phd proposal on sustainable architecture

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

• Architecture
• Engineering
• Fashion & Textiles
• Social Science

Building for a future that has yet to be defined.

• Sidney Kimmel Medical College
• College of Architecture & The Built Environment
• Kanbar College of Design, Engineering & Commerce
• College of Health Professions
• College of Humanities & Sciences
• College of Life Sciences
• College of Nursing
• College of Pharmacy
• College of Population Health
• College of Rehabilitation Sciences
• Institute of Emerging Health Professions
• Continuing & Professional Studies
• Jefferson Institute for Bioprocessing

Prepare yourself for what’s yet to come.

• Request Information
• Schedule a Visit
• Take a Virtual Tour
• Apply for Admission
• Financing Your Education

Contact Admissions

Start your Jefferson journey today.

• Financial Aid Office
• Student Accounts Office

Expert Center City and East Falls staffs are here to help.

Each of our locations offers a unique learning environment.

• Research Research Research Overview Applied Research Basic Research Clinical Research Labs & Service Centers Research Resources
• News News The Nexus News Archive

PhD in Architecture & Design Research

College of Architecture & the Built Environment

Doctor of Philosophy

Hybrid (Online and On Campus)

4 - 7 Years

Call to Actions

• 215-951-2895
• 215-951-2800

The architectural discipline is in constant flux, requiring the ongoing development of new modes of design research. The PhD in Architecture & Design Research is focused on anticipating and shaping the future of practice. Our mission is to create new avenues of investigation, expand knowledge bases, solve time-sensitive, contemporary issues across architectural disciplines and yield new insights into the past, present and future of the field. Interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research are important elements of this program, which builds on the wide-ranging expertise of faculty within the College of Architecture & the Built Environment and across Jefferson, a National Doctorial Research University.

In this program you will choose a focus area and conduct original research on timely, discipline-specific topics. You’ll shape a research question and pursue transdisciplinary inquiry, drawing upon the broad array of professional expertise available throughout the University. The final dissertation phase is an individualized, self-driven process, through which you will make a significant contribution to the body of knowledge in a specific focus area.

Choose your focus area from a wide array of topics supported by the diverse expertise and research agenda of faculty who study areas including sustainable architecture, high performance buildings, urban design, smart cities, geospatial technologies, historic preservation, public interest design and design for health, sustainable development, real estate development and innovative construction. Through your research you will reach beyond the primary field, collaborating with other disciplines relevant to your topic, including engineering, business and health sciences, in consultation with an academic advisor.

This program is offered through three different online/hybrid tracks:

• Architecture & Design Research, PhD – in person/hybrid
• Architecture & Design Research, Practice-Based PhD – online/hybrid
• Offers a concentration in Inclusive Design & Creative Technology Innovation with SMARTlab

National and International Partnerships

Faculty have formed partnerships with several international institutions, including: Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, China; TU Delft; Politecnico di Milano; Anhalt University and Hochschule Ostwestfalen Lippe – School of Architecture, Germany. We foster student and faculty exchange and research with a growing list of top-tier domestic and international partner institutions. In addition, you will benefit from CABE’s network with leading architectural firms around the world, such as Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), Gensler, Stantec, Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (KPF) and AECOM via joint design studio, funded research, workshops and other activities.

Collaborative, Transdisciplinary Research

Increasingly complex challenges are impacting the environment and conditions of human lives at unprecedented scales, from urban to ecological systems. These challenges require novel, transdisciplinary approaches and solutions that intersect the fields of academia with practice. The PhD in Architecture & Design Research benefits from the transdisciplinary nature of Jefferson that fosters the intersection of architecture and design with business, engineering and the health sciences. The program builds upon Jefferson’s institutional strengths to educate the next generation of innovators who understand how to think critically and creatively and collaborate effectively. 

• Institute for Smart and Healthy Cities
• Synesthetic Research & Design Lab
• Lab for Urban & Social Innovation
• Center for the Preservation of Modernism
• Fashion & Textiles Futures Center

The PhD in Architecture & Design Research is a  STEM  designated program . (04.0902 Architecture and Building Science/Technology)

Student Profiles

Meet our Student: Monique Chabot

Monique is in the PhD in Architecture & Design Research program within the College of Architecture and the Built Environment.

Program Highlights

• Customize your education and connect with professional opportunities.
• Generate original and meaningful research that expands scholarship and practical knowledge in architecture and related disciplines.
• Prepare for a career in specialized practice, consulting, university teaching and architectural research.  
• Benefit from synergies among the wide-ranging portfolio of graduate programs within CABE as well as other disciplines throughout the University.   

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

• Meet CED Alums
• Work at CED
• Undergraduate Majors + Minors
• Graduate Programs
• Degrees + Certificates
• Summer Programs
• Study Abroad
• Undergraduate Admissions
• Graduate Admissions
• Fees + Financial Aid
• CED Undergraduate Advising
• Graduate Advising
• Centers & Institutes
• Climate Solutions
• Equity + Social Justice
• Technology + Material Innovations
• Publications
• Research Collaborations
• Environmental Design Archives
• Student Work
• Student Organizations
• Student Support
• Building Safety
• Student Fees and Waivers
• Fabrication + Materials
• IT + Computing
• Environmental Design Library
• Facility Services
• Awards, Scholarships and Fellowships
• Careers & Work Opportunities
• Accreditation and Licensure
• Bachelor of Arts
• Minor in Environmental Design and Urbanism in Developing Countries
• Minor in the History of the Built Environment
• Minor in Social and Cultural Factors in Environmental Design
• Minor in Sustainable Design
• Master of Architecture (MArch)
• Master of Advanced Architectural Design (MAAD)
• Master of Science
• Concurrent Programs
• 2024 Spring Courses
• 2024 Summer Courses
• 2024 Fall Courses
• + About LAEP
• Minor in Landscape Architecture
• Master of Landscape Architecture
• Concurrent Degrees
• + About DCRP
• Master of City Planning
• Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies
• Faculty Work
• Studio Work
• + About IURD
• About MRED+D
• For Students

Ph.D. in Architecture

• About Architecture
• Building Science, Technology, and Sustainability

History, Theory, and Society

The Ph.D. in architecture is a research degree appropriate for those seeking careers in teaching and scholarship in architecture and its related areas, or in roles in government or professional consultation that require depth in specialization and experience in research.

The Program

Berkeley’s Ph.D. program in architecture is interdisciplinary in outlook, reaching into the various disciplines related to architecture and incorporating substantial knowledge from outside fields. Students admitted to this program carry out a program of advanced study and research, both on the basis of formal class work and of individual investigation. Work centers on three related fields of study, the major field (the basis for the dissertation), and one-to-two minor fields, at least one of which must be from a discipline outside architecture.

Fields of Study

The Ph.D. degree emphasizes course work and supervised independent research in one of the following areas of study:

• Building Science, Technology and Sustainability (BSTS)
• History, Theory and Society (HTS)

Major fields outside these fields or combinations thereof may also be proposed at the time of admission.

Course work is individually developed through consultation with an academic adviser. Outside fields of study may take advantage of the University’s varied resources. Recent graduates have completed outside fields in anthropology, art history, business administration, city and regional planning, computer science, various engineering fields, psychology, women’s studies, geography and sociology.

The following are members of the Ph.D faculty, broken into one of two offered areas of study. Please also review the current list of all faculty in the Architecture Department for other faculty and specialities. A sampling of faculty research is described on the faculty research projects page.

Building Science, Technology and Sustainability

Requirements

The Ph.D. program in architecture is governed by the regulations of the University Graduate Division and administered by the departmental Ph.D. committee. Specific degree requirements include:

• A minimum of two years in residence.
• Completion of a one-semester course in research methods.
• Satisfaction of a foreign language requirement for those in the History, Theory and Society.
• Completion of one-to-two outside fields of study.
• A written qualifying examination, followed by an oral qualifying examination.
• A dissertation.

Course requirements for the degree include:

• 2023-2024 BSTS Ph.D. Handbook [PDF]
• 2023-2024 HTS Ph.D. Handbook [PDF]
• 2022-2023 BSTS Ph.D. Handbook [PDF]
• 2022-2023 HTS Ph.D. Handbook [PDF]
• 2021-2022 BSTS Ph.D. Handbook [PDF]
• 2021-2022 HTS Ph.D. Handbook [PDF]

Ph.D. Alumni List

• Ph.D. Alumni — Building Science, Technology and Sustainability
• Ph.D. Alumni — History, Theory, and Society

• Skip to content
• Skip to footer
• Accessibility options

• Business and employers
• Alumni and supporters
• For students

• Postgraduate research degrees
• Our postgraduate research disciplines
• Apply for a PhD
• Funding and studentships
• International
• Support and training
• Research Masters
• Postgraduate info session
• Archaeology | Archaeological Sciences PhD
• Architecture PhD | Built Environment PhD
• Art and creative practices PhD
• Biology PhD | Biomaterials PhD
• Business and management PhD
• Chemistry PhD
• Civil engineering PhD
• Computing PhD
• Conservation Ecology and Zoonosis PhD
• Criminology
• Cultural studies PhD | Global studies PhD
• Digital media and culture PhD
• Ecology and environmental management
• Engineering PhD
• English literature PhD
• Environmental communication PhD
• Film, screen and popular culture PhD
• Geology and Earth Science PhD
• Health and wellbeing PhD | Resilience PhD
• History of design PhD | History of art PhD
• History PhD
• Human geography PhD
• Linguistics and language PhD
• Mathematics and statistics PhD
• Media communications PhD
• Medicines Optimisation
• Neuroscience PhD
• Nursing PhD | Midwifery PhD
• Occupational therapy PhD
• Philosophy, politics and ethics PhD
• Physiotherapy PhD
• Podiatry PhD
• Politics PhD
• Professional Doctorate in Education (EdD)
• Psychology and Community Psychology
• Regenerative medicine PhD
• Sociology PhD
• Sport and exercise science PhD
• Sport and leisure cultures PhD
• Tourism and hospitality 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)

Katrin Bohn

Katrin Bohn supervises and examines PhDs that broadly correspond to her design research in productive urban landscapes, focussing on urban agriculture and the urban food system. She welcomes proposals exploring issues of scale, diversity, temporality and the everyday within the above named subject area. Katrin is associated to the four PGR programmes Architecture & Design, Built Environment, Ecology and History of Art & Design.

Currently, Katrin is the academic advisor in the School for our Visiting Researcher Dr. Dong Chu from the College of Design and Arts of Harbin University of Commerce, China.

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 three PhDs to successful completion in:

• Life Cycle Assessment of Double-Skin Facades for refurbishment of office buildings in temperate climates
• 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

I have three more PhD students at different stages of their studies working on:

• Managing sustainability through architectural design decision processes: Underpinning influences of human values on design problem framing
• Future-proof cultural heritage: A UK perspective
• An integrated approach to Value Management (VM), Risk Management (RM) and Environmental Management (EM) in construction projects

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

• 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 constrcution, 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 2023–24

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.

199 sustainability-architecture PhD positions

Filtered by.

