RWRoute: An Open-source Timing-driven Router for Commercial FPGAs

One of the key obstacles to pervasive deployment of FPGA accelerators in data centers is their cumbersome programming model. Open source tooling is suggested as a way to develop alternative EDA tools to remedy this issue. Open source FPGA CAD tools have traditionally targeted academic hypothetical architectures, making them impractical for commercial devices. Recently, there have been efforts to develop open source back-end tools targeting commercial devices. These tools claim to follow an alternate data-driven approach that allows them to be more adaptable to the domain requirements such as faster compile time. In this paper, we present RWRoute, the first open source timing-driven router for UltraScale+ devices. RWRoute is built on the RapidWright framework and includes the essential and pragmatic features found in commercial FPGA routers that are often missing from open source tools. Another valuable contribution of this work is an open-source lightweight timing model with high fidelity timing approximations. By leveraging a combination of architectural knowledge, repeating patterns, and extensive analysis of Vivado timing reports, we obtain a slightly pessimistic, lumped delay model within 2% average accuracy of Vivado for UltraScale+ devices. Compared to Vivado, RWRoute results in a 4.9× compile time improvement at the expense of 10% Quality of Results (QoR) loss for 665 synthetic and six real designs. A main benefit of our router is enabling fast partial routing at the back-end of a domain-specific flow. Our initial results indicate that more than 9× compile time improvement is achievable for partial routing. The results of this paper show how such a router can be beneficial for a low touch flow to reduce dependency on commercial tools.

WAYS OF ACTUALIZATION OF NATIONAL PERCEPTION OBJECTS OF ARCHITECTURE

Problem statement. Today in Ukraine the mechanisms of public influence on decision-making regarding the development of urban ensembles and cities in general continue to be formed. At the same time, the level of education of ordinary citizens in current trends in architecture, design and urban planning remains quite low. This affects the general semantic state of the architectural content of cities and results in a literal repetition of the visual forms of the XIX century in modern buildings, especially in the central (historical) parts of Ukrainian cities. According to the hypothesis of this research, the solution to this problem is in the creation of a system of free basic architectural education at several different levels. Purpose of the article. The main purpose of this work is to determine ways to update the perception of architectural objects by residents of Ukrainian cities. The objectives of the study are the analysis of publicly available methods of obtaining basic architectural and urban education and their classification, the definition of rational means to increase the general level of awareness in the field of architecture and urban planning. Conclusion. Due to the extraordinary breadth and heterogeneity of the population of large cities of Ukraine, achieving a global departure from inauthentic and irrelevant architectural and urban principles and update the national perception of architectural objects and architecture in general is possible only through introducing a set of actions aimed at a specific target audience (TA). In this study, in order to simplify, only four basic TAs are identified, but in further developments they need to be detailed more to achieve a better actual result. In the general context, the most important will be TA1 (students) − an audience that can begin to receive basic architectural knowledge, sufficient enough to understand the main trends in architecture and urban planning.

Places of Knowledge between Ulm and the Netherlands in the Seventeenth Century : The Kunstkammer of Johannes Faulhaber

This article investigates how the Kunstkammer of Johannes Faulhaber, renowned mathematician and engineer of Ulm, functioned as a place dedicated to the advancement of mechanical-architectural knowledge. Examining several unstudied publications associated with his Kunstkammer and a previously unknown inventory, we reconstruct the collection and examine Faulhaber’s advertisement of it in printed catalogues. A comparison of Faulhaber᾽s collection with that of his contemporary Joseph Furttenbach the Elder highlights specifics of its focus and scope. The Kunstkammer was also a place of technology transfer, whereby aspects of Dutch military technology were introduced into the German context, and were in turn further disseminated through Faulhaber’s publications. In this sense, Faulhaber᾽s Kunstkammer can be understood as an entanglement of ‘places’ – both physical and printed.

THE SPECIFICS OF THE FORMATION OF MODERN ARCHITECTURAL EDUCATION IN ALGERIA

The process of formation of a modern architectural school in Algeria, which took place during the last third of the 19th and 20th centuries, and led to the emergence of new approaches and principles in the field of its application, is considered. The article presents the results of a historical analysis of the evolution of the educational model of Algeria in the field of architecture, which depended on the political and socio-cultural influence of the metropolis on the development of the architectural knowledge of the colonial region. The author also considers the paths along which the formation of architectural education and its formation at the beginning of the 20th century took place during the late 19th century. It is analyzed that the training of Algerian architects during the French colonization took place within the local culture, which affected the further independent direction of the development of the architectural school of Algeria. It is analyzed that the architectural education of Algeria since the signing of the Evian Agreements is associated with the nature of the activities of architects and the expectations from their preparation, a combination of artistic ability and constructive technical knowledge. The article examines the influence of modernism as a social project, reflecting the advanced social reformist ideas of its time, on the rethinking of the professional training of architects in Algeria. The contribution of the leading representatives of modernist architecture to the renewal of the artistic language of architecture in Algeria is also considered: the social attitudes of modernist architects contributed to the principled attitude towards novelty in architecture and architectural education.

