Benefits. Medical Section - Architectural Design Data Integration

Author: Japan Institute of Architecture
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-04-01
Features: As described in the History of Architectural Design Data Collection, the Japan Institute of Architecture's collection has undergone a long history. After concluding the last major revision, it has taken another step toward a comprehensive revision today, spanning over 17 years to the turn of the century. This cannot be said to be accidental but also a necessary opportunity. In June 2000, five architecture-related organizations led by the Japan Institute of Architecture formulated the "Charter for Earth Environment and Architecture." As mentioned in the charter, due to considerations for the earth's environment, a shift in thinking is required in the planning, construction, use, and inheritance of buildings and cities to achieve a sustainable circular development society. Exaggeratedly speaking, to this day, we still face the challenge of overcoming the design methods of modernist architecture. The transformation is not merely reflected in the new buildings that arise from it but also necessarily involves the evaluation of existing resources and the recognition of resource regeneration. Based on this perspective, the revision of the Architectural Design Data Collection can be likened to the renewal of a building. For the data essential to design, to possess temporal stability and necessity, it requires the long-term accumulation of new data generated in research, technology, and practice. Up to now, the revisions have focused on comprehensively updating and expanding the data that include the results of "design and technological development research." For such a substantial work containing such a vast amount of data, a complete and comprehensive revision is necessary. The last revision and publication took five years, with preliminary preparation also lasting no less than five years. This time, the past revision process was reexamined, and the editing method of structuring each volume around different themes was reassessed. First, a comprehensive volume was set up to be placed on the desk, compressing a large amount of information into stable, long-term-use basic data. Meanwhile, supplementary content that could not be included due to the page limit of the comprehensive volume was compiled into an extended volume, featuring highly acclaimed architectural environmental quality cases from around the world, as well as the expansion and updating of information accumulated in annual development practices. These two points form the framework of this revision. Additionally, the extended volume has adopted new publishing media methods that have developed significantly in recent years. Currently, 13 volumes are planned for publication, but as indicated by the meaning of the extended volume, new supplements can be added as needed. In summary, through these two steps, the published Architectural Design Data Collection primarily collects new information, transforming related data into necessary knowledge while preventing past information and examples from becoming outdated. Therefore, our goal is that the comprehensive volume serves as a foundational, inspirational desk tool for knowledge and information, while the extended volume provides specialized, practical information tailored to specific purposes, akin to a design manual. This collection began publication in 1986, and concurrently, a compact version was published for architecture beginners and laypeople, with the intention of continuing revisions expressed in the preface.