• sustainability-architecture

Refine Your Search

• Last-24-hours 7
• Last-3-days 5
• Last-7-days 9
• Last-30-days 46
• Scholarship 189
• Research Job 11
• Netherlands 28
• United Kingdom 17
• Australia 7
• Switzerland 6
• Hong Kong 1
• The Netherlands 1
• United States 1
• Chalmers University of Technology 70
• Delft University of Technology 12
• Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) 9
• ; University of Southampton 6
• NORWEGIAN UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY - NTNU 6
• NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology 6
• Umeå University 6
• ETH Zurich 5
• Technical University of Denmark 5
• Eindhoven University of Technology 3
• Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) 3
• Ghent University 3
• NTNU Norwegian University of Science and Technology 3
• Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra 3
• Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences 3
• AALTO UNIVERSITY 2
• Leiden University 2
• Monash University 2
• RMIT University 2
• Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet 2
• Swinburne University of Technology 2
• The Oslo School of Architecture and Design (AHO) 2
• University of Nottingham 2
• ; The University of Manchester 1
• ; University of Bristol 1
• ; University of Nottingham 1
• ; University of York 1
• Aalto University 1
• AcademicTransfer 1
• Blekinge Institute of Technology 1
• Casa da Arquitectura - Centro Português de Arquitectura 1
• Cranfield University 1
• Curtin University 1
• Erasmus University Rotterdam 1
• Free University of Amsterdam 1
• Graz University of Technology 1
• Inria Rennes 1
• KTH Royal Institute of Technology 1
• Nantes Université 1
• Princeton University 1
• SciLifeLab 1
• THE HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY 1
• UNIVERSITY OF HELSINKI 1
• Ulm University • 1
• University of Amsterdam 1
• University of Antwerp 1
• University of Iceland 1
• University of Oulu 1
• University of Twente 1
• University of Twente (UT) 1
• University of Vienna 1
• University of West London 1
• Vrije Univeriteit Amsterdam 1
• Wageningen University & Research 1
• Wageningen University and Research Center 1
• Computer Science 57
• Engineering 36
• Arts and Literature 20
• Linguistics 13
• Mathematics 13
• Economics 9
• Materials Science 9
• Chemistry 8
• Electrical Engineering 6
• Environment 6
• Earth Sciences 2
• Social Sciences 2
• Education 1
• Humanities 1
• Philosophy 1

University assistant without doctorate / PhD position (m/f/d) in the field of architecture , landscape and urban planning

17 Apr 2024 Job Information Organisation/Company Graz University of Technology Department Institute of Architecture and Landscape Research Field Architecture Researcher Profile First Stage

PhD Scholarship- ARC Centre for Next-Gen Architectural Manufacturing

Research Council (ARC) Industrial Transformation Training Centre for Next-Gen Architectural Manufacturing, led by University of New South Wales. To meet critical sustainability goals, the Architecture

PhD on safety and sustainability in bio-based composites' structural design

materials have shown the potential to develop sustainable building systems for architecture . However, a significant challenge is the scarcity of comprehensive data regarding their performance and

PhD position in Landscape Architecture

, Development and Restoration of Botanical Gardens in Landscape Architecture Supervisor:                                          doc. Ing. Attila Tóth, PhD. Workplace

since a large amount of waste, pollution, and gas emissions are produced. In the last decade, bio-based composite materials have shown the potential to develop sustainable building systems

PhD Proposal

[7]. In response to these challenges, the design of open, fault-resilient computing architectures is a line of research that needs to be developed and expanded, in order to offer sustainable

PhD candidate in landscape planning with a focus on digital twins

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No Offer Description Department of Landscape Architecture , Planning and Management The Department of landscape architecture

Department of Landscape Architecture , Planning and Management The Department of landscape architecture , planning and management is part of the Faculty of Landscape Architecture , Horticulture and

PhD Studentship: Concrete4Change and the Centre for Sustainable Chemistry

, sustainable , advanced concrete materials with carbon negative footprints. To achieve this breakthrough we will use a multi-discipline approach incorporating organic and polymer chemistry, materials science and

Searches related to sustainability architecture

• architecture
• sustainable architecture
• human geography
• architecture postdoctoral
• architecture and urbanism
• phd position in architecture
• sustainable building
• architecture sustainability
• phd architecture

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.

• Schools & departments

Architecture PhD, MPhil

Awards: PhD, MPhil

Study modes: Full-time, Part-time

Funding opportunities

Programme website: Architecture

PhD by Distance online session

Edinburgh College of Art are hosting a session on the PhD by Distance option on Wednesday 22 May during the Online Learning Open Days.

Register now

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:

• Current Students
• News & Press
• Research Excellence
• Teaching & Student Experience
• Graduate Employability
• UK Rankings
• World Rankings
• Single Topic Rankings
• Research Excellence Framework
• Higher Education Awards
• Ageing and Health
• Cities and Place
• Culture and Creative Arts
• Social Justice
• Discover Festival
• Faculty of Science, Agriculture & Engineering
• Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences
• Faculty of Medical Sciences
• Central and South Asia
• Latin America
• Middle East and North Africa
• North America
• Small Island Developing States
• South East Asia and Oceania
• Sub-Saharan Africa
• Transparency
• Office for Students Transparency Data
• Access & Participation
• Support for our Community
• UN Sustainable Development Goals
• https://www.ncl.ac.uk/who-we-are/equality/race-equality/black-history-month/
• Faith, Religion & Belief
• Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender
• Let Us Know
• Workplace Adjustments
• Useful Resources
• Equality Analysis
• Social Justice Stories
• Voluntary & Community Groups
• Santander Universities
• Regional Partnerships
• Widening Participation
• Newcastle Helix
• Art on Campus
• History of Newcastle University
• Find a Degree
• Subject Areas
• Step-by-Step Guide for UK Students
• Step-by-Step Guide for International and EU Students
• Applying through UCAS
• A and AS Levels
• Application Decisions
• Access Schemes and Pathway Programmes
• Policies and Procedures
• Applicants with Disabilities
• Mature Applicants
• Deferred Entry
• Undergraduate Application Advice
• Subject Scholarships
• Sports Scholarships
• Opportunity Scholarships
• VC's Excellence Scholarships
• VC's Global Scholarships
• VC's International Scholarships
• International Foundation Scholarships
• St Nicholas’ Educational Trust Scholarship
• NU Sanctuary Scholarships
• Undergraduate Norway Scholarship
• International Family Discounts
• VC’s EU Scholarships – Undergraduate
• VC's Excellence Scholarships - Europe
• VC's Business Excellence Scholarships - Europe
• Additional Costs
• Student Loans
• International Student Finance
• Sign up and Discover
• School and College Outreach
• Information for Parents and Supporters
• Why Choose Newcastle?
• Your Study Options
• Qualifications Explained
• Postgraduate Research Programmes
• Search for Funding
• Guide to Funding
• Postgraduate Tuition Fees
• Application Help
• Advice & Resources
• Your Offer Guide
• Postgraduate Open Days
• Postgraduate Virtual Open Day
• Doctoral College
• Distance Learning
• Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
• Study Support
• Campus Tours
• Life in Newcastle
• Get Involved
• Cost of Living
• Health & Wellbeing
• Mature Students
• Childcare Support
• Care Leavers
• Asylum Seekers
• Teaching & Learning
• Student Blog - Belong
• Types of Rooms
• Accessibility and Individual Requirements
• Castle Leazes
• Bedrooms we offer
• Accommodation Guides
• New Student Guarantee
• Advanced Booking
• Submit an Application
• Part Year Student Accommodation
• What Happens Next?
• Safety and Security
• Returning Next Year
• Extending Your Stay
• Room Changes
• Parking & Bicycle Storage
• Post and Parcels
• Guest Visitors and Going Away
• Energy & Recycling
• ResLife Find a Flatmate
• Your ResLife Team
• Student Support
• Payment Methods
• Payment Schedules
• Managed Partnerships
• Rent Adjustments
• Student Village Receptions
• Your Accommodation Team
• Report a Fault
• Feedback and Complaints
• Internet Connection
• Work Placements
• About the Careers Service
• Careers Service News
• Careers Service Events
• Work for Yourself
• Career Planning
• Careers Modules
• Making Applications
• Interviews, Tests & Assessment Centres
• Internships, Placements & Shadowing
• Finding Jobs
• Handling Job Offers
• Researching Employers
• Making Contacts
• Further Study
• Awards, Competitions & Project Funding
• Volunteering
• Boost Your CV
• Defence Technical Undergraduate Scheme (DTUS)
• Getting Here
• Self-Guided Campus Tours
• Undergraduate Offer Holder Days
• Postgraduate Schools & Supervisors
• Undergraduate Open Days
• Tier 4 Visa from Inside UK
• Tier 4 Visa from Outside UK
• Short-Term Visa from Outside UK
• International Study Blog
• Our Pathway Courses
• English Language Courses
• Fees, Costs and Scholarships
• INTO Newcastle University
• Student Exchange and Study Abroad
• Request a Prospectus
• Chat to a Student
• Your Academic Experience
• Research Impact
• Research Strengths
• Centres of Research Excellence
• Research Culture Action Plan
• Working Together on Research Culture
• Policy Notes
• Global Partnerships
• Let's Work Together
• Sustainable Water
• Food Security
• Sustainable Livelihoods
• Global Impact
• Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021
• Code of Good Practice in Research
• University Research Committee
• Animal Research Policy
• Declaration on Openness on Animal Research
• Animal Procedures
• Helping Human Health
• Animal Research News
• Ethics at Newcastle
• Research Data and Open Access
• Research Strategy & Development
• Policy and Information Team
• Grants & Contracts (HaSS and SAgE)
• NJRO (inc Grants & Contracts FMS)
• Research Funding Development
• Biomedical Facilities
• Chemistry Facilities
• Clinical Facilities
• Engineering Facilities
• Marine & Agricultural Facilities
• More Facilities
• Facilities A to Z
• Research Funding
• Research News
• Case Studies
• CPD Courses
• Collaborative Research
• Company Creation
• Consultancy
• Corporate Partnerships
• DA Power Engineering
• DA MSc Digital Technology Solutions
• DA Executive Education Snr. Leader Apprenticeships
• Facilities and Equipment
• Intensive Industrial Innovation Programme
• Knowledge Transfer Partnerships
• Technology Transfer and Licensing
• Clinical Trials & Research
• Working with Newcastle
• Tender Opportunities
• Submitting an Invoice
• Sustainable Procurement
• Code of Conduct & Terms and Conditions
• Health & Social Challenges
• Creative Collaborations
• Connect with alumni
• Develop your career
• Discover lifelong learning opportunities
• Support future generations

Architecture, Planning and Landscape MPhil, PhD

We welcome MPhil and PhD proposals in any topic related to architecture, planning, or landscape.

You are currently viewing course information for entry year:

Start date(s):

• September 2024
• January 2025

We offer a flexible range of opportunities for postgraduate research.

We offer supervision for an MPhil or PhD in Architecture, Planning and Landscape in the following areas:

We conduct research into innovative teaching methods, the integration of theory and practice, and learn from related creative disciplines.

The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) has funded research into effective skills transfer. This activity is strengthened through our involvement in the:

• European Association for Architectural Education (EAAE)
• Association of European Schools of Planning (AESOP)
• European Council of Landscape Architecture Schools (ECLAS) including the Le NOTRE EU Network
• design-related aspects of construction and the use of buildings
• non-destructive testing
• measurement of energy
• environmental performance
• the changing relationship between utilities, the development, planning and management of contemporary cities
• culture and the built environment, including cultural change and transformation of the built environment
• architectural history
• architectural theory
• material culture

Environmental economics

• environmental economics
• benefit appraisal

Environmental management

Our research in this area covers environmental planning, management, impact assessment, sustainability, and Local Agenda 21 issues.

• social housing
• community development
• computer-based information search
• retrieval systems
• building product modelling with a philosophy of taking basic and applied research through to the end users
• landscape architecture theory, philosophy and environmental ethics
• sustainable landscape planning, design and management
• the history and development of the designed and cultural landscape

International urban development

• interpreting and managing change in diverse urban contexts
• improving the environment and quality of life in the cities of the developing world

Spatial analysis

• spatial change
• spatial statistics
• the use of GIS 

Planning processes and policy

• contemporary policy and practice issues in planning
• development and urban regeneration, in the context of theoretical developments and European experiences

Urban design

• city design and development
• design control
• urban public space
• public art in cities
• meaning in the built environment
• conservation
• urban regeneration
• urban design

More information about staff specialisms and the School's research can be found on the  School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape website.

Important information

We've highlighted important information about your course. Please take note of any deadlines.

Please rest assured we make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the programmes, services and facilities described. However, it may be necessary to make changes due to significant disruption, for example in response to Covid-19.

View our  Academic experience page , which gives information about your Newcastle University study experience for the academic year 2023-24.

See our  terms and conditions and student complaints information , which gives details of circumstances that may lead to changes to programmes, modules or University services.

Related courses

Qualifications explained.

Find out about the different qualification options for this course.

An MPhil is available in all subject areas. You receive research training and undertake original research leading to the completion of a 40,000 - 50,000 word thesis.

Find out about different types of postgraduate qualifications

A PhD is a doctorate or doctoral award. It involves original research that should make a significant contribution to the knowledge of a specific subject. To complete the PhD you will produce a substantial piece of work (80,000 – 100,000 words) in the form of a supervised thesis. A PhD usually takes three years full time.

How you'll learn

Depending on your modules, you'll be assessed through a combination of:

We offer a wide range of projects for the thesis. These will be provided by our academics. You can also propose your own topic.

Our mission is to help you:

• stay healthy, positive and feeling well
• overcome any challenges you may face during your degree – academic or personal
• get the most out of your postgraduate research experience
• carry out admin and activities essential to progressing through your degree
• understand postgraduate research processes, standards and rules

We can offer you tailored wellbeing support, courses and activities.

You can also access a broad range of workshops covering:

• research and professional skills
• careers support
• health and safety
• public engagement
• academic development

Find out more about our postgraduate research student support

Your development

Faculty of humanities and social sciences (hass) researcher development programme .

Each faculty offers a researcher development programme for its postgraduate research students. We have designed your programme to help you:

• perform better as a researcher
• boost your career prospects
• broaden your impact

Through workshops and activities, it will build your transferable skills and increase your confidence.

You’ll cover:

• techniques for effective research
• methods for better collaborative working
• essential professional standards and requirements

Your researcher development programme is flexible. You can adapt it to meet your changing needs as you progress through your doctorate.

