This unique volume presents the practical tools for architects and urban designers to improve the work processes of architectural design—from conception to construction, taking into consideration the personalized world of users, architects, and urban designers. The volume starts from the conception of architectural space as a continuum that goes from the subjective depth of the mind to the objective reality, taking into consideration the perspective of building experiences for users. It is based on the idea that at the heart of that continuum is the experience of architecture and the city as the element that unites them and gives them meaning.

The volume first defines what the architectural experience is from the processes of perception, cognition, and evaluation that users and architects make about workplaces and programs. It goes on to consider the knowledge and tools needed for the evaluation of users and places, providing the methods that will help to understand the architectural experience desired by the main users of both the architectural object and an urban design, providing a series of techniques that have proven effective.

Key features:

• Describes the theoretical approaches, methods, and tools necessary for architectural and urban design for creating experiences for users
• Provides a deep understanding of the nature of built environments and what they express
• Discusses specific methods for in-depth research on users’ subjective space through making meaningful contact with them and through appropriate technological means, such as research on their expressions and communications on virtual social networks

This book will help to make urban architects and designers aware of their importance for the implementation of public policies that will work in the very long term, with the expectation that by becoming aware of this role, they can act in accordance with an ethic based on values of protection of life, human solidarity, compassion, vitality, freedom, equality between people and social justice.

Adolfo Benito Narváez Tijerina, PhD, has been a Researcher and tenured Professor in the Faculty of Architecture of the Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo Leon, Mexico, since 1989, where he has founded the Doctorate program with orientation in Architecture and Urbanism at the UANL, the Architecture Research Institute and the Laboratory of Studies on Design. He has also been a visiting professor at prestigious universities in Mexico, Spain, Argentina, Germany, the USA, Venezuela, among others.

Gabriela Carmona Ochoa, PhD, is currently attached to the Faculty of Architecture of the Autonomous University of Coahuila, Mexico, as a Researcher and tenured Professor, where she was also coordinator of the postgraduate program and coordinator of the doctorate program in architecture and urbanism. She is also a professor at the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate levels at various universities and educational centers of the public and private sector. She is the author and co-author of scientific articles in national and international journals as well as several books. She has been a reviewer of research articles at national and international levels and a jury member of thesis committees for bachelor's, master's, and doctorate programs.