Introduction to

Research in
Architecture.
SANTOSH KUMAR MISRA
PRINCIPAL ABIT AND PROFESSOR OF ARCHITECTURE ( DESIGN CHAIR )
PILOO MODY COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE, CUTTACK, ODISHA.
Abstract

 Title: Introduction to Research in Architecture:

 Abstract: Generally, research in India has not been very
encouraging. And this has been even more acute in the
field of architecture and planning. The presentation is
intended to inform the participants the fundamentals of
what is research, the different types of research, the
ingrains of a PhD level research and the Characteristics of
a good research work.
 It then goes on to elaborate on the structure of a research
work and the importance of presenting the research in a
systematic way. The author elaborates on what makes a
good research topic and how to choose a thesis project.
Then several thesis titles are discussed to give the new
researcher a lead in identifying a topic. Finally examples of
two PhD works are selected to see how they were worked
upon. The presentation is concluded by stating that an
open mind is the key to doing good research.
Fields of Academic Enquiry

SCIENCE HUMANITIES
Fields of Academic Enquiry

DESIGN

SCIENCE HUMANITIES
Fields of Academic Enquiry

Design /
Architecture

SCIENCE HUMANITIES
Introduction

Research in common parlance refers to a search for

knowledge. Research comprises creative work
undertaken on a systematic basis in order to
increase the stock of knowledge, including
knowledge of man, culture and society, and the use
of this stock of knowledge to devise new
applications. It is used to establish or confirm facts,
reaffirm the results of previous work, solve new or
existing problems, support theorems, or develop new
theories.
 Types of research
Research may be generally placed under any of the following heads or under a
combination of the following heads:
 Fundamental or Basic research.
 Applied Research.
 Descriptive Research.
 Analytical Research.
 Experimental Research.
 Theoretical Research.
 Theoretical-experimental research.
 Design Research.
 Computer Based Research.
 Quantitative Research.
 Qualitative Research.
 Empirical Research.
 Mixed Research.
Fundamental or Basic Research.

 Basic Research is research in pure science

subjects such as Physics, Chemistry, Biology,
Material Science , Mathematics, Astronomy,
Astrophysics and others. Research in pure
sciences makes a nation inherently strong. This
is also known as curiosity oriented research.
However a lot of resources are needed for this
and there is no immediate benefit.
Applied Research.

 Under the classification of Applied Research

subjects such as Computer Science, Technology,
Electrical, Mechanical, Civil, Aerospace,
Biomedical, Sustainable Development,
Architecture and others may be placed.
 Developing countries like India invest a lot of
money in Applied Research as this gives
immediate economic returns.
 As a consequence they have invested large
amounts of funds in engineering and technology
projects.
 The right thing to do would be to achieve novel
and successful technologies based on basic and
curiosity oriented research.
Descriptive Research

One of the goals of science is description (other

goals include prediction and explanation).
➢ Descriptive Research methods are pretty much as
they sound — they describe situations. They do
not make accurate predictions, and they do not
determine cause and effect.
 There are three main types of descriptive
methods: Observational methods, case-study
methods and survey methods.
Descriptive Research
Observational Method
 With the Observational Method (sometimes
referred to as field observation), human behavior
with in the physical environment is closely
observed. There are two main categories of the
observational method — naturalistic observation
and laboratory observation.
Descriptive Research

Case Study Method

 Case study research involves an in-depth study of
an people and places . Case studies often lead
to testable hypotheses and allow us to study rare
phenomena.
 Case studies should not be used to determine
cause and effect, and they have limited use for
making accurate predictions.
 In Architecture and related subjects this method is
very widely used.
Descriptive Research

Survey Method
 In Survey Method research, participants answer
questions administered through interviews or
questionnaires. After participants answer the
questions, researchers describe the responses
given. For the survey to be both reliable and
valid, it is important that the questions are
constructed properly. Questions should be written
so they are clear and easy to comprehend.
 Architecture and related subjects can use this
method to a great extent.
Analytical Research