Find out more about the Researcher Education and Development programme

Doctoral training and partnerships

There are opportunities to undertake your PhD at Newcastle within a:

• Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT)
• Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP)

Being part of a CDT or DTP has many benefits:

• they combine research expertise and training of a number of leading universities, academic schools and academics.
• you’ll study alongside a cohort of other PhD students
• they’re often interdisciplinary
• your PhD may be funded

Find out more about doctoral training and partnerships

If there are currently opportunities available in your subject area you’ll find them when you search for funding in the fees and funding section on this course.

The following centres/partnerships below may have PhD opportunities available in your subject area in the future:

ESRC Northern Ireland/North East (NINE) Doctoral Training Partnership

Your future

Our careers service.

Our award-winning Careers Service is one of the largest and best in the country, and we have strong links with employers. We provide an extensive range of opportunities to all students through our ncl+ initiative.

Visit our Careers Service website

Quality and ranking

All professional accreditations are reviewed regularly by their professional body

From 1 January 2021 there is an update to the way professional qualifications are recognised by countries outside of the UK

Check the government’s website for more information .

The School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape's facilities include:

• exhibition spaces
• seminar rooms

Fees and funding

Tuition fees for 2024 entry (per year), home fees for research degree students.

For 2024-25 entry, we will be aligning our standard Home research fees with those set by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) . The standard fee will be confirmed in Spring 2024 by UKRI. The Home tuition fees for this course will be updated after this confirmation. 

If your studies last longer than one year, your tuition fee may increase in line with inflation.

Depending on your residency history, if you’re a student from the EU, other EEA or a Swiss national, with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you’ll normally pay the ‘Home’ tuition fee rate and may be eligible for Student Finance England support.

EU students without settled or pre-settled status will normally be charged fees at the ‘International’ rate and will not be eligible for Student Finance England support.

If you are unsure of your fee status, check out the latest guidance here .

Scholarships

We support our EU and international students by providing a generous range of Vice-Chancellor's automatic and merit-based scholarships. See  our   searchable postgraduate funding page  for more information.  

What you're paying for

Tuition fees include the costs of:

• matriculation
• registration
• tuition (or supervision)
• library access
• examination
• re-examination

Find out more about:

• living costs
• tuition fees

If you are an international student or a student from the EU, EEA or Switzerland and you need a visa to study in the UK, you may have to pay a deposit.

You can check this in the How to apply section .

If you're applying for funding, always check the funding application deadline. This deadline may be earlier than the application deadline for your course.

For some funding schemes, you need to have received an offer of a place on a course before you can apply for the funding.

Search for funding

Find funding available for your course

Entry requirements

The entrance requirements below apply to 2024 entry.

Qualifications from outside the UK

English language requirements, admissions policy.

This policy applies to all undergraduate and postgraduate admissions at Newcastle University. It is intended to provide information about our admissions policies and procedures to applicants and potential applicants, to their advisors and family members, and to staff of the University.

Download our admissions policy (PDF: 201KB) Other policies related to admissions

Credit transfer and Recognition of Prior Learning

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) can allow you to convert existing relevant university-level knowledge, skills and experience into credits towards a qualification. Find out more about the RPL policy which may apply to this course

• How to apply

Using the application portal

The application portal has instructions to guide you through your application. It will tell you what documents you need and how to upload them.

You can choose to start your application, save your details and come back to complete it later.

If you’re ready, you can select Apply Online and you’ll be taken directly to the application portal.

Alternatively you can find out more about applying on our applications and offers pages .

Open days and events

You'll have a number of opportunities to meet us throughout the year including:

• campus tours
• on-campus open days
• virtual open days

Find out about how you can visit Newcastle in person and virtually

Overseas events

We regularly travel overseas to meet with students interested in studying at Newcastle University.

Visit our events calendar for the latest events

• Get in touch

Questions about this course?

If you have specific questions about this course you can contact:

Marian Kyte Postgraduate Research Secretary School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 6014 E-mail:  [email protected]

For more general enquiries you could also complete our online enquiry form.

Fill in our enquiry form

Our Ncl chatbot might be able to give you an answer straight away. If not, it’ll direct you to someone who can help.

You'll find our Ncl chatbot in the bottom right of this page.

Keep updated

We regularly send email updates and extra information about the University.

Receive regular updates by email

Chat to a student

Chat online with current students with our Unibuddy platform.

• How You'll Learn
• Your Development
• Your Future
• Quality and Ranking
• Fees and Funding
• Entry Requirements
• Open days & events

Successful thesis proposals in architecture and urban planning

Archnet-IJAR

ISSN : 2631-6862

Article publication date: 1 May 2020

Issue publication date: 11 November 2020

The purpose of this research is to improve the understanding of what constitutes a successful thesis proposal (TP) and as such enhance the quality of the TP writing in architecture, planning and related disciplines.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on extended personal experience and a review of relevant literature, the authors proposed a conception of a successful TP comprising 13 standard components. The conception provides specific definition/s, attributes and success rules for each component. The conception was applied for 15 years on several batches of Saudi graduate students. The implications of the conception were assessed by a students' opinion survey. An expert inquiry of experienced academics from architectural schools in nine countries was applied to validate and improve the conception.

Assessment of the proposed conception demonstrated several positive implications on students' knowledge, performance and outputs which illustrates its applicability in real life. Experts' validation of the conception and constructive remarks have enabled further improvements on the definitions, attributes and success rules of the TP components.

Research limitations/implications

The proposed TP conception with its 13 components is limited to standard problem-solving research and will differ in the case of other types such as hypothesis-based research.

Practical implications

The proposed conception is a useful directive and evaluative tool for writing and assessing thesis proposals for graduate students, academic advisors and examiners.

Social implications

The research contributes to improving the quality of thesis production process among the academic community in the built environment fields.

Originality/value

The paper is meant to alleviate the confusion and hardship caused by the absence of a consensus on what constitutes a successful TP in the fields of architecture, urban planning and related disciplines.

• Urban planning
• Architecture
• Built environment
• Postgraduate research
• Writing successful thesis proposals

Abdellatif, M. and Abdellatif, R. (2020), "Successful thesis proposals in architecture and urban planning", Archnet-IJAR , Vol. 14 No. 3, pp. 503-524. https://doi.org/10.1108/ARCH-12-2019-0281

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2020, Mahmoud Abdellatif and Reham Abdellatif

Published by Emerald Publishing Limited. This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) licence. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this licence may be seen at http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode .

1. Introduction

After the postgraduate student completes her/his coursework in a master programme or passes the comprehensive exam and becomes a doctoral candidate in a doctoral programme, s/he is allowed to submit a “Thesis Proposal” (TP) to her/his department whose main concern is to assess whether the topic is suitable for a graduate study and for the time and resources available ( Afful, 2008 ; Kivunja, 2016 ; Reddy, 2019 ).

The department then sends the submitted TP to higher bodies for official approval. Once approved, the TP becomes a legal binding or “a formal contract” ( Walliman, 2017 ) and “a statement of intent” ( Hofstee, 2006 ) between the researcher and the university. If the student adheres to all prescribed TP requirements within the specified time, s/he will be awarded the degree ( Leo, 2019 ).

Guided by his/her academic advisor, the student prepares the TP within which the researcher explains the research problem, questions, aim and objectives, scope, and methodologies to describe, analyse and synthesize the research problem and develop solutions for it ( Paltridge and Starfield, 2007 ). In addition, the proposal includes a brief about research significance and expected contributions; a preliminary review of literature; thesis structure and approximate completion timeline; and a list of relevant references ( Kivunja, 2016 ; Thomas, 2016 ; Kornuta and Germaine, 2019 ).

1.1 Statement of the problem and research aim

After decades of writing, supervising and refereeing master and doctoral theses in the fields of Architecture and Urban Planning, the authors noticed that TP's differ in format and content from a school to another. This may be considered a healthy matter because it gives room for flexibility that absorbs the variety of research problems and techniques. Yet, the absence of a consensus on what constitutes a successful TP could cause confusion and hardship to both students and advisors ( Kamler and Thomson, 2008 ; Abdulai and Owusu-Ansah, 2014 ). The review of literature indicates that TP writing has been tackled in depth in many fields (see for instance Gonzalez, 2007 ; Balakumar et al. , 2013 ; Eco, 2015 ; Kivunja, 2016 ; Glatthorn and Randy, 2018 ; Kornuta and Germaine, 2019 ). Apart from thesis proposal instruction and guideline manuals posted on universities' websites, the authors believe that there is a lack of in-depth research on the issue of producing successful thesis proposals in the fields of Architecture and Planning.

To propose a successful TP conception which determines the standard components of TP and sets specific definitions, attributes and rules of success for each component.

To apply the proposed conception on several batches of graduate students, then assess its impact on students' performance and output along the years of application.

To validate the proposed conception by getting the insights of experienced academics from architecture and planning schools worldwide, and as such, improve and finalize the conception.

1.2 Research methodology

To propose the Successful TP Conception , the authors relied on two sources: knowledge extracted from their extended experience and a review of relevant studies and instruction manuals and guidelines for preparing TP in several worldwide universities. The Conception has been applied on several batches of master and doctoral students from IAU, KSA for almost 15 years between 2005 and 2020 during their enrolment in three courses in the College of Architecture and Planning, IAU, KSA. These courses are “ARPL 603 Research Methods” and “BISC 600 Research Methods” for the master's level and “URPL 803 Seminar (3): Doctoral Research Methods” for the doctoral level.

From a total of 60 students, 39 students (65%) completed the survey; of whom 12 students (31%) were doctoral and 27 students (69%) were masters students.

- Improve their understanding of the components of a successful TP.

- Enhance their performance in developing their TP's.

- Conduct a more effective self-assessment of their developed TP's.

- Enhance their performance along other stages of producing their theses and dissertations.

- Maintain any other benefits adding to students' research capabilities.

The first part recorded the general characteristics of respondents.

The second inquired about experts' viewpoints on the definitions, attributes and the rules of success of the components of the proposed TP conception.

2. Proposing the Successful TP Conception

2.1 components of a tp for a standard problem-solving research type.

A review of thesis writing guidelines posted on universities' websites and other related literature has indicated that the number of components of a masters' or doctoral thesis proposal varies. After a thorough review of related literature and with their experience, the authors have been convinced that, in its standard form, a TP should include 13 components. Chronically arranged, as appearing in the proposal, they are: title page, abstract, keywords, background, statement of the problem, research questions, research aim and objectives, research scope, research significance and contributions, preliminary review of literature, research methodology, thesis structure and timeline, and references list ( Ostler, 1996 ; Simpson and Turner, 2004 ; Zhou, 2004 ; Davies, 2011 ; Axelrod and Windell, 2012 ; Donohue, 2018 ; Glatthorn and Randy, 2018 ; Kornuta and Germaine, 2019 ). It is worth mentioning that these 13 components will differ in the case of a hypothesis-based research whose aim is to validate a specific hypothesis that a specific variable/s is/are or is/are not the main cause/s of an investigated research problem. This paper is limited only to the standard problem-solving research type.

2.2 Building the Successful TP Conception

Setting a general definition for each component including its meaning, importance, functions and contents.

Outlining the most important attributes that must be considered when writing the component.

Based on step 1 and 2, the authors extracted a list of success rules which provides a concise definition for each component of the TP, and/or describes the relationship between the component and other components of the TP (the list is summarized at the end of Part 2).

2.2.1 Research title

This is the first item that appears to the reader. It invites or detains him/her from proceeding to other contents ( Blaxter et al. , 2010 ). The research title is positioned in the title page along with several basic data, namely, the title; the names of the Department, College, University, study programme, researcher and advisory committee; and submission date.

The research title should be useful, discussing an issue critical to society; true, conveying a real message about the investigated problem ( Donohue, 2018 ); concise, presenting the message with the minimum number of words; adequate, using the right wording to explain the intended meaning; and attractive , stimulating the reader's attention. Iterations in refining the research title go hand-in-hand with refining the research question ( Groat and Wang, 2013 ).

2.2.2 The abstract

It is the first item that appears in the TP after the title and of the same significance; yet, it is the last to be written ( Kornuta and Germaine, 2019 ). It has a marketing function ( Lamanauskas, 2019 ); it calls the reader in or alienates him out. A comprehensive abstract contains a summary of the problem, aim, scope, methodology, importance, contributions and outline ( Koopman, 1997 ).

The Abstract should be concise or brief with a maximum of 200–300 words; adequate, including profiles of all parts of the proposal; clear, expressing its message without ambiguity; and interrelated, serving as a body of sequential, coherent and connected ideas ( Blaxter et al. , 2010 ).

2.2.3 The keywords

These are a set of words or terms used for archiving, tabulation and electronic search on databases. They should include essential “subject terms” describing the research topic, the unique sub-specializations and focus of the research (what is researched), the contextual scope of the research (where and when), and the used research methodology (how to conduct the research) ( Lamanauskas, 2019 ). They are better written by splitting the title into its separate single words or terms which must be found in the abstract, as well ( Mack, 2012 ).

Keywords should be brief, not more than 8–12 words; adequate, conveying the research theme, scope, aim and approach; exact, focusing on the investigated topic and scope; and standard, using scientific terminology used in the field.

