Data in Architecture: Structure and Context
Abstract
E D IT O RI A L 128 128 Architectural space is exposed to the influences of numerous stimuli, such as day- Data in light, ambient humidity, occupants’ needs, and historical and cultural contexts, all of which substantially differ in their relative characteristics. Consequently, the detection Architecture: and documentation of these stimuli may produce various materials and information through the modeling, visualizing, and analyzing of their behaviors and investigation Structure and of their effects, interactions, and respective (re)design processes. The forms of such Context materials can be numerical, drawing, audio, video, geospatial content, etc. These mate- rials can be mobilized as evidence to support an argument. In the scientific research Julian Wang, Issue Editor community, such recorded factual materials for validating a research argument are Pennsylvania State University defined as “data” per the Code of Federal Regulations 2 CFR, Ch. II § 200.315. This general definition describes that data can be represented in many different types (e.g., observational, experimental, derived or compiled) and stored on many differ- ent supports (e.g., paper, electronic file, physical model). Comparatively, architectural researchers and practitioners are increasingly dealing with these factual materials, but do not always speak of these objects as “data.” As such,