Practice Based Research
In 2016 twenty-two practices responded to a call from the RIBA for submissions to the President’s Awards for Research. Certainly, a reflection of the increasing recognition of the role of research in architectural practice and the value that such practices place on evidence-based research and design knowledge across a wide scope and scale of topics.
This research group led by Associate Head of School, Dr Martina Murphy and associate senior lecturer and practitioner, Ciaran Mackel, will, with colleagues, investigate and document knowledge management, design development and formal specific research projects. The group will use a range of approaches and will seek to enable practitioners, within the university and those in practice, to improve their existing research work and to collaborate with Ulster University to develop and access new funding streams and facilitate innovation through knowledge sharing and best practice exemplars by publication and dissemination.
It is clear that practitioners value the grounding that a research focus can bring to even the most ordinary project and in doing so expand the reach of their practice. Research informs and amplifies the work of practice.
The group will, in the first instance, undertake an audit of the key existing practice-based research units within academia and will meet with RIBA Research and Innovation Group to explore mutually beneficial links. We will host seminars to discuss ongoing research projects and to explore, in workshops, particular issues that range from social value, to social geography, cultural capital and politics. We anticipate that public exhibitions may be important milestones and touchstones in the continuing dissemination of ideas and pursuit of an open agenda.
We anticipate strong alignment with the ‘zero emissions buildings and community’ cluster, whereby pilot studies would serve as ‘lighthouse projects’ transferring knowledge to practice and the industry.
Research Lead
Dr Martina Murphy, Associate Head of School
Ciarán Mackel, Senior Lecturer in Architecture