from STAUNCH and UI GreenMetric, which include indicators of biodiversity and green space ratio, respectively, nearly all frameworks focus on nonphysical, conceptual metrics. The identification of spatial indicators is linked to specific design attributes—such as natural light, spatial openness, and access to nature—that promise reduced stress and enhanced emotional well-being. Key findings related to the study’s spatial indicators propose a three-part indicator set: 1. Psycho-spatial indicators (e.g., light, acoustic, and visual comfort, finishing material, accessibility, air quality, layout). 2. Socio-spatial indicators (e.g., communal area, visibility, accessibility, safety, interconnection). 3. Restorative spatial indicators (e.g., naturalness, spatiality, safety and security, privacy-public balance). Universities must focus on preserving students’ mental health by improving their physical environments, especially because supporting and fostering mental health is no longer optional. Understanding the tangible ways in which space impacts mental health enables universities to define clear, measurable criteria for improvement. These findings offer a practical foundation for evaluating existing environments and guiding future design interventions. A three-part indicator set will be developed and applied through a mixedmethod case study approach, implemented in two existing campuses, and it will be examined in depth via on-site observations, structured interviews, and student surveys to capture both measurable data and lived experiences. The framework aims to articulate the connection between spatial design and mental health and to establish a methodology for identifying, defining, and assessing these indicators across different university settings.
...
The mental health crisis among university students is gradually increasing, from psychological fatigue, burnout, and anxiety to suicide, forcing universities to integrate a mental health focus in sustainable campus planning. Mental health can be influenced, either alleviated or exacerbated, by the academic environment. Campus Sustainability Assessment Tools (CSATs) provided various indicators, but few include spatial indicators related to mental health. To bridge this gap, it is essential to understand the influence of spatial aspects on students’ psychological well-being. Identifying environmental stressors and spatial qualities and translating them into indicators that can be consistently defined and evaluated is relevant. This study aims to address the gap in CSATs regarding students' mental health and to develop spatial indicators for universities to embed mental health. The goal is to propose spatial indicators that allow universities to evaluate and measure the relationship between the built campus environment and mental health. A comparative analysis was conducted on ten CSAT frameworks and two related frameworks, including the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and the Circular Economy (CE), with a focus on identifying and evaluating existing assessments. In parallel, a review was conducted to analyze key psychological stressors and interventions in the academic environment for university students' mental health. This included formulating spatial indicators that describe, quantify, and assess the relationship to psychological outcomes. Findings show that existing CSATs prioritize curriculum and teaching approaches, and research includes scholarship, social network, and operational aspects. However, only the Sustainability Tool for Auditing Universities' Curricula in Higher Education (STAUNCH) and Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS) explicitly reference mental health. Apart from STAUNCH and UI GreenMetric, which include indicators of biodiversity and green space ratio, respectively, nearly all frameworks focus on nonphysical, conceptual metrics. The identification of spatial indicators is linked to specific design attributes—such as natural light, spatial openness, and access to nature—that promise reduced stress and enhanced emotional well-being. Key findings related to the study’s spatial indicators propose a three-part indicator set: 1. Psycho-spatial indicators (e.g., light, acoustic, and visual comfort, finishing material, accessibility, air quality, layout). 2. Socio-spatial indicators (e.g., communal area, visibility, accessibility, safety, interconnection). 3. Restorative spatial indicators (e.g., naturalness, spatiality, safety and security, privacy-public balance). Universities must focus on preserving students’ mental health by improving their physical environments, especially because supporting and fostering mental health is no longer optional. Understanding the tangible ways in which space impacts mental health enables universities to define clear, measurable criteria for improvement. These findings offer a practical foundation for evaluating existing environments and guiding future design interventions. A three-part indicator set will be developed and applied through a mixedmethod case study approach, implemented in two existing campuses, and it will be examined in depth via on-site observations, structured interviews, and student surveys to capture both measurable data and lived experiences. The framework aims to articulate the connection between spatial design and mental health and to establish a methodology for identifying, defining, and assessing these indicators across different university settings.
This research investigates how community participation can be enhanced to support the sustainable reconstruction of residential heritage in the Old City of Aleppo. In the aftermath of the Syrian war, reconstruction interventions on traditional courtyard houses have been affected by several issues, such as a lack of knowledge among junior architects and craftsmen (regarding houses’ conditions, relevant regulations, and residents’ needs), and limited residents’ participation in decision-making processes. Drawing on international experiences in similar post-war contexts that highlight the role of education and a participatory approach as critical components for sustainable reconstruction efforts. This research conducts a comparative analysis of several international capacity-building and co-creation initiatives to identify effective methods of stakeholder engagement. Building on these findings, the study proposes an education programme tailored to the socio-cultural and regulatory context of the Old City of Aleppo. The proposed programme integrates academic knowledge with community perspectives using validated teaching and participatory methods, such as photovoice, walkthrough, and lectures etc., within a co-creation framework. It aims to raise awareness, build capacity, and enable residents through participation in all phases of the programme: co-diagnostic, co-design, co-implementation and co-monitoring. This way, residents are empowered to play an active role in interventions on residential heritage and to align these interventions with their needs and current regulations. Thus, the research presents a scalable model for cultural and socially sustainable residential heritage reconstruction.
...
