Guiding Understanding
Commercial Construction Ethical Decision Making: Authentic Case Studies Promoting Further Research to Improve Society
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session John R. Weber
This paper explores and promotes the effective use of authentic case studies to teach ethical decision making to construction management (CM) students. The importance of ethical decision making in commercial construction and leadership is presented emphasizing the critical societal and economic impacts of industry. A summary of the issues, findings, and future potential research are presented based on themes found in literature and American Council for Construction Education (ACCE) CM instructor feedback. Twenty authentic case studies to be published in 2025 include important current industry topics. Potential research by CM students stemming from the case studies is discussed. CM instruction developing student awareness of consequences of their future individual professional decisions contributes to both industry and society. This paper is a summary document of the role of authentic case studies on ethical decision making in the commercial construction industry.
The Ecology of Magic : Vodún and the Reframing of Sorcery in Southern Bénin as Environmental Consciousness
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Timothy Landry
In southern Bénin, Vodún practitioners engage with diverse environmental objects—from chimpanzee hands to lightning-struck wood—each imbued with significant occult power. However, contemporary sorcerers are increasingly incorporating modern artifacts into their practices, reflecting new global realities. Indeed, objects such as small fragments from decommissioned airplanes are being added to magical recipes to influence people in distant cities like Paris or New York. As one sorcerer explained while holding a fragment of an airplane’s hull, "This small piece of metal remembers how to fly. It will help the spirits fly over the ocean and do what I've asked them to do." Drawing upon ontological philosophy and new materialism, this paper proposes a post-symbolic approach to magic. This perspective reframes traditional anthropological concepts of "sorcery" or "magic" through an object- and space-driven analysis. By examining the ontological status of both established and emerging magico-religious objects within Vodún, I present the environment as a dynamic network of interwoven consciousnesses. Within this system, ritual specialists use ritual to amalgamate and create new beings and powers from environmentally informed elements. This study contributes to ongoing discussions about the intersections of spirituality, materiality, and the environment. By considering the perspectives of magical things and analyzing Vodún through this lens, we gain fresh insights into the complex relationships between humans, objects, the environment. This approach challenges traditional anthropological interpretations of magic and offers a more nuanced appreciation of how globalization, environment, and consciousness integrate into spiritual worldviews and practices.
Formal Analysis in Cultural Heritage: A Case Study on the Authenticity of the Ottoman-Turkish Houses on Sogukcesme Street in Istanbul
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Ezgi Balkanay, James Park
Cultural heritage evolves through an ongoing discourse on what, how, and why to preserve, spanning from the cataloging of artifacts in the Early Modern Period to the emergence of National Heritage in the nineteenth century and World Heritage in the twentieth century. Recent discussions in cultural heritage have focused on: (a) historically changing value systems and political-economic dimensions of sites; (b) critical questions of authenticity; and (c) the selection of what to preserve as a key force affecting both constructed environments and identity constructions, especially in contested spaces. The work presented in this paper suggests that a constructive approach to mediating discussions of cultural heritage in contested spaces—regardless of the political climate or identity politics—is to ground the assessment of authenticity in formal analysis, viewed through a new materialist perspective. In support, a case study on the authenticity of Ottoman-Turkish houses in Istanbul is given. The corpus of the study consists of the nine traditional Ottoman-Turkish houses originally from the nineteenth century, located between Topkapı Palace and Hagia Sophia on Soğukçeşme Street. More specifically, the shape grammar formalism is employed to analyze and synthesize the compositional logic and proportional ideas embodied in the designs of these houses. Drawing on Jane Bennett’s new materialist perspective, which grants agency to the landscape to offer alternative political solutions to climate change, the work suggests that the use of formal analysis as a starting point for discussions of authenticity can empower heritage sites with political agency.
Featured Techniques of Eclecticism: Design Strategies beyond Adaptive Reuse
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Wonseok Chae, Holger Hoffmann
This paper examines ‘eclecticism’ as a significant technique in contemporary architectural design. Future projects are expected to emerge from existing environments rather than starting from tabula rasa, driven by the scarcity of resources that necessitates reusing existing buildings. They carry cultural influences and narratives reflecting diverse histories. Thus, architectural design addresses sustainability through both technological advancements and cultural perspectives. In response to these demands, the authors have explored an approach to eclecticism grounded in specific architectural examples and analyzed through literature and inquiry. In the 21st century, architectural design often reconfigures formal languages from precedents, emphasizing synthesis over inventing entirely new languages. These methods provide not only practical solutions but also foster aesthetic innovations. Eclecticism merges diverse narratives to create new forms, which often reinterpret original meanings as fictional constructs. Eclecticism is both a doctrine defined by its rejection of adherence to a single model or system, instead borrowing from a range of diverse sources. In architecture, it combines fragments differing from mannerism’s historical focus, pluralism’s socio-political context, and appropriation’s ethical concerns. It has evolved with design techniques over time. In the 18th century, imitation blurred originals and copies. By the 19th century, neo-styles emerged to represent the bourgeoisie. The 20th century saw collage techniques layering materials from diverse contexts. Today, realism introduces deliberate misfits between reality and representation. Eclecticism integrates multi-authorship, blending diverse contexts into site-specific narratives. Once criticized for fakery or compromise, it is now embraced in contemporary architecture. This paper explores its methodologies, intentions, and implications.
