phd proposal on sustainable architecture

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Degree Requirements  |  Required Courses  | Sample Curriculum Outline  | PhD Handbook

Degree Overview

Building upon more than 40 years of excellence in environmental design teaching and research at the UO, the PhD program in architecture focuses on sustainable architecture and integrated design. Home to professional education in architecture and related environmental design fields since 1914, the program is an advanced research degree that engages students in multidisciplinary investigations that create new knowledge in compelling and time-sensitive research topics.

With this exclusive focus, the program addresses the needs of the profession as society faces the environmental impact of buildings and cities. Students examine research topics that typically encompass an array of spatial, environmental, historical, social, political, technical, and economic factors. In addition to the rigorous understanding of building performance, aspects of sustainable community development, and broader social processes and policies, each student is also expected to demonstrate an understanding of the literature, theory, and research in a related focus area. Learn more about what our faculty members are researching by reading their  profiles  or browsing the  Guide to Research + Creative Practice .

The PhD program prepares students for careers at universities, and at other entities engaged in research related to sustainable design such as national research laboratories, industries, public agencies, and non-government organizations. Students admitted to this program will carry out a program of advanced study and research in sustainable design.

The PhD in Architecture is a STEM-designated degree .

PhD students join a community of inquiring architects, engineers, and designers who are committed to solving multifaceted problems and furthering knowledge by researching issues and processes that give form to the environment. We seek candidates with keen interests, career goals, and a clear capacity for research that are interested in topics that may include:

• sustainable cities and livable communities design and policy
• design for climate change and adaptation
• cultural, social and economic sustainability
• net-zero buildings and eco-districts design
• resource forecasting and simulation of place and building performance
• energy-efficient, adaptive re-use of existing buildings
• indoor environmental quality and occupants’ health
• high-performance envelopes and green technologies
• life-cycle analysis design and modeling

Graduate funding information can be found on the SAE Graduate Funding website and the SAE Graduate Employee (GE) website.

Degree Requirements (84 Credits)

• Research and Investigation : 12 credits
• Primary (Inside) Focus Area : 16 credits
• Secondary (Outside) Focus Area : 26 credits
• Other Core: 12 credits
• Dissertation: 18 credits

The usual program for the PhD consists of a minimum of 66 credits, including at least 50 graduate-level credits in the Department of Architecture, through a four- to six-year course of study. The PhD program in architecture is governed by the regulations of the University of Oregon Graduate School and administered by the Department of Architecture’s PhD program committee. Specific degree requirements include:

• the first year of study needs to be at the Eugene campus
• a minimum of two years in residence
• completion of three terms of courses in research methodology
• completion of two courses in research methods
• completion of two focus areas (one within and one outside the Department)
• completion of a written qualifying examination, followed by an oral qualifying examination
• completion of a dissertation

For additional reference, see the  PhD Handbook .

Required Courses

Category 1:  research and investigation requirements (minimum 12 credits).

ARCH 620 Sustainable Design: Research Methods I

ARCH 678 Advanced Research Methods in Sustainable Design

ARCH 695 Proposal Development

Category 2:  Primary (Inside) Focus Area Requirements (minimum 16 credits)

Students will select courses that are aligned with their research interests. Students may focus on sustainable building design, preservation and sustainability, sustainable communities, or other related areas.

All students will be required to take the following two courses:

ARCH 500-/600-Level Advanced Electives

Category 3:  Secondary (Outside) Focus Area Requirements (minimum 26 credits)

These courses will be selected in consultation with the faculty advisor to provide sufficient depth in the student’s area of research. The courses are typically taken outside of architecture and are intended to develop knowledge of a second discipline that supports the student’s research.

500-/600-level coursework in other departments

Other Core:  12 credits

Category 1 and 2 courses, e.g. ARCH 601 Research, ARCH 603 Dissertation, ARCH 605 Special Problems. 

Architecture PhD students may choose to add one of the following optional Specializations or Graduate Certificates to their degree:

• Architectural Technology (Eugene campus only)
• Housing (Eugene campus only)
• Interior Architecture (Eugene campus only)
• Historic Preservation (Portland campus only)
• Urban Architecture and Urban Design (Portland campus only)
• Ecological Design Certificate
• Technical Teaching Certificate

Further details on completing these specializations and certificates are available with the departmental academic advisor.

Sample Curriculum Outline

ARCH 620 Research Methods in Sustainable Design – Category 1

ARCH elective, Inside Focus Area – Category 2

ARCH 601 Research – Other

WINTER TERM

Spring term.

ARCH 678 Advanced Research in Sustainable Design – Category 1

ARCH 695 Advanced Dissertation Proposal Development – Category 1

Elective, Outside Focus Area – Category 3

3 Credits 

ARCH 605 Special Problems (prospectus and comprehensive preparation) – Other

ARCH 605 Special Problems (comprehensive exams) – Other

ARCH 603 Dissertation (as required) Proposal Due

ARCH 603 Dissertation (as required)

ARCH 603: Dissertation (as required)

PhD in Architecture Degree Requirements

PhD Handbook

Ph.D. in Architecture, Sustainability

The Ph.D. in Architecture with a concentration in sustainability is practical, technical, and philosophical in scope. The program integrates three areas of inquiry related to the built environment, biophysical systems, building systems, and political systems. The study of biophysical systems relies upon the disciplines of natural and urban ecological sciences as they relate to architecture. The study of building systems includes investigating component technologies necessary to construct environmentally responsive architecture. The study of political systems situates the biophysical and building systems within the social and political contexts of architectural practice.

PROGRAM OF WORK

Students entering the Ph.D. program with a master's degree should anticipate two years of full-time coursework (nine units per semester) leading to the qualifying examination. The minimum registration requirement for the research and writing of the dissertation is three units per semester. Additional hours may be required for foreign language study or other courses the doctoral subcommittee determines to be pre-requisites for advanced study.

PROGRAM CORE REQUIREMENTS (9 CREDITS):  Research Design +  Two of the following courses (substitutes allowed with approval): History of Building Technology Preservation History and Theory Society, Nature, and Technology

COURSES OUTSIDE THE SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE (9 CREDITS):  Graduate-level courses complementing the student's area of concentration

• MODEL PROGRAM OF WORK

Charles L. Davis II Associate Professor Program Director for Architecture Ph.D. [email protected]

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

• DSpace@MIT Home
• MIT Libraries
• Graduate Theses

Sustainability in architecture

Other Contributors

Terms of use, description, date issued, collections.

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PhD Programme

The PhD in Architecture and Sustainable Design (ASD) at Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) is a programme for highly creative and motivated individuals who wish to engage in intensive research and scholarship related to the built environment. The programme covers a broad range of subjects and represents the cutting edge of design investigation. Based on a multidisciplinary approach, it covers areas such as architecture, design technology, urban design, urban planning, and environmental studies, providing rich opportunities for diverse approaches of investigation. The programme is composed of researchers and scholars whose areas of expertise and study are closely related to the various academic curricula offered at SUTD.

Once accepted to the programme, each student is assigned a faculty advisor. The advisor consults on the student’s initial plan to study and on the choice of subjects in subsequent terms. He or she assists the student in selecting an advisory committee and subsequently a thesis committee. Often, but not always, the faculty advisor becomes the thesis committee chair. At the beginning of the fifth term, the student must pass a general exam in that the advisory committee tests the student’s mastery of his or her general field of study and the ability to write a dissertation. Upon passing the general exam, the PhD student becomes a doctoral candidate and forms a thesis committee with input from his or her faculty advisor. The candidate then prepares a thesis proposal that must be presented to the committee before the end of the fifth term. The committee reviews the thesis proposal based on three important criteria: originality, contribution to the field, and feasibility. After the acceptance of the thesis proposal, the candidate advances his or her research project and writes the thesis. Doctoral candidates receive their PhD degrees from SUTD after completing their thesis and conducting their public thesis defence.

For enquires relating to application, admissions and scholarship matters, please write to Graduate Programme Office .