This research investigates how community participation can be enhanced to support the sustainable reconstruction of residential heritage in the Old City of Aleppo. In the aftermath of the Syrian war, reconstruction interventions on traditional courtyard houses have been affected by several issues, such as a lack of knowledge among junior architects and craftsmen (regarding houses’ conditions, relevant regulations, and residents’ needs), and limited residents’ participation in decision-making processes. Drawing on international experiences in similar post-war contexts that highlight the role of education and a participatory approach as critical components for sustainable reconstruction efforts. This research conducts a comparative analysis of several international capacity-building and co-creation initiatives to identify effective methods of stakeholder engagement. Building on these findings, the study proposes an education programme tailored to the socio-cultural and regulatory context of the Old City of Aleppo. The proposed programme integrates academic knowledge with community perspectives using validated teaching and participatory methods, such as photovoice, walkthrough, and lectures etc., within a co-creation framework. It aims to raise awareness, build capacity, and enable residents through participation in all phases of the programme: co-diagnostic, co-design, co-implementation and co-monitoring. This way, residents are empowered to play an active role in interventions on residential heritage and to align these interventions with their needs and current regulations. Thus, the research presents a scalable model for cultural and socially sustainable residential heritage reconstruction.
The idea for this special issue was born during the Imperfect Modernism conference in a discussion with the guest editors Liutauras Nekrošius and Kateryna Didenko. Held in Vilnius in May 2024 and organized by the guest editors of this special issue, the conference brought together scholars, architects, and experts in heritage preservation from Canada, Cyprus, Eritrea, Georgia, Germany, Israel, Kosovo, Lebanon, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, and Ukraine. A wide range of issues was discussed, highlighting the uniqueness of regional adaptations in conservation, restoration, and adaptive reuse of buildings, sites and neighborhoods of the Modern Movement shaped by each country’s political, economic, and socio-cultural factors, while also revealing shared patterns.
Turning to the discussion on the concept of Modernism, it is worth noting that different manifestations and perceptions of modernist heritage have evolved throughout the 20th and 21st centuries across diverse contexts and value systems. Scholarly debates, conservation practices, international initiatives, and local experience have shaped the concept as layered and flexible, now encompassing not only doctrinal modernist works and interpretations but a broader spectrum of modernities. [...] ...
Turning to the discussion on the concept of Modernism, it is worth noting that different manifestations and perceptions of modernist heritage have evolved throughout the 20th and 21st centuries across diverse contexts and value systems. Scholarly debates, conservation practices, international initiatives, and local experience have shaped the concept as layered and flexible, now encompassing not only doctrinal modernist works and interpretations but a broader spectrum of modernities. [...] ...
The idea for this special issue was born during the Imperfect Modernism conference in a discussion with the guest editors Liutauras Nekrošius and Kateryna Didenko. Held in Vilnius in May 2024 and organized by the guest editors of this special issue, the conference brought together scholars, architects, and experts in heritage preservation from Canada, Cyprus, Eritrea, Georgia, Germany, Israel, Kosovo, Lebanon, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, and Ukraine. A wide range of issues was discussed, highlighting the uniqueness of regional adaptations in conservation, restoration, and adaptive reuse of buildings, sites and neighborhoods of the Modern Movement shaped by each country’s political, economic, and socio-cultural factors, while also revealing shared patterns.
Turning to the discussion on the concept of Modernism, it is worth noting that different manifestations and perceptions of modernist heritage have evolved throughout the 20th and 21st centuries across diverse contexts and value systems. Scholarly debates, conservation practices, international initiatives, and local experience have shaped the concept as layered and flexible, now encompassing not only doctrinal modernist works and interpretations but a broader spectrum of modernities. [...]
Turning to the discussion on the concept of Modernism, it is worth noting that different manifestations and perceptions of modernist heritage have evolved throughout the 20th and 21st centuries across diverse contexts and value systems. Scholarly debates, conservation practices, international initiatives, and local experience have shaped the concept as layered and flexible, now encompassing not only doctrinal modernist works and interpretations but a broader spectrum of modernities. [...]
Preserving Modern Heritage in the Emirate of Dubai
A Digital Documentation and Semantic HBIM Approach
The rapid urbanization and technological advancements in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have placed its modern architectural heritage from the 1970s and 1980s at increasing risk of being unrecognized and lost, particularly in Dubai following the discovery of oil. This research addresses the critical need for the documentation and heritage representation of Dubai’s modern heritage, a city undergoing rapid transformation within a globalized urban landscape. Focusing on the Nasser Rashid Lootah Building (Toyota Building), an iconic early 1970s residential high-rise representing the modern architecture of Dubai and a significant milestone in its architectural history, this study explores a replicable and cost-effective approach to digitally document and conserve urban heritage under threat. The existing building was meticulously documented and analyzed to highlight its enduring value within the fast-changing urban fabric. Through the innovative combination of drone photography, ground-based photography, and HBIM, a high-resolution 3D model and a semantically organized HBIM prototype were generated. This research demonstrates a replicable measure for identifying architectural values, understanding modernist design typologies, and raising local community awareness about Dubai’s modern heritage. Ultimately, this study contributes toward developing recognition criteria and guiding efforts in documenting modern high-rise buildings as vital heritage worthy of recognition, documentation, and future conservation in the UAE.
...
