From Research to Practice: Is Rethinking Architectural Education the Remedy?

Abstract

Our aim is to investigate how a new master studies course "Architecture, Health, and Well-being" (AHW) supports development of students' skills in understanding and assessing health-related research as well as applying research-based knowledge through unfolding of user perspectives in their design projects. With the growing focus on health-related research in Danish design practice, knowing how to translate research findings into research-informed design strategies becomes a preferable, if not (yet) a critical, skill. This calls for architecture educations to reconsider their graduate profiles and teaching curricula, thereby addressing research-to-practice gap. Based on design project hand-ins, we evaluate whether students participating in the AHW course demonstrate greater sensibility toward user experiences and research-based design (RBD) in their master thesis projects, compared to students attending a more traditional architectural tectonic track. Evaluation relates to the use of scientific literature and theoretical frameworks on topics like "healing architecture" and applied user-oriented methods (interviews, personas, demographics). Our explorative analysis indicates that students have the skills to make a detailed user analysis when it comes to well-defined user groups in a highly specialized building (e.g., hospice patients and staff). The extent to which health-related research and user perspectives are applied in the design process seems to be primarily driven by thematic focus of the project (welfare buildings in contrast to housing). Despite the challenges in teaching students to assess and apply academic literature, a RBD paradigm in architectural education can help bridge emerging research knowledge with design skills and professional competencies.