For other enquiries, please write to [email protected] .

Please apply online at   http://www.sutd.edu.sg/Admissions/Graduate/PhD-Programmes/SUTD-PhD-Programme/Application .

Requirements

Course Work PhD Students are expected to complete at least 144 credits of subject work while in residence at SUTD. This is usually accomplished over four terms by enrolling in an average of 36 credits per term – the equivalent of three or four subjects. A subject requirement for all PhD students is the PhD Pro-Seminar. All other subjects are selected in consultation with the faculty advisor. PhD students in ASD are expected to enroll in the Pro-Seminar during their first year in residence. The Pro-Seminar is meant to provide a rigorous grounding with a focus on specific research topics related to architecture and design practice. Students must maintain an average grade of B or better in each year of study.

General Examination The general examination is given after the required subject work is completed and is taken at the beginning of the fifth term of residence. The general examination is meant to show broad and detailed competence in the student’s field of concentration and supporting areas of study. The student’s advisory committee in consultation with the student decides on the content and format of the general examination.

Thesis Proposal The PhD thesis is a major work that makes an original scholarly contribution. It is the main focus of the doctoral programme in ASD, and it serves as the primary indicator of a PhD student’s ability to carry out significant independent research. The student’s thesis committee approves the dissertation topic, and supervises the research and writing of the dissertation. The student’s advisor is always a member of the thesis committee and typically serves as its chair. The chair must be a member of the ASD faculty. When specialized guidance is necessary, one of the three members of the thesis committee may be selected from outside of ASD. Approval of the thesis topic is gained through the acceptance of a proposal submitted by the student before the end of the fifth term of residence to his or her thesis committee.

Thesis Defence An oral defence of the completed thesis in front of the student’s dissertation committee is required. The committee may accept the thesis at the oral defence or may ask for revisions. The PhD is awarded after two copies of the defended, approved, archival-ready dissertation have been submitted to ASD.

Areas of Research

• Architecture and sustainable design and practice
• Innovative city design and development
• Environmental policy and planning
• Computation pertaining to the description, generation, and, construction of architecture.
• Historical, theoretical, and critical approaches to architectural design

Applicants are encouraged to refer to the various research interests of the ASD faculty members for more detailed information.

PHD PROGRAMME

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• Architecture PhD | Built Environment PhD

Architecture PhD | Built environment PhD

For over 30 years, the University of Brighton has brought innovation and impact through research in built environment, architecture and interior architecture.

From investigating the energy efficiency and performance of buildings, to examining the interrelationships between people, natural resources and the built environment, sustainable urban living to architectural humanities, our staff and PhD students are at the leading edge of empirical and theoretical research into building design and construction. We are also working to understand the shifting nature of education in the built environment to adapt to an ever-changing industry.

We welcome PhD proposals that have real-world application as much of our research is in fields of practical impact. Data generated by researchers in our Construction Engineering and Management Research and Enterprise Group is being used, for example, to enhance the design of double-skin facades on buildings in order to improve their thermal performance, and to assess the impact of construction methods upon the provision of climate resilient affordable housing in Nigeria and Uganda, while the University of Brighton's Waste House continues to provide a living laboratory of sustainable architectural and building research.

Our Built environment PhD and Architecture PhD students have gone on to a variety of different roles following the successful completion of their research. These include academic posts as lecturers and postdoctoral research assistants at Brighton and elsewhere, plus research roles in, for example, the construction industry. Many have gone on to positions in industry, for example as senior consultants for facilities management contractors and as directors of construction companies.

You may wish to consider the  Architectural Research MRes  as an introduction to research in aspects of these disciplines, blending a taught element with a substantial research project.

Apply to 'Built Environment' in the application portal

Key Information

As a Built environment PhD student or Architecture PhD student at the University of Brighton, you will

• be able to draw on research approaches from a variety of related fields, including civil engineering, environmental science, sustainable design and human geography. You can develop research plans and apply methods involving both quantitative and qualitative data, supported by appropriate research methods training. benefit from a supervisory team comprising two to three members of academic staff. Depending on your research specialism you may also have an additional external supervisor from another School, another research institution, or industry.
• be provided with desk space and access to a desktop PC, usually in one of the postgraduate offices on the 6 th  floor of the award-winning Cockcroft Building, or within the adjacent Heavy Engineering Block. You will additionally benefit from access to a range of electronic resources via the University’s Online Library, as well as to the physical book and journal collections housed within the Aldrich Library and other campus libraries.
• have access to state-of-the-art equipment, including suites of monitors and data loggers for the measurement of air permeability, irradiance, thermal performance and air quality within buildings and a range of facilities on the Moulsecoomb site, including a water efficiency laboratory, specialist microbial and water quality laboratories, hydraulic flumes, an experimental river basin, geochemical and geotechnical laboratories, microscopy laboratories (optical and scanning electron microscopes), and a concrete laboratory, as well as a large array of field equipment. All of these facilities are supported by a team of dedicated laboratory and workshop technicians.

Academic environment

As a Built environment PhD student or Architecture PhD student, you will be an integral part of the School of Architecture, Technology and Engineering and take an active role in a range of intellectual and social activities within the school.

All postgraduate students working on built environment topics are integrated into one or more of our Centres for Research and Enterprise Excellence (COREs) or Research and Enterprise Groups (REGs), including:

• Construction Engineering and Management Research and Enterprise Group
• Design for Circular Cities and Regions (DCCR) Research and Enterprise Group

Students have support and alignment across specialists in architecture, construction, and social sciences, bringing opportunities to present ‘work in progress’ to specialists and non-specialists and to reach a broad network of researchers.

The Brighton Doctoral College offer a training programme for postgraduate researchers, covering research methods and transferable (including employability) skills. Attendance at appropriate modules within this programme is encouraged, as is contribution to the School’s fortnightly seminar series. Academic and technical staff also provide more subject-specific training.

Researchers within the School of Architecture, Technology and Engineering are engaged in work across a wide range of topic areas, and thus your PhD research could pursue interests in almost any area of built environment. 

Our particular areas of specialism currently include:

• Advanced technologies in the built environment, architecture and construction
• Construction management
• Education in architecture and the built environment
• Energy efficiency and building performance
• Environmental impact of buildings and construction
• Housing, community, people and planning
• Project management
• Sustainability of the built environment
• Interior architecture and urban planning
• Architectural humanities, theory, and ethics
• Practice-based architecture
• Designing sustainable urban living

While considering supervision from the University of Brighton, you may like to explore the following PGR programme area, too:

Design PhD. 

Some of our supervisors

Dr mahmood alam.

I am interested in supervising postgraduate research students in the following areas: Vacuum Insulation Panels; Building Performance Evaluation; Energy Efficiency in Built Environment; Building retrofit

Dr Tilo Amhoff

Tilo Amhoff is interested in PhD proposals in the history of architecture and planning in the context of international modernisms, especially proposals that address the material practices of the production of architecture and its intellectual and manual labours, and interdisciplinary approaches that mobilise the knowledge and methods of the humanities.

Dr Katy Beinart

I’m interested in supervising practice-based PhDs, particularly those that are interdisciplinary and combine aspects of art practice and theory with architecture/urban studies/spatial practice alongside other disciplines and practices (and may have a socially engaged or participatory element), and which might explore themes of migration, heritage, contested space and regeneration.

Current PhD Students: 

Ilenia Atzori: From ruins to community heritage: The role of storytelling in building a collective memory

Antony Dixon: Here is where we meet (Body, Matter and Things): A sensory investigation, through co-creative practice, of the misplaced and found.

Jessica Melville-Brown: Co-designing the future: An exploration into the development of new methods for creative engagement, examining the influence of gender roles, socio-economic and ethno-cultural factors in the co-design process with young people.