 Analytical research is a type of research that

involves evaluation of facts and information
already available. This is then analyzed using
critical thinking skills and a conclusion is arrived
at.
 A variety of people including students, architects,
doctors and psychologists use analytical research
during studies to find the most relevant
information. From analytical research, a person
finds out critical details to add new ideas to the
material being produced.
Experimental Research.
The experimental method is usually taken to be the most scientific of all
methods, the 'method of choice'. The main problem with all the non-
experimental methods is lack of control over the situation. The
experimental method is a means of trying to overcome this problem. The
experiment is sometimes described as the cornerstone of psychology
and Environmental psychology : This is partly due to the central role
experiments play in many of the physical sciences . A considerable
amount of environmental psychological research uses the experimental
method.
 The sequence of developing sections in a typical experimental
report might be the following:
1) Theory.
2) Equipment.
3) Procedure.
4) Results.
 In Architecture, Experimental Research can be done for climate
related studies with the use of sensors. Climatic comfort in historic
buildings, lighting in buildings etc. Environmental issues in the
neighbourhood can also be studied experimentally.
Theoretical/Conceptual
Research.
The term theoretical is sometimes informally used in lieu of hypothetical
(conjectural, imaginary) to describe a result which is predicted by theory but
has not yet been adequately tested by observation or experiment.
It is research in which the goal is to prove/disprove a hypothesized truth.
While doing theoretical research , the theoretical base or framework has to be
found out. The theoretical framework is a foundation for the parameters, or
boundaries, of a study.
➢ Once these themes are established, researchers can seek answers to the
topical questions they have developed on broad subjects. With a framework,
they can resist getting off track by digging into information that has nothing to
do with their topic. Often researchers are curious about broad subjects, but
with a theoretical framework they can stay tightly within the theme or topic.
➢The general pattern of development usually moves from the known to the
unknown, and the typical theoretical report might be as follows:
1) Existing theory.
2) New theory.
3) Application.
In architecture a lot of the research work is theoretical. Any work on
Architectural theory, history and criticism will be theoretical.
Theoretical-Experimental research.
In some research, a substantial theoretical development is produced and
then tested experimentally to determine the validity. Such a research is, in
effect, both a theoretical and a experimental project. A typical report might
contain the following developing sections:
1) Existing theory.
2) Theoretical development.
3) Theoretical predictions.
4) Equipment.
5) Procedure.
6) Results.
7) Comparison of predictions and results.
 Here some of the research work can be done theoretically and then
validated by experimentation. A PhD in architectural photography can
combines practical photographic work with a textual thesis.
Design Research.
In a design project, the problem is to design a new system or
subsystem or to design a modification to an existing one. Thus the
reporting of a typical project might include the following
developing sections:
1) Detailed analysis ( of the problem)
2) Theory.
3) Design.
4) Fabrication. (Application in Architecture)
5) Testing and Evaluation.
Doctoral degree programs in Architectural Design may include
research into building design and development theories. These
days ,certain schools have chosen to focus on the
development of a design-based research, where practical
elements and experiments constitute essential parts of the
research methodology and dissemination.
Architectural issues such as Health Care Design , Facility
planning, Robotics etc. can be placed under the head of
design research.
Computer projects / Research
 A computer research is one in which the primary effort is
centered upon the development of a computer
program or on the use of computers in developing
results. The development might include the following:
1) Detailed Analysis ( of the problem)
2) Theoretical Development.
3) Development of the program.
 In architecture and planning computers can be
used for the analysis of spatial configurations . It can be
used as a tool to help urban planners simulate the likely social
, organizational and economic performance of their designs
 Space Computing and Virtual Reality in Architecture -
applying technology to research into the built
environment, bringing computational approaches to
the heart of the design process.
The in-grains of a PhD level
research work.
 The work should contain original contribution of
the author as against what others have done or
said.
 All current work will inevitably be built on previous
works but in research work, this has to be spelt out
more precisely.
 The test of a good research is that at least two
learned papers can be drawn up from it.
 The capacity of critical examination and sound
judgment have also to be looked for.
Characteristics of a research
work.
 There has to be discovery of facts.
 Or a fresh approach towards interpretation and
application of facts or theories.
 Or a distinct advancement in Instrumental
Technology.
Thesis Structure

