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This is a "personal memoir" that is exemplified with references for some 190 international publications in the field of the architectural and engineering design of buildings that span the author's career from the University of Glasgow, to the University of Strathclyde and then to the Glasgow School of Art where the author currently holds a part-time post. The 41 papers selected for inclusion in this submission deal with: the issues of how data can inform extreme demand in engineering systems; the theory and methodology of the design of buildings; the simulation of thermal and light energy; computer visualization of the built environment; the evolution and future of virtual and augmented reality; the application of multi-media technologies to our cultural heritage; the modelling of cityscapes; user participation in building design; and the dissemination of all of these emerging computer-based applications to the practice and education of building design. The thesis also identifies the acknowledged pivotal role of the author in a number of international organizations including eCAADe (Education of CAAD in Europe - founded by the author), The Design Research Society (of which the author is the first Honorary Fellow, SIGRaDi (Sociedad Iberoamericana de Grafica Digital - from which the author has a lifetime award), IBPSA (International Building Performance Simulation Association - from which the author has a lifetime award), and the RIAS (the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland - of which the author is an Honorary Fellow) and ACADIA (Association for CAD in America) ; it also includes an Appendix: the 'Festschrift' issue of the International Journal of Architectural Computing devoted to the author's contribution to the evolving field of CAAD. A short CV of the author is included that includes information of awards, key academic positions and a list of sponsors of a multi-million programme of research funding.

Climate change, continued economic development, and energy security have become increasingly pressing issues over the past two decades or so. One potential solution to this interrelated problem is the idea to capture the carbon dioxide (CO2) from large stationary emission sources, such as power plants, and permanently store it deep underground. In this way CO2 emissions can be prevented from reaching the atmosphere, whilst allowing for a continued use of fossil fuels, until other alternatives (i.e. wind, solar, biomass) are developed on a wider scale. This process is also referred to as carbon capture and storage (CCS). The literature review in this thesis identifies the need to present a more in-depth picture of the entire process of governance of CO2 storage. The aim of this research is therefore to examine the extent to which the current legal and regulatory frameworks are able to mediate between managing the environmental risks of CO2 storage and the development/deployment of CCS in Europe. The analysis is underlined by the governance network theory (GNT), borrowing also elements from the theory of bounded rationality. Along with an extensive doctrinal legal scholarship, data analysis is also supported by 15 in-depth interviews with key CCS stakeholders in Europe. The results show that there is a wide consensus that the current legal and regulatory frameworks are robust enough, albeit the existence of uncertainty in regards to a number of legal provisions. There is also wide agreement between stakeholders in regards to the ability of operators to manage the environmental risks of CO2 storage. The discussion of these results show the applicability of the GNT as a framework for studying the management of environmental risks of CO2 storage, and the development and deployment of CCS technology in conjunction. Implications drawn from these findings also show that the management of environmental risks of CO2 storage and the future of CCS technology depends heavily on the effective relationship between the government agencies (i.e. competent authority) and project developers. Furthermore, good communication and engagement with other stakeholders, in particular the general public, will also be significant in the future development/deployment of CCS projects in Europe. When these relationships are good, this research argues that efficiency gains of governance are realised.

This thesis develops the view that the semantics of spatial prepositions are more fully realised within a framework of functionality, incorporating knowledge of the world, than within the spatial, geometrical framework more often used to analyse prepositions. It is argued that previous approaches which support full specification of lexical entries through the use of polysemy and prototype notions are not satisfactory or psychologically valid. It will also be shown that the minimal specification Classical approaches fail to account for all uses of the locatives described. It is suggested that minimal specification of lexical entries can be achieved by means of functional controls that can provide a more psychologically valid account of the semantics of spatial prepositions. Functional geometric control relations of fContainment, fSupport and fSuperiority are proposed for IN, ON and OVER respectively. These focus on the importance of location control in prepositional choice. It is argued that such controls underlie the use of spatial prepositions. The controls are suggested to be inherently dynamic and state that the relatum object is some way able to control the location of the referent object. For example, the use of the preposition IN is guided by the principle of fContainment which operates on the basic premise that the relatum (y) controls the location of the referent (x) such that when y moves there will be a correlated movement in x (or uncorrelated movement within the convex hull of y) by virtue of some degree of enclosure. The control relation that guides the use of OVER is fSuperiority and it operates on the basic premise that x threatens to come into contact with y as a consequence of gravitational force. Finally, the use of the preposition ON is suggested to be guided by notions of fSupport which operates on the premise that the relatum protects the referent from the force of gravity.