PhD Examinations: 

James O'Leary: Interface Architecture: Towards the transformation of Belfast's 'Peacewalls' through Situated Practice (Internal Examiner)

M Phil examinations:

Lida Driva: The Operation of the Hidden. Towards an understanding of architectural and urban space: the case of Omonia Square (External Examiner)

Luis Diaz supervises and examines at PhD level and is available for supervision on topics related to housing, spatial form, movement and promenades in architectural and urban space, and architectural semiotics and structuralism. Topics can span the range of scales from interior space to architecture and urban landscapes. Diaz is currently supervising a PhD on the historical and contemporary use of the figure ground in urban design and another (at the Oslo School of Architecture) on the role of community engagement in listed brutalist housing estates. Current research areas focus on movement and circulation patterns in housing estates, post-war social and council housing, and everyday experiences of housing.

Anuschka Kutz

I welcome expressions of interest for supervisory PhD support for both theoretical and practice-based PhDs in the field of architecture, urbanism, everyday space and culture, touching on themes such as urban, peri-urban and rural cultures and change, fragilities in a global and local context, identities and territories, everyday spatial practices and tactics, societal change (such as, diversification and ageing), spatial ethnography and civic space. I am particularly interested in PhDs that explore multi-scalar dependencies, such as how overriding socio-economic, political, environmental and cultural forces and shifts impact and manifest themselves in the everyday lived realities, and vice versa. I encourage inter- trans- or cross-disciplinary approaches, as well as social engagement projects. My own research currently combines close-up, in-depth spatial, ethnographic readings and cartographies of everyday spatial tactics and lived space (urban, institutional and domestic) to dissect how overriding changes may manifest themselves in close-up, personal scenarios and how architecture and urban practice could harness knowledge gained in this field to offer creative, alternative approaches to mitigate emergent changes and to give capacity to nurture the human and civic dimension in our environments. 

Dr Elisa Lega

Elisa welcomes PhD proposals that critically investigate new possible physical, temporal and relational qualities for the spaces we inhabit.

Dr Sam Lynch

Dr Lynch is interested in supervising both theoretical and practice-based PhDs that challenge traditional modes of architectural representation. Lynch's own research interests focus on experiential time and investigate the temporal and spatial complexities of drawing architecture.

Prof Lesley Murray

I am interested in supervising doctoral students on a range of topics including transport and mobilities, urban sociology, visual sociology and gender and generation. In addition, I welcome proposals from students seeking to adopt creative and inventive methodologies and methods. I am currently supervising projects on: lived experiences of the anthropocene; urban place-attachment across generations; sequential art in architectural practice; urban pocket parks; generation and automobility futures; and the wellbeing of refugee children.

Dr Poorang Piroozfar

I have supervised seven PhDs to successful completion in:

• Operational performance and life cycle assessment of double skin façades for office refurbishments in the UK
• Integrated Façade Systems for highly- to fully-glazed office buildings in hot and arid climates
• The judgement process in architectural design competitions as a deliberative communicative practice
• Urban Management in Post-Conflict Settings: The Case of Baghdad, Iraq
• Managing sustainability through architectural design decision processes: influences of values and frames
• Critical success factors for integration of value, financial risk, and environmental management systems in medium-sized design and build projects
• A future-proof cultural heritage: Responsible, safe, and effective retrofit measures for traditional listed dwellings

I have two more PhD students at different stages of their studies working on smart cities.

I am interested in taking on new PhD students in following areas:

• Digitality in architecture, the built environment, and construction
• Smart(ness) at building, community, city and regional levels
• IoT (BIM, aerial/UAV scan, point cloud scan to BIM) for Facilities Management, Urban Regeneration / Restoration and Cultural Heritage Preservation
• Design Research and Design Theory
• 3D printing and additive manufacturing for post-disaster fast recovery/relief
• Off-site Manufacture for construction, Prefabrication, MMC
• (Mass) customisation, personalisation, modularisation, standardisation, industrialised building systems, and automation in the AEC industry
• Building kinetic, double-skin and integrated facade systems (energy, lighting, indoor comfort, carbon footprint, environmental impact, technology and design)

Dr Sarah Stevens

Sarah Stevens supervisory interests sit within the exploration of relational, time sensitive and dynamic design.

Current Supervision

Terry Meade, working title: Drawing Out Occupation: a study of how drawing may be used to reveal and clarify spatial complexities in a conflict zone.

Joy Xin, working title: Observing London and Beijing via Mrs Dalloway and Rickshaw Boy.' An exploration of the potential of novels for revealing histories of movement and interaction within urban analysis. 

Examinations 

PhD Examination, Francesco Pomponi, University of Brighton. Title: Operational performance and life cycle assessment of double skin façades for office refurbishments in the UK 

PhD Examination, Yahya Ibraheem, University of Brighton. Title: Integrated Facade Systems for highly- to fully-glazed office buildings in hot and arid climates  

PhD Examination, Sabrina Barbosa, University of Brighton. Title: Thermal performance of naturally ventilated office buildings with double skin façade under Brazilian climate conditions 

Dr Ben Sweeting

Ben is interested in supporting doctoral research that addresses how design disciplines work within and for complex systemic contexts, especially those that raise challenging questions regarding ethics, place, technology, and/or the status of professional and scientific knowledge. Ben has experience with creative, theoretical, and historical research and has examined doctoral research internationally.

Prof Andre Viljoen

Andre Viljoen welcomes expression of interest for supervisory support from individuals interested in architecture and urban design, with a particular focus on sustainable design, urban agriculture and alternative architectural practices including engagement processes.  His inaugural lecture as Professor of Architecture provides an overview of his personal research. 

He has acted as a Ph.D. supervisor at the University of Brighton and Cambridge and as an examiner at University College London (The Bartlett), University of Sheffield, Oxford Brookes University, and Brighton.

Doctoral Post-Graduate Research supervision:

2015-23 (Part Time), Ph.D. Lead Supervisor: University of Brighton Candidate, Magda Rich, Topic The Healing City: Adaptation of Care farming principles in dense urban areas.

2009-14, Ph.D. Lead Supervisor: University of Brighton Candidate Mikey Tomkins, Topic Community Food Gardens.

2008- 12, Ph.D. Supporting Supervisor: University of Cambridge Candidate Gillian Denny, Topic Embodied greenhouse gas emissions and urban agriculture.

Dr Helen Walker

My research interests lie in the history of Town Planning, particularly the impetus for establishment of the Garden City movement, National Parks, the emergence of community engagement in the planning of places.  Other interests are the theoretical and political influences on the planning process, including regional government (and its demise).  The historical development of urban areas, their design; history of architecture and urban form.

For further supervisory staff including cross-disciplinary options, please visit  research staff on our research website.  

Making an application

You will apply to the University of Brighton through our online application portal. When you do, you will require a research proposal, references, a personal statement and a record of your education.

You will be asked whether you have discussed your research proposal and your suitability for doctoral study with a member of the University of Brighton staff. We recommend that all applications are made with the collaboration of at least one potential supervisor. Approaches to potential supervisors can be made directly through the details available online. If you are unsure, please do contact the Doctoral College for advice.

Please visit our How to apply for a PhD page for detailed information.

Sign in to our online application portal to begin.

Fees and funding

 Funding

Undertaking research study will require university fees as well as support for your research activities and plans for subsistence during full or part-time study.

Funding sources include self-funding, funding by an employer or industrial partners; there are competitive funding opportunities available in most disciplines through, for example, our own university studentships or national (UK) research councils. International students may have options from either their home-based research funding organisations or may be eligible for some UK funds.

Learn more about the funding opportunities available to you.

Tuition fees academic year 2024–25

Standard fees are listed below, but may vary depending on subject area. Some subject areas may charge bench fees/consumables; this will be decided as part of any offer made. Fees for UK and international/EU students on full-time and part-time courses are likely to incur a small inflation rise each year of a research programme.

Contact Brighton Doctoral College

To contact the Doctoral College at the University of Brighton we request an email in the first instance. Please visit our contact the Brighton Doctoral College page .

For supervisory contact, please see individual profile pages.