 Identification of research problem

 Literature review
 Specifying the purpose of research
 Determine specific research questions
 Specification of a Conceptual framework
 Choice of a methodology
 Data collection
 Analyzing and interpreting the data
 Reporting and evaluating research
 Communicating the research findings and, possibly,
recommendations
What makes a good research
topic?
 Thinking about the end result, your examiners will
be looking for research which is;
 novel (original)
 set in the context of the existing research in the
field, and
 competently executed
 When choosing a thesis topic, it makes sense to
use these criteria to help you.
Novelty
 It’s incredibly hard to come up with a completely new idea.
Almost every invention or discovery or new theory depends on a
combination of existing ideas, but put together in a new way or
applied to a new problem.
 There are three approaches to novelty. The first is to aim for
a specific outcome nobody has achieved before. In research
projects like this, there is a clear goal, but a risk that another
group working on the same problem might beat you to it.
 The second approach is to pick a specific subject you want to
study, and identify a question or problem that hasn’t been
addressed before in that niche. This could be a specific group of
people, a species of butterfly or a new class of materials.
 The third is to apply a new methodology. There could be a
subject which has been widely studied, but never before using
your methodology. The methodology doesn’t need to be new,
just new to the problem you are addressing in your research.
Context
 You might have found an interesting problem to work on, but
that isn’t enough. It needs to be put in context with existing
research.
 This is because you want to make sure nobody else has already
done it
 You can learn from the methodologies used by other
researchers
 You need to justify why your research matters
 So you need to do some reading to find out what other people
are doing in your chosen field.
Competence
 Do you have the skills and resources to carry out
your project? And if not, will you be able to attain
them?
 An idea is only a good one if you can carry it out
competently. So you must consider what
resources and expertise you will have access to.
How to choose a thesis topic ?

Now that we have some guidelines for what we’re

looking for, how to choose a thesis topic?
 If you sit and wait for one idea that ticks all the
boxes, you will be waiting for a very long time.
Instead, there is a process you need to go
through, which may be repeated several times.
 Idea generation
 Testing
 Elimination & refinement
Idea generation
 Rather than look for one perfect idea, it is better to consider
several. In the initial stages, you should be open to all ideas,
even if they seem crazy.
 The ideas don’t need to be completely unique, you could start
with one idea, then consider multiple variations on a theme.
However you approach it, take some time to think of as many
different topics as you can.
 This takes away the pressure to choose the perfect topic
immediately, and will open up potential avenues of exploration
you may otherwise never have considered.
 Once you have a few ideas, you can pick the best ones and
then proceed.
Testing
 This stage is crucial, and can save you years of pain.
 Before you finalise your thesis topic, you need to test potential
ideas for viability.
 Ask yourself, what is the simplest first step that would need to be
taken, and figure out if it is possible
 Testing may involve:
 Doing simplified experiments or mini-investigations
 Checking that you will have sufficient access to equipment,
people or information
 Reading relevant literature
 Asking relevant experts
 It’s best to do this as early as possible! Don’t worry if it doesn’t
work, that’s the point of testing.
Elimination and refinement
 It’s OK to let go of ideas if they don’t work or are
impractical (and much easier to do if you start
with several possibilities). But others may just need
a little refinement to become viable.
 Or you might find new ideas evolve out of ideas
which failed testing. A piece of one idea
combines with a piece of another, in a way you
never would have found without going through
those rejected ideas first.
Get good data
 Your aim is to get good data. No matter how good or original
your idea, everything you present in your thesis will rely on
getting good data. No amount of writing or analysis or insight or
creativity can correct for poor quality data, so make this the
ultimate criterion when choosing your topic.
 If not, reject the idea, and choose another. It might take longer
to find your topic, but you will save time in the long-term.
 I know that “data” doesn’t apply to all projects, in which case
consider whether you can get good source material or
information.
 In summary, how to choose a thesis topic? Consider multiple
options, do preliminary testing, and then refine good ideas,
eliminate bad ones.
Some research areas in architecture and
related fields.