2.2.4 The background

This is a gradual preparation of the reader from the larger scientific field to the specific field, from the wider geographic area to the immediate area, and from the larger timeframe to the immediate one. It starts from the strategic level and general scope of the research and gradually reaches the level closer to the examined problem ( Abdellatif and Abdellatif, 2005 ). It places the study within the larger context of the research, creates interest to the reader and catches his attention, and includes quotations and statistics leading the reader to proceed ( Babbie, 2014 ).

The background statement should be striking, drawing the reader's attention to the research; brief, not lengthy; gradual, moving from the general level surrounding the investigated issue to the specific level; and careful, not speeding up in disclosing the study problem, aim or methodology to the reader ( Axelrod and Windell, 2012 ; Pautasso, 2013 ).

2.2.5 The statement of the problem

Statement of the General Research Problem is a narrative describing a negative aspect/s prevailing in the investigated urban environment/ecosystem or architectural setting; it is equivalent to the negative wording of the research aim ( Abdellatif and Abdellatif, 2005 ). It stimulates interest in the study; scientifically explained to convey a simple, clear and specific issue to which a reader can relate and is useful to the society at large ( Balakumar et al. , 2013 ). In the humanities and social sciences many dissertations endeavour to establish the conditions of the problem, not to solve it ( Dorst, 2011 ).

In formulating the research problem, it is useful to consider it a problem which hinders the natural development of the society and/or environment and leads to a decline in the Quality of Life (QOL) or Quality of Environment (QOE) or both. A development problem is a factor/cause leading to either a quantitative or qualitative deficiency in satisfying a human need or both such as a lack of certain service or inadequate provision of the service ( Abdellatif, 2015 ). To arrive at a successful statement of the general problem, the researcher should pinpoint the main cause/s behind the study problem. All what comes next depends on the clarity of the problem statement.

Technically oriented research (TOR), which places emphasis on the process and procedures as the primary basis of effective design, TOR can be either systematic, or computational, or managerial.

Conceptually driven research (CDR), which can be either psychological or person–environment. The psychological type is driven by the goal of matching knowledge with the nature of the design problem, its components, context and social and environmental requirements. Whereas, the person–environment type places emphasis on the socio-cultural and socio-behavioural factors as they relate to the design process itself and to settings, buildings and urban environments.

Classify the investigated situation to branched dimensions, e.g. demographic, planning, regulatory, economic, social, environmental, etc.

Trace the causes or the influencing factors that lead to the emergence or aggravation of the problem/s in each dimension.

Clarify the problem more by identifying the consequences or adverse effects (the symptoms of the problem) that resulted from those causes. This helps isolate the causes from the consequences to focus on treating the causes not the consequences. Using temporary painkillers will not eliminate the disease; it only tranquilizes the symptoms.

Statement of the consequences of the problem is a narrative that describes the negative effects caused by sub-problems on the investigated environment ( Goetz et al. , 2005 ).

The statement of consequences of the problem should be focused, where each consequence focuses on one independent sub-problem; articulate, not overlapping with other consequences; rooted, relating to one of the roots of the general problems; deep, providing description for specific symptom; and comprehended, could be perceived, described and determined ( Abdellatif, 2015 ).

2.2.6 Research questions

What is the nature of the development problem as defined by the latest findings of previous literature, similar studies and published statistical reports?

What are the key features of the investigated problem according to a direct field survey?

What are the appropriate links between different variables of the study (causes, consequences, etc.) according to the information gathered from the theoretical review and field surveys?

What are the extracted results and the appropriate solutions and/or recommendations to deal with the general research problem and its sub-problems?

What are the critical contributions of the research findings on the life and/or environmental qualities?

How can the research increase the benefits of research results on the ground?

What are the research areas/points that need further investigation?

Research questions should be specific, each question addresses one sub-problem; unduplicated, each question does not repeat itself in a different format; sequential, or arranged according to their importance and order; and interrelated, where each question relates to other questions.

2.2.7 Research aim, goals and objectives

The general aim of the research is a specific and clear statement presenting the overall purpose of the study. It is directed to find an appropriate and effective solution to the general research problem ( Donohue, 2018 ). It is an attempt to fill a gap between a negative reality of an environment/ecosystem/or development situation and a desired positive future to be achieved at the end of the research process ( Glatthorn and Randy, 2018 ). The aim should be properly stated to ensure the success of all the following stages of the scientific research process.

Exploring the problem by defining the research problem, formulating aim and objectives, designing the methodology, defining the scope, and highlighting the expected contributions.

Collecting secondary data by defining basic concepts and terms, reviewing relevant literature and previous studies, and describing the most important characteristics of the investigated environment from secondary sources and statistical reports.

Collecting primary data via direct field surveys and based on the views of concerned population, experts and officials to describe the characteristics of the investigated development problem.

Analysing the gathered data by using theoretical and field data to determine the appropriate links among different variables of the study (e.g. causes, consequences, etc.).

Synthesizing the gathered data by integrating the findings of analysis to build appropriate approaches or solutions to deal with the general problem.

Extracting conclusions and writing recommendations to highlight research findings and make them more useful and effective.

A micro level objective contributes to solving the specific investigated problem (e.g. a specific quantitative or qualitative problem that hinders the development of a sector of society, environment, or eco-system).

A macro level objective contributes to realizing a higher goal (e.g. improving the overall quality of life of a larger community, upgrading the quality of the larger environment, etc.).

Development objectives should apply the SMART goal rule (previously explained); and be non-overlapping by ensuring that each objective is focused and not conflicting with other objectives.

2.2.8 Research scope

Thematic scope clarifies the general and specific areas of the research (e.g. the research falls within the field of sustainable development in general and focuses on social sustainability).

Geographic/Spatial scope specifies the spatial boundaries of the physical environment within which the research is applied (e.g. a specific local or regional setting).

Temporal scope shows the past, present and future spans the research will cover indicating the number of years from the historical information inventory until the expected completion date. If the research aim is to develop future strategies or policies, the span will extend to future target point.

Research Scope should be categorized, by being classified by subject, place and time; focused, by reaching the closest limits of the investigated research problem, environment and time; and clear, by not being so general or ambiguous.

2.2.9 Research significance and contributions

They highlight the most important benefits and the main beneficiaries from solving the research problem; the potential positive impacts of the study on the life and environmental qualities ( Groat and Wang, 2013 ). Contributions differ in nature (theoretical or applied or both) and in size (huge, average, or marginal). There is a positive relationship between the size of contributions and the size of impacted beneficiaries (individuals, groups, institutions, communities, societies), the scale of the impacted geographic boundaries (local, national or global), the type of impacted development sectors (service, production, etc.) and the numbers of the impacted sectors (one, a few, or all sectors). Research significance increases as the size of contributions increases. Specifying the research significance, expected contributions and potential beneficiaries helps promote the research and provides rational justifications for conducting it. The higher the contributions and the greater the sectors of the beneficiaries, the more significant the research is ( Abdellatif and Abdellatif, 2005 ). According to Balakumar et al. (2013) research significance justifies the need for the research that is being proposed.

Research significance and expected contributions should be categorized, in terms of type (theoretical or applied contribution or both), size and nature of the beneficiaries (individuals, institutions, communities, etc.) and geographical extent (small site, district, city, region, nation, etc.); clear, simple and comprehensible to the reader; and realistic, real, accurate and not exaggerated.

2.2.10 The preliminary review of literature

This is an initial review of literature dealt with relevant problems. It aims to build an initial understanding of the problem, identify the most important variables that have been considered, cite methodologies used to deal with the problem; make use of the latest findings and record the various recommendations/solutions suggested to deal with the problem ( Hart, 1998 ; Grix, 2001 ). According to Dunleavy (2003) , it is a critical review on related recent research that is well documented, structured, analysed and synthesized. It offers the researcher an opportunity to engage with other scholars in one's disciplinary community.

In addition to having a separate part, it is useful to combine the literature review with other components of the TP (e.g. the research problem, questions, aim and objectives, and methodology). It is important that the review presents differing perspectives or contrasting views of the topic and reports the complexities of the issue ( Kornuta and Germaine, 2019 ). By conducting the review, the researcher becomes able to build an initial but comprehensive understanding of the causes and consequences of the problem, the methodologies used to study and analyse the problem and the solutions proposed to deal with it by synthesizing various viewpoints of previous studies, thereby, supporting her/his principle argument about the study problem with the results derived from previous literature ( Pautasso, 2013 ).

Definitions of key terms and concepts; standard terms to appear in the research and special concepts which are not formally provided by previous scholars. The definitions must be logic and derived from scientifically recognized sources.

Review of previous studies; focusing on identifying several issues, namely, the most important dimensions and variables of the research problem (the causes of the problem; why the problem has emerged or aggravated; the most important consequences of this problem on the human and/or physical environment); the methods used to deal with the problem; the latest findings of previous studies and the various approaches/solutions suggested to deal with the problem.

Contextual aspects of the investigated development situation; including a review of relevant characteristics of the researched environment (its basic dimensions and elements) as found in previous studies. Contextual aspects may be classified into physical and human components; or into environmental, functional, aesthetic, structural, economic and social design determinants; or into demographic, planning, regulatory, economic, social, environmental sectors or other classifications.

Preliminary review of literature should be indexed, from reliable scholarly sources; categorized or documented according to standard classification system; employed, used wisely to achieve a desired purpose; up to date, recent, however, in topics which address chronological development or evolutionary aspects references could be recent and old; and related, relevant to the study problem ( Hart, 1998 ).

2.2.11 Research methodology

Data collection methods including office methods used to collect secondary data from previous literature and case studies as well as field methods used to gather original data through field visits, surveying, questionnaires, interviews with stakeholders, etc.

Data analysis methods including methods used to analyse both the secondary and primary information collected from office and the field surveys such as Statistical Analysis, Environmental Scanning (SWOT), Development Components Analysis, etc.

Data synthesis methods including methods used to compile, synthesize the analysis and develop appropriate alternative scenarios or solutions to deal with the problem.

Data presentation methods including methods to present the research process and findings such as scientific research paper containing narratives, tables, figures, forms, maps, results and recommendations as well as final visual presentation to review panel to get remarks and write the last version of the TP.

Research methodology should be appropriate, aligned with the purpose/s in which they will be used; achievable, within the reach of the researcher; effective, achieving the purpose fast and with high quality; reliable, previously tested, applied and approved in similar cases; and precise, accurate and specific.

2.2.12 Research structure and timeline

This is a brief statement of the main sections of the master's/doctoral thesis with tentative dates for completing the various stages of the research. Careful preparation of research structure and timeline ensures the effectiveness and integrity of the plan of actions towards the completion of the study ( Kivunja, 2016 ). It is also a criterion to judge the achieved progress and seriousness of the researcher.

Research structure and timeline should be sequential, arranged according to a standard scientific research process; logical, proportionate to the total period available for completion; and balanced, distributing time properly among various stages.

2.2.13 The list of references

This is a list which contains a reasonable number of relevant references on the topic which were actually cited in the TP ( Kornuta and Germaine, 2019 ). Including a list of the references about the topic demonstrates that the researcher is familiar with the basic and latest knowledge on his/her problem.

The list of references should be relevant, closely related to the investigated subject; up to date, recent yet containing old and new according the topic and context; and reliable, published in dependable vessels.

2.3 Extracting the success rules

Based on the above definitions and attributes provided for each of the 13 TP components, the authors were able to extract a number of success rules that took the form of equations, each of which describes an equality function between each component and its counterpart component/s as shown in Table 1 . For instance, rule #1 shows that “research title” is equal to “the general aim of the research” and is equal to “the negative wording of the research problem”.

3. Assessing the Successful TP Conception from students' viewpoints

They better understood the meanings of each component (97% agree and strongly agree and 3% neutral).

They better understood the attributes of each component (94% agree and strongly agree and 6% neutral).

They better understood the rules which control the relations between the various components of the TP (87% agree and strongly agree and 13% neutral).

The process of writing the proposal has become easier and more convenient (100% agree and strongly agree).

The effort, cost and time spent in submitting the proposal have been substantially saved (87% agree and strongly and 12% neutral).

The relationship with academic advisor has improved (87% agree and strongly agree and 12% neutral).

The students' confidence in advancing their own learning abilities has improved (93% agree and strongly agree and 7% neutral).

The students' abilities to address the strengths and weaknesses of their personal skills have improved (93% agree and strongly agree and 7% neutral).

The students' abilities to manage their learning process more independently have improved (90% agree and strongly agree, 7% neutral and 3% disagree).

The students have created a clearer and better mutual understanding with their academic advisors (90% agree and strongly agree and 10% neutral).

The students have reduced their distraction from the original target set out in the proposal (81% agree and strongly agree, 16% neutral and 3% disagree).

The students have been able to finish their research on time (78% agree and strongly agree, 19% neutral and 3% disagree).

