The integration of perforations into shell structures provides opportunities for enhancing natural light and ventilation but poses challenges for structural performance. Balancing daylighting, visual and thermal comfort are crucial for sustainable building design, influencing energy efficiency, occupant well-being, and environmental quality. This research focuses on optimizing perforation patterns in hybrid grid shells to improve sustainability metrics while ensuring structural integrity. The idea is to use the grid shell as formwork for the concrete and to guarantee a mechanical connection between the thin concrete skin and the main grid, so that the concrete ensures the bracing of the grid and that the thickness of the concrete is reduced to a minimum (Cuvilliers et al. 2017).

Using Grasshopper for digital modeling and tools like Ladybug, Honeybee, and Karamba for simulation, this study evaluates the structural and environmental impact of varied perforation patterns. A genetic algorithm drives the multi-objective optimization process to identify designs that balance visual comfort, thermal comfort, and structural robustness. By iterating through multiple simulations, the research seeks to develop innovative, energy-efficient, and structurally sound design solutions.

Green space access promotes well-being, environmental health, social capital, and local economic stimulation (Barbosa et al. 2007) (Luo et al. 2024). These are attributes related to community sense of place (Ellery and Ellery 2024). However, not everyone has comfortable access to green space. 49% of residents in Philadelphia have access to green space within a 5-minute walk based on existing park infrastructure. On the other hand, 95% of residents in Philadelphia have access to green space within a 10-minute walk. The 10 including 15-20-minute city models omit diverse mobility needs which disregard 12% of the population being children between the ages 0-9, 20% are above 60 years old (Census Reporter 2023), and 17% have disabilities (City of Philadelphia 2024). To improve accessibility, community participation in green space development is essential. Experts must be willing to engage community throughout the design process to ensure their collective values and needs are reflected in the final product. Carroll Park, Overbrook, and Haddington neighborhoods exemplify the inequitable distribution of accessible public green spaces in underserved neighborhoods. 9 vacant lots proved ideal for revitalization, while 2 vacant lots proved more suitable for green space revitalization due to their adjacency to multiple amenities. Vacant lots adjacent or near multiple modes of transportation and commercial districts saw an increase in users by up to 200. Suitable vacant lots for green space development redistributed usage of existing parks by 49.16%. Achieving higher accessibility to green space entails an understanding of the 5-minute service area of existing parks in relationship to amenities and other vacant lots. Through a checks-and-balance philosophy, community stakeholders and experts can work together to transform vacant lots into green spaces. This can result in improved accessibility, for instance, the study area of this research saw an increase from 52% to 85%.

Even though over 200 net-zero energy educational buildings are operating or are in construction in the US and more numbers worldwide, getting to zero in schools can seem an insurmountable goal to many architects and architecture students. The problem is both in the way this building type is conceived as well as the design process and workflow to achieve performance-based design at its highest level. This inquiry is focused on: (1) how and in what ways can we conceptualize a performative-based building typology such as Net-Zero schools, and (2) based on a comprehensive conceptualization, what workflows would ensure the integration of performance analysis in its design process. This paper reports on a comprehensive project that took a deeper look at a sample of exemplary net-zero schools built within the last decade. In addition, it analyzed NZS studio projects from ACSA and Solar Decathlon design competitions taught in architectural schools to answer these questions. The project compiled a database of verified and emerging NZS in the US and analyzed several building performance metrics to highlight commonalities to successful NZS projects. Out of 41 verified NZS buildings, the study focused on seven case studies representing a wide geographical and economic range of NZS. This analysis included the design process, design strategies, energy performance goals, and indoor environmental quality that affects occupants’ comfort, satisfaction, and wellness to develop both a conceptual framework and design process for this building type. Applications of this framework in the evaluation of ten design studio projects-- of student design competition submissions in collegiate schools of architecture--were carried out to test its applicability in architectural practice and education.