Lack of Pregraduate Teaching on the Associations between the Built Environment, Physical Activity and Health in Swiss Architecture and Urban Design Degree Programs.

BACKGROUND: Lack of physical activity (PA) is the fourth risk factor for all-cause mortality. Regular PA reduces noncommunicable disease (NCD) and mortality risk. The built environment (BE) is a determinant of spontaneous daily PA. Professionals who plan and build the BE therefore affect public health. We tested the hypothesis of a lack of formal pregraduate training about associations between the BE, PA and health in architecture, landscape architecture, and urban design academic degree programs (DPs) in Switzerland. METHODS: We reached out to all DPs in Switzerland to ask if and how these associations are taught. For those declaring to teach the topic, the program syllabus and course material were inspected. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: For 30 out of 33 identified programs, information for the analysis was obtained. A total of 18 declared teaching the BE, PA and health associations, but this could be confirmed for only 5 after verifying the course content. Teaching principles of building PA-promoting BE represents an underutilized potential for public health promotion. CONCLUSIONS: There is a need to introduce formal learning objectives in architecture, landscape architecture, and urban design DPs in Switzerland on the associations between BE, PA and health. It is likely that similar needs exist in other countries.

Inclusive design in architectural practice: Experiential learning of disability in architectural education.

BACKGROUND: The built environment can facilitate or impede an individual's ability to participate in society. This is particularly so for people with disability. Architects are well placed to be advocates for design that enhances societal equality. OBJECTIVE: This qualitative study explored architectural design students' perceptions of inclusive design, their reflections resulting from an experiential learning module and the subsequent influence of these on their design practice. METHODS: Twenty four architectural design students participated in focus groups or individual interviews. Data were analyzed thematically. RESULTS: Three themes were evident: 1) Inclusive design was perceived as challenging, 2) Appreciation for the opportunity to learn about the perspectives of people with disabilities, and 3) Change of attitude toward inclusive design. Experiential learning had fostered reflection, changes in attitude and the realization that inclusive design, should begin at the start of the design process. CONCLUSIONS: For equitable access for all people to become reality, experiential learning, coupled with positive examples of inclusive design should be embedded in architectural education.

Facilitating the Concept of Universal Design Among Design Students - Changes in Teaching in the Last Decade.

This short paper describes and reflects on how the teaching of the concept of Universal Design (UD) has developed in the last decade at the Institute of Design at the Oslo School of Architecture and Design (AHO). Four main changes are described. Firstly, the curriculum has evolved from teaching guidelines and principles to focusing on design processes. Secondly, an increased emphasis is put on cognitive accessibility. Thirdly, non-stigmatizing aesthetics expressions and solutions that communicate through different senses have become more important subjects. Fourthly the teaching of UD has moved from the second to the first year curriculum.

Universal Design and Continuing Professional Development for Architects: An Irish Case Study.

The Tomar Resolution urged that all occupations working in the built environment be educated in the principles and measures of Universal Design in order to facilitate all people playing a full role in society. For Architects and Architectural Technologists, under-graduate education will continue to have a major role to play. At the same time in the Republic of Ireland, and in an ever-growing number of other jurisdictions, Continuous Professional Development (CPD) is a requirement for all Architects and Architectural Technologists and can significantly affect knowledge, skill and competence in a number of subjects including Universal Design. This paper looks at the results of a recent survey of Architects and Architectural Technologists practising in Ireland, architectural educators, and client bodies that sought to assess the following: 1. How inherent is Universal Design knowledge to current building design practice? 2. What are the current Universal Design education and training needs of Architects and Architectural Technologists practising in Ireland? 3. Which Universal Design themes and topics are of most interest to Architects and Architectural Technologists practising in Ireland? 4. To what extent does existing CPD for Architects and Architectural Technologists practising in Ireland address Universal Design topics? 5. What can motivate Architects and Architectural Technologists practising in Ireland to access Universal Design CPD? 6. What are the most effective means by which to deliver Universal Design CPD to Architects and Architectural Technologists practising in Ireland? The survey discussed in this paper is one phase of a longer study aimed at providing a research base for developing CPD in Universal Design for Architects and Architectural Technologists practising in Ireland.

How Juries Assess Universal Design in Norwegian Architectural School Competitions.

This paper investigates how architectural school competition juries assess Universal Design. The method used is a case study of 18 recent architectural school competitions in Norway. The results show that most competition briefs ask for Universal Designed buildings. In 8 of the 18 cases, Universal Design is mentioned as an assessment criterion. In 11 of the 18 cases, Universal Design is commented on by the juries in the jury reports, but only in 3 of the cases, do the juries assess this aspect consistently on every competition project. The overall impression is that some amount of uncertainty looms concerning how Universal Design should be assessed in the competition stage. Based on the findings, future juries should concentrate on orientation and overview prior to technicalities and details.

Readiness for interprofessional learning: a cross-faculty comparison between architecture and occupational therapy students.

