Design research
Literature suggests that while the term ‘research’ is not widely used by most architects (though that this view may now have become outdated) as the later publication in this series How architects use research shows – many of them undertake activities that can be seen as research,even if they might not consider it is themselves.
In their document "Architects and research-based knowledge: A literature review, February 2014. The RIBA identified two broad categories of research that architects might engage with:
- Design Research: research that is undertaken by architects and their collaborators in the course of a project; and
- Research Projects: research that is done by architects and others, in practice and academia, outside the scope of architectural projects.
It further suggested that Design Research, research during the course of a project, can be broken down into two further categories:
- Research activity carried out specifically to inform or evaluate a building/project, for example during the client briefing process or POE; and
- A broader category of research that encompasses all the work done to gather, evaluate, interpret and share information in the course of the design and construction process.
For further information visit https://www.architecture.com/knowledge-and-resources/resources-landing-page/how-architects-use-research
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