What is Architectural Research?
As part of a major urban research institution, faculty members in the School of Architecture are committed to the creation of new knowledge in the field through research. But what constitutes research in architecture is not always clear, for while the School includes outstanding historians, whose scholarship conforms to the recognizable models of the arts and humanities, the bulk of the faculty are professionally trained designers, and as a result, their work often takes the form of plans, buildings, projects, and other speculations, in addition to books and articles.
This portion of the Architecture website is dedicated to the different types of architectural research performed here at Northeastern University. In addition to the distinction between traditional scholarly research and what we might call design research, there is also the question of the direction, or orientation, of the work. And here at Northeastern that is particularly important. Because we view creative work in the field through the prism of social capital, as well as individual accomplishment, faculty are encouraged to work collaboratively, or at least to work toward common goals. Among these goals are the following:
- Significant improvements in the relation of public policy to the design and approval of urban housing. To this end, several members of the School have earned internal and external grant support for work in this area.
- Better coordination between urban transportation, public open space, shared amenities such as schools, recreation facilities, and denser urban development around the urban core.
- New models for understanding and representing the impact and opportunities associated with major projects and physical change.