The rapid urbanization and technological advancements in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have placed its modern architectural heritage from the 1970s and 1980s at increasing risk of being unrecognized and lost, particularly in Dubai following the discovery of oil. This research addresses the critical need for the documentation and heritage representation of Dubai’s modern heritage, a city undergoing rapid transformation within a globalized urban landscape. Focusing on the Nasser Rashid Lootah Building (Toyota Building), an iconic early 1970s residential high-rise representing the modern architecture of Dubai and a significant milestone in its architectural history, this study explores a replicable and cost-effective approach to digitally document and conserve urban heritage under threat. The existing building was meticulously documented and analyzed to highlight its enduring value within the fast-changing urban fabric. Through the innovative combination of drone photography, ground-based photography, and HBIM, a high-resolution 3D model and a semantically organized HBIM prototype were generated. This research demonstrates a replicable measure for identifying architectural values, understanding modernist design typologies, and raising local community awareness about Dubai’s modern heritage. Ultimately, this study contributes toward developing recognition criteria and guiding efforts in documenting modern high-rise buildings as vital heritage worthy of recognition, documentation, and future conservation in the UAE.
A Systematic Review of the 15-Minute City Concept
Indicators for Urban Liveability and Sustainability
Urban transformation and urban preservation are often seen as contradicting goals. Currently, there is no agreed-upon strategy on how to transform historic parts of the city while maintaining their heritage values. Many cities today are characterised by modern 20th-century heritage, yet it poses a challenge to their liveability and to the adoption of less car-dependent lifestyles. The concept of 15-minute cities can be used to improve urban liveability, which may positively affect the experience and functionality of modern historic urban landscapes (HUL). A review of the existing literature on the 15-minute city concept was carried out with the aim of identifying its key indicators and proposing possible new ones. This research primarily explores how the 15-minute city concept can be applied holistically and efficiently in modern heritage. Following the PRISMA guidelines, 20 articles published after the introduction of the concept and meeting the inclusion criteria in the Scopus and Web of Science (WoS) databases were reviewed. Selected examples and case studies are analysed to contextualise these variables and explore how they can be reflected in modern historic urban landscapes. As a result, the following variables are identified as central to the 15-minute city concept: mobility, time, distance, speed, functions of the amenities each with their associated indicators. Moreover, spatial characteristics, human-centred factors and heritage values are proposed as variables. The results are expected to give insights into how to operationalise the concept of 15-minute cities in modern sites of historic urban landscapes, in order to improve liveability while simultaneously preserving its values. This research contributes to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by promoting walkable, climate-resilient neighbourhoods. In particular, it aligns with SDG Target 11.4, which focuses on cultural and natural heritage.
...
Urban transformation and urban preservation are often seen as contradicting goals. Currently, there is no agreed-upon strategy on how to transform historic parts of the city while maintaining their heritage values. Many cities today are characterised by modern 20th-century heritage, yet it poses a challenge to their liveability and to the adoption of less car-dependent lifestyles. The concept of 15-minute cities can be used to improve urban liveability, which may positively affect the experience and functionality of modern historic urban landscapes (HUL). A review of the existing literature on the 15-minute city concept was carried out with the aim of identifying its key indicators and proposing possible new ones. This research primarily explores how the 15-minute city concept can be applied holistically and efficiently in modern heritage. Following the PRISMA guidelines, 20 articles published after the introduction of the concept and meeting the inclusion criteria in the Scopus and Web of Science (WoS) databases were reviewed. Selected examples and case studies are analysed to contextualise these variables and explore how they can be reflected in modern historic urban landscapes. As a result, the following variables are identified as central to the 15-minute city concept: mobility, time, distance, speed, functions of the amenities each with their associated indicators. Moreover, spatial characteristics, human-centred factors and heritage values are proposed as variables. The results are expected to give insights into how to operationalise the concept of 15-minute cities in modern sites of historic urban landscapes, in order to improve liveability while simultaneously preserving its values. This research contributes to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by promoting walkable, climate-resilient neighbourhoods. In particular, it aligns with SDG Target 11.4, which focuses on cultural and natural heritage.
Review
(2025)
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María Victoria Dávalos Quevedo, Alessandra Luna-Navarro, Uta Pottgiesser, Ulrich Blum
Occupant satisfaction in office spaces is a critical factor influencing occupant’s productivity, satisfaction and overall workplace experience. This systematic review examines the methodologies and approaches used to assess occupant satisfaction with office space design, identifying key evaluation tools and research trends. The study explores the extent to which existing methodologies integrate environmental, spatial and design factors to provide a comprehensive understanding of user experience. Additionally, it highlights the limitations in current assessment tools, including the lack of standardised frameworks for capturing occupant feedback at different stages of the design process. The findings suggest a growing shift towards data-driven and real-time feedback mechanisms to enhance workplace adaptability. By synthesising existing research, this review aims to provide insights for designers, facility managers and policymakers to refine evaluation methods and integrate occupant-centric strategies into office space planning.
...
Occupant satisfaction in office spaces is a critical factor influencing occupant’s productivity, satisfaction and overall workplace experience. This systematic review examines the methodologies and approaches used to assess occupant satisfaction with office space design, identifying key evaluation tools and research trends. The study explores the extent to which existing methodologies integrate environmental, spatial and design factors to provide a comprehensive understanding of user experience. Additionally, it highlights the limitations in current assessment tools, including the lack of standardised frameworks for capturing occupant feedback at different stages of the design process. The findings suggest a growing shift towards data-driven and real-time feedback mechanisms to enhance workplace adaptability. By synthesising existing research, this review aims to provide insights for designers, facility managers and policymakers to refine evaluation methods and integrate occupant-centric strategies into office space planning.