They gained better analytical skills (87% agree and strongly agree, 10% neutral and 3% disagree).

They gained better problem-solving skills (87% agree and strongly agree, 10% neutral and 3% disagree).

They gained better critical thinking skills (87% agree and strongly agree, 10% neutral and 3% disagree).

4. Verifying the Successful TP Conception based on experts' viewpoints

Having proposed, applied and assessed the Successful TP Conception, it becomes important to validate it using the insights of experienced academics from Architectural and Planning schools worldwide. This part summarizes the results of the experts' inquiry survey conducted in November 2019 to February 2020. It shows the characteristics of experts and their viewpoints and remarks on the originally proposed definitions, attributes and success rules.

4.1 Experts' characteristics

They were from nine countries, namely, the United States of America, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain.

About 75% of the experts were males and 25% were females. About 5% were 35–45 years old, 20% were 45–55 years, 55% were 55–65 years and 20% were 65 years and over.

About 5% were Assistant Professors, 10% Associate Professors and the majority (85%) were Professors.

The experts had teaching experiences in undergraduate and graduate levels (masters, doctoral, diploma, postdoctoral and continuing professional development).

The general specialization of 70% of the experts was Architecture and 30% of experts were specialized in Urban Planning. They taught in several built environment fields (Architecture, Interior Design, Building Technology, Urban Design, Landscape Architecture and Urban and Regional Planning).

The experts had several focus areas, namely, Architecture, History and Theories of Architecture, Assessment of Designed Environments, Design Methods, Pedagogy, Architecture and Digital Technologies, Heritage Conservation, Middle East Architecture and Cities, Construction Project Management, Urban Design, Spatial Development Planning, Landscape, Built Environment and Behaviour, Urban Studies, Techniques and Quantitative Methods of Urban Planning, Urban Conflict, Urban Justice, Community Development, Environmental Management and Planning and Development Approaches.

About 10% of the experts supervised 5 theses, 5% supervised 6–10 theses, 50% supervised 11–20 theses and 35% supervised more than 20 theses.

4.2 Experts' viewpoints and remarks

Concerning the proposed definitions of the TP components, the experts expressed their agreement which ranged between 73 and 96%. Some experts provided additional remarks to help improve the definitions. Table 2 presents the originally proposed definitions, the percentages of agreed experts and their additional remarks.

Regarding the attributes of each component of the TP, the original conception proposed 38 attributes, the experts added 18 attributes resulting in a total of 56 attributes. Table 3 presents a matrix showing the percentages of experts' agreement of the originally proposed attributes as well as the added attributes. The lowest agreement percentage was 59% and the highest was 96%.

Concerning the proposed success rules which were called “equations” in the originally proposed conception, the experts suggested to change the expression into “rules”; which is more appropriate for subjective contents than mathematical expression. Table 4 presents the final 19 success rules for the components/sub-components of a TP and the percentage of experts' agreement which ranged between 57 and 95%.

5. Conclusion

Based on their experience in preparing and supervising masters and doctoral theses and after a thorough review of the literature on preparing thesis proposals, the authors drafted a conception of a successful thesis proposal comprising specific definitions, attributes and rules for each of the 13 components of a standard TP. The conception had been applied over a duration of 15 years (2005–2020) on several batches of master and doctoral students in IAU, KSA. Through an online survey, the majority of students (78–100%) have indicated that understanding and applying the conception helped them improve their performances and outputs during the TP development process and beyond.

The conception was then validated by getting the insights of 39 experienced academics from worldwide architectural schools. The experts accepted the proposed definitions with (73–96%) agreement rate. The experts also accepted the proposed attributes with (59–96%) agreement rate. As for the success rules, the experts' agreed as well with an acceptance rate ranging from (57–95%). The experts suggested constructive remarks which were considered in writing the final version of the conception.

The extracted success rules combine the definitions and attributes of each component of the TP and present them in a concise statement which defines the component and, where applicable, exemplifies its relationship to another corresponding or counterpart component of the TP. For example, rule #1 shows that “research title” should reflect “the general aim and scope of the research” and should also reflect “the negative wording of the research problem”. Extracted also is rule #14 which indicates that “the whole thesis proposal” written in future tenses, should resemble “the introduction of the final thesis” written in past tenses.

A directive tool that assists the researcher in writing a sound TP. Combining the last three tables (2, 3 and 4) into a comprehensive checklist would aid the students in preparing their TP's; enhancing the quality of their performance and outputs.

An evaluative tool that helps in assessing the validity and integrity of the submitted TP's that can be used by the researcher for self-assessment, or by the academic advisor, or by an examiner/evaluator before sending the proposal to higher authorities for approval.

The findings of this paper could be useful not only in evaluating thesis proposals, but also, with proper modifications, in assessing various scientific research documents, including scientific thesis, research papers and others; which is another research topic that will be addressed in the future.

The stages of developing the successful thesis proposal conception

Proposed list of success rules for the TP components

An extracted list of success rules for thesis proposals

Source(s) : Prepared by the authors based on the above analysis and the results of expert inquiry

Abdellatif , M. ( 2015 ), The Simplifying-Integrating Approach to Deal with Contemporary Design, Planning and Urban Development Problems , Scientific Publication Center, Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University , Dammam .

Abdellatif , M. and Abdellatif , R. ( 2005 ), Scientific Research Methods and Techniques in Architecture and Urban Planning , Unpublished Textbook for Graduate Students in Abdulrahman bin Faisal University , Dammam .

Abdulai , R.T. and Owusu-Ansah , A. ( 2014 ), “ Essential ingredients of a good research proposal for undergraduate and postgraduate students in the social sciences ”, SAGE Open , Vol. 4 No. 3 , pp. 1 - 15 .

Afful , J.B. ( 2008 ), “ Research proposal and thesis writing: narrative of a recently graduated researcher in applied linguistics ”, Nebula , Vol. 5 No. 4 , pp. 193 - 211 .

Axelrod , B. and Windell , J. ( 2012 ), Dissertation Solutions: A Concise Guide to Planning, Implementing, and Surviving the Dissertation Process , Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc. , Plymouth .

Babbie , E. ( 2014 ), The Basics of Social Research , 6th ed. , Wadsworth Cengage Learning , Belmont, CA .

Balakumar , P. , Inamdar , M. and Jagadeesh , G. ( 2013 ), “ The critical steps for successful research: the research proposal and scientific writing ”, Journal of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapeutics , Vol. 4 No. 2 , pp. 130 - 138 .

Blaxter , L. , Hughes , C. and Tight , M. ( 2010 ), How to Research , Open University Press MaGraw-Hill Education , New York, NY .

Davies , W.M. ( 2011 ), Study Skills for International Postgraduate Students , Palgrave, MacMillan , Basingstoke .

Donohue , M. ( 2018 ), “ Research proposal toolkit: design tools for developing multi-stakeholder research proposals ”, available at: https://repository.library.northeastern.edu/files/neu:m044c6541 ( accessed 24 October 2019 ).

Doran , G.T. ( 1981 ), “ There's, a S.M.A.R.T. way to write management's goals and objectives ”, Management Review , Vol. 70 No. 11 , pp. 35 - 36 .

Dorst , K. ( 2011 ), “ The core of “design thinking” and its application ”, Design Studies , Vol. 32 No. 6 , pp. 521 - 532 .

Dunleavy , P. ( 2003 ), Authoring a PhD: How to Plan, Draft, Write and Finish a Doctoral Thesis or Dissertation , Macmillan International Higher Education , Hampshire .

Eco , U. ( 2015 ), How to Write a Thesis , MIT Press, ProQuest Ebook Central , Cambridge .

Experts_Survey ( 2019 ), “ Opinion poll on definitions, attributes and equations of the successful thesis proposal ”, available at: https://www.questionpro.com/t/AOkM7ZdeXy ( accessed 01 November 2019 ).

Glatthorn , A.A. and Randy , L.J. ( 2018 ), Writing the Winning Thesis or Dissertation; a Step-by-step Guide , Corwin , Thousand Oaks, CA .

Goetz , S.J. , Shortle , J.S. and Bergstrom , J.C. ( 2005 ), Land Use Problems and Conflict: Causes, Consequences and Solutions , Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group , London .

Gonzalez , A.M. ( 2007 ), Shaping the Thesis and Dissertation: Case Studies of Writers across the Curriculum , Texas Christian University, ProQuest Dissertations Publishing , Fort Worth, TX .

Grix , J. ( 2001 ), Demystifying Postgraduate Research from MA to PhD , University of Birmingram Press , Birmingham .

Groat , L. and Wang , D. ( 2013 ), Architectural Research Methods , Wiley & Sons, Inc. , Hoboken, NJ .

Hart , C. ( 1998 ), Doing a Literature Review: Releasing the Social Science Research Imagination , Sage Publications , London .

Hofstee , E. ( 2006 ), Constructing a Good Dissertation: A Practical Guide to Finishing a Master's, MBA or PhD on Schedule , EPE , Sandton .

Kamler , B. and Thomson , P. ( 2008 ), “ The failure of dissertation advice books: toward alternative' ”, Educational Researcher , Vol. 37 No. 8 , pp. 507 - 514 .

Kivunja , C. ( 2016 ), “ How to write an effective research proposal for higher degree research in higher education ”, International Journal of Higher Education , Vol. 5 No. 2 , pp. 163 - 172 .

Koopman , P. ( 1997 ), “ How to write an abstract ”, available at: http://users.ece.cmu.edu/∼koopman/essays/abstract.html ( accessed October 2019 ).

Kornuta , H.M. and Germaine , R.W. ( 2019 ), A Concise Guide to Writing a Thesis or Dissertation Educational Research and beyond , Routledge , New York, NY .

Lamanauskas , V. ( 2019 ), “ Scientific article preparation: title, abstract and keywords ”, Problems in Education in the 21st Century , Vol. 77 No. 4 , pp. 456 - 462 .

Leo , S. ( 2019 ), “ Pitfalls of tourism graduate students in presenting the ingredients of research proposals ”, Journal of Hospitality, Leisure, Sports and Tourism Education , Vol. 24 , pp. 178 - 189 .

Mack , C. ( 2012 ), “ How to write a good scientific paper: title, abstract, and keywords ”, Journal of Micro/Nanolithography, MEMS, and MOEMS , Vol. 11 No. 2 , pp. 1 - 5 .

Ostler , E. ( 1996 ), Guidelines for Writing Research Proposals, Reports, Theses, and Dissertations , The Educational Resources Information Center (Eric) , Washington, DC .

Paltridge , B. and Starfield , S. ( 2007 ), Thesis and Dissertation Writing in a Second Language: A Handbook for Supervisors , Routledge , London .

Pautasso , M. ( 2013 ), “ Ten simple rules for writing a literature review ”, PLoS Computational Biology , Vol. 9 No. 7 , pp. 1 - 4 .

Reddy , C.D. ( 2019 ), “ Thinking through a research proposal: a question approach ”, in 18th European Conference on Research Methodology for Business and Management Studies , Academic Conferences International Limited , Johannesburg , pp. 271 - 277 .

Salama , A.M. ( 2019 ), “ Methodological research in architecture and allied disciplines: philosophical positions, frames of reference, and spheres of inquiry ”, Archnet-IJAR: International Journal of Architectural Research , Vol. 13 No. 1 , pp. 8 - 24 .

Simpson , D.D. and Turner , L.W. ( 2004 ), “ Guide for preparing a thesis or dissertation ”, American Journal of Health Behavior , Vol. 28 No. 5 , pp. 477 - 478 .

Students_Survey ( 2020 ), “ Implication of the successful thesis proposal conception on the students' performance and output ”, available at: https://www.questionpro.com/t/AOkM7ZgieG ( accessed 02 February 2020 ).

Thomas , D. ( 2016 ), The PhD Writing Handbook , Palgrave, Macmillan Publisher Limited , New York, NY .

Walliman , N. ( 2017 ), Research Methods: The Basics , Routledge , New York, NY .

Zhou , A.A. ( 2004 ), Writing the Dissertation Proposal: A Comparative Case Study of Four Nonnative- and Two Native -English -speaking Doctoral Students of Education , University of Toronto, ProQuest Dissertations Publishing , Toronto .

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the sincere assistance provided by the team of experts from several Architectural Schools worldwide to verify and improve the TP Conception. Appreciation is also extended to the post graduate students of the College of Architecture and Planning, IAU, who have positively responded to the students' opinion survey.

Corresponding author

About the authors.

Mahmoud Abdellatif is a Professor of Urban and Regional Planning, College of Architecture and Planning, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University (IAU), Dammam, Saudi Arabia. He received an MSc from Assuit University, Egypt in 1977 and another MSc from Iowa State University in 1981 and a PhD degree from Texas A&M University in 1985. He has taught and practiced Architecture and Urban Planning for more than 45 years in Egypt, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. His main research focus is on research methods, strategic planning and design and development approaches. He is currently the adviser of IAU Vice President for Studies, Development and Community Services. His last book (published in Arabic) entitled The Simplifying-Integrating Approach to Contemporary Design, Planning and Urban Development articulates his own problem-solving approach. He is the principle editor of the Strategic Plan of Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University 2018–2025.

