This research aims to reveal and discuss state-of-the-art research addressing the relation between built heritage and individuals' subjective wellbeing (SWB). Through a systematic literature review, fifty-one studies were analyzed. Even if limited, past research confirms the substantial relation between built heritage and subjective wellbeing, and six primary factors and other subfactors were identified. This paper's originality is found in its focus, being the link between built heritage and subjective wellbeing seldom addressed, and the definition of a six-factor model deduced from the state-of-the-art, as a theoretical framework to support further research. This paper contributes to the ongoing notion of human-centrality in the built environment and the growing trend to give importance to the human experiences within the built heritage context. The results are valuable for academics and policymakers, contributing to a tailored and place-based sustainable urban development.

Environmental problems were initiated with the rise of human civilization, and they increased with the rise in technology's contribution to human lives. Researchers in the field of architecture believe that regenerative approaches are systems based on aligning architectural design with natural resources to provide positive outcomes. Regenerative design holds significant promise for a new theory of sustainable architecture. The aim of this paper is to provide a theoretical framework for the concept of regenerative architecture and testing materials' effectiveness (thermal, availability, waste, and toxicity) and impacts on shifting towards regenerative architecture. Materials' thermal properties were examined by determining energy consumption through Ecotect as a simulation program. However, other factors were measured by a checklist derived from an intense review of the literature. The results revealed that the existing current buildings in Erbil City do not lie in the regenerative zone. Moreover, the study also shows that material selection plays a significant role in reducing energy consumption and toxicity levels that result from moving architectural design towards regenerative design.

Community perceptions and experiences of built heritage are essential in understanding the built heritage and effect in individual and community wellbeing. Subsequently, local perceptions of built heritage directly influence the conservation and heritage-led interventions. This study investigated local perceptions of built heritage in Erbil by assessing responses of 414 participants using a questionnaire survey aiming to identify how built heritage is perceived by the various group samples, exploring local perceptions’ (in)consistencies. Significant differences were found between architects’ and non-architects’ perceptions and related wellbeing. As the groups attribute different values, the results suggest that heritage buildings do not contribute to the wellbeing of non-architects as much as to architects. A contradicting result was found between modern and heritage buildings. This study contributes to the notion of human-centrality of the built environment by assessing local perceptions of built heritage, that, when implemented in urban planning and heritage management, can contribute to the city’s socio-cultural sustainable development.

Architecture as a language is not a new subject that has been brought up on the table recently but rather is an assumption that has arisen since the last century. The purpose of this research is to understand how can this language be read visually as long as its designs are written text by formulating terms adopted by the basic concept of Literacy which has been defined as the ability to read and write. This paper refers to architectural projects as written text in a built environment, and perception will be referred to as reading. In the formulation of this concept, the research methodology is designed to establish a framework of analysis through the use of theoretical factors derived from previous studies and mainly focused on the work of Gestalt Theory. The research concludes that the audience is literate and conscious of architecture, which indicates that the potential to read architecture can be acquired.