SMARTACULAR · From Smart to Smartacular Built Environments: A Holistic Approach

SMARTACULAR seeks to reimagine the future of the built environment by intertwining local vernacular insights with academic excellence. The project's heart lies in its ambition to shape built environments that harmoniously blend cutting-edge sustainability practices with local contexts' rich essence and soul. To this end, it poses an overarching research question: How can we design built environments that align with the pressing global sustainability demands while remaining contextually relevant? This is further broken down into three sub-questions that delve into the vernacular domain's contributions, translating these insights into practical guidelines, and understanding the challenges and opportunities of integrating these insights with current technological advancements.In pursuit of these objectives, SMARTACULAR employs a robust, interdisciplinary methodology, encompassing a blend of theoretical studies, grassroots-level participatory research, and qualitative analyses. The research journey is methodically structured into four key work packages that range from establishing a foundational understanding of global best practices to the hands-on piloting of devised tools in real-world scenarios. At its core, SMARTACULAR is dedicated to crafting a qualitative matrix tool – a blueprint that empowers developers to tailor designs to both global sustainability imperatives and local sensibilities. This approach promises structures that are 'smart' in function and deeply resonant with the essence of their locales. Underpinning the project is an inclusive dialogue platform, bridging diverse disciplines and championing collaborative efforts to ensure holistic and impactful results. The resulting tool is envisioned as an open-source tool, poised to spark further innovation, exploration, and locally tailored applications, igniting a paradigm shift in how we conceptualise and manifest our built environments.