 PhD in Architecture and Urban Design

 PhD in Urban Planning, Design, and Policy.

➢PhD in Preservation of Architectural Heritage.
 PhD in Design
 PhD in Architectural and Planning education
PhD titles for research by Architects.

 (PhD in Design Dissertations)

 Exploring the integration of sustainability and green building themes
within formal
 architectural education by Traci Rose Rider.
 Supporting intergenerational interaction: affordance of urban public
space by Michael R. Layne.
 Understanding change in place: spatial knowledge acquired by
visually impaired users
 through the change in footpath materials by Andrew Phillip Payne.
 Mapping the web of landscape aesthetics: a critical study of
theoretical perspectives in
 light of environmental sustainability by Hyosung Chang.
 semiotic phenomenology of visual rhetoric: communication and
perception of
 attributes of cultural sustainability in the visual environment of public
housing by Magdy Ma.
 Neighbourhood design: associations between suburban
neighbourhood morphology and children's outdoor, out-of-
school, physical activities by Kristin Thorleifsdottir.

 Children and urban neighbourhoods: relationships between

outdoor activities of children and neighbourhood physical
characteristics in Dhaka, Bangladesh by Mohammed Zakiul Islam.

 The relationships between objective and subjective evaluations

of the urban environment: Space Syntax, cognitive maps, and
urban legibility by Yixiang Long.

 Creating creativity in the design studio: assessing the impact of

metacognitive skill development on creative abilities by Ryan
Anthony Hargrove.

 Effect of space on health and well-being: an environmental

assessment for home-like long term care setting by Orcun Kepez.
 A photometric characterization methodology for daylighting fixtures by K.
Daryl Carrington.

 Physical environmental influences on the physical activity behaviour of

independent older adults living in continuing care retirement communities
by Arleen A. Humphrey.

 Children's friendship with place: an exploration of environmental child

friendliness of children's environments in cities by Sudeshna Chatterjee.

 The influences of site design on physical activity and social interaction in

residential planned unit developments by Evrim Demir.

 An exploratory study of interpersonal distances and perceived

spaciousness and crowding in four shopping malls across two cultures by
Aydin Ozdemir.

 Colour as cognitive artefact: a means of communication -- language and

message by Dennis M. Puhalla
 Visualizing communication structures of nonverbal
information for online learning environments by
Claudia R. Winegarden.
 An assessment of understanding universal design
through online visual resources and role-playing
simulation exercises by Marcelo Pinto Guimaraes.
 Residents' attachment to new urbanist versus
conventional suburban developments by Mine
Hatun Hashas.
 Women's spatial needs in housing:
accommodating gender ideologies, use patterns,
and privacy by Zeynep Toker.
 Understanding the adoption of sustainable natural resource
management practices and the role of ecological design
within the milieu of chronic conflict and political instability: a
case study of small holder households in Nimba County,
Liberia by Cynthia Fay Van Der Wiele.
 Understanding children's environments: the effect of outdoor
physical environments on children's activities and quality of life
within Al-Wihdat Palestinian refugee camp and environs in
Amman, Jordan by Eyyad Al-Khalaileh.
 Space for innovation: effects of space on innovation
processes in basic science and research settings by Umut
Toker.
 The design and assessment of advanced daylighting systems
integrated with typical interior layouts in multi-story office
buildings by Jianxin Hu.
 The effects of spatial layouts on students' interactions in middle
schools: multiple case analysis by Celen Pasalar.
Topics on which academic staff in different institutions
currently welcome PhD proposals include:

 The lived and built reality of cosmopolitan urbanism.