Reham Abdellatif is an Assistant Professor in Architecture, College of Design, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University (IAU), Dammam, Saudi Arabia. She obtained an MSc degree from Assiut University in 2003 and a PhD degree from Newcastle University, UK, in 2012. She has taught and practiced Architecture and Interior Design for more than 22 years in Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Her main research focus is on Architectural Education and Curriculum Development, Analysing Design Learning Activities, Distant/Online Learning, Communication and Computation, VR and Information Technologies in Architecture. She ran the interior design curriculum development committee in Assiut University and in IAU.

Related articles

We’re listening — tell us what you think, something didn’t work….

Report bugs here

All feedback is valuable

Please share your general feedback

Join us on our journey

Platform update page.

Visit emeraldpublishing.com/platformupdate to discover the latest news and updates

Questions & More Information

Answers to the most commonly asked questions here

Study at Cambridge

About the university, research at cambridge.

• Undergraduate courses
• Events and open days
• Fees and finance
• Postgraduate courses
• How to apply
• Postgraduate events
• Fees and funding
• International students
• Continuing education
• Executive and professional education
• Courses in education
• How the University and Colleges work
• Term dates and calendars
• Visiting the University
• Annual reports
• Equality and diversity
• A global university
• Public engagement
• Give to Cambridge
• For Cambridge students
• For our researchers
• Business and enterprise
• Colleges & departments
• Email & phone search
• Museums & collections
• Postgraduate
• PhD in Architecture
• Department of Architecture
• About the Department overview
• The Faculty of Architecture and History of Art
• A History of the Architecture Department
• Scroope Journal overview
• Current Issue
• Call for Abstracts
• Past Issues
• The Faculty Library
• 100 Years of Drawings
• Support Us overview
• Dalibor Vesely Fund overview
• The Cultural Significance of Architecture: A conference in memory of Dalibor Vesely overview
• Session 1: History and Philosophy of Architecture overview
• To the conference in memory of Dalibor Vesely - José de Paiva
• Low Relief - or, articulation tied to embodiment - David Leatherbarrow
• Dalibor Vesely and The Primacy of Orality - Perez-Gomez
• Karsten Harries - Remembering Dalibor Vesely
• Robin Middleton - Dalibor Vesely statement
• The Cultural Significance of Architecture - In Memory of Dalibor Vesely - Mari Hvattum
• Hvattum_Presentation1
• What is the cultural significance of architecture - Peter Carl
• The Presence of Dalibor Vesely - K Frampton
• Dalibor Vesely's Flat - The Dwelling as a Communicative Field - Dagmar Weston
• Session 2: Design and the European City overview
• Drawings: David Dernie
• Chatting about the city - Diana Periton
• Dalibor Reflections - Mohsen Mostafavi - March2016
• Creative Intelligence in Architecture - Phil Meadowcroft
• Design and the European City - Kalliope Kontozoglou
• Athanasios Spanomaridis with DALIBOR VESELY
• To DALIBOR - Athanasios Spanomaridis
• E.Parry_Dalibor Vesely conference (Session 2)_11 April 2016
• CWFrost. Fragment Craft Tradition
• David Bass - Architecture Laughter and Animals
• Diana Periton - slides
• Session 3: Legacy, New Horizons overview
• Carolyn Steel - conference slides
• Hand Drawings - P Lynch
• Sitopia – a tribute to Dalibor by Carolyn Steel
• The Cultural Significance of Architecture - In Memory of Dalibor Vesely - Stephen Witherford
• Dalibor Vesely and the criticism of architecture - Rowan Moore060416
• P LYNCH PRESENTATION - DV SYMPOSIUM EMMANUELLE COLLEGE-opt
• Architecture's Contribution - Wendy Pullan
• Biba Dow - Dalibor conf_Session 3
• Homa - diffused digital
• Homa - Conference Slides
• William Mann - Ruins of the Baroque - slides
• William Mann - Ruins of the Baroque - Slides and text
• Dalibor Vesely Memorial Conference Programme
• Conference videos via the Department YouTube Channel
• Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity
• Athena Swan
• Privacy Policy
• People Overview
• Head of Department
• Deputy Heads of Department
• Associate Professors
• Assistant Professors
• Visiting Professors
• Emeritus Faculty
• Affiliated Lecturers
• Research Staff
• Teaching Associates
• MDes Advisory Group
• Design Fellows
• Professional Staff
• Courses overview
• Undergraduate overview
• Architecture Tripos overview
• Year One Architecture
• Year Two Architecture
• Year Three Architecture
• Architecture FAQs
• Design Tripos (MDes) overview
• Year One Design
• Year Two Design
• Year Three Design
• Year Four Design
• Teaching and Assessment
• Student Life
• Preparing a Portfolio
• Reading list for candidates
• Outreach and Widening Participation
• Postgraduate overview
• Master of Architecture (MArch) Degree (ARB/RIBA Part 2)
• Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Practice in Architecture - ARB/ RIBA Part 3 overview
• HOW TO APPLY for the Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Practice in Architecture
• Dates for Cohort 2022-23
• Dates for Cohort 2023-24
• Dates for Cohort 2024–25
• MSt Architecture Apprenticeship overview
• Requirements
• Teaching and Assesment
• Fees and Funding
• MPhil in Architecture & Urban Studies (MAUS) overview
• How to apply for the MPhil in Architecture and Urban Studies
• MPhil in Architecture by Thesis
• PhD in Architecture overview
• How to apply for the PhD in Architecture
• MSt Building History overview
• Contributors
• Course Structure
• Core Modules
• Optional Modules
• Testimonials
• Building History Newsletter - Issue 11 April 2022
• Building History Newsletter March 2021
• Building History Newsletter December 2019
• Building History Newsletter July 2018
• Building History Newsletter March 2018
• Building History Newsletter July 2017
• Building History Newsletter April 2017
• Building History Newsletter December 2016
• Building History Newsletter March 2016
• Building History Newsletter 2 February 2015
• Building History Newsletter April 2014
• MSt in Interdisciplinary Design for the Built Environment
• Research overview
• Natural Materials and Structures overview
• Natural Material Innovation
• EcoHouse Initiative
• Structural Bamboo Products (SBP) overview
• Structural Bamboo Pavilion. International Association of Shell and Spatial Structures (IASS 2015). Muziekgebouw. Amsterdam
• Polymer Modified Timber
• Masonry Vaulting overview
• Tile Vaulting
• Ladrillo Recargado
• The Martin Centre: Sustainable buildings and Cities overview
• Global Urban overview
• Global Land Enclosures, Urban-Technology, and Experimental Property in Medellin’s Comunas
• African Modernism: Architecture of Independence
• The Centre for Urban Conflicts Research
• AHRC Filming Energy Research Network (FERN) overview
• Network Members
• Policy Workshops 2021-22
• Filming Workshops (2020-22)
• A Room in Mumbai
• Clean cooking and energy transitions in Mukuru (2023-24) overview
• Conflict in Cities overview
• Conflict in Cities website
• Polish-German Border Towns: Models of Transnationalism?
• MINE: Machine learning Intelligence Network for Epidemics overview
• Research & Network Workshop
• Sustainable Design Group
• Cities and Transport overview
• Aviation Integrated Modeling (AIM)
• Cambridge Futures
• Energy Efficient Cities initiative
• SOLUTIONS - Sustainable Land Use and Transport
• ReVISIONS – Regional Visions of Integrated Sustainable Infrastructure Optimised for Neighbourhoods
• Multimodal Efficient Transportation at Airports: Collalborative Decision Making (MetaCDM)
• Low Carbon Urban Design Project
• Sustainable Building overview
• Robust Hospital Environments in a Changing Climate
• Natural and Hybrid Environmental Design Strategies
• Activity-Space Research
• Sustainable Building Policies
• The Architecture of Light
• Light in Libraries
• Health, Wellbeing and Buildings
• Heating Historic Churches
• Digital Studio overview
• Digital Studio Symposium 2017
• Cambridge University Centre for Risk in the Built Environment (CURBE) overview
• Eyewitness Reports of the 26.12.04 South Asian Tsunami
• Building damage and casualties in the Kashmir Earthquake of 8.10.05
• Indicators for Measuring, Monitoring and Evaluating Post-Disaster Recovery
• Flood Narratives
• Pan-participatory Assessment and Governance of Earthquake Risks in the Ordos Area (PAGER-O)
• Learning from Earthquakes: Building Resilient Communities Through Earthquake Reconnaissance, Response and Recovery
• Expertise Under Pressure
• Behaviour and Building Performance overview
• The B-bem project: The Bayesian building energy management Portal
• The User-TEC project: User Practices, Technologies and Residential Energy Consumption
• Circular maker cities: The European Pop-Machina research project overview
• Publications
• An Urban Room for Cambridge
• Public Map Platform project supporting green transition secures major funding
• History and Theory overview
• Building Histories overview
• The Development of the Timber Roof Truss 1660-1710
• History of Brick overview
• The Development of Brickwork in England 1610-1710
• Brick: a World History
• Wren, St Paul’s and 17th Century Craftsmen
• Staircases: History, Repair and Conservation
• History of Doors
• Proceedings of the Construction History Society Conferences
• Erasmus Summer Schools on Construction History 2011-2013
• Applying to Study Building History
• Completed PhD Research overview
• Wartime Huts
• Female Architectural Patronage in Eighteenth-Century Britain
• Wallpaper and Decorating Records 1824-1938
• Local Tradition and British Influence in Building Construction in Shanghai (1840-1937)
• Timber Railway Bridges in the Nineteenth Century
• Seventh Annual Conference on Construction History April 2020 overview
• Conference Programme
• Conference Proceedings overview
• Iron and Steel
• Before the Eighteenth Century
• Eighteenth Century
• Nineteenth Century
• Twentieth Century
• Eighth Annual Conference on Construction History, August 2021
• Ninth Conference of the Construction History Society
• The Library in History
• The Soane and Freemasonry
• Water and Civilisation
• Informal Cities in Latin America
• Domestic Devotions: the place of piety in the Italian Renaissance home
• Alvar Aalto’s church architecture in Germany
• Modern Architecture and the Sacred
• Hans Döllgast (1891-1974): Witness and Protagonist of Modern Architecture in Germany
• Projection: Alvar Aalto and the Moving Image
• Cambridge Design Research Studio
• UNFOLD: Decolonising Architecture at Cambridge website
• Research Events overview
• The Martin Centre Research Seminar Series
• Cambridge City Seminars: Urban Guilds in contemporary placemaking
• The Cambridge Architectural History Seminars
• Ax:son Johnson Centre for the Study of Classical Architecture Seminars
• Conferences overview
• Applied Urban Modelling (AUM) overview
• AUM2024: Reconnections
• AUM2022: Understanding common challenges
• AUM 2020 overview
• AUM2020 Global Workshop (online) - weblink for call for abstracts
• Session 1: Launch of the Applied Urban Modelling Symposium 2020 (AUM2020)
• Session 2: Status report: Around the globe (22 Oct 2020)
• Session 3: Emerging insights into autonomous driving (26 Oct 2020)
• Session 4: Taking a long view: the effects of transport investments (29 Oct 2020)
• Session 5: Modelling from micro to meso and macro scales (2 Nov 2020)
• Session 6: Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic: from monitoring to modelling (5 Nov 2020)
• Session 7: Urban mobility: now and future (9 Nov 2020)
• Session 8: The economics of cities (12 Nov 2020)
• Session 9: Modelling Large City Regions (16 Nov 2020)
• Session 10: The microscopic dimensions (19 Nov 2020)
• Session 11: Urban modelling and the planning of the built environment (23 Nov 2020)
• Session 12: Spatial modelling as rapid response to mitigate the pandemic (26 Nov 2020)
• Session 14: Concluding session (3 Dec 2020)
• Urban Modelling Archive
• Joint Cambridge-Berkeley Urban Design Charrette overview
• John G. Ellis: Urban Design Seminar: Teaching Urban Design: A Hands-on Experience
• Old Oak Common, London: ‘Fundamental Questions’
• Old Oak Masterplan:Question & Answer Session for shortlisted tenderers
• Old Oak and Park Royal: Guided Tour Briefing Pack
• PARK ROYAL ATLAS: An Employment Study of London’s Largest Industrial Area
• Spectres of Time in Space: Tracing Phantom Temporalities with Architectural Methodologies
• Current PhD Research in the Department overview
• Ibrahim Abdou: Cairo’s Vacant Houses: Trajectories of accumulation, regulation, and improvisation
• Karam Alkatlabe: How can Digital Participatory Planning and Collaborative Urban Design reshape the urban recovery process in post-disaster cities? The case of Damascus
• Sam Aitkenhead: The unintended consequences of designing out friction from the home of the future
• Anna Michelle Behr: Understanding the English Country House Hotel: Early Hotel Conversions in the Late Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Centuries
• Anna Boldina: Urban Hiking. Factors that can persuade pedestrians to choose more physically challenging routes in urban environment, in connection with their physical abilities overview
• 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
• Michael Collins: The transformative potential of urban agriculture: Re-framing architectural theory and practice
• Mohamed Derbal: Space, time and community: German architectural discourse and the search for national unity, 1890-1914
• Joshua Dimasaka: Global Disaster Risk Audit using Artificial Intelligence and Earth Observation Data
• 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
• Yelda Gin: Emerging Earthen Architecture: Digital Design and Fabrication for Building with Earth
• I-Dec Goh: Bias mitigated data-driven façade design of social housing in Singapore using thermal and imaging information
• Elizabeth Baldwin Gray: Conceptions of the Gothic: Romantic Medievalism in Early Modern German Architecture
• Charlie Hamilton (FCILT): Mass Transit in Small to Medium Sized Cities
• Juliet Harrison-Egan: Spaces of Education: the role of schools in the post-apartheid city
• Yu Hu: The Evolution of Urban Office Space in The Age of Information and Communication Technology
• Sean Hughes: The 21st Century Suburb: A Method for Transit Driven Redevelopment in North American Suburbia
• Yasser M. Khaldi: Governing Renewable Energy Transition in Conflict Contexts: The Case of Palestine
• 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
• Lingzi Pan: The role of social connectedness in quality-of-life measurement and urban modelling
• 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
• Filomena Russo: Restorative characteristics of intermediate architectural environments
• Michael Salka: The Role of Geospatial Data in Developing Nature-Based Value Chains for 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
• Cleo Valentine: Architectural Neuroimmunology: Assessing the Impact of Architectural Form on Human Neuroinflammation
• 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
• Yue Ying: Understanding variability in neighbourhood responses to regeneration initiatives
• Di Zhao: European Railway Buildings in China 1890-1940: an example of cross-cultural exchange
• Lingzheng Zhu: Mediating Nature: The Practice of Synthetic Media in the Contemporary Eastern Context
• Shanshan Xie: An investigation of heterogeneous commute mode choices to link travel demands to flexible working policies: using an Early Stopping Bayesian Data Assimilation
• Visiting Scholars
• Visiting Students
• News overview
• Events overview
• Past Events
• Professional Studies Advisors (PSA) overview
• Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Practice in Architecture - ARB/ RIBA Part 3
• MSt Architecture Apprenticeship
• MPhil in Architecture & Urban Studies (MAUS)
• MSt Building History