PhD in Sustainable Building Systems

Become a thought leader in green building and sustainability in the built environment..

The PhD program in sustainable building systems will prepare you to be a leader in scientific discourse and practical applications in the field of green building and sustainability in the built environment.  

The PhD takes three to five years to complete. During the course of your studies, you’ll undertake a thorough exploration of topics like site selection and environmental modification, design of buildings and structures, choice of materials and structural systems, selection and sizing of building energy systems, construction processes, and waste streams. 

You’ll benefit from the interdisciplinary approach that involves faculty in architecture, civil and environmental engineering, and other departments. Our location in the Olver Design Building offers proximity to the Departments of Architecture and Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning (LARP), two academic units whose work also centers on the built environment.

The program’s holistic approach to education, including considerations of the life cycle of building systems, will give you a key advantage on the job market.

Related offerings

Students interested in our PhD in Sustainable Building Systems may also be interested in these other offerings.

• Bachelor of Science in Building and Construction Technology
• Minor in Building and Construction Technology
• Master of Science in Sustainable Building Systems
• Sustainable Building Construction Certificate (Online)

Sustainable Building and Construction Management

Learn about building design, building science and technology, project management, and sustainable business practices.

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• Building Science, Technology, and Sustainability
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The Master of Science and Ph.D. in Building Science, Technology and Sustainability faculty at Berkeley study environmental quality in buildings, and ways of producing desirable environments in an energy - and resource - efficient manner.

The Program

The environmental attributes studied (thermal, luminous, air quality, acoustic) have both physical and psychological dimensions. The intellectual objective of graduate research in building science is uncovering the processes by which a building affects its occupants, evaluating the human/economic/energy consequences of the effects, and incorporating this knowledge in new procedures to design more acceptable buildings.

A secondary objective is to prepare the student for a career involving building science, by having them participate in important funded research ongoing at Berkeley, and by engaging them in the activities of the professional societies where research is presented, debated, and put into forms that influence design practice.

Building Science, Technology and Sustainability Research at Berkeley can be divided into the following categories:

Environmental requirements for occupant: health, satisfaction, comfort, and productivity. We have worked extensively on thermal comfort standards appropriate for energy-conserving building design, on lighting and are also involved in ventilation and air quality standards. We have also developed climatic requirements for pedestrian safety and comfort in the outdoor environment.

Design of climatically-adapted buildings that conserve energy and that may help preserve (in naturally heated, cooled, lit and ventilated buildings) long-standing architectural traditions and patterns of habitation. Although the general principles by which such buildings operate are well-known, it is very difficult to predict their actual performance in terms acceptable to a designer. We have developed a number of computerized design methods to help put climatically-adapted architectural and energy efficient mechanical systems on a quantified footing.

Integrated and personalized conditioning systems to improve the energy efficiency and living quality in buildings, both at the large commercial and the residential scale. Our past work has concentrated on heating and ventilating, lighting, windows and glazing, and new solutions that provide occupants with control of their personal environments. We work on radiant and underfloor air distribution systems. We also develop technology and post occupancy survey techniques with which one can diagnose how well a building is performing.

Innovative structures and new fabrication techniques that transform the way buildings are designed, built, and operated. With this pioneering area, we are investigating a different approach to design and construction that integrates hitherto neglected structural behaviors such as bending and buckling as potential form-giving strategies for flexible and adaptive structural systems. By incorporating emerging building technologies such as elastic structures, smart materials, and 3D printing, we are exploring the potential of producing mass-customized functional parts that are tailor-made for their task and can provide a time and material-efficient alternative to traditional construction processes.

Parametric and generative design methods to support architects in designing sustainable buildings from early design stages. Design decisions with higher impact on future building energy consumption are typically made at conceptual stages. However, it has been difficult to develop ways to integrate energy and sustainability into those architecture design workflows. Taking advantage of recent developments in computational approaches, such as parametric and generative design, optimization through heuristics, and new evaluation metrics in daylighting and comfort, we develop innovative ways for early deployment of sustainability knowledge into pedagogical and professional practice.

Design and simulation in immersive environments allow architects to design and modify buildings within Virtual Reality (VR) or Augmented Reality (AR) platforms. Following the creation of our AR/VR Architecture laboratory, we are developing methods to support interactive design in immersive environments, and to simulate environmental factors from inside VR models. Using state-of-the-art, research grade simulation software, our platforms enable architects to get immediate and accurate feedback on the impact of design decisions on the sustainability performance of their buildings.

Coursework is largely decided on an individual basis through consultation between the student and his or her advisor. In general, each student will be required to develop competence in a range of building science, technology and sustainability topics that border the main topic of interest. Students often participate in research projects conducted by the faculty for external sponsors. Thesis research can be structured in many ways, but must be based on an appropriate combination of theory, modeling, digital simulation, physical prototyping, and testing in the laboratory or field.

The following are members of the M.S./Ph.D faculty who focus on the subject area of Building Science, Technology and Sustainability. Please also review the current list of all faculty in the Architecture Department . Samples of faculty research can be found in the faculty research projects. Also, visit the Center for the Built Environment (CBE) website for current news and research updates.

Applicants are encouraged to review the list of M.S. and Ph.D. alumni for their dissertation topics and more information on the program.

York School of Architecture

PhD/MPhil in architecture

Deliver culturally-informed research in architecture.

Research in architecture seeks to redefine both the role of the architect and established practices, within a constantly changing social, cultural and environmental landscapes. Our research degrees advance fields of enquiry into theory and history of architecture as a practice, responsible design, community architecture, architectural heritage and urban design, sustainable buildings, and virtual architecture.

Your research

At York, our research identifies how design can empower communities, preserve and develop heritage spaces, and contribute meaningfully to informed, inclusive and sustainable futures. We welcome applications from home, practice and international candidates to undertake their PhD/MPhil studies at York School of Architecture. We collaborate with disciplines across the University and external partners to challenge current practices and enrich expertise across four interconnected areas:

• Architectural heritage, historic cities and urban regeneration
• Community architecture, housing and social policy
• Sustainable architecture, ecological landscape, and Net-zero cities
• Creative technologies, AI and virtual futures.

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Under the guidance of your supervisor, you'll work towards a final thesis of 80,000 words for the PhD or 60,000 words for the MPhil. A typical semester will involve a great deal of independent research, with guidance from your supervisor who will be able to suggest direction and address concerns. You'll work independently in a research environment that thrives on creativity and scholarship.

Throughout your degree, you'll have the opportunity to attend a wide range of research training workshops. These sessions offer research skills and specialist technical training tailored to the nature of your research project.

Top 100 in the world

We're 66th in the world for the study of Arts and Humanities , according to the QS World University Rankings, 2023.

Humanities Research Centre

The HRC is a hub of interdisciplinary research collaboration and networking, to support and advocate research projects with reach and impact. It provides a dedicated space for postgraduate events and study.

Award-winning for Sustainability

We're ranked 29th globally, and we've retained our UK top-10 status in the QS Sustainability Rankings, 2024.

Find funding for postgraduate researchers in architecture.

Supervision

Explore the expertise of our staff and identify a potential supervisor.

Training and support

You'll join a friendly, supportive academic community. You'll be taught and supervised by staff who are industry professionals delivering impactful research. 

Throughout your degree, your supervisor will monitor your progress, and will help you to hone the focus of your research.

We offer regular supervisory meetings to discuss planning, researching and writing the thesis. You'll receive training in research methods and skills appropriate to the nature of your work. Training in data analysis and technical expertise - including virtual modeling and laser scanning - can also be provided. You'll receive guidance in proposal writing, preparing and submitting material for publication and transferable communication skills.

Careers and skills

Your PhD or MPhil will give you the ability to apply analytical research to key discussions in architectural policy and practice. You'll graduate with the skills and mindset to drive culturally-informed, sustainable approaches that contribute meaningfully to societal well-being.

We'll discuss career opportunities with you and make professional development suggestions - including teaching and internships - alongside your course activities.

