Demystifying Architectural Research: Adding Value to Your Practice

This practical, hands on introduction guides you through the basics of undertaking research in day-to-day architectural practice helping you to exploit the growing opportunities on offer. It explores how developing a research specialism can improve the quality of your projects, help to define your brand and generate new channels of revenue with innovative services for clients.

The text is divided into four sections focussing on different types of Architecture Research Practice; commercial, cultural, social and technology. Each section includes a series of inspiring case studies written by practitioners themselves on the way in which research benefits their business as well as an essay by an expert which sets these projects in their methodological context. In this way the book highlights the broad spectrum of research being undertaken and the practical implications for the practice and their projects.

This is designed for architects and practices who want to develop a clear specialism that adds brand value and will enable them to access new funding streams as well as students of architecture who are getting to grips with architectural research.

Flora Samuel is an Architect and Professor of Architecture at the University of Sheffield and formerly Head of School.

Anne Dye is Head of Technical Research at the RIBA, responsible for delivering the research agenda in alliance with the RIBA Research and Innovation Group. This includes the development, support and promotion of a range of strategic built-environment research projects both within the RIBA, in partnership with other organisations and within the wider research community, as well as providing advocacy for research to key stakeholders.