International design firm Perkins Eastman and EwingCole announced the release of their new joint white paper “Where Are We Now?: Elevating Design Practice through Design Research.” The paper is co-authored by Emily Chmielewski, EDAC, Associate and Senior Design Researcher at Perkins Eastman, and Nicholas Watkins, Ph.D., Director of Research at EwingCole.
The paper takes an in-depth look at the current state of the design research field, dissects the many challenges researchers face, and contemplates broad solutions for advancing the practice of design research for the overall betterment of the architectural design field.
In March 2016, the Perkins Eastman and EwingCole research teams, led by Chmielewski and Watkins, developed and instituted a comprehensive online survey of 29 questions, in partnership with the Environmental Design Research Association (EDRA). The survey was available online for three weeks and was completed by a mix of students, educators, designers, and design research professionals. The results of that survey were then presented at the 47th Annual EDRA Conference (EDRA47), in Raleigh, NC.
The value of credibility of design research, research methods, and knowledge, sharing, and sustainability of design research in practice are a few of the topics the survey’s questions focused on.
At EDRA47, the teams engaged in conversation with various conference attendees about the many challenges related to conducting design research as well as solutions for promoting the incorporation of design research in design delivery. The survey’s findings, combined with input from the EDRA conference, informed the content produced for “Where Are We Now?”
According to Watkins, “A key challenge for all researchers in practice is to communicate our studies’ findings in such a way that attracts the attention of designers and clients, as well as conveys insights that can effectively impact the design industry. One of our intentions in writing this paper was to help our industry peers in tackling those challenges, and consequently, finding more receptive audiences for their important work.”
The entire white paper is available for free download at www.perkinseastman.com/white_papers and EwingCole - Where Are We Now Whitepaper.
Related Stories
Architects | Oct 31, 2017
AIA selects recipients for the 2017 Innovation Awards
The program honors projects that highlight collaboration between design and construction teams to create better process efficiencies and overall costs savings.
Architects | Oct 30, 2017
City 2050: What will your city look like in 2050?
What do we think the future will look like 30 years or so from now? And what will City: 2050 be like?
Multifamily Housing | Oct 29, 2017
Multifamily visionaries: The Beach Company’s family ties
Spanning four generations, The Beach Company continues to expand its development footprint across the Southeast.
Healthcare Facilities | Oct 25, 2017
Creating child-friendly healthcare spaces: Five goals for success
Children often accompany parents or grandparents in medical settings; what can we do to address their unique needs?
Sponsored | Designers | Oct 18, 2017
Universal design principles: Part 2
The CDC targets the bathroom as the most dangerous room in the house. Architects can use principles of Universal Design (UD) to reduce these hazards.
Resiliency | Oct 13, 2017
Resiliency takes center stage in new projects around the country
Projects like these, where resilience is central to their design and construction, are becoming more commonplace.
Designers | Oct 10, 2017
Merging artwork and building design
With many hospital projects, art can be a construction-phase afterthought.
Multifamily Housing | Oct 9, 2017
6 new products for the multifamily construction market
Bamboo wall panels, an adaptable prep sink, and a two-tiered bike parking system are among the product innovations geared for multifamily buildings.
AEC Tech | Oct 6, 2017
How professional bias can sabotage industry transformation
Professional bias can take the form of change-resistant thinking that can keep transformational or innovative ambitions at bay. Tech consultant Nate Miller presents three kinds of bias that often emerge when a professional is confronted with new technology.
Sponsored | Designers | Oct 3, 2017
6 ways to get millennial employees excited about project management
Generally speaking, millennials want to be where the action is.