Our dedicated careers team offer specific support, including a programme of professional researcher development and careers workshops and 1:1 career support sessions . They will help you with your employability portfolio, and to engage in activities that will build up your skills and experience within and outside of your research work.

Course location

You'll be based in the York School of Architecture, though your research may take you further afield.

Entry requirements

For research degrees, you'll need to hold a Master's degree, or equivalent experience.

Supervisors interview prospective research students to ensure good supervisory match and to help with funding applications. Most interviews take place over Zoom. UK-based applicants may also be invited to campus.

English language requirements

If English is not your first language you must provide evidence of your ability.

Check your English language requirements

Identify a supervisor

You should   identify a potential supervisor whose area of research overlaps with yours. We encourage you to contact them to discuss your research proposal before you apply.

You should note your preferred supervisor in your application.

Your research proposal

As an applicant to postgraduate research courses, you'll be asked to submit a clear, well-structured   research proposal .

Take a look at the   supporting documents   you may need for your application.

The proposal should be around 2000 words long and include:

• Provisional title of research
• Summary of the topic and research interest
• Brief overview of relevant research in the field and key research gaps/literature
• Research broad aims and objectives
• Potential research approach and methods
• Key readership and references in this topic

Submit your application

You can apply and send all your documentation electronically through our online system. You don’t need to complete your application all at once: you can start, save, and finish it later.

We will respond to your application as soon as possible. You may track the status of your application and view any official correspondence online.

Apply for PhD in Architecture

Find out more about how to apply .

Discover York

Accommodation

We offer a range of campus accommodation to suit you and your budget, from economy to deluxe.

Discover more about our researchers, facilities and why York is the perfect choice for your research degree.

Graduate Research School

Connect with researchers across all disciplines to get the most out of your research project.

Meet us online or on campus

Find out all you need to know about applying to York

Scholarships

Find scholarships to support your studies.

The Bartlett School of Architecture

Architectural Design MPhil/PhD

• Architectural Design MPhil/PhD and Architectural & Urban History MPhil/PhD

Architectural Practice MPhil/PhD

Architectural space & computation mphil/phd, architectural and urban history and theory mphil/phd, architecture & digital theory mphil/phd.

• PhD Scholarships and Funding

We are a multi-disciplinary department with researchers active in architectural design, history, theory, practice, computation and space syntax, who bring together approaches from the arts, humanities, social sciences and engineering to the study of architecture. 

We are ranked the UK’s number one department for architectural research (RAE 2008 and REF 2014) and our staff and students are regularly honoured with the RIBA President’s Awards for Research.

The research activities of our staff can be viewed on UCL’s Institutional Research Information Service.

Scholarships & Funding

About the bartlett school of architecture.

Can bio-based construction materials be reused or recycled?

Scalable digital twin for improved safety and availability of complex engineering assets phd, funded phd project (uk students only).

This research project has funding attached. It is only available to UK citizens or those who have been resident in the UK for a period of 3 years or more. Some projects, which are funded by charities or by the universities themselves may have more stringent restrictions.

The Impact of Climate Change on Timber in Construction

Intelligent automation of low-carbon offsite construction delivery (ref: abce24/dt3a), strategic use of digital technologies in delivering modern methods of construction (mmc) (ref: abce24/dt1a), low carbon retrofit performance monitoring.

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Thesis Topics for Architecture :20 topics related to Sustainable Architecture

Sustainable architecture is the architecture that minimizes the negative environmental impact of buildings. It aims at solving the problems of society and the ecosystem. It uses a selective approach towards energy and the design of the built environment. Most often sustainability is being limited to the efficient water heater or using high-end technologies. It is more than that. It is sometimes about creating awareness among people and communities about how we can coexist in the natural environment. Sustainable architecture is a means to enter the context in a natural way, planning and deciding the materials before the construction that have very few negative effects on the environment. Here are 20 Thesis topics for architecture related to Sustainable Architecture:

1. Urban Park | Thesis Topics for Architecture

To make a city livable and sustainable, urban parks play a key role to provide a healthy lifestyle for the residents of the city. It provides transformative spaces for the congregation and community development . Public parks are very crucial within the cities because they are often the only major greenery source for the area.

2. Neighborhood Development

There is always a challenge to implement sustainable development at a very local level. Thus, urban sprawl, environmental degradation, and traffic congestion have made it necessary to look at problems at the basic level. In cities, there is an extra opportunity to develop a sustainable neighborhood that incorporates energy-efficient buildings, green materials, and social infrastructures.

3. Community Garden Design | Thesis Topics for Architecture

Community gardens are the latest trend for sustainable living in urban areas due to rising health issues in the cities. It helps promote farming as an activity where locals can also get involved in the activities and encourage them to use gardens as recreational spaces. The gardens assist in the sustainable development of urban areas.

4. Waste Recycling Center

Waste recycling centers can be one of the great thesis topics for architecture since waste recycling is always seen as a burden on the city. But it can be converted into an opportunity by incorporating its function and value into the urban fabric . Waste to energy plants or waste recycling centers can be integrated with public functions that engage communities.

5. Restoration of Heritage/Old Building

Building restoration is the process of correctly exposing the state of a historical building, as it was in the past with respecting its heritage value. India has many heritage buildings including forts, temples , buildings which are in deteriorated conditions and need to be restored. Thus, it helps to protect our heritage of the past.

6. Rehabilitation Housing | Thesis Topics for Architecture

Rehabilitation housing is temporary housing made to accommodate people who vacate the colonies that are required to redevelop. Rehabilitation housing also accommodates peoples who get affected by natural calamity and are displaced due to that.

7. Riverfront Development

The development of a riverfront improves the quality of built and unbuilt spaces while maintaining a river-city relationship. It provides an identity to the stretch of the land which can include the addition of cultural and recreational activities. Various public activities and spaces are incorporated to develop the life and ambiance on the riverfront which leads to the environment and economic sustainability.

8. SMART Village | Thesis Topics for Architecture

SMART village is a modern initiative to develop rural villages and provide them with basic amenities, education, health, clean drinking water, sanitation, and environmental sustainability. It aims to strengthen rural communities with new technologies and energy access.

9. Net-Zero Energy Building

A lot of energy goes into the building sector which can be reduced by incorporating energy-efficient techniques and innovations. The Net Zero Energy Building (NZEB) produces as much energy as it consumes over the year, and sometimes more. NZEB can be applied to various typologies such as industrial, commercial, and residential. Due to emerging concerns over climate change, these buildings are a new trend nowadays.

10. Bermed Structure

The bermed structure is a structure that is built above ground or partially below the ground, with earth covering at least one wall. In extreme climatic conditions, a bermed structure protects from both heat and cold. The structure can be any typology be it residence, museum, or exhibition hall. These types of buildings are very energy efficient but extra care is needed to be given to waterproofing.

11. Regenerative Design

Regenerative design is active participation in engaging in the natural environment. It focuses on reducing the environmental impacts of a building on the natural surroundings through conservation and performance. While green building improves energy efficiency, the regenerative building improves the ecosystem as it will support habitats for living organisms.

12. Urban Agriculture Centre

Urban agriculture centers accommodate the space for cultivating, processing, and distribution of food in any urban area. The center helps to improve the quality of life and provides them healthy options to eat. Fresh fruits, vegetables, and meat products through the center improves food safety. The center can also be made a learning hub for people to collaborate and share their knowledge of sustainable food production. It can create awareness and improve the eating habits of people.

13. Revitalizing Abandoned Mill or Industry

Mills and industries are an important aspect of developing an urban area. They invoke the image of industrial development, invention, and success in their times. Thus, by revitalizing the abandoned mill, one can preserve the city’s old fabric.

14. Eco-Tourism Center

Eco-tourism center caters to the need to maintain the ecosystem with least intervention on the life of plants and wildlife. It also provides responsible travel to the people to the natural areas. The center also consists of research laboratories, data analysis and conducts studies to spread awareness among the locals about the ecosystems.

