Abstract:Architectural design is a domain where using pictures (e.g., drawing, photographs, …) is essential because the nature of the information transmitted by photographic image is often easier to interpret. The fact is that an image requires less interpretation than a text. The information transmitted by image (element shape, colour, light, ...) is already "put in shape" and so can be more easily integrated into the design process. This paper presents a way to index more efficiently an image database of the wooden architecture domain. Images in our databases illustrate real architectural elements. This work aims to analyse the representation of the real element illustrated by images. The analysis will allow us to identify some criteria related to the visual features of each image. The identified criteria will be used in a discriminating way to associate a weight with an indexation term describing its representation illustrated by an image. The importance of that representation (according to what is seen at first) is evaluated depending on graphic rules which correspond to the graphic properties of the representation of the element in each image.

Designing architectural projects requires the introduction of references, because design is an activity oriented towards a result which does not yet exist. If we summarise the current categories used in Artificial Intelligence to characterise the different forms of reasoning, we are able to consider that design is more the concern of the induction or the abduction mechanism than the deduction mechanism. Moreover, the main characteristic of the designer's activity is to work towards non-routine situations with the use of many references. In this paper we will present method principles to construct a reference image database. These references will enable the designer to further in solving the design problem. To illustrate these reference usage, we choose photographic images belonging to the wooden construction domain We also present at the end of the paper an experiment which aims to evaluate the real help that this reference image database can bring to designers during their creation task.

Purpose – The control of the environmental impacts of buildings and constructions has certainly progressed in recent years in Europe, but very little in Algeria. The purpose of this paper is to identify and to introduce old environmental systems in the Algerian traditional house which could inspire designers to come up with new constructions with enhanced comfort. Design/methodology/approach – In this work, the authors used the “HQE” French certification grid to gauge the environmental implication of the vernacular architecture. Findings – Environmental systems in the traditional house respect the environment but have to be adapted to the current perception of comfort in order to be applied to the new architecture. Research limitations/implications – The main advantage is that the old environmental systems found in the Algerian traditional houses do not require any machinery to enhance the comfort. Thus they do not need any energy to be useful. Practical implications – As the Canadian Well inspired and influenced the architecture produced around the world to improve the comfort inside the houses, or as the thatched roof which inspired the vegetative roof used today to improve and regulate the energy consumption, the authors hope that some old systems used in the vernacular architecture will inspire architects or regular people who would like to enhance their comfort and life quality. Originality/value – Passive solutions used to improve comfort, with reduced energy consumption in houses, are increasingly sought all around the world. This work can play a part in introducing some environmental solutions used in the vernacular architecture which are nowadays left aside.

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During their activity, designers use various kind of heterogeneous information presented in the data list of the design program. To solve their design problem they use "references". If by reference some writers mean every representation of a reality having an active role in the design process, in our case we have limited the reference definition to the physical parts of a building, the so-called "built work". To present these references to the designer we choose Images as a media support to transmit the relevant information. More precisely we have chosen photographic images to illustrate these references because an image illustrates the graphic part of an architectural concept. For this, in this paper we present a method to organise these references to make them more easily accessible to the designer. This method, once incorporated into a retrieval engine, aims to assist the designer in his creation work.