Course requirements:

Candidates accepted for this course will have a 1st class or a high 2i honours degree and, a Masters degree with 70% overall (or equivalent) in Architecture or a related discipline.

The University requires all applicants to demonstrate competence in the English language at a very high level before they begin their proposed course of study - adherence to this requirement is strict. You must be able to demonstrate that you are able to communicate in English at a level and in an idiom suitable to the subject. You will, therefore, need to provide evidence that you meet the University’s minimum requirements for competence in English. For further information see  Postgraduate Admissions Office .

How to Make an Application for the PhD in Architecture

If you do meet the course requirements, you are recommended to consult the list of our established University Teaching Officers (UTOs) and their research interests (see below for links to information about each of our UTOs). If one of our UTOs has relevant research interests to your own, please email them directly with a short research proposal of about 300 words, an example of your writing and a CV to determine whether they are potentially available to work with you as a supervisor before you make a formal application. See:

Dr Ronita Bardhan - Data-driven built-environment design, spatial analysis and climate change, Big data for sustainability in the built-environment, design for demand side energy management

Professor James Campbell - History of building construction, history of library design

Dr Ramit Debnath - Cutting-edge interdisciplinary domain of environmental data science, computational social science, and human-in-the-loop AI design to enable climate action. Applicants should be able to demonstrate excellent data science and quantitative research skills and a passion for interdisciplinary engagement

Dr Michal Gath-Morad  - Exploring how architectural design impacts spatial cognition, behaviour, and social dynamics in diverse environments, from healthcare and workplaces to complex urban settings. Proposals can encompass empirical studies, the development of digital simulation tools for human-centred design, or action research investigating the influence of evidence-based design tools on design cognition

Dr Felipe Hernández - Architectural and urban design, participatory design, social urbanism, history and theory

Professor Ying Jin – City planning, urban design, and urban modelling

Dr Irit Katz -  Socio-politics of architecture and urbanism; transitional spaces, camps and borderscapes; spaces of displacement, migration, and climate mobilities; ethnic and cultural diversity, exclusion and inequality; conflict and violence; housing insecurities; radical spatial and urban transformations; participatory architecture and urban design

Dr Antiopi Koronaki  - Computational design, architectural engineering and geometry, and design optimization principles. Potential topics may include, but are not limited to automation and design for disassembly, modular buildings and circularity in the construction sector, engineered timber construction, as well as advanced fabrication and robotics in architecture

Dr Michael Ramage – Designing and building structural masonry spans using traditional techniques and new materials

Professor Flora Samuel  - Affordable housing, participatory planning, community consultation, social value and mapping data with communities

Dr Darshil U. Shah  - Design and manufacture with biocomposites and low-carbon materials, Structure- property-processing relations in natural materials and structures, Biomechanics and biomimetics, History of natural materials & materials processing, and Design education and pedagogy

Dr Nicholas Simcik Arese - Social theory and urban planning, international development, property rights, youth, masculinity, migration, Middle East, Mediterranean, Mexico, legal geography, science and technology studies, anthropology of value, ethnography

Professor Emily So - Casualty estimation in earthquake loss modelling, risk in the built environment.

Professor Koen Steemers – architectural and urban implications of environmental issues ranging from energy use to human comfort

Dr Max Sternberg – architecture & philosophy, socio-politics of architecture, urban conflict, architectural history

Dr Minna Sunikka-Blank - sustainable building policies, thermal retrofit, energy use behaviour, aesthetics of sustainable architecture

Dr Matteo Zallio  - Interdisciplinary research on Inclusive Design for the built environment, product, and service design

You are recommended to only make a formal application via the University’s Graduate Admissions Office, once an established UTO has confirmed that they would be interested to consider a formal application.  Please note that an offer of admission to the University is subject to final approval by the University's Graduate Admissions Office.  Do not assume that you will be made an offer on the grounds that your prospective supervisor has suggested you make a formal application – this just represents the first stage of admission administration.

All applications must be made via the Applicant Portal available on the Postgraduate Admissions Office  website. It is important that you read through the information available on the Graduate Admissions Office website before submitting your application. If you are already a current graduate student at Cambridge you will be referred to as a ‘Continuer’ on the Graduate Admissions Office website.

You will need to arrange for the following documents to be submitted with your application:

• Academic Reference(s) 
• A Personal Reference will be required if you are applying for the Gates Cambridge Scholarship
• Evidence of Competence in English if English is not your first language
• Sample of Work - this could be a journal publication or a chapter from your undergraduate dissertation
• Research Proposal of 1000 - 1500 words should consist of a topic and a hypothesis, a literature review, a statement on method, and key references

Application Deadlines

The PhD in Architecture commences in October each year and applications for the course can be made from the preceding September. All applications must be made via the Applicant Portal available on the Postgraduate Admissions Office  website. It is important that you read through the information available on the Graduate Admissions Office website before submitting your application.

The final deadline for applicants seeking funding is 7 January 2020. Even if you are not seeking funding, we strongly recommend that you submit your application by 7 January, as no applications will be accepted once this competitive and popular programme is full.

If places are still available on programmes beyond this deadline; self-funded applicants will continue to be considered until the final deadline of 15 May 2020.  No applications will be considered after this deadline.

Course Fees

Information relating to the fee for this course is available from the  Postgraduate Admissions Office .   

If you are seeking funding for your course via one of the University’s main funding competitions, there are specific deadlines and eligibility criteria for each competition. Please check the Funding Section of the  Postgraduate Admissions Office  website for information and application deadlines.  

Applicants classed as 'Home' or 'EU' for fees purposes and wish to research an AHRC approved research subject are eligible to be considered for an Open-Oxford-Cambridge AHRC DTP studentship. Applicants wishing to be considered for these awards need to check the appropriate box on the application form. Applicants will also need to ensure that they make their application by the funding competition deadline for Home/EU students. Please see the University's AHRC DTP funding website for more information: https://www.csah.cam.ac.uk/Education/ahrcdtp together with the Open-Oxford-Cambridge AHRC DTP website: https://www.oocdtp.ac.uk/

The Department sometimes offers EPSRC awards for students classified as 'Home' or 'EU' for fees purposes.  These awards are advertised on the Department’s website and other media during the Easter Term (Summer Term) if available.  Applicants who have already applied for the PhD degree will automatically be considered for these awards if they meet the criteria for them.

After your Application is Submitted

When the application reaches the Department, it will be considered by the Department’s Graduate Admissions Team. Applicants may be invited for an interview in Cambridge, or, via Skype if it is not possible to travel to Cambridge.  The Faculty’s Degree Committee will then consider the application and make a recommendation to the Graduate Admissions Office as to whether an offer of a place on the course should be made, and if so, with what academic conditions.

Please be aware that this process may take several months.  You can check the status of your application at any time via your Applicant Portal.

Full information about making your application, Colleges, fees and funding opportunities is provided on the  Postgraduate Admissions Office  website pages.

For further information on graduate admission to the Department of Architecture contact:  [email protected]

At a Glance

Course length and dates:

3 years full-time/5 years part-time, October start.

Examination:

A dissertation of not more than 80,000 words. 

Academic requirement:

A 1st class or a high 2i honours degree in Architecture or a related discipline, and a Masters degree with merit (if a merit category exists).

English language requirement:

See  Postgraduate Admissions Office . 

Applications accepted from:

The preceding September.

Application Deadlines:

The final deadline for applicants seeking funding is early January, please see  Postgraduate Admissions  for exact date. Even if you are not seeking funding, we strongly recommend that you submit your application by 7 January, as no applications will be accepted once this competitive and popular programme is full.

Course Fees:

Information relating to the fee for this course is available from the  Postgraduate Admissions Office .  

If you are seeking funding for your course via one of the University’s main funding competitions, there are specific deadlines and eligibility criteria for each competition.  Please check the Funding Section of the  Postgraduate Admissions Office  website for information and application deadlines. 

• Postal Address: Department of Architecture 1-5 Scroope Terrace Cambridge CB2 1PX Tel: 01223 332950
• Information provided by:     [email protected]
• Site Privacy & Cookie Policies
• How to find us: click here for our location on a map

© 2024 University of Cambridge

• Contact the University
• Accessibility
• Freedom of information
• Privacy policy and cookies
• Statement on Modern Slavery
• Terms and conditions
• University A-Z
• Undergraduate
• Research news
• About research at Cambridge
• Spotlight on...

Academia.edu no longer supports Internet Explorer.

To browse Academia.edu and the wider internet faster and more securely, please take a few seconds to  upgrade your browser .

Enter the email address you signed up with and we'll email you a reset link.

• We're Hiring!
• Help Center

Architecture with Landscape Methods (PhD plan 1st year proposal)

Related Papers

Daniel Jauslin

Contemporary architecture has been strongly influenced by the concept of landscape in recent times. A new mindset evolves that changes the core of the architectural discipline: the organization and composition of architectural space as a landscape. The scope of this thesis is to investigate and understand architecture that has been designed like a landscape. In projects of OMA, MVRDV, Peter Eisenman, Foreign Office or Diller+Scofidio the building inside and landscape outside do not merely interact, but the building is designed as an artificial landscape on its own. Landscape constitutes the inside. The landscape to architecture relation is turned inside-out. The author is studying these phenomena and their design methodologies. As a first finalized and completely documented case study the analysis of the Rolex Learning Center in Lausanne by SANAA is surely an important part of our discovery of landscape methods for architectural design. Landscape is developing here as the aesthetic mediator between nature and human.

Abstract: Landscape has been used as a metaphor or conceptual reference for an increasing amount of excellent architectural projects in the last two decades. The phenomenon seems to be a substantial innovation of architecture with an interesting potential for artistic, social and ecological gains. To be able to better understand and critically review these projects, it is important to better understand the notion of landscape.

Contemporary architecture is increasingly influenced by the concept of landscape, and this is particularly the case in the Netherlands. Like at many other places, a new mindset is emerging, transforming the core values of the disciplines of architecture and urbanism with the notion of the organization of architectural space as a landscape. Through experiment our lab develops methods to analyze such phenomena in focused studies of specific cases, understanding how architects use landscape not only as a metaphor but also as a method to design buildings. 32 students selected and analyzed outstanding built work of a wide field of architects from four generations of Dutch practitioners starting with Huig Maaskant (founder of the RAvB), Huig Maaskant, Wim QUist, OMA, SANAA, Mecanoo, MVRDV, NOX, De Zwarte Hond, NL-Architects, Onix, FACT and MonderschijmMoonen. Students drew and built models of their analyses, where four layers are detachable as a separate entity, and then played a game the surrealist called Cadavre Exquis. The result is a dismantled floating olympic village for Rotterdam, which is exhibited at it’s site in the historic docklands RDM on the Heijplaat. This Book is the catalogue to the exhibition.

