Purpose This study aims to trace the transformation in the form of apartment building and the connotations it has in understanding the changes that occurred in the Jordanian society’s lifestyle over the past five decades. Design/methodology/approach A comparative case study analysis has been conducted amongst 170 apartments, covering 70 design attributes related to aspects of appearance, spatial organisation, parking and access to building, outdoor space and finishing. This was followed by experts and households solicitation to help giving more confidence on the validity and reliability of findings regarding the sorts and justifications for the changes that have taken place in the form of apartments over the studied time frame. Findings The results reveal changes in design attributes indicating particular alterations in people’s lifestyle. New interests act in formulating recent housing design attributes. People seem to turn into a more open social life within public community but more privatised living amongst family members. People are becoming more attached to indoor modernised lifestyle, in homes and public areas where activities take place. This entails pursuing a more comfortable, facilitating and enjoyable life that presents luxury and tranquillity. Originality/value Understanding the relationship between transformations in the built form of apartment buildings and the associated social alterations provides useful insights towards improving housing provision to better match the ever-changing demands of people and respond to alterations in their lifestyles.

Cultural beliefs and architecture have been recognized as having a strong relationship. However, a gap in knowledge exists regarding the interaction between culture and spatial organization in domestic architecture. This research used case methods to explore the impact of cultural factors in forming and designing detached houses and apartments in Jordan. Specifically, this article aimed to explore the sociocultural impact of privacy on spatial hierarchy and spatial organization in order to ascertain sociospatial designs in Jordanian culture. The data were collected through a comprehensive analysis of plans, images, direct observation, and in-depth interviews with Jordanian household residents. The data were analyzed socially and spatially with regard to circulation, privacy, security, and spatial arrangement of indoor and outdoor spaces. This research found that cultural factors and overall traditions affect detached housing design more than apartment design in Jordan. Also, cultural beliefs and traditions in Jordan are strongly reflected in people’s values, practices, activities, and the level of privacy needed in a given home. Therefore, privacy becomes a social, religious, and personal need that Jordanian domestic architecture should accommodate. Because culture shapes humans’ worldviews, and then both culture and worldview build social and personal values to define lifestyle, clearly determine specific activities, and set residents’ requirements for the design of the components of space requisite for cultural recognition. This research recommends that housing designers should adapt to the cultural practices, beliefs, and privacy needs of a given people when designing homes. Future research is needed to replicate the study for an authentic perspective on a cross-cultural basis.

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Higher educational systems become increasingly oriented towards the competences-based student-centered learning and outcome approach. Worldwide, these systems are focusing on the students as a whole: focusing on their dimensional, intellectual, professional, psychological, moral, and spiritual. This research was conducted in an attempt to answer the main research question: how can the architectural design courses be designed based on the required competences and how can the teaching, learning activities and assessment methods be structured and aligned in order to allow students to achieve and reach the intended learning outcomes? This research used a case study driven best practice research method to answer the research questions based on the T MEDA pilot architectural program that was implemented at the Hashemite University, Jordan. This research found that it is important for architectural education to adapt the students-centered learning method. Such approach increases the effectiveness of teaching and learning methods, enhances the design studio environment, and focuses on students’ engagement to develop their design process and product. Moreover, this research found that using different assessment methods in architectural design courses help students to develop their learning outcomes; and inform teachers about the effectiveness of their teaching process. Furthermore, the involvement of students in assessment produces effective learning and enhances their design motivation. However, applying competences-based students-centered learning and outcome approach needs more time and staff to apply. Another problem is that some instructors resist changing to the new methods or approaches because they prefer to use their old and traditional systems. The application for this method at the first time needs intensive recourses, more time, and good cooperation between different instructors and course coordinator. However, within the time this method will be more useful and interesting for the teacher and more effective and formative for students. Finally, the development of architectural academic staff is needed to increase awareness of learning needs of all architectural students. This requires redesigning and aligning their curriculum and courses syllabus according to the requirements of new methods.

A sustainable neighbourhood is critical in preserving the environment for future generations, as various societies are suffering from increasing reliance on vehicles and low social interaction. This study aims to compare two neighbourhoods in terms of implementing the sustainable neighbourhood criteria. This study is based on eight sustainable neighbourhood evaluation criteria related to design and urban values are: regional issues, compacted form, mixed land-use, connectivity, pedestrian-oriented building, public sphere of the neighbourhood, relationship with transit, and walkability. University District and Jordan Villa Compound newly developed residential neighbourhoods located in Al-Mafraq city in Jordan were chosen as a case study to evaluate the sustainable neighbourhood criteria. The primary and secondary data were obtained from various resources, including; previous studies that related to the topic, site surveys and personal interviews. The results show that The University District is more sustainable and walkable than the Jordan villa compound; due to several reasons as the grid pattern of planning and the high population density. The importance of this study comes from implementing the sustainable neighbourhood evaluation criteria to develop communities to become more sustainable and walkable.