 Understanding buildings: Developing a sociology of
architecture and urban development.
 Re-Interpreting environmental design: Theories, discourses
and practices of sustainable architecture and cities.
 Architecture and urban futures: Identifying pathways of
urban design and development.
 Sensing the city: Architecture and multi-sensory
environments.
 Architecture as culture, studies of architectural practices:
design thinking, visualization and cognition in design.
 Socio-historical and socio-technical understanding of
debates surrounding museum architecture, architecture
of renovation, architecture of addition.
 The development of analytical tools for the better
understanding of socio-technical constraints and
potentials for more sustainable buildings and cities.
 Cognitive Science and Architecture.
 The urban grid and its implications for social interaction.
 The role of climate, culture, religion and history in shaping
traditional building layout.
 Urban artefacts as mirrors and mediators in contested
cities.
 The urban built environment and sustainable social
practices.
 The development of analytical tools for the better
understanding of socio-technical constraints and
potentials for more sustainable buildings and cities.
 Cognitive Science and Architecture
 The urban grid and its implications for social
interaction
 The role of climate, culture, religion and history in
shaping traditional building layout
 Urban artefacts as mirrors and mediators in contested
cities
 The urban built environment and sustainable social
practices
 New urbanism - theory and practice
Examples of two research works and how they were
worked upon.
 “ Indigenous Church Architecture of Kerala before 15th century.” by Prof. Sunil Edward.
 The origin of Christianity in Kerala goes back to the earliest period of the Church itself. In
fact, it is believed that St. Thomas the Apostle, one of the twelve disciples of Jesus, landed
on the Kerala coast in 52 A.D. and preached the Gospel, and died a martyr in Mylapore,
Chennai, in 72 A.D. However, modern historians disagree with this story. The exact year of
his arrival is disputed due to lack of credible historical evidence. In 345 A.D., a Palestinian
business man, Thomas Cana, along with 72 families, came and settled in Kerala, thereby
augmenting the Christian community. During this period the Church Architecture was
totally different from what we see today.
 However, with the coming of the Portuguese to India, lead by the discovery of the sea
route by Vasco Da Gama in 1498 , a second period of intense Latin Christian missionary
activity began. At this point of time the Portuguese changed the facades of the Churches
and gave them an occidental (European) appearance.
 There is now very little of the original Church form left to be seen in Kerala.
 Research Methodology adopted:
1. Found out from literature and otherwise a list of churches build before 15th Century AD.
2. Short listed a 100 odd churches from the above.
3. Surveyed and documented the plans, elevation and features of these churches.
4. Identified the typical features of the churches.
5. Design a number of typical churches using these features as model designs.
 The work is simple and it is original, It is necessary to get a nice idea and then take the work
forward in a systematic way.
 “ Integration of pedestrian networks into the fabric of Indian
cities” by Prof. Santosh Misra.

 During my studies in the UK and my visits to Europe I observed

that they were having very elaborate pedestrian routes for the
people of their cities. I also noted that the number of people
using them was not large. I then thought of my own country
where There is a large population and therefore a large walking
units. The Indian economy is struggling and there fore motorizes
transport cannot be provided for many. The climate is salubrious
and hence walking is a pleasant activity.
 Proper pedestrianisation will help to reduce accident and save
the people from the trauma and the medical costs. Finally
pedestrianisation is sustainable and environment friendly and
hence India should be provided with a pedestrian planning
policy which can be used by the architects, planners, and
administrators. This Idea placed me on the path of doing a PhD
on the above mentioned title.
 Research Methodology adopted:
 Data collection through survey of literature, interviews,
questionnaires and Case studies.
 Formulate a theoretical framework for pedestrians and
pedestrianisation.
 Pedestianisation in the different parts of India would be
different as the terrain and climate is different. Divide the
country into zones based on the above.
 Prepare a method for upward integration of the pedestrian
system with the road network of the city and then into the
railway , air, and road network of the country.
 Recommend a set of guidelines for pedestrian planning at
national, regional and use zones of the city.
 Employ the recommendations for best application on a
selected city .
Conclusions

 Whatever the type of research, it is essentially an

attitude of mind and the application of a
technique in confronting a problem. This attitude
is synonymous with an open mind, that is a mind
free from prejudices and preconceptions.
 In conclusion, the work of research is very
satisfying and enjoyable and it also brings
considerable benefits to society.
Thank you