A window is an ‘opening especially in the wall of a building for admission of light and air that is usually closed by casements or sashes containing transparent material (such as glass) and capable of being opened and shut’ (Merriam Webster, 2021). Until medieval times windows were openings closed by leather, fabric or wooden shutters in most parts of Europe. Windows are essential functional elements of a building and, at the same time, they are comprehensive architectural and design elements of the massive building envelope. As a building component, the window has to fulfill a wide variety of tasks and requires the collaboration of different craftsmanship techniques in its manufacture. The diversity of the historical, national and regional types of windows is large and as diverse as architecture in general (Koolhaas, 2018). They represent different design characteristics depending on time and region and they include technical and structural developments that respond to different functional requirements, e.g. impermeability, ventilation possibilities, light permeability and operability. Despite or precisely because of this diverse functionality and significance, windows are subject to a particularly high pressure for change (VDL, 2017). Similar to other heritage authorities, Historic England has stated that unsympathetic replacement of windows and doors represents the number one threat of heritage buildings, and that this affects no less than 83% of defined conservation areas (Pickles et al., 2017, p.1). Traditional windows are threatened for many different reasons: they are often completely replaced to improve a building’s energy efficiency, even when simple technical and thermal upgrading options (e.g. draught-proofing, secondary glazing, shutters) would be also feasible at much less cost. Other reasons are safety and security requirements, material decay or the simple wish for change and modernization. […]
...
A window is an ‘opening especially in the wall of a building for admission of light and air that is usually closed by casements or sashes containing transparent material (such as glass) and capable of being opened and shut’ (Merriam Webster, 2021). Until medieval times windows were openings closed by leather, fabric or wooden shutters in most parts of Europe. Windows are essential functional elements of a building and, at the same time, they are comprehensive architectural and design elements of the massive building envelope. As a building component, the window has to fulfill a wide variety of tasks and requires the collaboration of different craftsmanship techniques in its manufacture. The diversity of the historical, national and regional types of windows is large and as diverse as architecture in general (Koolhaas, 2018). They represent different design characteristics depending on time and region and they include technical and structural developments that respond to different functional requirements, e.g. impermeability, ventilation possibilities, light permeability and operability. Despite or precisely because of this diverse functionality and significance, windows are subject to a particularly high pressure for change (VDL, 2017). Similar to other heritage authorities, Historic England has stated that unsympathetic replacement of windows and doors represents the number one threat of heritage buildings, and that this affects no less than 83% of defined conservation areas (Pickles et al., 2017, p.1). Traditional windows are threatened for many different reasons: they are often completely replaced to improve a building’s energy efficiency, even when simple technical and thermal upgrading options (e.g. draught-proofing, secondary glazing, shutters) would be also feasible at much less cost. Other reasons are safety and security requirements, material decay or the simple wish for change and modernization. […]
3D Gaussian Splatting (3DGS) is an advanced 3D representation method that enhances point clouds by incorporating spectral image content, enabling high-fidelity heritage documentation. A 3DGS visualization presents these enriched Gaussians, ensuring high geometric accuracy, detailed texture representation, and efficient spatial reconstruction, thereby enhancing both precision and efficiency in digital heritage preservation. This paper applies 3DGS to modern architectural heritage, combining UAV-based data acquisition with advanced rendering techniques. Using the Delft University of Technology Aula and Library buildings as case study, the research establishes a workflow for efficient heritage documentation and visualization.
...
3D Gaussian Splatting (3DGS) is an advanced 3D representation method that enhances point clouds by incorporating spectral image content, enabling high-fidelity heritage documentation. A 3DGS visualization presents these enriched Gaussians, ensuring high geometric accuracy, detailed texture representation, and efficient spatial reconstruction, thereby enhancing both precision and efficiency in digital heritage preservation. This paper applies 3DGS to modern architectural heritage, combining UAV-based data acquisition with advanced rendering techniques. Using the Delft University of Technology Aula and Library buildings as case study, the research establishes a workflow for efficient heritage documentation and visualization.
Conference paper
(2025)
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M.V. Davalos Quevedo, Alessandra Luna-Navarro, U. Pottgiesser, P. de la Barra Luegmayer, Pablo Martinez Alcaraz
This paper explores the challenge of gathering occupant feedback in real office environments, focusing on the difference between continuous versus one-time questionnaire methods. Continuous feedback methods are valuable for understanding occupant needs, but they can lead to disengagement and fatigue over time, while one-time questionnaires usually focus on one moment in time and they cannot capture changes or trends over time.
A Pre-Occupancy Evaluation (PrOE) was conducted in a German office before a design intervention. This study compares the data obtained from the German office in a one-time and a continuous questionnaire to evaluate their respective benefits and limitation in informing required design solutions for a pilot area. Both a one-time online questionnaire and a continuous feedback system (implemented using QR codes) were used to collect data on occupant (dis)satisfaction with the office design.
The results of this research show different perception on occupant’s satisfaction between the two surveys. Both surveys show congruency in the dissatisfaction with open offices without partitions than in shared enclosed offices. The one-time survey highlights a lowest satisfaction with the availability of personal control, while the continuous survey presents lowest satisfaction with the acoustic privacy. ...