An empirical approach to measuring and predicting the effects of target scene shadows on image interpretability is described. A simulated aerial imagery data base is utilized to quantify image interpretability and computed graphics form the basis of the predictor algorithms. A technique to quantify the relative visibilities of individual line segment images is developed. Three categories of predictors are proposed and utilize line segment visibility to predict image interpretability. The success of the algorithms are tested using regression analysis procedures.

Over the past twenty years or so the growing presence of industrial development in the countryside has often severely disrupted the visual harmony of the landscape. Measures for development control and public inquiry procedures may be initiated to debate visual and other key issues regarding a proposed development. However, in the case of visual assessment, such procedures often suffer from a lack of explicit visual appraisal tools to determine the full extent of a development impact. Typically, this aspect of design is addressed by means of three dimensional models or artist's impressions. Unfortunately, these methods are viewed with a great deal of scepticism by public and planning juries alike; they claim that these manual processes are highly prone to error and often incomplete in assessment. This thesis presents a review of the visual intrusion problem, and conducts a comparative evaluation of the manual and computer-based techniques used in the solution of the problem. Computer-assisted procedures for visual assessment are gaining increasing acceptance in architectural and planning practice, and this thesis describes a number of such computer models currently in use. Subsequently, the thesis lays out the background theory and specification for a computer program to quantify some of the visual characteristics of buildings for use in visual impact studies. Finally a tentative framework for a cmputer-aided approach to visual assessment is described with the objective of providing a total capability in visual impact assessment. In the main, the thesis is seen as playing a significant role in bridging the gap between architectural practice and the expanding repertoire of computer-based models for visual impact assessment.

It is argued that a significant feature which acts as a disincentive against the adoption of CAAD systems by small private architectural practices, is the awkwardness of communicating with computers when compared with traditional drawing board techniques. This consideration, although not perhaps the dominant feature, may be mitigated by the development of systems in which the onus of communicating is placed on the machine, through the medium of an architect's sketch plan drawing. In reaching this conclusion, a design morphology is suggested, in which the creative generation of building designs is set in the context of the development of a 'data-base' of information which completely and consistently describes the architect's hypothetical building solution. This thesis describes research carried out by the author between 1981 and 1984, and describes the theory, development and application of algorithms to interpret architect's sketch plan drawings, and hence permit the encoding of building geometries for CAAD applications programs.

Investigations on functional aspects of domestic activity spaces and of other related design theories have led to the formulation of novel design models for the analysis, synthesis and evaluation processes of house design. A theoretical model of the 2-D plan layout of activity spaces was first developed so as to allow appraisal of the space utilisation efficiency of such layouts, taking into account the distribution of elements (predominantly furniture and fittings) and the user space required for using these elements, and also to allow for the development of a model to "assemble" and combine these elements to form activity spaces. For the synthesis design process a model was developed, according to which layouts would be assembled on five design levels, each level being defined by its layout size and type, using modular elements from the lowest of these design levels, which contained a library of domestic planning elements, and taking into account layout design on dimensionally co-ordinated grids. Any intermediate plan level would be worked on, as desired, to arrive at Level 5, the complete floor plan. Subsequently, a computer graphics program was obtained, amended and complemented, which allowed implementation of the synthesis design model, thus providing the interactivity and flexibility required for the "manipulation" of planning elements. For the appraisal design process, a mathematical method of evaluating proportional floor area usage of activity spaces was developed, based on a penalty system containing three main penalty factors: one, a penalty factor based on the cumulative effects and degree of admissibility of overlaps of various elemental sub- areas, each area relating to the nature of the associated activity performed; two, a penalty factor based on the economy of the perimeter length of the activity space; and three, a penalty factor based on the economy of proportional floor area consumption within the activity space. The appraisal process becomes iterative, with various layout alternatives being investigated as the designer attempts to improve solutions towards some optimum layout. A numerical computer program was obtained, substantially rewritten and complemented, so as to enable both numerical and graphical output by separate programs that operated in conjunction with the synthesis graphics program, enabling evaluation of layouts according to the proposed evaluation model. Together with specifications for a computer program which, when implemented, will provide the designer with a design information retrieval system for use at the analysis design process, the developed programs constitute a novel CAAD system,of particular relevance at Stages C (Outline Proposals) and D (Scheme Design) of the R.I.B.A. Plan of Work. The system provides the architect with a flexible design and appraisal technique, which increases the speed and - more importantly - the quality of the architect's work in designing adaptable, marginal layouts. The system also lends itself to a number of other space utilisation applications, as well as forming an excellent basis for design participation.