Health and wellbeing includes a need for built environments to accommodate and be inclusive of the broadest range of people and a corresponding need to ensure graduates are ready to engage in this field of interprofessional and inter-industry practise. All too often, interprofessional education in higher education is neglected with a tendency towards educational silos, particularly at a cross-faculty level. This paper reports on an initiative that embedded universal design practice education into the curricula of first year architecture and third year occupational therapy students and evaluated the impact on students' readiness for interprofessional learning. The Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) was given to students at the beginning and end of the semester during which students participated in a variety of online and face-to-face curriculum initiatives. Results showed that at the beginning of semester, occupational therapy students were significantly more positive about interprofessional learning than their architecture counterparts. Post-results showed that this trend continued but that occupational therapy students became less positive on some items after the interprofessional learning experience. This study provides insights into the interprofessional learning experiences of a group of students who have not previously been studied within the available literature.

Community mobility in the context of universal design: inter-professional collaboration and education.

BACKGROUND/AIM: The design of built environments is a critical factor in facilitating participation for all community members. This study aimed to explore key stakeholders' views on the role and collaboration of occupational therapists and architects in relation to universal design and the built environment. This study is currently the only research to focus on the needs and practices of both occupational therapy and architecture in universal design. The results have implications for both clinical practice and professional education, and highlight an area of developing interest in occupational therapy. METHODS: Focus groups and semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with key stakeholders involved in the design of built environments. Data from these interviews were analysed qualitatively, using codes of interpreted meaning which were then organised into themes. RESULTS: Three main themes emerged in relation to inter-professional collaboration around universal design: 'form vs. function', 'the earlier the better' and 'universal design as a specialist area'. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSIONS: Although there are areas of synergy between occupational therapy and architecture in universal design, each profession has its own strengths and skills to bring to the design process. Given the multidisciplinary nature of ensuring designs support participation in occupations and roles, both professions could benefit from opportunities to meaningfully collaborate during professional education and in the workplace.

Architecture as animate landscape: circular shrines in the ancient Maya lowlands.

In this study, I develop a theory of landscape archaeology that incorporates the concept of "animism" as a cognitive approach. Current trends in anthropology are placing greater emphasis on indigenous perspectives, and in recent decades animism has seen a resurgence in anthropological theory. As a means of relating in (not to) one's world, animism is a mode of thought that has direct bearing on landscape archaeology. Yet, Americanist archaeologists have been slow to incorporate this concept as a component of landscape theory. I consider animism and Nurit Bird-David's (1999) theory of "relatedness" and how such perspectives might be expressed archaeologically in Mesoamerica. I examine the distribution of marine shells and cave formations that appear incorporated as architectural elements on ancient Maya circular shrine architecture. More than just "symbols" of sacred geography, I suggest these materials represent living entities that animate shrines through their ongoing relationships with human and other-than-human agents in the world.

Rasch family models in e-learning: analyzing architectural sketching with a digital pen.

Since architecture students studying design drawing are usually assessed qualitatively on the basis of their final products, the challenges and stages of their learning have remained masked. To clarify the challenges in design drawing, we have been using the BEAR Assessment System and Rasch family models to measure levels of understanding for individuals and groups, in order to correct pedagogical assumptions and tune teaching materials. This chapter discusses the analysis of 81 drawings created by architectural students to solve a space layout problem, collected and analyzed with digital pen-and-paper technology. The approach allows us to map developmental performance criteria and perceive achievement overlaps in learning domains assumed separate, and then re-conceptualize a three-part framework to represent learning in architectural drawing. Results and measurement evidence from the assessment and Rasch modeling are discussed.

Designing health care environments: Part II. Preparing nurses to be design team members.

Significant renovation, expansion, and new construction of health care facilities is expected during the next several years. Nurse leaders must expand their knowledge of the design process and evidence of design features that enhance safety, efficiency, and healing. In this article, the authors discuss the development of a graduate-level nursing course that provides nurse leaders with knowledge and competencies in health care design and enables them to engage in effective interdisciplinary communication during the design process. Part I of this two-part series, which was published last month, discussed the basic concepts, principles, and issues related to evidence-based design (Cesario, 2009).

[Musculoskeletal disorders among university student computer users]. / Disturbi muscolo-scheletrici in studenti universitari che utilizzano il computer.

