Journal of Architectural/Planning Research and Studies (JARS)

Editorial Board and Contents

JARS Editor — 2026-10-09

Book Review: “Museum of Modern Aluminum” – Bridging Industry and Art through Sustainable Design

Shouwen Tan — 2026-10-09

The book Museum of Modern Aluminum from Manufacture to Architecture documented an innovative architectural project by HAS Design and Research Company that redefines the application of aluminum in contemporary architecture. Inspired by the organic form of a dandelion and the ecological landscape of Thailand’s Koh Kret Island, the Museum of Modern Aluminum (MoMA) integrates aluminum as both a structural and aesthetic element, showcasing its lightweight, malleable, and sustainable properties. The design features a dynamic façade composed of modular aluminum strips, paired with energy-efficient LED lighting that simulates the glow of fireflies, and landscape spaces that blend artificial and natural elements. This project not only highlights the potential of aluminum in green architecture but also explores cultural transplantation, urban memory, and the balance between innovation and tradition. Through detailed case studies and reflections on materiality, this book offers insights into sustainable design practices and reveals the evolving role of aluminum in shaping future-built environments.

How Far Can Symmetry Create Coherence in Architecture? A Quantitative Analysis of the Impact of Sub-symmetries on Coherence in Architectural Façade

Maram H. Al-Taher — 2026-10-09

Despite recognizing coherence as a primary goal in architectural design, and the increasing acknowledgment that overall symmetry is not always the optimal solution for achieving it, the role of sub-symmetries and how they contribute to overall coherence remains underexplored, particularly from a quantitative and analytical perspective. Our research posits that the sub-symmetries across multi-levels of change in scale is related to coherence. Accordingly, we aim to quantitatively investigate the relationship between the number and distribution of sub-symmetries across the multi-scaling ratio (r) in architectural façades and the concept of coherence (C), considering the latter as an objective dependent, and measurable property. The study is based on the hypothesis that the distribution of sub-symmetries across different scales is not random, but rather follows a specific mathematical structure that can be measured and directly linked to the overall coherence of the façade. To achieve this, a quantitative methodology was applied to analyze several samples of architectural façades including calculating the total cumulative number of sub-symmetries in relevance to the scaling ratio. At first, the relationship between the scaling ratio and the number of cumulative sub-symmetries was examined. Then, the relationship between the total number of sub-symmetries and the level of coherence was measured using the proposed coherence index (CI). The results revealed a clear inverse relationship between the scaling ratio and the cumulative number of sub-symmetries, where the number increases as the scale decreases. More importantly, the study demonstrated a strong and direct relationship between the total number of sub-symmetries and the level of architectural coherence, suggesting that increasing the density of sub-symmetries significantly enhances coherence. The research concludes that architectural coherence is not merely an abstract concept, but a measurable property that depends heavily on the density and organization of sub-symmetries. These findings provide a quantitative basis to understand how precise structural organization, through sub-symmetries, contributes to achieving higher levels of coherence in architectural design and suggests the potential for developing analytical and design tools to enhance this property.

Reframing Authorship and Ethics in AI-driven and Immersive Architectural Environments: A Transdisciplinary Review

Nataliia Vergunova — 2026-10-09

This article presents a comprehensive transdisciplinary review of the ways in which artificial intelligence (AI) and immersive technologies are transforming foundational concepts of authorship, ethics, and creativity within contemporary architecture and spatial design. The traditional notion of the architect as a singular, authoritative creator increasingly is challenged by computational processes that introduce generative, autonomous, and distributed forms of design agency. Through a synthesis of architectural theory, AI ethics, media studies, and posthuman philosophy, the review interrogates the shifting locus of authorship in design environments mediated by intelligent systems and extended reality (XR) platforms.

At the core of this inquiry is an ontological reframing of authorship, informed by scholars such as Rosi Braidotti, Tony Fry, Humberto Maturana, and Anne-Marie Willis. These frameworks position the architect not as an originator of form, but as a participant in a relational field of human and non-human agents, including algorithms, data, environments, and users. Adopting an ontological design lens, under which design practices and their tools co-produce forms of life and ways of world-making, the article argues that AI/XR systems do not merely assist representation but actively configure professional authorship, agency, and ethics. This framing links practical workflows to normative guidance for disclosure, responsibility, and education. The review explores how generative design, neural networks, and parametric modeling redefine design intention and originality, situating authorship as a curatorial and computationally entangled process. In parallel, immersive media such as virtual and augmented reality introduce new forms of user co-authorship and spatial manipulation, prompting ethical questions about consent, agency, presence, and the authenticity of digital space.