Whenua Ora: Land Healing. Designing Architecture that Incorporates Nature and Mātauranga Māori

<p>In 2006, 86% of New Zealanders lived in urban centres, a number that is expected to have risen (“Urban and rural migration”). Urban lifestyles have been linked to increased risk of obesity, stress, cardiovascular diseases and cancers among other things (Murray). As this percentage continues to rise, New Zealand faces the challenge of creating urban environ- ments that do not adversely affect mental and physical wellbeing. It can be argued that one factor leading to this loss of wellbeing in urban centres is the disconnection to nature and the healing effects that nature provides. In New Zealand, Māori have developed a strong relationship with the land. The under- standing that nature benefits health is deeply embedded within their culture. This research attempts to address the role of architecture in facilitating urban health and wellbeing is- sues through the incorporation of Mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge) of healing and nature. The integration of Mātauranga Māori into this thesis comes from the recognition that our wellbeing can be greatly affected by our relationship with nature and that Māori culture best embodies this in a New Zealand context. Currently, Māori knowledge is under- represented in New Zealand’s predominantly western mainstream culture. This research is significant as it explores the role of architecture in facilitating a connection with nature in a bicultural urban environment, an area that is currently underexplored. Incorporating these values into design generates the potential to increase Māori representation in the designed environment as well as expand the architectural knowledge of designing for wellbeing. The chosen site, Birdwood Reserve is an underutilised bush reserve in the suburb of Karori, Wellington. Birdwood Reserve is situated in the nation’s capital, adjacent to Zealandia, an eco-sanctuary that is frequented by tourists. It is a steep valley with access to dense bush and the disturbed Kaiwharawhara stream. Flanked on two sides by environmentally active communities, it offers the potential for community involvement in the healing of the land- scape, helping restore the reserve while healing itself. The intentions of this thesis are addressed through the design of a bicultural wellbeing cen- tre. Through the process of this design, the role of Māori culture in New Zealand architec- ture will be analysed, as well as the potential to reconnect people to nature through design. The final design will explore how to embody the developed framework of bicultural values relevant to architectural design for wellbeing.</p>

Whenua Ora: Land Healing. Designing Architecture that Incorporates Nature and Mātauranga Māori

<p>In 2006, 86% of New Zealanders lived in urban centres, a number that is expected to have risen (“Urban and rural migration”). Urban lifestyles have been linked to increased risk of obesity, stress, cardiovascular diseases and cancers among other things (Murray). As this percentage continues to rise, New Zealand faces the challenge of creating urban environ- ments that do not adversely affect mental and physical wellbeing. It can be argued that one factor leading to this loss of wellbeing in urban centres is the disconnection to nature and the healing effects that nature provides. In New Zealand, Māori have developed a strong relationship with the land. The under- standing that nature benefits health is deeply embedded within their culture. This research attempts to address the role of architecture in facilitating urban health and wellbeing is- sues through the incorporation of Mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge) of healing and nature. The integration of Mātauranga Māori into this thesis comes from the recognition that our wellbeing can be greatly affected by our relationship with nature and that Māori culture best embodies this in a New Zealand context. Currently, Māori knowledge is under- represented in New Zealand’s predominantly western mainstream culture. This research is significant as it explores the role of architecture in facilitating a connection with nature in a bicultural urban environment, an area that is currently underexplored. Incorporating these values into design generates the potential to increase Māori representation in the designed environment as well as expand the architectural knowledge of designing for wellbeing. The chosen site, Birdwood Reserve is an underutilised bush reserve in the suburb of Karori, Wellington. Birdwood Reserve is situated in the nation’s capital, adjacent to Zealandia, an eco-sanctuary that is frequented by tourists. It is a steep valley with access to dense bush and the disturbed Kaiwharawhara stream. Flanked on two sides by environmentally active communities, it offers the potential for community involvement in the healing of the land- scape, helping restore the reserve while healing itself. The intentions of this thesis are addressed through the design of a bicultural wellbeing cen- tre. Through the process of this design, the role of Māori culture in New Zealand architec- ture will be analysed, as well as the potential to reconnect people to nature through design. The final design will explore how to embody the developed framework of bicultural values relevant to architectural design for wellbeing.</p>

School On Wheels and Multimedia-Aided Instructions as Mediators of Students’ Local Cultural Heritage Awareness

Countless stories are told about local heritage sites. Because these stories are one-of-a-kind, they present a significant challenge to students' knowledge and awareness of their cultural background. Furthermore, literature is scarce on students' historical and architectural knowledge of local cultural heritage places. This study determined the level of local cultural heritage sites knowledge of sixty (60) students through school on wheels and multimedia-aided instructions. The study made use of a duly-validated researcher-made Local Cultural Heritage Sites Questionnaire. Frequency count, mean, and standard deviation were the descriptive statistics used while t-test was used for inferential statistics set at 0.05 level of significance using the Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) software. The results revealed that the level of students' historical and architectural knowledge of local cultural heritage sites was "moderate" and shifted to "high" when school on wheels and multimedia-aided instructions were introduced. There were significant differences in the historical and architectural knowledge of the students on local cultural heritage sites. Students' knowledge is improved via teaching and learning activities that give experiential and meaningful learning. Increased local cultural heritage knowledge of students is a step forward in promoting cultural heritage conservation and preservation.

