Call for Papers: Architecture Journal Special Issue

Call for Papers: Architecture Journal Special Issue

Next-Generation Building Performance and Optimization

Dear Colleagues,

The Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry is undergoing rapid transformation driven by artificial intelligence (AI), computational design, and digital twin technologies. As the demand for high-performance, low-carbon buildings grows, research focus has shifted from isolated efficiency measures to integrated frameworks linking early-stage design with long-term operation. This Special Issue invites contributions that advance the discourse on next-generation building performance and optimization, exploring how computational intelligence, sustainable strategies, and smart systems can reshape the building lifecycle. By combining theoretical inquiry with applied research, this Special Issue seeks to illuminate how emerging technologies are redefining design workflows and operational performance, effectively bridging pre-construction simulations with post-construction realities.

The aim of this Special Issue is to advance both theoretical and practical knowledge on the ways in which emerging technologies can be embedded into the design and operation of buildings. Submissions may highlight methodological innovations, case studies of energy-efficient and low-carbon strategies, and cross-disciplinary collaborations connecting architecture, engineering, computer science, and environmental studies. By positioning building performance within the wider discourse of sustainability and cyber–physical systems, this Special Issue will provide a platform for envisioning next-generation approaches in which design intelligence and operational feedback converge to foster a more resilient and sustainable built environment. We welcome submissions that investigate, but are not limited to, the following thematic areas:

  • Integration of AI-driven generative designs for massing, orientation, and layout to improve daylighting, ventilation, thermal comfort, and carbon reduction;
  • Predictive modeling and energy simulation in early-stage design;
  • Use of AI and computer vision for occupancy analysis and behavioral insights;
  • Adaptive building automation for HVAC, lighting, and environmental control;
  • Machine learning applications for predictive maintenance and resource efficiency;
  • Digital twins and IoT sensor networks for real-time monitoring, feedback, and optimization;
  • Development of intelligent, data-driven, and responsive building systems;
  • Sustainable strategies at the urban scale;
  • Performance-based design approaches;
  • Building Information Modeling (BIM) for integrated workflows;
  • Building energy modeling for efficiency and carbon reduction.

Prof. Ming Tang
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Architecture is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI’s English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • building performance
  • energy simulation
  • digital twins
  • IoT data integration
  • green building
  • smart buildings
  • sustainable design
  • performance-based design
  • post-occupancy evaluation
  • artificial intelligence
  • data-driven prediction
  • generative design
  • computational design
  • parametric modeling
  • machine learning for built environments
  • predictive maintenance
  • real-time monitoring and control
  • human-centered design
  • climate-responsive architecture
  • net-zero energy buildings
  • resilient and adaptive design
  • lifecycle assessment (LCA)

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Further information on MDPI’s Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers

This special issue is now open for submission.

ARCH Studio: SENSE

ARCH 4001. Fall 2025

SENSE: Spatial Experiences for Narrative and Sensory Emotions

Studio Overview

This design studio invites students to explore the complex relationship between architecture, human emotion, and experiential design through the conceptualization and design of a Museum of Emotion. Students will investigate how spatial design can evoke, mediate, and communicate emotional states—moving beyond functionality to create environments that resonate on a deep psychological and sensory level. By integrating neuroscience, art, culture, and digital technologies, students will develop speculative proposals for a museum that acts not only as a cultural institution but also as a space of introspection, empathy, and transformation.

Studio Objectives

  • Understand and interpret the spatial, sensory, and material qualities that influence human emotional responses.
  • Translate research on emotion into architectural language (form, light, material, scale, sequence, etc.).
  • Design immersive environments that express or evoke specific emotional states.
  • Engage interdisciplinary methods (AI, Extended Reality, digital media) to inform spatial experience.
  • Critically assess cultural, ethical, and therapeutic dimensions of designing for emotion.

Key Questions

  • How can architectural elements—light, space, materiality, proportion—evoke emotional responses?
  • What is the role of immersive and interactive technology (VR/AR, AI, biometric feedback) in shaping emotional experiences?
  • How do cultural, personal, and neurophysiological factors affect emotional perception of space?
  • How can architecture foster emotional literacy, empathy, and collective memory?

