Aims

Architecture Ways of Knowing 2 is a unique feature of the MArch curriculum, the second of two linked modules spanning semester two of stage 5 and semester one of stage 6. This enables students to undertake a year-long individual or group research project in connection with staff expertise. Students can either develop an independent project (dissertation) or join ‘linked research’ projects from options offered by research-active staff on a changing basis dependent on their current interests. These are often live projects, undertaken in real world contexts with partners from inside and outside of the University, allowing space for multiple and speculative forms of research.

Recognising the breadth of ‘architectural ways of knowing’, these projects may use conventional research methods or employ any of the full range of creative practice methods employed in architectural research, including small and large-scale fabrication, prototyping, time-based media, visual methods, lab work, community engagement, etc.


The module aims to:
-       develop students’ understanding of architecture as a discipline in dialogue with other academic and practical disciplines
-       increase students’ awareness of the multiple factors (eg. socio-economic, technological and ideological factors) that influence the design of buildings and their surroundings, including cities
-       enable students to gain experience of developing a research project, understanding its wider context, identifying questions, resources and appropriate methods, and resourcing and planning the project through working directly with experienced researchers
-       to foster greater awareness of research and its importance in architecture and to develop a range of research skills and knowledge of methodologies.
-       develop students’ effective communication of the results (writing up, digital representation and so forth).

Outline Of Syllabus

In ARC8057 students continue to work on the project they pursued in Architecture Ways of Knowing 1, developing their findings through synthesis, critical analysis, comparative study and the writing-up of their research. The projects culminate with the preparation and submission of an assessed illustrated document that in the case of conventional research presents their arguments and evidence (dissertation), and in the case of creative practice research projects, documents and critically frames the process and outputs of their research.

Assessment is by the submission of a research report. This can take different formats depending on whether projects are group (for example, a combined document is permitted) or individual, with the guidance that it should be up to 10,000 words or equivalent per student. Taking into account that creative practice research takes many non text-based forms (such as lab experiments; exhibition; participatory or fabrication project) word count and format of each submission will be agreed early in the semester on a project by project basis.

Students’ research is supported by project supervision; some common teaching and two oral presentation sessions joint with other research projects.

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

The precise allocation of teaching activities to the 200 hour total will vary depending on the nature of the project.

Students start the module having already developed their project work in semester 2 of Stage 5 either individually or with a group. Oral presentations presenting progress and rationale for proposed word length and format of the assessed submission take place early in the semester (organised into clusters that allow for sharing and calibration across diverse projects) where formative feedback is provided by module and project leaders, and by peers, and format propositions can be approved. A second set of oral presentations focusing on draft project reports/dissertations take place after reading week.

In addition to these group presentations and their project supervision, students attend 3 common lecture sessions developing and communication the analysis and synthesis of their research for the project report/dissertation submission and can take advantage of drop-in sessions with module leaders in the later stages for any queries about the submission.

Specialist research project supervision takes two possible forms:
(1)       Students pursuing their own independent research project will be supported by an supervisor with appropriate research expertise and will mostly work with them 1:1.
(2)       Students undertaking one of the linked research projects will be supervised by the respective project leader/s mostly in a group situation.

With the exception of the drop-in/surgery session, all activities will normally be offered in person and where possible use digital technology for sharing and recording. Group and individual supervision is expected to mostly take place in-person, supplemented by online provision and recording where necessary or appropriate. Some groups are by nature ‘live’ and these will involve working in close proximity with communities and collaborators. These will deploy digital technology to accommodate for different needs and public health concerns as and when they arise. There is inherent flexibility in the module owing to the size and structure of the project groupings (max. size 10 students for linked research project), and research practices can be adapted to fit permitted interactions at the time.

The nature of this module makes it very well-suited for shifting between Present-in-Person and non-synchronous learning and teaching activities as required.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

Students need to have passed the submission of Architecture Ways of Knowing 1 (ARC8056) in order to proceed in Architecture Ways of Knowing 2. The grade of the latter supersedes the former.

Submissions for conventional research should be 10,000 words per student, while for creative practice research word count can be reduced as appropriate to take into account that the research took the form of other non text-based processes and outputs, for example lab report; exhibition and catalogue; report on participatory or fabrication project; creative practice portfolio etc. Group projects can submit a single document, at length of 10,000 words (or equivalent in case of creative practice) per student. The format and word length of the document is proposed with rationale by students and project leaders and agreed with module leaders early in the semester. In the case of the group projects least 20% of the final submission should comprise named contributions by each student.

Two oral presentations during the semester provide opportunities formative feedback and enable the moderation of expectations between different routes and projects within the module.

Final assessment criteria focus on the knowledge and skills outcomes common to all projects;
-       the formulation of a clear research rationale,
-       the application of appropriate methods and techniques to the development of the project
-       the critically evaluation of the project in relation to an identified field of architectural research.
-       One additional criteria focussing on the specific outcomes for each route and project can be proposed by each research project with related weighting, and will be agreed between project leaders, students and the module leader/s at the beginning of the module.

Assessment Criteria
All projects are marked by the tutor(s) paired for reasons of fairness.
In cases where there is a significant variance of marks, the module leader or another internal reader will act as third reader. Marks are agreed by all readers together at a separate M.Arch meeting and tabled at the Departmental Examination Board.
The assessor might downgrade the mark if the word count of the submission is outside of +/- 10% of that required.