15. The Revival of a Heritage Building

Revival is a process of improvement in the condition and fortunes of the building, without losing its traditional spirit. When we talk about sustainability, Heritage revival is not paid any proper attention. On the other hand, it has a great opportunity to improve our rich culture’s heritage. It can provide positive impacts on the well-being of society as well as economic development.

16.Adaptive Reuse of a Building

Adaptive reuse is a process of retrofitting old structures for new users but retaining their earlier integrity to meet the new needs of the occupants. Thus, the best thing or feel about the building is preserved and developed in a modified way. It gives a new life to the building and removes the need to demolish the structure.

17. Redevelopment of Slum

Redevelopment of the slum is done to improve the urban sprawl created by the slums and no new land is available for the new construction. In current scenarios in many cities, urban slums are a major concern due to unhygienic and unstable living conditions. The redevelopment aims to give priority to health, livelihood, sanitation, and infrastructure without removing people from the site.

18. Vertical Farm | Thesis Topics for Architecture

A vertical farm is a structure/space in a greenhouse or a field where food production takes place on vertically inclined planes. It often includes agriculture that optimizes plant growth, and soilless techniques like aquaponics, hydroponics, etc. The farming systems can be made on buildings, ship containers, or mine shafts.

19. Wetland Restoration

A degraded wetland is restored which has been destroyed earlier on the land it has been at or still is. Restoration practices include re-establishment and rehabilitation. Wetland restoration is important to maintain ecology, wildlife habitat, and they contribute to economic well-being also.

20. Eco-Mosque | Thesis Topics for Architecture

Eco-mosque is an environmentally friendly and zero energy mosque with the perception towards modernity with sustainability. The Mosque is the epicenter of the community and an important learning place to amplify the environmental stewardship responsibilities. The Eco Mosque is a one-of-a-kind structure designed completely on green technology, being sustainable & with the minimum carbon footprint.

Madiha Khanam is an architect and an enthusiast writer. She approaches writing as a creative medium to pen-down her thoughts just like drawing and illustrating. She loves to read and write about architecture, engineering, and psychology. Besides, she loves to watch anime.

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Built Environment (Practice-based PhD)

The practice-based PhD is aimed at practitioners operating within or across the broad range of disciplines represented in the school, from architecture and design to planning and construction. Early and mid-career, and senior practitioners, will have the opportunity to apply the knowledge, skills and methodologies they've developed in the field within a broader framework of critical and rigorous scholarly enquiry. The expanded range of interrogative, analytical and evaluative skills developed during their candidatures should directly enhance their own practice.

Key information

A practice-based PhD is available across all disciplines represented in the School of Built Environment: 

architecture

city planning

computational design 

construction management and property

industrial design

interior architecture 

landscape architecture.

The primary aim of the practice-based PhD is to contribute new knowledge to the field through systematic investigation. A candidate will apply the research value of the knowledge, skills and methodologies developed as a practitioner within a broader framework of critical enquiry and analysis. It's expected that the candidate will generate a new body of ideas-based, creative work (the project) and a written work (the dissertation) that will make an original contribution to knowledge within the field. 

The project may take one of a number of different forms, such as architectural design, urban design and planning, construction methods and technologies, industrial design, interior design, and landscape design. It could also cross a number of disciplines. The chosen medium can also vary, for example, it might take the form of objects, drawings, plans, prototypes, models, creative text, digital fabrication, film, virtual reality, or a combination of these. The requirement, however, is that the project can be fully documented in electronic form for the purposes of examination.

The dissertation is a substantial research-based academic essay that bears a direct relationship to the project. Together the dissertation and the project comprise the PhD thesis.

To assist commencing students in developing an appropriate research methodology, candidates are required to undertake a course in their first session - BENV7020 Research Seminar.

Candidates undertaking a practice-based PhD will also be required to undertake a specialised Thesis Writing Workshop run by UNSW Learning Centre. 

For information on the structure of the program, please refer to the  UNSW Online Handbook .

For information on how a practice-based PhD is examined, please refer to  Notes For Examiners .

 Who are the candidates?

Are you an established and passionate practitioner operating within or across the broad range of disciplines represented in the School of Built Environment like architecture and urban design, city planning, computational design, construction management and property, industrial design, interior architecture and landscape architecture? 

Are you interested in developing rigorous critical thinking and knowledge creation to improve your practice and the industry?

Based on your direct experience as an established practitioner in the built environment industry, you will generate a project through robust critical research. 

The research project would result from historically and scientifically broadening and contextualising the field of enquiry.

Reflection, experimentation and testing boundaries within your field will narrow the PhD topic to a sharp, focused and manageable research project.

Why begin a research project? 

Research projects will affect, benefit and reward industry by improving and expanding your services to clients.  

Discipline and interdisciplinary oriented research projects will shape the future of our cities and allow you, as a practitioner, to become a global leader in your field.

Your research project will encourage, promote and support collaboration between academia and industry. 

Where to look for funding sources? 

Your close working relationship with the industry can potentially lead to funding, where the research topic is aligned with the industry’s future visions. (For example, design-construction-developer companies, construction material industries/associations) 

Architecture 

Architecture and social agency .

Project aim:  the broader aim is to contribute to the growing discourse on community development and social agency in vulnerable communities. The history of humanitarian concerns in development delivery stem from colonisation and top-down practices. Practice-based PhD candidate Renate Carius’ research project focuses on participatory design processes set within the context of post-disaster reconstruction in Nepal. Current fieldwork serves as a case study to explore how reflexive design can contribute to local agency in informal settlements. 

Project findings:  Findings from the process could contribute to future knowledge on co-design strategies and policy in vulnerable communities for social agency.  

Architecture and urban condition 

Project aim:  by integrating the building to the city and its urban landscape, the aim of the practice-based PhD in architecture and the urban condition is to question the role of architecture in responding with contemporary and progressive design of volumes, spaces, public/private human activities and use of materiality to the existing urban fabric.

Project findings:  research findings from critical forward-thinking and imaginative practitioners will enhance research about ‘urban contiguity’ - how considering the existing urban context and envisioning a new project complement each other; how rethinking and integrating urban high-density and public infrastructure with multigenerational/affordable housing, public activities and educational institutions will create a more liveable community.   

Architecture and housing 

Project aim:  Diane Jones’ PhD proposal looks at the cultural shift and interest in urban settings which are not age or otherwise segregated for integrated communities embedded within the existing urban context. This intersects with the perceived benefits and realities of high density living in a compact city. The aim is to understand the architectural design attributes of wellbeing for people who are aging within purposefully designed high rise living settings- in an integrated (across generations and uses) community within an urban context. How do architectural design decisions in practice align with people’s experiences of wellbeing? 

Project findings:  the proposal will work towards the development of a suite of principles that are evidence-based - that can be organised as an evaluative matrix, which can be used to brief, design and evaluate the spatial experiences that contribute to people’s wellbeing and continuing vitality and vibrancy as they grow older. 

Construction

Construction and project management .

Project aim:  despite its contribution to the global and national economies, the construction industry is notorious for being unsafe. In such an environment, project management personnel play an important role in leading safety task implementation and creating positive safety climate in construction projects. This, subsequently, leads to accident prevention through the efforts of eliminating unsafe acts and conditions. To do so, project management personnel need to possess sufficient skills. Therefore, this present research has investigated the role of project management personnel’s skills (comprising conceptual, human, political and technical skills) in implementing safety management tasks and developing safety climate. 

Project findings:  this research has identified four essential skills and 15 skill components of project management personnel to manage construction safety. Visioning, self-awareness and apparent sincerity are the foundation skills; scoping and integration, and self-management are the first-tier mediator skills; whilst social awareness, social astuteness and relationship management are the second-tier mediator skills. A significant contribution of this research to construction safety practice is the development of a model that portrays skill applications and development processes for project management personnel to implement safety management tasks and develop safety climate. The model recommended assists construction organisations to identify skill shortages and make decisions on their human resource development strategies and plans. 

