The International Conference on Parallelism in Architecture, Environment and Computing Techniques (PACT) was held at the University of East London, UK.  The conference was chaired by Professor Hassan Abdalla (Dean, School of Architecture, Computing and Engineering, University of East London (UEL)) and Mr. Gilles Retsin (Senior Lecturer School of Architecture, Computing, and Engineering, University of East London (UEL)) and organized by IEREK.

The opening session started with a welcoming word from Prof. John Joughin (Vice Chancellor of UEL), Prof. Hassan Abdalla (Dean, School of Architecture, Computing and Engineering, UEL) and Mr. Gilles Retsin (Senior Lecturer in MSc Computing and Design, UEL – Gilles Retsin Architecture).

It was shortly followed by a word from Dr. Hocine Bougdah (Reader in Architectural Technology, University for the Creative Arts, Canterbury, UK – IEREK Advisor)

Moving on to the conference sessions which were led and moderated by great and reputable professors and professional personnel who were of great help in organizing this conference and its sessions. The sessions were preceded by Speeches from the Keynote Speakers. The topics discussed during the conference are of great interest to the field of integrating computer techniques into architecture, and each session was followed by an Open Discussion, then followed by a keynote speech, and the day was concluded by a Round Table Discussion moderated by key persons in the conference.

The Conference Keynote Speakers were:

• Professor Patrik Schumacher Director of Zaha Hadid Architects
• Professor Mario Carpo Reyner Banham Professor of Architectural History and Theory, The Bartlett, UCL
• Professor Jose Sanchez Assistant Professor at USC & Director of Plethora Project
• Benjamin Dillenburger Assistant Professor of Architecture, ITA ETH

The sessions and discussions were moderated by:

• Jose Sanchez Assistant Professor at USC & Director of Plethora Project
• Gilles Retsin Senior Lecturer in MSc Computing and Design, UEL – Gilles Retsin Architecture
• Soomeen Hahm Director & Founder of SoomeenHahm Designs
• Patrik Schumacher Director of Zaha Hadid Architects
• Daniel Köhler University of Innsbruck iOUD, Lab EDS
• Kory Bieg Assistant Professor UT Austin, OTA+, ACADIA
• Mollie Claypool Lecturer, University College of London
• Hassan Abdalla Dean, School of Architecture, Computing and Engineering, UEL
• Manuel Jimenez Garcia University College of London, MADM Design
• Mario Carpo Reyner Banham Professor of Architectural History and Theory, The Bartlett, UCL
• Benjamin Dillenburger Assistant Professor of Architecture, ITA ETH
• Manuel Jimenez Garcia University College of London, MADM Design

Conference Topics

A wide range of topics was covered by the conference papers, they were grouped into sections, and the conference topics are as follows;

• Parallels in Access: Gamification, Open-Source, Interfaces and Virtual Reality
• Parallels in Algorithms: Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, and Distributed Computing
• Parallels in Advanced Fabrication: Large Scale Additive Manufacturing
• Parallels in Big Data: Digital Theory and New Sciences
• Parallels in Urbanism: Parametric Design, Theory and Urbanism
• Parallels in Construction: Materiality and Context

A Tour at “The Crystal a Sustainable Cities Initiative by Siemens” concluded the conference.

1. 1. Parallels In Access: Gamification, Open-source, Interfaces And Virtual Reality.

   Keynote: Jose Sanchez - The Plethora Project, USC.

   This includes: advanced graphics, computer vision, gamification, open-source, accessibility, virtual and augmented reality, projection mapping, and digital media, and interactivity.

   
   

2. 2. Parallels In Algorithms: Robotics, Artificial Intelligence And Distributed Computing. S

   Keynote: Alisa Andrasek - BioThing, Wonderlab, UCL.

   This includes: distributed computing, agent based methods, machine learning, artificial intelligence, high performance computing, and robotic fabrication.

   
   

3. 3. Parallels In Advanced Fabrication: Large Scale Additive Manufacturing.

   Keynote: Benjamin Dillenburger, ETH

   This includes: additive manufacturing, materiality, robotics, advanced fabrication, generative design, construction automation, and tectonics.

   
   

4. 4. Parallels In Big Data: Digital Theory And New Sciences.

   Keynote: Mario Carpo, UCL.

   This includes: digital theory in architecture, history of architecture and computational design, data-driven computation, big data, and new sciences of simulation and optimization.