A Pre-Occupancy Evaluation (PrOE) was conducted in a German office before a design intervention. This study compares the data obtained from the German office in a one-time and a continuous questionnaire to evaluate their respective benefits and limitation in informing required design solutions for a pilot area. Both a one-time online questionnaire and a continuous feedback system (implemented using QR codes) were used to collect data on occupant (dis)satisfaction with the office design.
The results of this research show different perception on occupant’s satisfaction between the two surveys. Both surveys show congruency in the dissatisfaction with open offices without partitions than in shared enclosed offices. The one-time survey highlights a lowest satisfaction with the availability of personal control, while the continuous survey presents lowest satisfaction with the acoustic privacy. ...
This paper explores the challenge of gathering occupant feedback in real office environments, focusing on the difference between continuous versus one-time questionnaire methods. Continuous feedback methods are valuable for understanding occupant needs, but they can lead to disengagement and fatigue over time, while one-time questionnaires usually focus on one moment in time and they cannot capture changes or trends over time.
A Pre-Occupancy Evaluation (PrOE) was conducted in a German office before a design intervention. This study compares the data obtained from the German office in a one-time and a continuous questionnaire to evaluate their respective benefits and limitation in informing required design solutions for a pilot area. Both a one-time online questionnaire and a continuous feedback system (implemented using QR codes) were used to collect data on occupant (dis)satisfaction with the office design.
The results of this research show different perception on occupant’s satisfaction between the two surveys. Both surveys show congruency in the dissatisfaction with open offices without partitions than in shared enclosed offices. The one-time survey highlights a lowest satisfaction with the availability of personal control, while the continuous survey presents lowest satisfaction with the acoustic privacy.
A Pre-Occupancy Evaluation (PrOE) was conducted in a German office before a design intervention. This study compares the data obtained from the German office in a one-time and a continuous questionnaire to evaluate their respective benefits and limitation in informing required design solutions for a pilot area. Both a one-time online questionnaire and a continuous feedback system (implemented using QR codes) were used to collect data on occupant (dis)satisfaction with the office design.
The results of this research show different perception on occupant’s satisfaction between the two surveys. Both surveys show congruency in the dissatisfaction with open offices without partitions than in shared enclosed offices. The one-time survey highlights a lowest satisfaction with the availability of personal control, while the continuous survey presents lowest satisfaction with the acoustic privacy.
How digital technologies have been applied for architectural heritage risk management
A systemic literature review from 2014 to 2024
Review
(2025)
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Yingwen Yu, Abeer Abu Raed, Yuyang Peng, Uta Pottgiesser, Edward Verbree, Peter van Oosterom
This systematic literature review critically examines the application of digital technologies in architectural heritage risk management from 2014 to 2024, focusing exclusively on English-language publications. As the significance of architectural heritage continues to be recognized globally, there is an increasing shift towards integrating digital solutions to ensure its preservation and management. This paper explores the evolution and application of digital technologies such as Building Information Modeling (BIM), Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and advanced imaging techniques within the field. It highlights how these technologies have facilitated the non-destructive evaluation of heritage sites and enhanced accessibility and interaction through virtual and augmented reality applications. By synthesizing data from various case studies and scholarly articles, the review identifies current trends and the expanding scope of digital interventions in heritage conservation. It discusses the interplay between traditional conservation approaches and modern technological solutions, providing insights into their complementary roles. The analysis also addresses the challenges and limitations encountered in the digital preservation of architectural heritage, such as data integration, the compatibility of different technologies, and the need for more comprehensive frameworks to guide the implementation of digital tools in heritage conservation practices. Ultimately, this review underscores the transformative impact of digital technology in managing architectural heritage risks, suggesting directions for future research and the potential for innovative applications in the field.
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This systematic literature review critically examines the application of digital technologies in architectural heritage risk management from 2014 to 2024, focusing exclusively on English-language publications. As the significance of architectural heritage continues to be recognized globally, there is an increasing shift towards integrating digital solutions to ensure its preservation and management. This paper explores the evolution and application of digital technologies such as Building Information Modeling (BIM), Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and advanced imaging techniques within the field. It highlights how these technologies have facilitated the non-destructive evaluation of heritage sites and enhanced accessibility and interaction through virtual and augmented reality applications. By synthesizing data from various case studies and scholarly articles, the review identifies current trends and the expanding scope of digital interventions in heritage conservation. It discusses the interplay between traditional conservation approaches and modern technological solutions, providing insights into their complementary roles. The analysis also addresses the challenges and limitations encountered in the digital preservation of architectural heritage, such as data integration, the compatibility of different technologies, and the need for more comprehensive frameworks to guide the implementation of digital tools in heritage conservation practices. Ultimately, this review underscores the transformative impact of digital technology in managing architectural heritage risks, suggesting directions for future research and the potential for innovative applications in the field.
