Cite this article
Turečková, K. (2025) ‘Editorial’, Architecture Papers of the Faculty of Architecture and Design STU, 30(2), pp. 1-2. https://www.doi.org/10.2478/alfa-2025-0007
Dear Readers,
I am not an architect and I am not involved in design, and I am not an urban planner either. Naturally, the question arises as to where I get the courage to write an editorial for a journal that focuses primarily on these areas. Ignoring the fact that I was missioned with this pleasant duty by the journal’s editors, then I am convinced that as an economic geographer devoted to sustainable development, the formation of society 4.0 and smart-resilient cities with an interest for brownfields and urbex, I will be able to identify the common thread among the four articles that are published in this year’s second issue and not only define their clear informational contribution for you, the readers, but also to accentuate the practical level of proposals that can have a positive impact on our cultural society as a whole.
We live in a very dynamic time when, more than ever before, we are looking for certain stability, an imaginary anchoring in space and human community. The first is, in my case, associated with the term home; others with cultural aspects based on history, shared values and norms of behaviour, and the formation of contemporary society that are naturally subject to the continuous and deepening influence of technology and innovation. Moreover, the increasingly important interconnection of biological and technological aspects of life in most areas of our human existence often causes us to “return” to something original, simple. Both become our nature, both influence the quality of our lives and shape modern society, and both are unifying for all the articles presented in this issue of our journal.
The article “The individual perceptions of Building Information Modelling practice in Algeria between practitioners and academics: Implementation barriers and strategic solutions” by Mohamed Tehami and Mohammed Seddiki emphasises the importance of new technologies in the creation of a system of digital building models that systematically, from start to finish, represent a physical and functional object with its complex characteristics. The implementation of Building Information Modelling or Building Information Management (BIM) in practice is undoubtedly a socially beneficial matter reflecting innovative trends associated with technology implementation. The problem is the intentional or unintentional unpreparedness of some stakeholders to accept these desirable changes in practice. The article illustrates the gap between academics and practitioners’ perception in BIM implementation, and provides suggestions for Construction Industry-Academics-Partnership as an influential key for promoting the BIM adoption in Algeria.
The article by Amer Obied “From home to the unhome: An architectural model of a phenomenological inquiry” leads us to reflect on the various levels of the concept of home and what we perceive as unhome. In his contribution, the author redefines the meaning of home, shifting it from a primarily existential construct to a profoundly ethical one and discusses key architectural concepts through which the unhome can be architecturally experienced.
In the next article “Case study of Ahsan Manzil and Gol Talab: Assessment of public opinion to access the possibilities of heritage trail in Old Dhaka, Bangladesh” by Sayed Ahmed and Rajon Das, there is a different approach of the authorities to a project with a significant development potential, in this case the development of the area of Old Dhaka. The knowledge and preservation of the historical heritage of previous generations is important for the inhabitants of the city itself, for visitors and society as a whole. The identification of the local community with the cultural legacy of its ancestors has a strong reflection in the protection of these buildings and city districts and creates space for further development of the city, from which all citizens can benefit. This is not entirely possible without systematic reconnaissance of historical and cultural monuments. The author’s proposal for the creation of a heritage trail meets the requirements for socio-economic sustainability combined with the principles of ecotourism, making the most of the endogenous development potential of the existing area and presenting both the tangible and intangible tradition of Old Dhaka to visitors. As the authors state, the trail should highlight important heritage sites with unique histories and should be designed to acknowledge traditional custodians of Dhaka’s intangible cultural heritage, attract foreign tourists, and provide revenue-generating options through city tourism.
The last article is Malek Nouri’s original text “Ergonomic challenges and aesthetic strategies in Tunisian university libraries: Insights from Daciano da Costa in the digital era”, which emphasises the need to reflect various contemporary requirements in the transformation of the original Tunisian university libraries and their architecture. These are not only related to the introduction of digitisation of literary resources, but as libraries are increasingly becoming community and educational centres open to the general public, emphasis is placed on their multidimensional functionality, spatial modularity and design, aesthetic balance and technological integration of activities. In his study, the author proposes a framework of strategies aimed at improving spatial layout, enhancing ergonomic comfort, and ensuring the effective integration of digital resources. These strategies are designed to maintain aesthetic and cultural relevance while promoting user engagement and satisfaction. Personally, I see the need to transform traditional libraries into multifunctional free places connecting knowledge and modern technology, where there is a free and safe space for education and respectful dialogue between all groups of the population.
The human future lies in the need to educate the whole of modern society, inspired both by cultural heritage and by technological progress, which is an inevitable aspect of our present.
Dear readers, I believe that you will enjoy the selected articles and that they will deepen your knowledge of the world around us.