Computational design 

Project aim and findings:  computational design is moving from promise to practice. Where PhD research in the early years of computational design often engage with provocative form finding and experiments in computation and computing, a practice-based PhD in Computational Design aims to tackle problems in the industry. The Computational Design degree and its HDR extensions sees itself as the research and development department for local, national and international firms investigating third horizon challenges spanning from Machine Learning / AI, to bio-mimicry, to AR/VR, robotic and digital fabrication, to smart cities and responsive environments and performance and optimisation of design, architecture, structure and cities. 

As established practitioners, PhD applicants can bring firm-specific third horizon challenges into the PhD investigation and answer the research question through academic supervision within the school, but also, depending on the topic, within the university. The PhD student can further make use of the Design Futures Lab with its extensive range of collaborative and industry robots, AR/VR and sensing and capturing facilities, as well as conventional making.

Industrial design 

Project aim and findings:  a practice-based PhD in Industrial Design is aimed at mid-career and senior practitioners operating within the field of industrial design. Candidates will contribute new knowledge to the field through critical and rigorous self-reflection, systematic investigation, scholarly enquiry and analysis of their own design practice; including the knowledge, skills and methodologies they developed as a practitioner. 

The aim is to document, make explicit and voice this research knowledge, which is otherwise inherent and implicit in their ongoing design practice. In return, the candidates’ own practice will be enhanced with the expanded range of interrogative, analytical and evaluative skills developed during the practice-based PhD. Outcomes of a practice-based PhD are expected to be in the form of a combined project, generating a new body of ideas-based/creative work and a written dissertation that together will make an original contribution to knowledge, enabling the candidate to become a recognized authority within the field. 

City planning

Project aim:  the development of affordable housing in mixed-tenure neighbourhoods is frequently meant with opposition from local residents, planners, politicians and the media. This opposition can lead to costly construction delays and amendments for affordable housing developers and, in some cases, may even force the abandonment of projects. In the most high-profile cases, the opposition threatens to undermine political and public support for affordable housing provision. There has been much research on the phenomenon of community opposition to affordable housing development in the USA, but there is almost no equivalent research in Australia.  

Project findings: Gethin Davison’s PhD research found that most affordable housing proposals are not controversial, but a small number of high-profile cases undermine political and public support for affordable housing provision. This project also contributes to understanding the NIMBY (Not In My Backyard) movement in Australia. Levels of opposition to affordable housing tend to be greater in relatively wealthy areas, especially where there is no precedent for multi-unit development or affordable housing. In particular, opposition to affordable housing is highly localised, with most submissions made against affordable housing proposals coming from people living close to the site. Planning assessment processes can generate or exacerbate community opposition to affordable housing, especially where community involvement is limited.  

Sustainable built environment 

Project aim:  in recent years, the planning, design and installation of “green infrastructure” at the local and city level have been identified as a best practice and nature-based solution to achieving greater urban sustainability and resilience. This project aims to develop an indicator-based model using a mixed-method approach to evaluate the performance of urban green infrastructure. This model is composed of a set of sixteen key indicators within four subcategories: ecological; health and wellbeing; sociocultural; and economic. Each represents key interactions between human health, ecosystem services and ecosystem health. This model is tested, validated and verified through a case study in Sydney, Australia. 

Project findings:  the significance of the research is that the derived indicator-based model provides an opportunity to understand the complex relationships of the multidimensional structure of urban green spaces. It provides a useful insight for urban designers and decision-makers in monitoring various aspects of the urban ecosystem, and it also allows for early warnings regarding any undesirable changes in sustainability levels. 

Appropriate undergraduate degree with first or upper second-class honours or a completed Masters by Research degree, or academic qualification(s) considered equivalent.

Candidates may be admitted to the PhD program after one year's full-time enrolment in a Masters by Research program with the approval of the School Higher Degree Research Committee.

In exceptional cases, an applicant who submits evidence of such other academic and professional qualifications, as may be approved by the School Higher Degree Committee, may be permitted to enrol for the degree. English language requirements apply. Please refer to  UNSW’s English Requirements Policy .

Learn more about our  higher degree research programs . 

Postgraduate Research Scholarships (RTP, UPA, TFS): allow at least eight weeks from the time of submitting your application to the School HDC to the closing date for the university’s scholarship rounds. For more information, please see the  Graduate Research School website . See deadlines for  UNSW apply online applications and scholarships .

• Centre of Research recognised by industry and wider community
• Academic support by highly qualified and experienced academics
• Supervision by some of the top researchers in their fields
• Regular knowledge-sharing workshops and seminars
• Quality research facilities
• Dedicated research space for every full-time candidate
• Financial support (additional to any scholarship).

• Schools & departments

Architecture PhD, MPhil

Awards: PhD, MPhil

Study modes: Full-time, Part-time

Funding opportunities

Programme website: Architecture

Introduction to Postgraduate Research

Join us online on 19 June to learn about applying for and studying a research degree at Edinburgh.

Find out more and register

Research profile

Research is central to the study of architecture within the Edinburgh School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture (ESALA). It motivates our intellectual and creative activities and underpins our collaborations with a range of important international and UK-based institutions.

We actively promote interdisciplinary approaches to research in architecture. Our expertise and interests range across the following areas:

Architectural Conservation

Our focus includes:

• conservation theory and history
• urban conservation
• conservation technology
• the challenges of bridging heritage and new architecture

Architectural History, Theory and Criticism

We have particular strength in:

• the history of architecture in Britain and the British colonial world (18th and 19th centuries)
• Germany, Central Europe and Russia
• modernism in Europe, North America and Africa
• Renaissance Italy
• the history of landscape
• the history of technology
• the international history of mass housing and urban development
• the theory and philosophy of architecture
• the philosophy of place
• critical inquiry and methodology

Design-led Research and Studio Practice

We focus on:

• research in and through design, as informed by contemporary architectural and cultural theory
• studio pedagogy
• research-led teaching
• methodologies of urban research and fieldwork

Technology, Environment and Sustainability

We offer expertise in:

• lightweight steel structures
• the building envelope
• design and manufacturing
• sustainable design in both qualitative and quantitative senses, looking at environmental response, design theory, rural planning and user-centred solutions

Interior Design

Programme structure.

The PhD programme comprises three years of full-time (six years part-time) research under the supervision of an expert in your chosen research topic within Architecture. This period of research culminates in a supervised thesis of up to a maximum of 100,000 words.

The MPhil programme comprises two years of full-time (four years part-time) research under the supervision of an expert in your chosen research topic within Architecture. This period of research culminates in a supervised thesis of up to a maximum of 60,000 words.

Regular individual meetings with your supervisor provide guidance and focus for the course of research you are undertaking.

You will be encouraged to attend research methods courses at the beginning of your research studies.

And for every year you are enrolled on programme you will be required to complete an annual progression review.

Training and support

All of our research students benefit from Edinburgh College of Art's interdisciplinary approach, and you will be assigned at least two research supervisors.

Your first/ lead supervisor would normally be based in the same subject area as your degree programme. Your second supervisor may be from another discipline within Edinburgh College of Art or elsewhere within the University of Edinburgh, according to the expertise required. On occasion more than two supervisors will be assigned, particularly where the degree brings together multiple disciplines.

Our research culture is supported by seminars and public lecture programmes and discussion groups.

Tutoring opportunities will be advertised to the postgraduate research community, which you can apply for should you wish to gain some teaching experience during your studies. But you are not normally advised to undertake tutoring work in the first year of your research studies, while your main focus should be on establishing the direction of your research.

You are encouraged to attend courses at the Institute for Academic Development ( IAD ), where all staff and students at the University of Edinburgh are supported through a range of training opportunities, including:

• short courses in compiling literature reviews
• writing in a second language
• preparing for your viva

The Scottish Graduate School for Arts and Humanities ( SGSAH ) offers further opportunities for development. You will also be encouraged to refer to the Vitae research development framework as you grow into a professional researcher.

