Design Research (in) Practice II Lisbon 2018-May-25-26
DR_SoM (Design Research Series on Method)
Lisbon, Portugal
25 – 26 May 2018
Final Programme as PDF
Download Poster
session 6:
Design Research (in) Practice II
The sixth session of DR_SoM (Design Research Series on Method) will take place at the Chamber of Architects (Ordem dos Arquitectos) in Lisbon. For a second time, after the session in Reading, UK, April 2016, we focus on research methods used by practitioners, architectural and other, for the study of practice. We are looking for presentations of projects and practices that frame design in a rigorous way, in terms of aims, methodologies, and forms of critical reflection that might even acknowledge and celebrate the importance of innovative spirit, meandering and failure. Presentations are invited from architectural practitioners who are undertaking research in practice and from those who are studying the processes and methodologies of practice research. We want to hear how practitioners proceed with their design-related research, how they think about the ways in which their design approach contributes to or increases knowledge about design and building.
Keynotes :
Paulo Martins Barata
Joana Pestana Lages
(see programme)
Despite the efforts that have been made throughout Europe to foster and develop design research, which we see as a subset of a broader scope of architectural research practice, there are still difficulties for practitioners to incorporate (design)research into their professional design practice. Nevertheless, professional practice provides privileged conditions for research that are out of reach of formal academic research conduct. We argue that, although project-bound practice is not immediately constituted as research, it contains in itself a variety of possible methodologies that can be approached as research. From the basic ordering, inquiry and collection of information that is needed to support design, passing through the multidisciplinary connections and contributions of different agents of the industry, until the more reflective and artistic aspects of design as creative practice, architectural practice offers a diverse world of activities of inquiry.
Although nearly all architectural practices offer spatial and tectonic solutions to complex problems, they differ widely in ways in which they do this. Each practitioner has different methods, priorities, region contexts and concerns, which influence their methodology, practice and results. Their explorations lead to new knowledge and insights that transcend the particular project that is developed. Too often however, this knowledge and these insights remain inside the walls of the office. There is a need for sharing these insights and their underlaying methodologies.
The aim of this DR-SoM session is to explore each of those activities and their fuzzy limits, with a special interest in elucidating the notion of research by design, and its potentials in and for professional practice, Moreover, if we are to bring design research in practice to the level of recognition that it deserves, we must find ways to assess research excellence in full respect of the diversity in which it operates. Therefore, the DR_SoM session will explore this diversity of practice methodologies and value them in the broad range of practice-based research.
If you would like to participate to the session, please send a concise description of the work you want to present of no more than 200 words (and any additional graphic material, if required) to joao.sequeira@oasrs.org until 10 April 18 April 2018 for consideration by the panel.
Full papers are not required as we recognize work in progress. However, participants are invited to write an illustrated paper afterwards, for publication in a booklet dedicated to this DR_SoM session. Further information can be found at http://www.arena‐architecture.eu/
For any questions related to content of this sixth DR_SoM session in Lisbon please contact João Barbosa Sequeira at joao.sequeira@oasrs.org; for any questions related to practicalities and organisation please contact Liliana Nóbrega at liliana.nobrega@oasrs.org. For any questions on the project of DR_SoM in general, contact Johan De Walsche at johan.dewalsche@uantwerpen.be
Final programme
DR_SoM is a project within the ARENA network for architectural research. www.arena-architecture.eu
The DR_SoM panel consists of:
João Sequeira, UBI-Covilhã (organizer and host);
Oya Atalay Franck, ZHAW Winterthur (project leader);
Roberto Cavallo, TUDelft (project leader);
Johan De Walsche, UAntwerpen (project leader);
Murray Fraser, UCL Bartlett;
Bernard Kormoss, ULG, Liège;
Flora Samuel, SoA Reading;
Torsten Schröder, TU Eindhoven;
Pieter Versteegh, ESA‐PSYCHE.
