Search results

This study aims to define the main characteristics and possibilities of ontological approaches to research in architecture by considering content, methodologies and subject position in this type of research and questions if there is a future for this type of research or not.

The primary data collection method of this research is based on the ethos of the author who has taught research courses for many years. This research has also been questioned through the discussions made within a related PhD course.

Results of this research reveal that the spontaneous ideology of architecture might have influenced the neglection of the ontological approaches in academic research in architecture.

Architecture has an interesting position towards reductionism because architectural thinking has ontological characteristics. The ontological approaches to academic research seems to be more applicable to architecture. However, research in architecture does not necessarily have this ontological character.

The “ontological approach to academic research” covers a larger set of research than the method of ontology, which is used to discuss the categories, limitations in research. Thinking on ontological approaches to research is needed because there is a considerable increase in the use of mixed research methods, which combine qualitative and quantitative research. The second reason for this is the criticisms about the unethical reductionism directed towards contemporary science by philosophers. However, there is no sufficient literature on the ontological approaches to research. This is true also for the academic research in architecture.

There has been a recently growing interest by architects in practice-based research and the impact of research. At the same time, several post-graduate architecture programmes with practice-led research agendas were founded. This shift towards architectural design research is analysed using the notions of “process-driven research”, “output-driven research” and “impact”. The study aims to investigate and unveil the link between graduate programmes and graduates with a research interest and to test the tripartite model of “process-driven research”, “output-driven research” and “impact” in the context of small architectural practices.

The study uses a qualitative and exploratory research approach that includes 11 in-depth interviews conducted in 2020, during the first nationwide COVID-19 lockdown in the United Kingdom (UK) selected interviews were architects representing (1) members or alumni of practice-related graduate architecture programmes in London and (2) founders of London-based small architectural practices within the last decade.

While focussing on the London context, the paper offers transferable insights for the key potentials of practice-led design research in small architectural practices and the actions that might improve research practice.

This paper addresses a lack of studies on how design research differs between diverse types and sizes of architectural firms, why emerging small architectural practices increasingly engage with research and how this shapes their practice. This knowledge is important to fully understanding architectural design research and its strengths or weaknesses.

This is not a theme issue of Open House International and it contains articles on various different subjects. One of these articles is based on a recent improvement in research approaches and methods: post-phenomenology. Because of this, I preferred to base this editorial on the general changes in research and architectural research methods.

During his 75 years of life from the 9^th of March 1942 until the 28^th of September 2017 Nicholas Wilkinson was a very productive and hardworking individual. He grew up in the north east of England in Corbridge, a small rural town in Northumberland. He was the third child of Zara and Tom Wilkinson and grew up together with his brother Warwick, his sister Joanna. He told me that as a child he played a lot by the riverside, and in their large family house garden and that, amongst other things, his outdoor childhood promoted a deep love of nature in him. His mother Zara had artistic abilities and his father, Tom a very good sense of judgement; Nicholas inherited these talents and characteristics from them. He was educated at Corchester Preparatory School in Corbridge and then at Bryanston School in Blanford, Dorset.

Contemporary coliving is a rapidly developing housing typology, characterised by high-density private living spaces integrated with various shared, mixed-use amenities. The purpose of this research is to quantitatively examine the spatial configurations of coliving building systems, and the integration of programmatic space labels, to provide insights for architects and researchers into the homogeneity and genotypical patterns embedded within these contexts.

Coliving buildings of various scales from the United Kingdom and the USA were examined using small graph matching and inequality genotypes. The former was adopted to identify a genotype signature and assess homogeneity levels, whilst the latter provided a comparative analysis of the ranked integration values for space labels within these building systems.

Although local samples exhibited superior levels of homogeneity compared to the sample population (n = 18), the latter still evinced a marked homogeneity and no statistical difference in building system integration (mean real relative asymmetry (RRA)). Local large-scale samples showed the greatest homogeneity and building system integration of all sample groups, whilst a statistically significant distinction in building system integration was evident between large- and small-scale samples. However, a comparison of space label integration (RRA) across different building scales demonstrated that a potential genotypical pattern exists between small- and large-scale samples.

Through the identification of homogeneity and integration values related to scale and location, this research establishes an empirical, methodological framework for the generalisable spatial analysis of contemporary coliving buildings. Furthermore, genotypical patterns provide insights into space labels that are most likely to encourage copresence and social encounters between residents.

The authors reflect on the academic bachelor and master programs of architecture. From the perspective of higher education policy in Flanders, Belgium, they examine the intrinsic challenges of the academic educational setting, and the way architectural education can fit in and benefit from it, without losing its specific design oriented qualities. Therefore, they unravel the process of architectural design research, as a discipline-authentic way of knowledge production, leading to the identification of a number of implicit features of an academic architectural learning environment. The disquisition is based on educational arguments pointed out by literature and theory. Furthermore, the authors analyze whether this learning environment can comply with general standards of external quality assurance and accreditation systems. Doing so, they reveal the Achilles’ heel of architectural education: the incompatibility of the design jury with formalized assessment frameworks. Finally, the authors conclude with an advocacy for academic freedom. To assure the quality of academic architectural programs, it is necessary that universities maintain a critical attitude towards standardized policy frameworks.

