PurposeThere is an urgent need to develop a systematic tool for urban design in the cities of the Klang Valley, Malaysia. Sustainable Development Goal 11 (SDG11) proposes ideas to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. This paper approaches this goal through land use, integrated into an effective connectivity network. It offers a scientific and systematic approach. The research employs Space Syntax of the University College London as a tool for urban analysis and the principles of Sustainable Street Networks developed by the Congress of New Urbanism to respond to connectivity issues.Design/methodology/approachThe paper employs empirical research through case studies. A systematic literature review is conducted on the diversified applications of the Space Syntax correlations, which steered the fundamental analysis of the elements of deconstruction to structure and land use. Space Syntax and Sustainable Street Network characteristics were the essential research methods. It is important to note that these data a new finding on the Syntactic Maps of the two case study cities.FindingsThe paper summarises a set of results on (1) international comparison of spatial intelligence, (2) patterns from the Eastern cases and (3) theoretical guidelines for spatial intelligence through the Syntax by offering key characteristics of the New Urbanism principles, which could be considered, while revitalising the cities in the Klang Valley, Malaysia.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings are specific and applicable to the oriental contexts. However, such results have been further compared to the Western context.Practical implicationsThe study develops a toolkit for urban planners and designers and architects in Klang Valley, Malaysia.Social implicationsThe research has focused and will add value for SDG11: Sustainable Cities and Communities. Theoretically, the paper offers insights to urban design readers.Originality/valueIt is important to note that the data itself is a new finding on Syntactic Maps of the two case study cities. The investigated setting is unique, and the first attempt in generating a Space Syntax map to the cities of Klang Valley, and the findings, therefore, offer a new set of knowledge-base to the city planners, urban designers, researchers and architects.

Architectural design studios are the crux and core of architecture education. The closure of face-to-face Design studios due to the COVID-19 pandemic during the years 2020 and 2021 has indeed posed a set of challenges to architectural education. Through a rigorous set of research methods, the paper investigates the various possibilities and perspectives of making the challenges into opportunities to rethink, innovate and move on. The paper aims to develop a model for implementing studio-based learning innovative, appropriate, and conducive to covid and post-covid environments. The first objective dealt with in this paper is to find the consensus on the directives to solve and respond to the contemporary challenges of the pandemic for the SBL. The second is to arrive at a toolkit or a model that strategically summarizes the processes for the directives. The School of Architecture, Building, and Design from Taylor’s University Malaysia has been the case study of the investigation. The research methods involved conducting focus group meetings with various stakeholders, such as the Students, Tutors, Studio Coordinators, Program Directors, and the Head of the School. The findings firstly offered a set of shifts in paradigms of SBL and secondly, a toolkit that we named as Design Implementation Model (DIM) for a hybrid studio pedagogy that we envisage and envision to be the future of architectural education.

There has been a paradigm shift in architecture education to embrace the 21st century attributes for graduates. While attributes such as problem solving, critical and creative thinking, interpersonal and intrapersonal skills, and technological as well as global awareness have been central to the curriculum design in architectural education, this paper posits the need to critically examine the emerging 21st century attributes, and how they can be embedded into architecture education. In recent years, it is clear that these attributes have been designed and executed into design and other-related student projects through either extra-curricular platforms or at modular level, however there is a lack of exploration of these attributes as structured and intentional design at curriculum level. Using design research in education as the methodology for study, this paper explores the design thinking for architecture education that embraces these attributes. This paper justifies and argues for the need to re-think architectural education in relation to these attributes and offers a conceptual thinking, framework and principles for curriculum design.