BACKGROUND: Musculoskeletal disorders are a common problem among computer users. Many epidemiological studies have shown that ergonomic factors and aspects of work organization play an important role in the development of these disorders. OBJECTIVES: We carried out a cross-sectional survey to estimate the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms among university students using personal computers and to investigate the features of occupational exposure and the prevalence of symptoms throughout the study course. Another objective was to assess the students' level of knowledge of computer ergonomics and the relevant health risks. METHODS: A questionnaire was distributed to 183 students attending the lectures for second and fourth year courses of the Faculty of Architecture. Data concerning personal characteristics, ergonomic and organizational aspects of computer use, and the presence of musculoskeletal symptoms in the neck and upper limbs were collected. RESULTS: Exposure to risk factors such as daily duration of computer use, time spent at the computer without breaks, duration of mouse use and poor workstation ergonomics was significantly higher among students of the fourth year course. Neck pain was the most commonly reported symptom (69%), followed by hand/wrist (53%), shoulder (49%) and arm (8%) pain. The prevalence of symptoms in the neck and hand/wrist area was signifcantly higher in the students of the fourth year course. DISCUSSION: In our survey we found high prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms among university students using computers for long time periods on a daily basis. Exposure to computer-related ergonomic and organizational risk factors, and the prevalence ofmusculoskeletal symptoms both seem to increase significantly throughout the study course. Furthermore, we found that the level of perception of computer-related health risks among the students was low. Our findings suggest the need for preventive intervention consisting of education in computer ergonomics.

Motivation and flow: toward an understanding of the dynamics of the relation in architecture students.

The authors investigated the relation between motivation and flow in a sample of 327 architecture students. Specifically, they investigated the relation between flow and several levels of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, as well as amotivation. They also assessed the need for autonomy in moderating the relation between intrinsic motivation and engagement. Results indicated a significant relation between flow experiences in academic activities and the more self-determined forms of intrinsic motivation, but not for extrinsic motivation. The need for autonomy moderated the relation between flow and intrinsic motivation. These results are discussed in the context of understanding flow as an intrinsically motivating state and a viable construct for understanding engagement.

Learning to listen: designing architectural education through university-community partnerships.

Our world is shaped by a patchwork of perspectives, of stories told to construct or even recreate our realities. Practitioners engaging with the built environment have a responsibility to assist in the proper translation of these stories into something that physically enriches the user's sense of place. However, academia separates itself from the "real world" in order to teach theory, history, and so forth as purely as possible. Critics argue that this separation is problematic when preparing students for a practical field in which they will become heavily entrenched in this world from which they have been sheltered. In response, community-based design initiatives are forming that conjoin students, faculty, community members, and activists to address urgent needs in neighborhoods around the globe. While empowering the communities through the opportunity to change their own surroundings, the researchers benefit from a culturally significant palette with which to search for innovative ways to make the built environment truly relevant to positive transformation at the local level. Nonetheless, this pedagogical method is, in turn, criticized for blurring the line between education and activism. The purpose of this investigation is to evaluate both the intentions of such projects and the criticism of it through the analysis of a case study at the University of Texas: The Sustainable Design and Development Workshop (SDDW). Through this inquiry, the importance of community engagement to a student's professional development became clear. However, the experience also highlighted the university's inherent responsibility to the citizens with which it is engaging--which requires consideration of issues of funding, timing, accountability, and compromise that is vital to any such project's success. University-community partnerships provide young designers and their educators with important life skills that are not often emphasized within the realms of academia. But how can architects increase the number of people they serve? First they must reassess the service and benefits architecture provides. Defining those is necessary because the greater public-the 98% without access to architects-certainly does not understand what architects do, and it is the architect's task, not the public's, to present the reasons that design can help [1].

"A different kind of beauty": scientific and architectural style in I.M. Pei's Mesa Laboratory and Louis Kahn's Salk Institute.

I.M. Pei's Mesa Laboratory for the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado, and Louis Kahn's Salk Institute in La Jolla, California, are rare examples of laboratories as celebrated for their architecture as for their scientific contributions. Completed in the mid-1960s, these signature buildings still express the scientific style of their founding directors, Walter Roberts and Jonas Salk. yet in commissioning their laboratories, Roberts and Salk had to work with architects as strong-willed as themselves. A close reading of the two laboratories reveals the ongoing negotiations and tensions in collaborations between visionary scientist and visionary architect. Moreover, Roberts and Salk also had to become architects of atmospheric and biomedical sciences. For laboratory architecture, however flexible in theory, necessarily stabilizes scientific practice, since a philosophy of research is embedded in the very structure of the building and persists far longer than the initial vision and mission that gave it life. Roberts and Salk's experiences suggest that even the most carefully designed laboratories must successfully adapt to new disciplinary configurations, funding opportunities, and research priorities, or risk becoming mere architectural icons.

[The origins of the Pavilion Lazaretto: quarantine architecture between the 18th and 19th centuries]. / Los orígenes del Lazareto Pabellonario: la arquitectura cuarentenaria en el cambio del setecientos al ochocientos.

The model of pavilion lazaretto was built above the scientific basis established during the hospital reform process held in France on the lasts decades of the eighteenth century. The morphological solutions adopted for the new quarantine taxonomy has not been given by the example borrowed by the new typology of hospital as resulted in this discussion, but by existing quarantine and detention facilities in general. In this paper we will analyse all factors that have influenced in the configuration of this model of lazarettos.