From comparison to integration
A workflow evaluation of 3D Gaussian splatting and LiDAR point cloud for modern architectural heritage
Journal article
(2025)
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Yingwen Yu, Edward Verbree, Peter van Oosterom, Uta Pottgiesser, Yuyang Peng, Florent Poux
This paper investigates the role of 3D Gaussian Splatting (3DGS) within point cloud–dominated workflows for modern architectural heritage digitization. While 3DGS enables real-time, photorealistic visualization, its integration into LiDAR-based documentation pipelines remains underexplored. Using Bouwpub, a modern heritage building in the Netherlands, as a case study, the paper compares 3DGS and LiDAR across data acquisition and preservation, visualization, semantic segmentation, and dissemination. Results show that 3DGS offers superior visual expressiveness and user responsiveness, whereas LiDAR provides greater structural accuracy and segmentation reliability. Based on these findings, two integration strategies are proposed: a Blender-based multi-angle rendering workflow and a Level of Detail 3DGS (LOD3DGS) pipeline. Moving from isolated assessment to applied integration, the study positions 3DGS as a complementary visualization and dissemination module rather than a replacement. This hybrid approach supports immersive, scalable, and semantically enriched digital heritage systems, offering new directions for enhancing both expert documentation and public engagement.
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This paper investigates the role of 3D Gaussian Splatting (3DGS) within point cloud–dominated workflows for modern architectural heritage digitization. While 3DGS enables real-time, photorealistic visualization, its integration into LiDAR-based documentation pipelines remains underexplored. Using Bouwpub, a modern heritage building in the Netherlands, as a case study, the paper compares 3DGS and LiDAR across data acquisition and preservation, visualization, semantic segmentation, and dissemination. Results show that 3DGS offers superior visual expressiveness and user responsiveness, whereas LiDAR provides greater structural accuracy and segmentation reliability. Based on these findings, two integration strategies are proposed: a Blender-based multi-angle rendering workflow and a Level of Detail 3DGS (LOD3DGS) pipeline. Moving from isolated assessment to applied integration, the study positions 3DGS as a complementary visualization and dissemination module rather than a replacement. This hybrid approach supports immersive, scalable, and semantically enriched digital heritage systems, offering new directions for enhancing both expert documentation and public engagement.
The conference “Conventional to Experimental—Mass Housing and Prefabrication” on which this volume is based was hosted by the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, DOCOMOMO Israel, DOCOMOMO Germany, and the EU COST-Action Middle Class Mass Housing (MCMH-EU) and held online on June 14 and 15, 2021. Mass housing and prefabrication are both recurring themes in architectural academic research and discourse, as well as prominent subjects in the daily debates on housing shortages and possible solutions for providing affordable and quality lodging in the near term. Today, the connection between prefabrication—a field of engineering— and mass housing worldwide is as real as it was in the early days of the modern movement in the interwar period. As early as in the 1920s, prefabrication was one of the solutions proposed by modern architects to answer the housing shortage and to provide affordable homes in Europe after World War I.
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The conference “Conventional to Experimental—Mass Housing and Prefabrication” on which this volume is based was hosted by the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, DOCOMOMO Israel, DOCOMOMO Germany, and the EU COST-Action Middle Class Mass Housing (MCMH-EU) and held online on June 14 and 15, 2021. Mass housing and prefabrication are both recurring themes in architectural academic research and discourse, as well as prominent subjects in the daily debates on housing shortages and possible solutions for providing affordable and quality lodging in the near term. Today, the connection between prefabrication—a field of engineering— and mass housing worldwide is as real as it was in the early days of the modern movement in the interwar period. As early as in the 1920s, prefabrication was one of the solutions proposed by modern architects to answer the housing shortage and to provide affordable homes in Europe after World War I.
In 2022, Docomomo International launched a call for papers on Modern Movement in Ukraine together with Docomomo Ukraine. More than 20 proposals were received, most of them from authors based in Ukraine itself—despite the difficult circumstances. The Docomomo Journal 67 presented a first selection of those articles to display regional and architectural particularities and current challenges of archiving, documenting, protecting, and preserving the modern heritage. Nearly 100 examples of Ukrainian modern buildings were presented in a graphical overview. The modern Ukranian architecture was dominated by Constructivism from the mid-1920s to the early 1930s, with Kharkiv as the epicenter of production, while Socialist Realism with the Stalin Empire emerged from 1932, lasting until 1955, with Kyiv as the capital of Ukraine. From December 1919 to January 1934, Kharkiv was the first capital of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic and the cultural, economic, and educational center of the new Ukrainian Republic. The status as new capital led to prestigious master plans and construction projects, among them the world-famous Derzhprom building at Freedom Square–as a symbol of Constructivism–or the Kharkiv Tractor Factory–as a symbol of the industrialization of agriculture. The leading role of Kharkiv as a forerunner and capital of Constructivism is often expressed by the famous State Industry House (Derzhprom) built from 1925 to 1928. Being the only modern ensemble in Ukraine nominated as UNESCO World Heritage, it became and still is the focus of identification and pride—despite the many controversial reflections and discussions about the conservation efforts and changes carried out since the original construction in the 1950s and after the year 2000. This explains the many articles dealing with Freedom Square and Dherzprom as a reaction to the call for papers in 2022 and also Docomomo International’s commitment to dedicate this special issue of the Docomomo Journal to Kharkiv under the title From Constructivism to Modernism in Kharkiv.