15 are quite recent–made within the past few years–and quite behind schedule if we consider that sustainability has grown to become a firmly established and often compelling issue in the fields of science and politics over the past two decades. On a wider scale, the United Nations committed itself to the goal of sustainable development and environmental protection on a global scale when it passed Resolution 38/161 in 1987. In the process, the UN established its own definition for sustainable development:" Sustainable development ...

Disability, Space, Architecture: A Reader

Kent Fitzsimons

In recent decades, regulations and guidance aimed at making architectural environments less disabling have improved daily life for those with mobility and sensory disabilities. This approach to accessibility clearly produces social progress. However, it also has the unfortunate side effect of casting architecture as a prosthetic device that normalizes lived experience based on an able-bodied paradigm. Rather than generate architecture whose qualities draw from the specificities of a great variety of physical conditions, it tends to reinforce what may be called the " eyes on legs " benchmark, where architectural experience is understood as a function of a body that associates the ability to walk with fully operational vision. I will argue that approaching accessibility as a compensatory measure can distract from other aspects of the complex relationships between space design and the experiences of disability. This requires challenging assumptions that imagine and interpret architectural space predominantly through a seeing and mobile body, to the detriment of other senses and of other ways of appropriating the built environment. In this chapter, I will therefore forefront disabled spatial practices that involve " more than access. " I will discuss two cases in which an architectural work provides the opportunity to conceptualize disabled experiences in ways that challenge limits in accessibility theory and practice as well as in architectural thought. Through architectural analyses of these works, I will argue that the full spectrum of bodily capacities could benefit if both architectural discourse and disability guidance and advocacy conceptualized the specificities of disabled architectural experience beyond the habitual terms of access. Both cases studies consist of architectural environments that are open to the public. In the first work, Peter Eisenman's Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe in Berlin (2005), I explore how access can consist of more than just functional ease of movement to a destination; rather it can be integral to our meaning-making around, and experiences of, material space. This is because the Memorial's formal and spatial organization creates the potential for an infinite number of meaning-making experiences, without prejudging their nature and by favouring the activation of all the senses. As a result, it challenges the notion that accessibility

Krystyna Januszkiewicz

The paper explores the possibilities of using Structural Optimization Tools (ESO) digital tools in an integrated structural and architectural design in response to the current needs geared towards sustainability, combining ecological and economic efficiency. The first part of the paper defines the Evolutionary Structural Optimization tools, which were developed specifically for engineering purposes using finite element analysis as a framework. The development of ESO has led to several incarnations, which are all briefly discussed (Additive ESO, Bi-directional ESO, Extended ESO). The second part presents result of using these tools in structural and architectural design. Actual building projects which involve optimization as a part of the original design process will be presented (Crematorium in Kakamigahara Gifu, Japan, 2006 SANAA " s Learning Centre, EPFL in Lausanne, Switzerland 2008 among others). The conclusion emphasizes that the structural engineering and architectural design mean directing attention to the solutions which are used by Nature, designing works optimally shaped and forming their own environments. Architectural forms never constitute the optimum shape derived through a form-finding process driven only by structural optimization, but rather embody and integrate a multitude of parameters. It might be assumed that there is a similarity between these processes in nature and the presented design methods. Contemporary digital methods make the simulation of such processes possible, and thus enable us to refer back to the empirical methods of previous generations. 1. Introduction The works created by Nature have been an inspiration for building forms since time immemorial. These forms have represented a kind of bridge between men and their natural environment. In the digital age, this bridge seems to be essential both for architects and scientists alike, and a diverse development of research interests concerned with new materials and technologies to re-inform the built environment has emerged. The Nature can provide 'models and processes for the creation of artificial systems that are designed to produce forms, and perhaps even real intelligence' [1]. Today we learn from Nature about efficient energy and material management, we find effective engineering solutions and structural designs for new building materials. We also learn the ways in which the natural and built environments could best interact with each other connecting art and science. Digital instrumentation of the evolution, morphogenesis and emergence processes, along with the proposed methods and techniques, provide a possibility of using these models in the architectural and structural design. It is a key concept, which is important both for the theory and methods of digital design [2]. The interest of architects and designing engineers is increasingly focused on the use of Evolutionary Structural Optimization (ESO) in nonlinear shaping of structures. Their aim is to identify and expand the applicability of these methods in architectural design.

Marcela Aragüez, PhD

The architecture of the Japanese practice SANAA, led by Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa, seems to be conceived so as to be spatially and programmatically ‘uncertain’, with configurations that tend to be freed from constrictions. Characterised by multiple layers of transparent materials, their buildings establish a continuous relationship between interior and exterior. This study focuses on the analysis of one of the buildings designed by SANAA, the Rolex Learning Centre (RLC). The study provides an in-depth analysis – the first of its kind using space syntax methodology – of this building looking at both spatial properties and the social practices of users. The particular geometry of the building entails methodological challenges and the customisation of syntax tools derived from a fluid and continuous undulated interior. New methods of syntactical analysis are tested in order to overcome the particular morphology of the building. In particular, this is done by the development of a series of methodological experiments concerned with the comparison of visibility and permeability values and the role of the third dimension in space syntax theory and applied software. The study will first analyse selected buildings from diverse functional and formal typologies to provide a background analysis of the architecture of SANAA, to then later address the RLC. The first section of the study identifies a strong foreground structure in the buildings analysed, but almost no correlation between function and configuration. The analysis of the RLC shows how the spatial arrangement is determined by the use of transparent and opaque materials, which constructs different levels of privacy, and how this is reflected in a diverse combination of levels of visibility and permeability in different areas of the building. Finally, a closer look to the spatial practices of users in the RLC reveals that the places that are used in a more informal way are those characterised by a disjunction between levels of visibility and permeability. This is considered an incisive conclusion that, added to the methodological experimentation performed in the study, can provide an alternative way to understand the relationship between spatial complexity and functional uncertainty in buildings.

Huong Yeu Leung

Đinh Thương

RELATED PAPERS

Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part C: Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science

Vladislav Sorokin

Química Nova

Giovana Nunes

UML and the Unified Process

Germán Montejano

Wendy Muse Sinek

Journal of strength and conditioning research

Sandra Hirsch

Weyn Villanueva

Herpetologica

Gustavo Scrocchi

Acta Tropica

Energy & Fuels

Juan Miguel Romero García

Journal of Science and Technology

Phan Long Nhật Vy

mobarak hossain

JUAN DIEGO ARROYO ACOSTA

Ethics & International Affairs

Ruth Rubio Marín

ECS Meeting Abstracts

Peter Ngene

Journal of cardiovascular magnetic resonance : official journal of the Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance

Imran Rashid

Microbial Cell Factories

Journal of Advances in Medicine and Medical Research

Mounia Bouih

Molecular Ecology

Ivan Gabrielyan

Crítica Historiográfica

Itamar Freitas

Social Science Research Network

Anneli Howard

European Heart Journal Supplements

Tien Hoang Anh

Discrete Applied Mathematics

Rafael Martí

The Manchester School

Trevor Sharot

International Small Business Journal

Dirk De Clercq

办理拉筹伯大学毕业证 购买澳洲大学文凭LTU毕业证文凭学历

•   We're Hiring!
•   Help Center
• Find new research papers in:
• Health Sciences
• Earth Sciences
• Cognitive Science
• Mathematics
• Computer Science
• Academia ©2024

• Master's programmes in English
• For exchange students
• PhD opportunities
• All programmes of study
• Language requirements
• Application process
• Academic calendar
• NTNU research
• Research excellence
• Strategic research areas
• Innovation resources
• Student in Trondheim
• Student in Gjøvik
• Student in Ålesund
• For researchers
• Life and housing
• Faculties and departments
• International researcher support

Språkvelger

Course - m.sc. thesis in sustainable architecture - aar4993, course-details-portlet, aar4993 - m.sc. thesis in sustainable architecture, examination arrangement.

Examination arrangement: Master thesis Grade: Letter grades

Course content

A Master thesis is to a large extent an independent work where the candidate(s) demonstrates his/her ability to develop an architectural design project or a research report on a specific topic in the field of sustainable architecture.

Hence, there are two different routes towards a Master of Science diploma in Sustainable Architecture:

1) Architectural design project (drawings, models, text) or

2) A research based work or anthology (written report).

Learning outcome

The candidate

• has advanced knowledge of sustainable architecture as a field of knowledge; its theory and history as well as its technical, scientific, social and cultural basis, and can apply this knowledge in his/her own architectural design- or research work.
• has advanced aesthetic and technical understanding and can apply this knowledge in own architectural work or in research articles.
• has advanced experiential knowledge of the relationship between architectural representations at different levels of abstraction, and built architecture, cities and towns that are in use over time.
• has advanced knowledge about bioclimatic design, passive climatization strategies, life cycle assessment, zero emission buildings, and Integrated energy design.

The candidate…

• is able to give form to architecture and/or neighbourhoods at a high international architectural level through artistic and scientific investigations, concept development, and architectural design in relevant formats
• is able to structure and develop a scientific research work relating to state of the art knowledge and ongoing research activities.
• is trained in the use of architectural methods, tools and expressions, and can apply these in architectural design, urban design and/or research, in a targeted, professional and experimental manner.
• is able to critically assess and recognise quality in architectural works, cities, projects and urban plans, including in his/her own work, and make use of such assessments in his/her own architectural work.

General competence:

The candidate...

• takes independent responsibility for his/her own learning and professional development and is able to apply his/her knowledge in new fields.
• is able to reflect critically and ethically on his/her own architectural design or research work, create new frameworks for understanding, and depart from conventions after critical consideration.
• is able to communicate architectural work, both design and research, including his/her own and others work to specialists as well as to the general public at a professional level and in an academic context.
• relates his/her professional competence and involvement to key societal issues.
• can independently and critically use the knowledge acquired throughout the master programme in research or architectural design projects.

Learning methods and activities

Individual work with guidance from a supervisor. Workshops and intermediate group presentations accompany the process.

Further on evaluation

The master's thesis can be done:

1) Individually

2) In groups of two students with individual assessment

3) In groups of two students with a common assessment.

All students have the right to complete the Master thesis individually. In the assignment type 2, each student's contribution needs to be clearly identifiable. Students are allowed to choose assignment type 2 or 3 provided that they themselves organize the group and that the supervisor for the group approves this.

As a general rule, the master's thesis must be written in English. Norwegian as language can exceptionally be used, upon application to the program leader and upon agreement with the student's supervisor.

All candidates are required to submit a master thesis contract with their main supervisor before starting the master project. In the case of a group assignment, the partnership will be noted in this contract.

An external sensor will read and go through the delivered material in the weeks between the delivery date and the final presentation.

In presenting their work students can follow a standard outline including a brief introduction of the topic, including a brief state of the art analysis, an explanation of the thesis scope and the methodologies used for reaching results that are presented and discussed before the conclusion.

During the exam, the moderator will ask the external sensor to start an academic discussion in dialogue with the student, involving the internal sensor and other teachers. The sensors should provide feedback on the students work and give him/her the possibility of replying to concerns and questions related to the work.

After the presentations, external and internal sensors will meet to discuss and grade the thesis. Both sensors determine the grade together, but the external sensor has the last word. The external sensor is responsible for writing a small feedback and justification for the grade given.

The evaluation committee adopts the NTNU grading scale in the evaluation.

Specific conditions

Admission to a programme of study is required: Sustainable Architecture (MSSUSARC)

Required previous knowledge

All required courses in the previous semesters in the MSc programme in sustainable architecture must have been passed (90 ECT). The faculty may accept that a maximum of one courses of 7.5 ECTS that course is not considered essential for starting the work with the master thesis.

Course materials

NTNU master thesis templates and other material helping in conducting a master's thesis

Version: 1 Credits:  30.0 SP Study level: Second degree level

Term no.: 1 Teaching semester:  SPRING 2024

Language of instruction: English

Location: Trondheim

• Architectural Design, History and Technology
• Architecture
• Niki Gaitani
• Anshuman Abhisek Mishra
• Barbara Szybinska Matusiak
• Eva Patricia Schneider-Marin
• Francesco Goia
• Gearoid Patrick Lydon
• Inger Andresen
• Luca Finocchiaro
• Siri Katrine Ursin
• Tommy Kleiven

Department with academic responsibility Department of Architecture and Technology

Examination

Examination arrangement: master thesis.

• * The location (room) for a written examination is published 3 days before examination date. If more than one room is listed, you will find your room at Studentweb.

For more information regarding registration for examination and examination procedures, see "Innsida - Exams"

More on examinations at NTNU