A comprehensive conceptualization of urban constructs as a basis for design creativity: An ontological conception of urbanism for human-computer aided spatial experiential simulation and design creativity

Abstract

“The phenomenon of place is not comprehensible without computation, and any effort for simulating spatial experience or for the creative manifestation of such phenomena is not attainable without the computation that possesses a comprehensive conceptualization of spatial signs” is a conclusion of the article. Place is a fairly complex phenomenon that encompasses several interrelated knowledge domains. For example, from the users’ point of view, the phenomenon of place manifests over the interrelation between spatial cognition, psychology, and behavioral utilization. In contrast, from the designers’ point of view, these interrelated dimensions should be innovatively crafted. Any creative crafting of the virtual phenomenon of place needs to be aware of the spatial subjective conceptions of the intended users. To resolve such complexity, the article recognizes the phenomenon of place as a mere relationship between the two realms of spatial representations and spatial conceptions. The realm of representation is objectively analyzed over the two layers of spatial signs and spatial features, while the realm of conception is subjectively obtainable using knowledge graphs. The article’s recognition of place as the virtualization of space implies that the multi-knowledge domains’ complexity of place will be reduced to merely the conceptualization of any spatial representations. The article’s findings of conceptualization of space adhere to findings from the fields of analogy, cognition, psycholinguistics, and creativity. These findings are central for simulating the subjective spatial experiences, subjective potential spatial utilization, and finally, for design creativity. Structuring such conceptualization is founded on an ontology of urban constructs and on language. This explains the need for the computation-human integrative role in learning the spatial concepts and then on linking the comprehensively learned conception with the spatial representations. The article is a philosophical explanation of a parallel computational model for conceptualizing urban constructs. The proposed conceptualization is theoretical, and it will be supplemented in the future with empirical analysis.