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In 2022, Docomomo International launched a call for papers on Modern Movement in Ukraine together with Docomomo Ukraine. More than 20 proposals were received, most of them from authors based in Ukraine itself—despite the difficult circumstances. The Docomomo Journal 67 presented a first selection of those articles to display regional and architectural particularities and current challenges of archiving, documenting, protecting, and preserving the modern heritage. Nearly 100 examples of Ukrainian modern buildings were presented in a graphical overview. The modern Ukranian architecture was dominated by Constructivism from the mid-1920s to the early 1930s, with Kharkiv as the epicenter of production, while Socialist Realism with the Stalin Empire emerged from 1932, lasting until 1955, with Kyiv as the capital of Ukraine. From December 1919 to January 1934, Kharkiv was the first capital of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic and the cultural, economic, and educational center of the new Ukrainian Republic. The status as new capital led to prestigious master plans and construction projects, among them the world-famous Derzhprom building at Freedom Square–as a symbol of Constructivism–or the Kharkiv Tractor Factory–as a symbol of the industrialization of agriculture. The leading role of Kharkiv as a forerunner and capital of Constructivism is often expressed by the famous State Industry House (Derzhprom) built from 1925 to 1928. Being the only modern ensemble in Ukraine nominated as UNESCO World Heritage, it became and still is the focus of identification and pride—despite the many controversial reflections and discussions about the conservation efforts and changes carried out since the original construction in the 1950s and after the year 2000. This explains the many articles dealing with Freedom Square and Dherzprom as a reaction to the call for papers in 2022 and also Docomomo International’s commitment to dedicate this special issue of the Docomomo Journal to Kharkiv under the title From Constructivism to Modernism in Kharkiv.
It is a long-standing and well-appreciated tradition of Docomomo International to emphasize its diversity expressed in buildings, sites, and neighborhoods due to different geography, language, education, and personalities. The term multiple modernisms has been coined to express regional, stylistic, and constructive differences in the formal and philosophical expression of Modern Movement across the globe, within the continents, and even within countries. Docomomo conferences and Docomomo Journals have used and interpreted the term over the last 30 years to express and acknowledge the diversity in the growing community of national working parties. We only need to refer to the recent Docomomo Journal no. 67 (2022) on Multiple Modernities in Ukraine, or no. 36 (2007) on Other Modernisms, published in parallel with the 2006 Docomomo International Conference in Istanbul and Ankara (Turkey) with the same title. Other issues highlighted local and regional particularities together and, at the same time, referenced common roots and personal links, such as the preservation technology dossier no. 13 on Perceived Technologies in the Modern Movement 1918-1975 published by the International Specialist Committee on Technology (ISC/T) in 2014. In that publication, the specific and long-term collaborations of architects with engineers and artists were explored often leading to exceptional solutions in structure, design, and function.
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It is a long-standing and well-appreciated tradition of Docomomo International to emphasize its diversity expressed in buildings, sites, and neighborhoods due to different geography, language, education, and personalities. The term multiple modernisms has been coined to express regional, stylistic, and constructive differences in the formal and philosophical expression of Modern Movement across the globe, within the continents, and even within countries. Docomomo conferences and Docomomo Journals have used and interpreted the term over the last 30 years to express and acknowledge the diversity in the growing community of national working parties. We only need to refer to the recent Docomomo Journal no. 67 (2022) on Multiple Modernities in Ukraine, or no. 36 (2007) on Other Modernisms, published in parallel with the 2006 Docomomo International Conference in Istanbul and Ankara (Turkey) with the same title. Other issues highlighted local and regional particularities together and, at the same time, referenced common roots and personal links, such as the preservation technology dossier no. 13 on Perceived Technologies in the Modern Movement 1918-1975 published by the International Specialist Committee on Technology (ISC/T) in 2014. In that publication, the specific and long-term collaborations of architects with engineers and artists were explored often leading to exceptional solutions in structure, design, and function.
Docomomo International is proud to present the first Open Issue of the Docomomo Journal. Creating the opportunity for scholars, practitioners, policy makers, activists or any other group of authors to publish in our journal without having to wait for a thematic Special Issue on a theme that would fit their topic felt like the logical next step in (the continued) continuing professionalization of the Docomomo Journal. [...]
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Docomomo International is proud to present the first Open Issue of the Docomomo Journal. Creating the opportunity for scholars, practitioners, policy makers, activists or any other group of authors to publish in our journal without having to wait for a thematic Special Issue on a theme that would fit their topic felt like the logical next step in (the continued) continuing professionalization of the Docomomo Journal. [...]
Decline of department stores and the issue of 'third places' in German inner-cities
Decline, obsolescence and reuse potentials
The paper explores the rise and fall of the Karstadt department stores, which used to be the focal points of many German inner-cities throughout the twentieth century. The paper addresses the current issues of their obsolescence, decline and a recent increase in vacancies of the buildings. The desolation of those, once vibrant ´third places´ – commercial entities, but also communal spaces, where people could meet and socialize – is asking for reuse scenarios, and thus requires an assessment of those buildings, understanding of the layers of history, analysis of their values, but also their potentials to adapt to changing circumstances and societal needs. While focusing on this particular typology of the inner-city department stores and the specific case of Karstadt buildings, the paper aims to address the issue of decline of various retail facilities, but also a general decline of ´third places´ in cities. The term ´third places´ was coined by a sociologist Ray Oldenburg in 1989, and denotes places beyond home (the primary place) and work (the secondary place) such as community centres, cafes, public libraries, theatres, public parks, etc. The study aims to better understand both causes and socio-spatial effects of their decline, correlating it with the digitalisation shift, changes in retail culture, but also blurred conventional separation between the first, the second and the third places (emergence of the so-called co-living, co-working and co-mingling spaces). It presents several case studies and research focusing on reuse potentials. The paper argues that the ´third places´ have an important role in the well-being of local communities, in enhancing social cohesion, civic engagement and sense of belonging, and therefore need to remain focal in adaptive reuse proposals.