This paper seeks to investigate the theoretical and practical links between teaching and research in a teaching led university in the UK. Focus is on the new architectural technology undergraduate programmes that, in theory at least, provide an opportunity to integrate activities. An extensive literature review demonstrated the benefit to both students and academic staff of incorporating research into the curriculum. The research used was centered on an innovative Level 3 undergraduate module, which was monitored for 48 months. The module was designed with the aim of encouraging architectural technology students to approach architectural detailing from first principles within an environmentally responsible framework. The philosophy behind the module was to incorporate lecturers’ research into the module, both to enhance the student experience and to narrow the gap between research and teaching. The module also sought to form a subject integrating role, bringing together management, technology and design via project work. A brief overview of the development of the module and the teaching and learning strategy is provided before looking at delivery and evolution of the module. The students’ evaluation of the module, via a questionnaire survey, is then reviewed and issues for further consideration highlighted. A number of observations are made relating to the integration of knowledge, which have implications for all contributors to construction education.

This research aimed to define the factors that may impact the effectiveness of online architectural education during COVID-19 and to examine the degree of students' and instructors' satisfaction with these factors among Jordanian governmental universities. Further, the research examines the relationships/interrelationships between the degree of their satisfaction with these factors and the students' and instructors' age, gender, education level, home size, and family size.

Different research methods were used to achieve the research purposes, including semi-structured interviews, online questionnaires and reviewing recent literature. This research used descriptive statistics and Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient (Pearson r) to analyze the data.

This research found that online architectural education during COVID-19 was stressful. It was ineffective in teaching practical architectural courses like design and negatively affected the architectural learning process and outcomes. In contrast, the online teaching of architectural theoretical courses was reliable and convenient if the students and instructors had intentional, sufficient technological and appropriate resources. Online architectural education negatively affected the students' design ability and skills, peer review, intended learning outcomes (ILOs) achievements, the quality of feedback, workload, interaction mode, participation, collaboration, productivity and increased cheating on online exams. The home environment was unsuitable for online architectural education. Family interventions, privacy, home size and family size significantly influence online architectural education's effectiveness.

Students' and instructors' satisfaction determines the continuity of using online teaching mode, which depends on information quality, system quality, service quality, perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, achieved intended learning outcomes, cognitive absorption, skills, motivation, engagement, implementing resources and strategies and positive emotions as hope and enjoyment. Students' and instructors' satisfaction reflects how they view their learning experience, which is crucial in assessing the effectiveness of online education quality that focuses on the context, input, process and product, which is still not clearly understood, particularly for developing countries.

Spurred by the internationalization trend, many architectural professional bodies across the globe relaxed their norms related to the acceptance of promotion and marketing within the services. However, in India, the architectural services codes have not reflected any changes. This paper aims to focus on Indian architectural practice and attempts to investigate about the causes of low marketing activities within the practice in the country.

The study is based on a primary research process of data collection through survey administration. Survey is conducted using a close-ended structured questionnaire based on Likert scale technique. The data are analysed using both descriptive and empirical research techniques mainly, factor analysis. The sample is defined using random clustering sampling technique, from the list of architects registered with the professional regulating body of India, i.e. the Council of Architecture.

The findings of the study are suggestive that architectural firms in India are instinctively practising marketing-related activities, to position their firm to attract clients without formally adopting them. There appears to be a silent routinization of the marketing tasks in the firms. The findings are suggestive of academic and professional ignorance as one of the barriers towards marketing. The findings advocate that recognizing the growing competitive nature of architectural practices in the country, the regulatory and institutional body, Council of Architecture, may retrospect their code of conduct. The results of the present study have a great implication on the architectural education in the country. The findings advocate that the architectural curriculum in the country should be broadened to include the basic knowledge about marketing.

The present study opens a newer paradigm in the practice of architectural services. It highlights the growing linkages between the field of marketing and architecture. It opens a new area of research where linkages between interdisciplinary fields is an important aspect that needs researchers attention, to have a good model of survival for professional firms in a highly competitive environment.

The research findings have great implications for the architectural firms that seek to operate in the globally volatile environment. The increasing competitive nature of the architectural services in India demands a dynamic decision and procurement methods that can strategically position firms in the market. Marketing strategies have a significant role in positioning firms and increasing their client base.

The subject of architectural practice and its operation is an under-researched area. The present study makes a strong point for formal involvement of marketing strategies in the promotion of architectural firms in India. The paper attempts to bridge this gap, and the strength of the paper lies in the empirical nature of its investigation.