The article maps emerging discourses around design accountability, legal attribution, algorithmic bias, and data governance, proposing an expanded ethical vocabulary for posthuman design practices. Through a critical examination of scholarly literature, experimental studios, and case-based applications, the review identifies epistemological and practical challenges in reconciling human-centered traditions with distributed technological agency.

Ultimately, this article argues for a redefinition of authorship as a dynamic, ethically situated, and ontologically pluralistic concept in architecture. It advocates for the development of integrative frameworks that embed ethical foresight and philosophical reflexivity into AI-augmented and immersive design methodologies. By repositioning the architect as a negotiator within hybrid systems of creativity and control, the article contributes a forward-looking perspective to architectural theory, technological practice, and planning discourse.

Urban Vernacular Transitions: Contesting Commercial Space Through Everyday Practices in Bangkok’s Privately-Owned Public Spaces

Supitcha Tovivich — 2026-10-09

This paper explores the transition of vernacular architecture from rural traditions to urban adaptations, expanding the discussion toward what may be termed the “urban vernacular.” While rural vernacular has long been associated with natural materials, collective labour, and the continuity of cultural wisdom, the urban vernacular emerges in contexts marked by industrialised construction, consumer culture, and the negotiation of everyday life in rapidly growing cities. Privately-Owned Public Spaces (POPS) in Bangkok are introduced as illustrative cases through which these dynamics can be observed. Although designed as commercial interiors, malls and their semi-public areas are tactically re-appropriated by diverse groups: students transform food courts into study zones, elderly visitors establish routines of repeated occupation, and youth communities adapt mirrored walls for dance practice. Such activities reveal how POPS, despite their regulated and privately managed frameworks, provide informal third places that foster social interaction, comfort, and adaptability. The study employed non-participant observation and photographic documentation across selected malls, focusing on patterns of use that extend beyond consumption. These observations highlight how POPS serve as a lens to interpret broader processes of vernacular transition. The paper argues that urban vernacular heritage lies less in the preservation of form than in the recognition of lived practices that sustain cultural meaning. By framing POPS as an example rather than an endpoint, the research underscores the resilience of improvisation, collectivity, and cultural continuity within contemporary urban conditions. While these spaces demonstrate vernacular resilience through everyday improvisation, the analysis also exposes their precarity, a condition shaped by surveillance, selective tolerance, and corporate governance that renders user autonomy contingent and unstable. This tension between resilience and precarity defines the contested terrain of urban vernacular practices within Bangkok’s privately-owned public spaces.

Educational Approaches of the Bauhaus from Weimar to Berlin and their Reflections on the Design Practices of Graduate Architects

Rumeysa Gür — 2026-10-09

The mechanization of the world after the Industrial Revolution created different social needs. Although the Industrial Revolution brought significant changes to production techniques and societal needs, the persistence of art in maintaining its traditional trajectory has given rise to various debates. One of the solutions developed in response to these debates was the Bauhaus School, which aimed to integrate art and craft by establishing a model of education where artists actively participated in the production process through workshops within the institution. By means of the workshops established within the school, students were able to experience both theoretical and practical education simultaneously, thereby ensuring the direct involvement of the artist in the production process. Throughout its 14 years of operation, the Bauhaus School, which functioned in three different locations (Weimar, Dessau, and Berlin) due to various pressures, maintained its mission unchanged; however, significant differences emerged in its educational planning during this period. Due to changes in educational planning resulting from the school’s relocations, this study examines the Bauhaus School across three distinct periods: Weimar, Dessau, and Berlin. Accordingly, this study argues that the distinctive educational approaches implemented by the Bauhaus during its Weimar, Dessau, and Berlin periods had a significant and traceable impact on the architectural design practices of its graduates. In this context, this study aims to examine the impact of the education provided during the three distinct periods of the Bauhaus School on the design approaches and building practices of its graduate architects. Within the scope of the study, the link between the educational experience and professional practice is examined in order to evaluate the concrete impacts of Bauhaus education on architecture. The study was conducted not merely through a descriptive approach but within an interpretative framework aimed at identifying the relationships between the educational content of specific periods and the design outcomes. Accordingly, data regarding the education provided at the Bauhaus School were examined across three distinct periods—Weimar, Dessau, and Berlin—and the relationship between the educational approaches of these periods and the professional works of their graduate architects was analyzed comparatively. In this context, graduates of the Bauhaus School whose data were accessed in written sources were assessed using a document analysis method. Following the listing process, five architects each from the Weimar, Dessau, and Berlin periods were selected. The architects were selected based on criteria including having received their education during the respective period, continuing their professional career as architects, demonstrating professional productivity, and having publicly accessible information available about their works. The impact of the Bauhaus educational approach on the design approaches of its graduate architects is discussed through analyses of the buildings designed and produced by the selected architects. In addition to employing a descriptive approach, the study adopts an interpretative framework aimed at establishing a relationship between the period-specific educational content and the design outcomes. The analysis suggests that the education applied at Bauhaus left distinct stylistic imprints on the architectural works of its graduate architects.