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The paper explores the rise and fall of the Karstadt department stores, which used to be the focal points of many German inner-cities throughout the twentieth century. The paper addresses the current issues of their obsolescence, decline and a recent increase in vacancies of the buildings. The desolation of those, once vibrant ´third places´ – commercial entities, but also communal spaces, where people could meet and socialize – is asking for reuse scenarios, and thus requires an assessment of those buildings, understanding of the layers of history, analysis of their values, but also their potentials to adapt to changing circumstances and societal needs. While focusing on this particular typology of the inner-city department stores and the specific case of Karstadt buildings, the paper aims to address the issue of decline of various retail facilities, but also a general decline of ´third places´ in cities. The term ´third places´ was coined by a sociologist Ray Oldenburg in 1989, and denotes places beyond home (the primary place) and work (the secondary place) such as community centres, cafes, public libraries, theatres, public parks, etc. The study aims to better understand both causes and socio-spatial effects of their decline, correlating it with the digitalisation shift, changes in retail culture, but also blurred conventional separation between the first, the second and the third places (emergence of the so-called co-living, co-working and co-mingling spaces). It presents several case studies and research focusing on reuse potentials. The paper argues that the ´third places´ have an important role in the well-being of local communities, in enhancing social cohesion, civic engagement and sense of belonging, and therefore need to remain focal in adaptive reuse proposals.
Examining green space characteristics for social cohesion and mental health outcomes
A sensitivity analysis in four European cities
Journal article
(2024)
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Marcel Cardinali, Mariëlle A. Beenackers, Ghozlane Fleury-Bahi, Philippe Bodénan, Milena Tasheva Petrova, Arjan van Timmeren, Uta Pottgiesser
Introduction: In recent decades, there has been a rise in mental illnesses. Community infrastructures are increasingly acknowledged as important for sustaining good mental health. Moreover, green spaces are anticipated to offer advantages for both mental health and social cohesion. However, the mediating pathway between green space, social cohesion and mental health and especially the proximity and characteristics of green spaces that trigger these potential effects remain of interest. Methods: We gathered data from 1365 individuals on self-reported social cohesion and mental health across four satellite districts in European cities: Nantes (France), Porto (Portugal), Sofia (Bulgaria), and Høje-Taastrup (Denmark). Green space data from OpenStreetMap was manually adjusted using the PRIGSHARE guidelines. We used the AID-PRIGSHARE tool to generate 7 indicators about green space characteristics measured in distances from 100–1500 m, every 100 m. This resulted in 105 different green space variables that we tested in a single mediation model with structural equation modelling. Results: Accessible greenness (900–1400 m), accessible green spaces (900–1500 m), accessible green space corridors (300–800 m), accessible total green space (300−800), and mix of green space uses (700–1100 m) were significantly associated with social cohesion and indirectly with mental health. Green corridors also showed negative indirect and direct associations with mental health in larger distances. Surrounding greenness and the quantity of green space uses were not associated with social cohesion nor indirectly with mental health. We also observed no positive direct associations between any green space variable in any distance to mental health. Conclusions: Our results suggest that accessibility, connectivity, mix of use and proximity are key characteristics that drive the relationship between green spaces, social cohesion and mental health. This gives further guidance to urban planners and decision-makers on how to design urban green spaces to foster social cohesion and improve mental health.
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Introduction: In recent decades, there has been a rise in mental illnesses. Community infrastructures are increasingly acknowledged as important for sustaining good mental health. Moreover, green spaces are anticipated to offer advantages for both mental health and social cohesion. However, the mediating pathway between green space, social cohesion and mental health and especially the proximity and characteristics of green spaces that trigger these potential effects remain of interest. Methods: We gathered data from 1365 individuals on self-reported social cohesion and mental health across four satellite districts in European cities: Nantes (France), Porto (Portugal), Sofia (Bulgaria), and Høje-Taastrup (Denmark). Green space data from OpenStreetMap was manually adjusted using the PRIGSHARE guidelines. We used the AID-PRIGSHARE tool to generate 7 indicators about green space characteristics measured in distances from 100–1500 m, every 100 m. This resulted in 105 different green space variables that we tested in a single mediation model with structural equation modelling. Results: Accessible greenness (900–1400 m), accessible green spaces (900–1500 m), accessible green space corridors (300–800 m), accessible total green space (300−800), and mix of green space uses (700–1100 m) were significantly associated with social cohesion and indirectly with mental health. Green corridors also showed negative indirect and direct associations with mental health in larger distances. Surrounding greenness and the quantity of green space uses were not associated with social cohesion nor indirectly with mental health. We also observed no positive direct associations between any green space variable in any distance to mental health. Conclusions: Our results suggest that accessibility, connectivity, mix of use and proximity are key characteristics that drive the relationship between green spaces, social cohesion and mental health. This gives further guidance to urban planners and decision-makers on how to design urban green spaces to foster social cohesion and improve mental health.