PurposeThis study aims to identify the optimal configuration to enhance the environmental conditions of a terrace house courtyard space in a hot and humid climate. The use of the courtyard has declined in new housing developments although it is an effective element to bring in light and wind to promote passive ventilation to occupants. To achieve the comfort level, the courtyard needs to be open, but some occupants modify it with enclosures, such as polycarbonate, to increase the useable and shaded area. This affects bringing in daylight but deters the passive ventilation from happening. Thus, this research is important to create a courtyard that brings in daylight and wind as well as shades from the harsh sun of the tropics and to educate the occupants on the role of the courtyard as a passive ventilation system.Design/methodology/approachThe research method employed is a simulation study. A terrace house with a courtyard design in Penang was chosen as a case study of the baseline model. The courtyard configurations of the case study were evaluated, and 4 settings based on the literature review were established for simulation. The effects of the courtyard configurations were tested through daylight and CFD simulations. Daylight and ventilation requirements from Malaysia Standard were used to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of the proposed settings.FindingsThe results suggested that the semi-enclosed courtyard feature with a shading device could provide the optimal environmental conditions of the courtyard space in a terrace house in a hot-humid climate. This paper will benefit the architectural community in which it is intended to implement courtyard design in modern terrace houses and will also contribute to the discovery of the most suitable courtyard typology in a hot-humid climate.Research limitations/implicationsThe study does not include studies on thermal comfort, energy performance, or use behavior of occupants in this courtyard. The study only focuses on the influence of different courtyard configurations in improving the courtyard space's daylight availability and indoor air movement.Practical implicationsThe data from this study reveal that alteration of courtyard design needs to suit comfort level that should not alter the functions of the courtyard as a passive design. The simulation method offers data for microclimatic conditions according to the changes in design. This study attempts to design influence on multiple parameters of shading, daylighting and ventilation to optimize the use of tropical climatic conditions.Social implicationsThe terrace house with courtyard would create a passive design strategy that would naturally ventilate, provide daylight, and will save on energy usage. The courtyard then with its enhanced comfort for the user will be able to function as a useable space to foster family relationships.Originality/valueThe study on courtyard design using the simulation method mostly have been conducted using a single parameter. This study highlights the analysis and process of identifying the optimal configuration for the architectural feature of a courtyard to provide a comfort level for occupants in hot and humid climates using the simulation method using data from two pieces of software.

Positioned within the call for engaging students" learning in design-build and collaborative learning, architecture schools are fostering alternative practice in teaching and learning. By studying a real-life case study of the Pavilion NOW project, a threeyear initiative (from 2015-2017) curated by Shalini Ganendra Fine Arts, in collaboration with School of Architecture, Building and Design, Taylor"s University, this paper aims to provide an alternative practice for architecture education. This project was implemented for three years from 2015 to 2017, curated by Shalini Ganendra Fine Arts (SGFA) and with participation of approximately a group of 15-20 students from Taylor"s University, School of Architecture, Building and Design. In order to achieve the aim, the case is studied through the reflective lens of the educator, interviews conducted with students, the architects and the curator. This paper will discuss the pedagogical aspect derived from the PavilionNOW initiative that constructs an alternative practice for collaborative learning in design-build programs, and outline its effectiveness and challenges. This paper suggests that an inclusive framework that includes the collaborative network of the architects, the curator, and the educator acts as an enabler towards students" learning beyond the discipline-specific knowledge and skills; with emphasis on students" disposition and attitudes that encompasses motivation, innovative thinking, self-management and social competencies, as well as the role of the individual within the discipline, and the society at large. Contribution/ Originality:The study contributes an inclusive framework of design-build education for collaborative learning that is supported by the inter-relation between art, architecture and practice, in order to foster an alternative practice in teaching and learning. BACKGROUND/ OBJECTIVES AND GOALSThrough the study of a real-life case study-the Pavilion NOW project, a three-year initiative curated by Shalini Ganendra Fine Arts, in collaboration with School of Architecture, Building and Design, Taylor"s University-this paper provides an alternative practice for architecture education. Running from 2015-2017, the Pavilion NOW leads to a production of a pavilion space each year, which engages the notion of design/make, where the design activity is spearheaded by an appointed Malaysian practicing architect and/or designer. The exploration is a spatial and tectonic creation which seeks to celebrate local identity as the key driver for the production of architecture underpinned by partnership of students, art curator, and emerging architect/designer in practice. This