Potential Native Plant Selection for Sustainable Landscape Architecture in Wangchan Forest, Rayong, Thailand

Sirintra Vanno — 2026-10-09

Landscape architecture in Thailand still relies heavily on commercially propagated species. While convenient, this dependence narrows the design palette and promotes inclusion of exotic species or ecologically unsuitable plants, undermining biodiversity, long-term sustainability, and ecological resilience. By contrast, sustainable landscape architecture prioritizes indigenous and locally adapted species that are visually expressive yet ecologically matched to local conditions, thereby reducing maintenance, supporting native biota, and articulating regional identity. This research investigated the Wangchan Forest in Rayong Province to develop a systematic process for identifying and selecting native plants for landscape use. The study objectives were to: (1) develop a framework for selecting native species; (2) compile a list of native plants in Wangchan Forest; and (3) recommend species suitable for sustainable landscape design. The study combined botanical database analysis with ethnobotanical inquiry. Data were drawn from Thai Plant Names by Tem Smitinand for the Southeastern Floristic Region and complemented by semi-structured interviews with herbal doctors, local pioneers, and former loggers with experiential knowledge of the forest. Species were evaluated using criteria emphasizing ecological adaptability, microclimatic and edaphic compatibility, water requirements, and functional roles in landscape design. Of the 13,527 plant species listed in the national database, 1,724 occur in the Southeastern Floristic Region. Cross-referencing with local knowledge confirmed 516 species as native to Wangchan Forest and identified 137 additional species recognized locally but absent from the database, highlighting the value of traditional ecological knowledge. Applying the selection framework yielded 125 native species recommended for landscape application, categorized into drought-tolerant, moderately drought-tolerant, high-humidity, and riparian or aquatic groups. Integrating scientific data with Local Ecological Knowledge thus provides a practical, replicable framework for native plant selection that expands the ecological and cultural richness of sustainable landscape architecture in Thailand.

The Birth of Modern Architectural Thought: Architectural Theory From the 19th Century to the Early 20th Century

Tonkao Panin — 2026-10-09

This paper explores the intellectual formation of modern architectural thought from the 19th to the early 20th centuries, situating it within the intertwined contexts of political upheaval, technological transformation, and theoretical debate. It begins with the Industrial Revolution and the subsequent urban transformations of Paris and Vienna, which catalyzed fundamental questions regarding architecture’s social role, material logic, and representational capacity. From this context, the paper examines the 19th-century debate on style through the works of Heinrich Hübsch and Karl Bötticher, focusing on their attempts to reconcile construction, material, and form in the search for architectural legitimacy in an industrial age. The study then turns to Gottfried Semper’s theories—particularly the Four Elements of Architecture and the Theory of Cladding—as a decisive conceptual shift that sought to replace stylistic discourse with an understanding of architecture grounded in material practice, technique, and enclosure. Building on this foundation, the paper examines Robert Vischer’s Theory of Empathy (Einfühlung), August Schmarsow’s conception of architectural space (Raum), and Adolf Loos’s Raumplan as critical developments that repositioned architecture around human perception, spatial experience, and the ethical act of building. Through these theories, architecture emerges not as a question of appearance, but as a synthesis of material truth, spatial order, and lived experience. By situating the notion of Building-Art (Baukunst) as a reaction against 19th-century historicism and stylistic representation, the paper argues that the interrelation of empathy, space, and building constitutes a core theoretical framework that defines modern architecture. Extending this historical analysis, the paper further reflects on architectural practice and theory since 1990, demonstrating how contemporary concerns—such as phenomenology, tectonics, digital technologies, and ecological responsibility—do not represent a rupture from modern architectural thought, but rather its transformation under new historical conditions. In this expanded perspective, modern architecture is understood not as a closed stylistic period, but as an open-ended intellectual project whose foundational questions concerning material authenticity, spatial perception, and the ethics of dwelling continue to shape architectural thought and practice today.