Research on the Differential Mechanisms of Knowledge Cross-Border Searching on Firms’ Dual Innovation in the Digital Context: Based on Simulation of System Dynamics Model

Acquiring and combining heterogeneous knowledge resources across organizational boundaries are an important path for the success of enterprises’ innovation. From the perspective of the relation attributes between knowledge elements, this paper divides knowledge cross-border searching into two types: domain knowledge searching and architectural knowledge coupling searching. Then, we construct a system dynamics model and use Vensim PLE software to carry out simulation analysis to explore the differential mechanisms of knowledge cross-border searching influence firms’ dual innovation in the context of digital transformation. The analysis results show that domain knowledge searching positively affects firms’ iterative innovation, while there is an inverted U-shaped relationship between architectural knowledge searching and firms’ disruptive innovation, indicating that different types of knowledge cross-border searching have differential effects on firms’ dual innovation. The simulation results also address that digital resources can promote enterprises' dual innovation in the process of knowledge cross-border searching. The research results reveal that the internal laws of knowledge cross-border searching affect enterprises' dual innovation in the context of digital transformation and provide a theoretical reference for enterprises to effectively use digital technology to adopt knowledge searching activities.

Butantã versus mariante

Trata-se de um estudo com foco no projeto como investigação de duas casas construídas em São Paulo, uma repetidamente identificada como pertencente à Escola Paulista Brutalista e a outra celebrada em diversas e recentes publicações como exemplar no universo contemporâneo da arquitetura brasileira, construídas em momentos muito distintos da nossa história. A primeira é a chamada Casa Butantã (1964-1966), pois situada no bairro que lhe deu o nome, de Paulo Mendes da Rocha - em realidade, duas casas lado a lado, uma realizada para o próprio arquiteto e a outra para a sua irmã, e a segunda é a casa Mariante, projetada 37 anos depois (2001-2002) por Angelo Bucci, do SPBR Arquitetos, e Marta Moreira, Fernando de Mello Franco e Milton Braga, do MMBB Arquitetos, localizada dentro de um condomínio fechado, distante 40 quilômetros do centro de São Paulo. O objetivo do trabalho foi buscar decifrar as duas obras escolhidas para análise, compreendê-las através de descrições apoiadas graficamente em material produzido pelo grupo de trabalho, cujo foco principal foi o saber propriamente arquitetônico. Revelar escolhas e descobrir o conceito, partindo do que suscitam através do redesenho e da revisão da bibliografia existente e, aí sim, compará-las com o propósito de apontar caminhos convergentes e divergentes. This is a study focusing on the project as an investigation of two houses built in São Paulo, one repeatedly identified as belonging to the Paulista Brutalist School and the other celebrated in several recent publications as exemplary in the contemporary universe of Brazilian architecture, built at very different times in our history. The first one is the so-called Butantã House (1964-1966), since it is located in the neighborhood that gave it its name, by Paulo Mendes da Rocha - in reality, two houses side by side, one built for the architect himself and the other for his sister, and the second is the Mariante house, designed 37 years later (2001-2002) by Angelo Bucci, from SPBR Arquitetos, and Marta Moreira, Fernando de Mello Franco and Milton Braga, from MMBB Arquitetos, located in a private condominium 40 kilometers from downtown São Paulo. The objective of the work was to decipher the two works chosen for analysis, to understand them through descriptions graphically supported by material produced by the working group, whose main focus was the architectural knowledge itself. Revealing choices and discovering the concept, starting from what they raise through the redesign and the revision of the existing bibliography and, then, comparing them with the purpose of pointing out convergent and divergent paths.

Intuition in the Design Studio: A Perspective on Student’s Creativity and Design Process

In the twentieth century, as a result of the transition to a scientific approach in design, intuition lost its validity and design became a rational act. In well-defined problems, the design process could be structured with this scientific approach, however, in an ill-defined structure, rationality needs to be combined with intuition to analyzing the design problems, decisions making and generate solutions by supporting the creativity of design students. In this respect, intuition can assist to strengthen and develop the required abilities during the process. Accordingly, the aim is to understand the role of intuition, how students use it to work creatively through sketches, and conceptual ideas, and the problematic process of transformation into architectural knowledge in the design process. The study carried out a literature review to draw an understanding of the dimensions of intuition and its role in the architectural design studio. The results of the study demonstrate that intuition has a crucial role in the design process. Relatedly, the lack of intuition becomes problematic, due to the non-conveyable character that it cannot find a place for itself in the design education in terms of crits from tutors, and alteration of intuition into concrete representations leads to a gap between intuition and the final project. Furthermore, these problems could be eliminated through the coherent use of two features which are rational approach and intuition. In this respect, intuition, creativity, and rationality is needed to perform together in order to achieve success by deciphering the potentials of the project through the process.