You will have access to study space (some of which are 24-hour access), studios and workshops at Edinburgh College of Art’s campus, as well as University wide resources. There are several bookable spaces for the development of exhibitions, workshops or seminars. And you will have access to well-equipped multimedia laboratories, photography and exhibition facilities, shared recording space, access to recording equipment available through Bookit, the equipment loan booking system.

You will have access to high quality library facilities. Within the University of Edinburgh, there are three libraries; the Main Library, the ECA library and the Art and Architecture Library. The Centre for Research Collections which holds the University of Edinburgh’s historic collections is also located in the Main Library.

The Talbot Rice Gallery is a public art gallery of the University of Edinburgh and part of Edinburgh College of Art, which is committed to exploring what the University of Edinburgh can contribute to contemporary art practice today and into the future. You will also have access to the extraordinary range and quality of exhibitions and events associated with a leading college of art situated within a world-class research-intensive University.

St Cecilia’s Hall which is Scotland’s oldest purpose-built concert hall also houses the Music Museum which holds one of the most important historic musical instrument collections anywhere in the world.

In addition to the University’s facilities you will also be able to access wider resources within the City of Edinburgh. Including but not limited to; National Library of Scotland, Scottish Studies Library and Digital Archives, City of Edinburgh Libraries, Historic Environment Scotland and the National Trust for Scotland.

You will also benefit from the University’s extensive range of student support facilities provided, including student societies, accommodation, wellbeing and support services.

PhD by Distance option

The PhD by Distance is available to suitably qualified applicants in all the same areas as our on-campus programmes.

The PhD by Distance allows students who do not wish to commit to basing themselves in Edinburgh to study for a PhD in an ECA subject area from their home country or city.

There is no expectation that students studying for an ECA PhD by Distance study mode should visit Edinburgh during their period of study. However, short term visits for particular activities could be considered on a case-by-case basis.

For further information on the PhD by Distance please see the ECA website

Entry requirements

These entry requirements are for the 2024/25 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2025/26 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2024.

Normally a UK masters degree or its international equivalent. If you do not meet the academic entry requirements, we may still consider your application on the basis of relevant professional experience.

You must also submit a research proposal; see How to Apply section for guidance.

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

• Entry requirements by country
• English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.0 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
• TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 20 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
• C1 Advanced ( CAE ) / C2 Proficiency ( CPE ): total 185 with at least 169 in each component.
• Trinity ISE : ISE III with passes in all four components.
• PTE Academic: total 70 with at least 59 in each component.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS , TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE , in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

• UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

• Approved universities in non-MESC

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old* at the beginning of your programme of study. (*Revised 05 March 2024 to extend degree validity to five years.)

Find out more about our language requirements:

Fees and costs

Tuition fees.

Scholarships and funding

Featured funding.

• Edinburgh College of Art scholarships

UK government postgraduate loans

If you live in the UK, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan from one of the UK’s governments.

The type and amount of financial support you are eligible for will depend on:

• your programme
• the duration of your studies
• your tuition fee status

Programmes studied on a part-time intermittent basis are not eligible.

• UK government and other external funding

Other funding opportunities

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

• Search for funding

Further information

• Edinburgh College of Art Postgraduate Research Team
• Phone: +44 (0)131 651 5739
• Contact: [email protected]
• Postgraduate Research Director, Architecture & Landscape Architecture, Dr Ruxandra-Iulia Stoica
• Contact: [email protected]
• Edinburgh College of Art Postgraduate Research Team Student and Academic Support Service
• The University of Edinburgh
• Evolution House, 78 West Port
• Central Campus
• Programme: Architecture
• School: Edinburgh College of Art
• College: Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

Select your programme and preferred start date to begin your application.

PhD Architecture - 3 Years (Full-time)

Phd architecture - 6 years (part-time), phd architecture by distance - 3 years (full-time), phd architecture by distance - 6 years (part-time), mphil architecture - 2 years (full-time), mphil architecture - 4 years (part-time), application deadlines.

If you are applying for funding or will require a visa then we strongly recommend you apply as early as possible. All applications must be received by the deadlines listed above.

• How to apply

You must submit two references with your application.

You must submit two references with your application, one of which must be an academic reference and preferably from your most recent studies.

You should submit a research proposal that outlines your project's aims, context, process and product/outcome. Read the application guidance before you apply.

• Preparing your application - postgraduate research degrees (PDF)

Find out more about the general application process for postgraduate programmes:

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• Ibrahim Abdou: Cairo’s Vacant Houses: Trajectories of accumulation, regulation, and improvisation
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• Anna Boldina: Urban Hiking. Factors that can persuade pedestrians to choose more physically challenging routes in urban environment, in connection with their physical abilities
• Fatma Beyza Celebi: Cosmopolitan Nostalgia: Examining local memory in contemporary Istanbul focusing on spatial and visual representations of the city’s cosmopolitanism in the 1920s and 1930s
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• Mohamed Derbal: Space, time and community: German architectural discourse and the search for national unity, 1890-1914
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• Hamideh Farahmandian: An Investigation into the Cinematic Representations of Urban Informality in Iran
• Nicholas Frayne: Spaces of Violence and Healing: the material agency of architecture in peacebuilding in Kenya
• Vendela Gambill: Land use planning and applied urban modelling: natural limits to growth in London
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• Elizabeth Baldwin Gray: Conceptions of the Gothic: Romantic Medievalism in Early Modern German Architecture
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• Tom Joashi: Rethinking Urban Conflict Through the French Wars of Religion (1550-1572)
• Yasser M. Khaldi: Governing Renewable Energy Transition in Conflict Contexts: The Case of Palestine
• Mohamed Hesham Khalil: Architecting hippocampal plasticity through spatial complexity
• Bing-Tao Lee: Biophilic Design and Mental Wellbeing: The Relationship Between Indoor Plants, Positive Emotions and Behaviour
• Yufei Li: Atlas in Motion: Visualising Manchuria through Moving Images
• Mariana Llano Valencia: Challenging the influence of coloniality, whiteness and patriarchy in urban planning in Cartagena, Colombia
• Yusi Luo: Housing Choices of Young graduates in the UK
• Fatma Mhmood: Social Narratives and Women’s Spatial Experiences of Parks and Desert Landscapes in the UAE
• Heather Mitcheltree: Geographies of gendered and domestic violence in Australia
• Ekaterina Mizrokhi: Life in Anachronistic Space: Awaiting Demolition in Moscow's Soviet-era Standardised Housing
• Ummiye Seyda Mutlu: Urban Rooms: Places of Mediation, Participation, and Urban Change
• Jiayu Pan: Redesigning interior spaces to accommodate social distancing for the rare events
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• Zhikai Peng: Exploring Urban Spatial Behaviour Under Thermal Stress: How variations in sun and wind conditions due to urban form affect public space use?
• Georgia Politi: The life and work of Sir Horace Jones, PRIBA (1819-1887)
• Natcha Ruamsanitwong: Modernising Britain: Sir Leslie Martin (1908-2000) and his role in shaping the Architectural Education in Britain
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• Michael Salka: On the Origin of Buildings: Social-Ecological Networks Provisioning the Built Environment
• Aisha Sobey: Urban futures: The implications of smart cities and digital living for wellbeing
• Lei Song: Fountains, Baths, and Urban Water Supply in England, 1400 - 1800
• Maoran Sun: Scenario-based strategies for decarbonizing Hard-to-Decarbonize housing
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• Jeroen van Ameijde: Quality of life in high-density urban environments: Data-driven analysis of Hong Kong’s public housing environments and social interaction
• Eimar Watson: The British Marble Industry 1748-1905
• Jonathan Weston: Beyond the Pretty Picture: Exploring the Aesthetic and Function of the Architectural Visualisation
• Eduardo Wiegand: The Life Cycle Design of Multi-storey Wood Buildings: opportunities for efficiency across the construction value chain
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