Mental Images and the Shaping of Place Identity: How Creative Professionals Perceive a Revitalized Creative District in Bangkok

Tipsuda Janjamlah — 2026-10-09

Creative districts increasingly are promoted as engines of urban revitalization and cultural production, yet little is known about how such spaces are perceived by the creative professionals who inhabit and shape them. This study explores the mental images of creative professionals in Bangkok’s Charoen Krung Creative District, aiming to understand how they cognitively construct the district’s identity through everyday spatial experiences. Drawing upon theoretical frameworks in environmental psychology and creative city concepts, the research employed a qualitative approach using an open-ended listing task. A total of 418 participants who had engaged with the district through creative work and activities were asked to generate mental images based on their perceptions of the area. Thematic analysis of the data yielded ten distinct image clusters, which were synthesized into four overarching themes: historical urban context and cultural knowledge; collective meaning of place; local life; and urban life. The findings revealed that creative professionals interpret the district not only through its physical attributes but also through symbolic, social, and emotional associations. Differences in perception emerged across occupational subgroups, suggesting that creative identity significantly shapes spatial interpretation. The study reveals the merit of mental imagery as an interpretive tool for understanding how place meaning is constructed in urban spaces. The findings have implications for urban design and planning, highlighting the need for inclusive strategies in creating place identity that correspond to diverse perceptual experiences.

The Impact of Virtual Dental Clinic Color and Image Modifications on Anxiety Reduction in Undergraduate Dental Students

Adjabhak Wongviriya — 2026-10-09

Dental students often experience stress due to the curriculum’s theoretical and practical demands, which can negatively affect their well-being. Previous research suggests that room colors and images can reduce anxiety in certain populations. However, no studies have examined this effect among dental students. Therefore, this study investigated how color and visual imagery in dental clinics affect anxiety levels in dental students. Participants were dental students experiencing state anxiety. They completed a modified version of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) Form Y-1 before and after entering a virtual reality (VR) dental clinic with altered environmental features. Three types of visual interventions were tested: 1) changing wall colors to blue, green, or yellow; 2) adding images of mountain, sea, or nautilus shell; and 3) combining the most preferred color and image. Paired t-tests were used to analyze changes in anxiety scores, and intergroup differences were examined using the Kruskal-Wallis test, followed by the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test. Anxiety significantly decreased after exposure to blue and yellow wall colors (p < 0.05), with blue being the most preferred. Notably, blue increased positive anxiety scores (PA) and decreased negative anxiety scores (NA) significantly (p < 0.05), while yellow only decreased NA scores significantly (p < 0.05). Mountain and sea images also significantly reduced anxiety (p < 0.05), with the mountain image being the most preferred. Both types of images increased PA and decreased NA scores significantly (p < 0.05). The combination of blue walls and a mountain image was effective in reducing anxiety in all participants, but changing the wall color or adding a nature-related image alone was as effective as doing both together. These findings suggest that specific environmental elements—such as color tones and images—within a VR clinical setting can significantly reduce anxiety levels in dental students. Therefore, incorporating simple visual modifications into dental clinic design may be an effective strategy to reduce stress in educational healthcare environments. This highlights the importance of environmental design in supporting student well-being.

Mathematical Coding as an Application of Graph Theory: A Sustainable Approach to Urban Structure Analysis

Tamara Mutaz — 2026-10-09

This study investigates the application of graph theory through mathematical coding in structuring and developing pedestrian pathways within the complex morphology of traditional Arabic souqs (historic marketplaces). By employing Eulerian paths, space syntax analysis, and circulation assessments, we demonstrate how urban walkability can be enhanced through systematic network transformations. The research conceptualizes path labeling as a coding sequence, demonstrating how mathematical structures can reconstruct pedestrian networks to minimize discontinuity and maximize accessibility. Focusing on the historic Arabic souq in Baghdad, this study examines an urban pedestrian network shaped by organic alleyways, which have been disrupted by modern vehicular interventions. We assess how traditional pedestrian routes have been reconfigured, resulting in a reduction of their spatial integration. Through the graph theory-based transformation, we resolve odd-degree nodes, ensuring that pedestrian paths form Eulerian circuits with continuous, uninterrupted movement sequences. Applying space syntax, we measure the changes in spatial configuration, revealing a recalibrated urban fabric with improved mobility and socio-spatial cohesion. Findings showed that leveraging graph-theoretic principles in urban design fosters sustainable pedestrian environments, reinstating historic circulation patterns and enhancing integration values. The results demonstrate a tangible improvement in spatial intelligibility and accessibility by ensuring seamless pedestrian flow. Unlike conventional vehicle-centric planning, which often disrupts the historical spatial syntax, this approach offers an algorithmic strategy that balances heritage conservation with contemporary urban demands. By fostering urban walkability as a computational problem, this study underscores the transformative role of mathematical coding in urban planning. The research encourages the integration of graph theory into spatial design, proposing a novel methodology for reconciling modern mobility needs with the intrinsic logic of historic pedestrian networks.