Program

Each student (or team) will design a Museum of Emotion on a site of their choice. The museum must include:

  1. Core Zones (Required):
  • Emotion Lab: Interactive gallery presenting scientific and technological perspectives on emotion.
  • Rooms of Emotion: A minimum of three immersive emotional environments (e.g., joy, fear, sadness, awe, love, anger).
  • Memory Archive: A participatory or data-driven installation space where emotional memories are recorded, interpreted, and displayed.
  • Cultural Expressions Gallery: A rotating exhibition space focused on how different cultures represent and process emotions.
  1. Optional Programs (Student-Defined):
  • Workshop or educational spaces
  • Performance or therapeutic spaces
  • Café or gathering zone
  • Outdoor sensory garden or emotional path

Design Tools and Methods

  • Precedent studies of museums, memorials, and immersive installations
  • Digital modeling and rendering (with emphasis on atmosphere and mood)
  • Use of AI-assisted simulations, AIGC, and VR walkthroughs
  • Assessment through user feedback survey

Waterfalls of light: Universe of Water Particles on a Rock where People Gather (2018/2024), teamLab Borderless, Azabudai Hills, Tokyo© teamLab, courtesy Pace

Read:

Related course

Therapeutic Crisis Intervention Simulation, Phase 3

We are excited to announce the launch of Phase 3 of the VR-Based Employee Safety Training: Therapeutic Crisis Intervention Simulation project, building on the success of the previous two phases. This interdisciplinary collaboration brings together the Immersive Learning Lab and the Employee Safety Learning Lab at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC), in partnership with the Extended Reality Lab (XR-Lab) at the University of Cincinnati.

Concept of Digital Twin: Digital Patient + Digital Hospital.

This phase will focus on developing an advanced virtual hospital environment populated with digital patients to simulate a variety of real-world Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI) scenarios. The digital twins encompass both the hospital setting and patient avatars. The project aims to design immersive training modules, capture user performance data, and conduct a rigorous evaluation of the effectiveness of VR-based training in enhancing employee safety and crisis response capabilities

Principal Investigator: Ming Tang. Funding Amount: $38,422. Project Period: April 1, 2025 – December 1, 2026

CCHMC Collaborators: Dr. Nancy Daraiseh, Dr. Maurizio Macaluso, Dr. Aaron Vaughn.

Research Domains: Virtual Reality, Safety Training, Therapeutic Crisis Intervention, Mental Health, Digital Twins, Digital Humans, Human Behavior Simulation.

We look forward to continuing this impactful work and advancing the role of immersive technologies in healthcare education and safety training

CIC-VISTA

Following six successful phases of the Building Safety Analysis with AI / Geospatial Imagery Analytics Research project (2020–2025), funded by the Cincinnati Insurance Companies (CIC), we are pleased to announce the launch of a new research initiative: VISTA – Virtual Immersive Systems for Training AI.

VISTA – Phase 1 ($81,413) marks the continuation of XR-Lab’s collaborative research efforts at UC with CIC. This new track will explore advanced AI-related topics, including computer vision, synthetic imaging, procedural modeling, machine learning, and reinforcement learning.

Project Title: Virtual Immersive Systems for Training AI, Phase 1. PI: Tang. Award Amount: $81,413. Project Period: 07/01/2025 – 11/01/2026

Bearcat AI Award

UC Bearcat AI Award Supports XR-Lab Student Innovation in 2025–2026

We are excited to share that two XR-Lab student fellows have been selected for the 2025–2026 Bearcat AI Award to support their cutting-edge research projects:

  • Mikhail Nikolaenko ($4,400) — Integrating BIM and GPT for Sustainable Building Analytics and Green Design Education in DAAP and CEAS

  • Aayush Kumar ($5,000) — INARA (Intelligent Navigation and Autonomous Response Agent): An Adaptive Indoor Navigation Assistant for UC Spaces

These projects reflect the XR-Lab’s ongoing commitment to advancing AI-driven solutions in design, education, and campus experience. Congratulations to both recipients!