This book provides a clear guide for practitioners looking to establish or already conducting research projects in a practice context and graduate students looking to support their studies and role within practice.
The book is divided into three key sections. The first section, across Chapters Two and Three, discusses why research is relevant to practice, how it benefits both practice and their clients, the breadth of topics, and tackles the key challenges facing research in practice and discusses how to overcome them, including how to fund research in practice. Section two, across Chapters Four to Seven, focuses on the mechanics of a research project, providing a step-by-step guide to reviewing literature and publications, data collection and research methods, ethics, writing up and publishing.
In the final section, Chapter Eight presents profiles of twelve architecture practices ranging in size, structure, location, research interest and approach, followed by illustrated profiles of their design influenced research work. The practices featured here are Counterspace Studio, ZCD Architects, Baca Architects, Tonkin Liu, Pomeroy Studio, Architecture Research Office, Architype, Gehl Architects, Hayball, PLP Architects, White Arkitekter and Perkins&Will.
With practice based examples throughout, beautifully illustrated and written in a clear and accessible style, this is an essential guide to conducting research that is relevant for architectural practices of all size, location and expertise.
Acknowledgements
Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: Making the case for research in practice
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Why do architects in practice conduct research?
2.3 Overcoming the barriers to conducting research in practice
2.4 The scope of practice based research
2.5 Conclusions
Chapter 3: Funding research in practice
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Research and development tax schemes
3.3 Client commissioned research
3.4 Academic collaborations
3.5 Funding sources
3.6 Conclusions
Chapter 4: Developing the research proposal
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Writing an abstract
4.3 Setting out a research proposal
4.4 Conclusions
Chapter 5: The research process
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Reviewing existing knowledge, writing a literature review
5.3 Referencing and citations
5.4 Data collection methodologies
5.5 Verifying data, dealing with false data and fake news, and triangulation
5.6 Analytical methods
5.7 Writing up and image selection
5.8 Conclusions
Chapter 6: Research ethics
6.1 Introduction
6.2 Established research ethics
6.3 Applying for ethics approval
6.4 Interview ethics
6.5 Working with vulnerable groups and children
6.6 Data storage and management
6.7 Plagiarism, copyright and referencing
6.8 Conclusions
Chapter 7: Publishing your research
7.1 Introduction
7.2 Knowledge capture and management in practice
7.3 Self-publishing
7.4 Publishing books
7.5 Academic journals and university publications
7.6 Industry media and journals
7.7 Conference and event presentations
7.8 Exhibitions
7.9 Content for website and social media
7.10 Conclusions
Chapter 8: Case studies
8.1 Introduction
8.2 Micro practice case studies
8.2.1 Counterspace Studio
8.2.2 ZCD Architects
8.2.3 Baca Architects
8.2.4 Tonkin Liu
8.3 Small practice case studies
8.3.1 Pomeroy Studio
8.3.2 Architecture Research Office
8.4 Mid-size practice case studies
8.4.1 Architype
8.4.2 Gehl Architects
8.5 Large practice case studies
8.5.1 Hayball
8.5.2 PLP Architecture
8.5.3 White Arkitekter
8.5.4 Perkins&Will
8.6 Conclusions
Chapter 9: Conclusions
References
Index
Biography
Katharine A. Martindale, PhD, is a researcher, writer, lecturer and urbanist with academic qualifications in architecture, urban design, geography and planning policy and twenty years professional experience in research led roles in academic institutions, private consultancies, think tanks and government offices in the UK, US, Canada and Australia.
