The Winter 2012 (vol. 14 no. 1) issue of the Nexus Network Journal is dedicated to the theme “Architecture, Systems Research and Computational Sciences”. This is an outgrowth of the session by the same name which took place during the eighth international, interdisciplinary conference “Nexus 2010: Relationships between Architecture and Mathematics, held in Porto, Portugal, in June 2010. Today computer science is an integral part of even strictly historical investigations, such as those concerning the construction of vaults, where the computer is used to survey the existing building, analyse the data and draw the ideal solution. What the papers in this issue make especially evident is that information technology has had an impact at a much deeper level as well: architecture itself can now be considered as a manifestation of information and as a complex system. The issue is completed with other research papers, conference reports and book reviews.

This volume features a collection of papers dedicated to "Canons of Form-Making", in honor of the 500th anniversary of the birth of architect Andrea Palladio (1508-1580). Theorist as well as practitioner, Palladio's architecture was based on well-defined canons that he had gleaned from studying the treatises as well as the remains of architecture from antiquity. Palladio himself left to posterity not only his large corpus of built works, but his Quattro libri d'architettura. Three of the papers in this issue are specifically about Palladio and his work. The other papers deal with canons of form-making, ancient and contemporary.

Leonardo da Vinci was well aware of the fundamental importance of mathematics for architecture. This book examines Leonardo’s knowledge of theoretical mathematics, explores how he used concepts of geometry in his designs for architectural projects, and reports on a real-life construction project using Leonardo’s principles. Authors include Sylvie Duvernoy, Kim Williams, Rinus Roelofs, Biagio Di Carlo, Mark Reynolds, João Pedro Xavier, Vesna Petresin, Christopher Glass, and Jane Burry.

Nexus Network Journal 12,2: Architecture and Mathematics (Volume 12).

This volulme features eight original papers dedicated to the theme “Persian Architecture and Mathematics,” guest edited by Reza Sarhangi. All papers were approved through a rigorous process of blind peer review and edited by an interdisciplinary scientific editorial committee. Topics range from symmetry in ancient Persian architecture to the elaborate geometric patterns and complex three-dimensional structures of standing monuments of historical periods, from the expression of mathematical ideas to architectonic structures, and from decorative ornament to the representation of modern group theory and quasi-crystalline patterns. The articles discuss unique monuments Persia, including domed structures and two-dimensional patterns, which have received significant scholarly attention in recent years. This book is a unique contribution to studies of Persian architecture in relation to mathematics.

This issue is dedicated to Mechanics in Architecture. It explores the latest findings in the science of structural mechanics, including the behavior of structures, internal forces, and deformation. It also explores the development of new structural systems designed to resist thrusts resulting from new architectural forms. Some of the papers published in this issue were presented at the Nexus 2006 during a special session dedicated to mechanics.

Shâmaran: The Neolithic Eternal Mother, Love and the Kurds covers one of the earliest ancient figures of Mother Earth, Shâmaran, of the Zagros Mountains, which is at the crossroads of Iran, Anatolia, and Mesopotamia, and has historically been a melting pot of diverse groups, contributing to the formation of the Kurdish nation. This unique convergence has played a pivotal role in shaping the rich history, culture, language, and the very essence of their homeland, Kurdistan.Shâmaran is the significant religiocultural symbol, serving as a poignant embodiment of this heritage. The book meticulously documents, deconstructs and interprets Shâmaran's myth and her Neolithic image, recognizing their profound significance as manifestations of the Mother Earth Goddess.The study details the philosophy and symbolism of her faith, deciphers the content in the region within the existing pre-Islamic Kurdish religions namely Alevism, Yarsanism, and Êzidism and Kurdish culture as a whole.

The technologies applied in design studies vary from basic theories to more application-based systems. Intelligence engineering also plays a significant role in design sciences such as computer-aided industrial design, human factor design, and greenhouse design, and intelligent engineering technologies such as computational technologies, sensing technologies, and video detection encompass both theory and application perspectives. Being multidisciplinary in nature, intelligence engineering promotes cooperation, exchange and discussion between organizations and researchers from diverse fields. This book presents the proceedings of DSIE 2022, the International Symposium on Design Studies and Intelligence Engineering, held in Hangzhou, China, on 29 & 30 October 2022. This annual conference proves a platform for professionals and researchers from industry and academia to exchange and discuss recent advances in the field of design studies and intelligence engineering, inviting renowned experts from around the world to speak on their specialist topics, and allowing for in-depth discussion with presenters. The 189 submissions received were each carefully reviewed by 3 or 4 referees, and the 62 papers accepted for presentation and publication were selected based on their scores. Papers cover a very wide range of topics, from the design of a bachelor apartment, or a children’s backpack for healthy spine development, to interpretable neural symbol learning methods and design elements extraction from point-cloud datasets using deep enhancement learning. Offering a varied overview of recent developments in design and intelligence engineering, this book will be of interest to all those working in the field.

What did great adventurers eat during their expeditions to the far corners of the world? How did they view the role of food in their survival and wellbeing? What about hikers and backpackers today who set out to enjoy nature, pushing their own boundaries of comfort for adventure. How does food impact their experience? And what do they have in common with pilgrims and soldiers? Food is a significant element of our relationship with nature. Whether a historical expedition or a weekend camping trip, a journey made on foot requires sustenance. Without mastering our relationship with food we would have not been to the South Pole or summited Mt. Everest or expanded to the west of America. However, in the reporting of these expeditions so far food has rarely taken a central role. It is possible to take a different stance and look at our time on trails with food as the leading character. Here, Demet Güzey offers a fun and interesting read on the social and cultural history, developments and challenges in food on trails and in the wild. She explores personal accounts, news articles and anecdotes to highlight how food has accompanied us in mountaineering, desert travel, and pilgrimage, in the army or on the street. From tinned foods to foraging in the wild, worm-infested hardtack to palate-dulling army rations, loss of appetite in high altitude to starvation at the trenches, no stone is left unturned in this tour of how we manage food on foot, and how disasters happen when we do not manage it so well. Readers will delight in both the stories of many of the famous explorations and the more current journeys.

The Dawning is a radically different and innovative approach to the astrological ages including the Age of Aquarius -providing a fascinating insight into past ages, our current turbulent times, and what might be in store for our world over the next few thousand years! Terry MacKinnell takes us on a journey into the astrological ages and with periscopic detail presents an entertaining and thought-provoking read that challenges astrological assumptions. MacKinnell proposes that an oversight made by the ancients inadvertently impacted conventional astrological calculations and he explores the popular belief that the Age of Aquarius has already arrived when according to conventional astrology it is not due for many centuries to come. He argues that the real Aquarian Age has indeed already arrived and did so in the 15th Century, the same century historians claim as the beginning of modernity. Continuing the journey he dives into our present and our future. This fascinating book will appeal to astrologers, archeo-astronomers, historians and everyone looking for a new perspective on the past, the present and the future.