   
   

5. 5. Parallels In Urbanism: Parametric Design, Theory And Urbanism.

   Keynote: Patrik Schumacher, Zaha Hadid Architects.

   This includes: parametric urbanism, parametric design, landscape urbanism, urban analysis, urban simulations, sustainable urbanism, future cities, and smart cities.

   
   

6. 6. Parallels In Construction: Materiality And Context.

   Keynote: Maria Segantini, C+S, and UEL.

   This includes: sustainable design, cities, construction, heritage, critical theory, materiality, and context.

   
   

IEREK has an unyielding policy regarding plagiarism. We believe that copying/taking the ideas and work of other Authors without permission and credit, is fraudulent. The Reviewing committee and IEREK employees have the authority to reject a paper during its reviewing process,  on the basis of the paper being subjected to either minor or major plagiarism. Duplicating any content, even if it is one sentence or one table without the consent of its original Author, will lead to the paper’s refusal upon the complaint of the plagiarism victim. 

Abstracts should clearly state the purpose, results and conclusions of the work to be described in the final paper, a maximum 300 word abstract is to be submitted.

Note:

Each research paper should have at least one main author who should pay the full fees (Author’s fees + Publication Fees), even if the main author is a Master’s or a PhD candidate, and even if the author won’t be able to attend the conference.

These fees include the registration of only one author to the conference.

Each Co-author has his/her own fees that are separate and independent of the Main author’s fees

You can now submit your short paper instead of a full paper.

The paper will be of 4 pages of default format for a fee of $300 .

You can upload the short paper through the normal Upload Your Full Paper on your account “the upper-right part of the page” and just write in the filename the word “short-paper” for example as follows “paper name-short-paper.docx”

University of East London (UEL)

University Way, Dockland Campus

London, E16 2RD, UK

University of East London, University Way, London, United Kingdom

For participants who need Entry Visas, IEREK will issue a visa letter by University of East London for applicants who are accepted to present at our conferences.

Please notice that we will endeavor to assist you in obtaining a visa but the responsibility is yours and the decision rests solely with the appropriate Embassy.

However, you are required to prepare your papers according to the regulations of your country’s embassy/consulate. To do this, you will need to visit the embassy/consulate website or by contacting them.

In case of any missing document during the appointment or any other unfortunate incident that leads to your rejection, IEREK clears its responsibility as we will have done our part in providing the documents we can provide to ease the process.

Instructions

- Each research paper should have one main author who should pay the full fee (Author fees) regardless of attendance.

- Each co-author (1-5 max) has his/her own separate fees to pay as shown in a table below.

- A research paper fee allows only one author, whether main or co-author, to attend the conference and receive only one copy of the conference proceedings book in both hard and soft copies. Extras can be requested for a fee shown below.

Cancellations / Refunds

- Delegates who cancel their registration due to special circumstances less than 60 days before the start of the conference will receive a complete refund minus a 100 USD administration charge.

- Once an acceptance letter has been issued, a refund is not possible.

- Please notice that we will endeavor to assist you in obtaining a visa (if needed), by providing relevant documents (if any), but the responsibility is yours and the decision rests solely with the appropriate Embassy.

For Authors;

-If for any personal reason, you will not be attending the conference, you’ll be asked to provide a presentation and contact one of our scientific committee members for an extra fee, in order to present your work instead of you.

-If your visa got rejected, or if you weren’t able to get a security clearance for travel, kindly provide us with the rejection letter from the embassy/consulate or the office responsible for security clearances, and we will assign a member of the scientific committee for free to present your paper, after you’ve completed a PowerPoint presentation, only if a co-author will not be able to provide a presentation in your place, where in order for the co-author to present he will be required to pay the co-author fees as well.

-Once a visa letter and an acceptance letter has been issued, a refund will not be possible.

For Co-Authors, Audience, and Workshop attendees;

-Refund before the event with a duration of 45 days will be allowed in full, only deducted the fees for the transaction.

-Refund after the given duration of 45 days will only occur in case of Visa rejection, proof of rejection must be submitted, and according to the rejection reason refund amount will be determined as the following;

• If the rejection reason stated that the rejection was the applicant's fault for not submitting the required papers for the visa, a refund will occur with administrative fees deducted from the total amount ONLY if, before the event’s date, no refunds after the event’s date will occur.

• If the rejection reason was decided for reasons that the Applicant can’t be accounted for, a refund will occur with transaction fees deducted.