Research Methods Perl 2022 Spring

Guest Topic: Architecture Research Methods
January 27 2022
for ARCH 5363 Contemporary Architectural Theory: Methods and Analysis
by Associate Professor Robert D. Perl, AIA, LEED AP

Texas Tech University College of Architecture Robert D. Perl

updated 01/26/2022

Dan Hart, FAIA, inaugurated AIA 2022 President
Washington Dec 13 2022
"The American Institute of Architects (AIA) inaugurated Dan Hart, FAIA, as its 98th president on Friday, Dec. 10. “I’m spectacularly optimistic,” said Hart. “As I consider this moment in AIA’s deep history and the complexity that all of us together represent, I see beauty on the other side. I believe we are at a pivotal moment. As we move from aspiration to agency on our core dual strategies of addressing climate and justice through the built environment … we stand together and are prepared to take action.”
Hart earned a Bachelor of Architecture/Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering from Texas Tech University. In 2014, he was elevated to AIA fellowship."
Hart with clients: wicked > "wild"

"A wicked problem is a problem that is difficult or impossible to solve because of incomplete, contradictory, and changing requirements that are often difficult to recognize. It refers to an idea or problem that cannot be fixed, where there is no single solution to the problem; and "wicked" denotes resistance to resolution, rather than evil.
Another definition is "a problem whose social complexity means that it has no determinable stopping point". Moreover, because of complex interdependencies, the effort to solve one aspect of a wicked problem may reveal or create other problems.
Horst Rittel and Melvin M. Webber formally described the concept of wicked problems in a 1973 treatise, contrasting "wicked" problems with relatively "tame", soluble problems in mathematics, chess, or puzzle solving."

"A wicked problem is one for which each attempt to create a solution changes the understanding of the problem. Wicked problems cannot be solved in a traditional linear fashion, because the problem definition evolves as new possible solutions are considered and/or implemented. The term was originally coined by Horst Rittel." PDF

Is the earth a sphere?
Does the earth revolve daily?
Does the earth orbit the sun yearly?

cynical
skeptical
expertise

How is skepticism different than cynicism? Find the answer in ancient Greece

Does daylight affect learning in a classroom?
Does environment affect spending in a coffee house?
Does beauty affect sustainability?

Texas Tech University Architecture
B Architecture 172 credit hours professional degree converted to:
M Architecture 172 credit hours professional degree
BS Architecture + M Architecture

M Architecture post-professional degree
MS Architecture post-professional degree

Architecture Research Methods 3 credit hour course

Fall semester, Spring semester, two-week intersession, hybrid with distance to Dallas classroom, synchronous, asynchronous

ARCH 5301-003 Special Problems in Architecture Research Methods
2020 Fall Semester

NAAB Student Performance Criteria (2014)
C.1 Research:

Understanding of the theoretical and applied research methodologies and practices used during the design process.

A.3 Investigative Skills:

Ability to gather, assess, record, and comparatively evaluate relevant information and performance in order to support conclusions related to a specific project or assignment.

"Figure 10.3 One frame of a continuous sequence showing sunlight and shading relationships through the course of a day. Readers can view this "winter solstice animation" on http://www2.arch.ttu.edu/perl...
Courtesy of Robert Perl, Texas Tech University"

Architectural Research Methods
Linda Groat David Wang
John Wiley & Sons 2002

Architectural Research Methods, second edition
by Groat, Linda N ; Wang, David ; 2013 Wiley
publisher page
TTU Library page

page 3
"This book is intended to be both comprehensive and an entry point."

p 10

p 37-38
"In general, then, designers may well incorporate "episodes" of research activity as they move forward in the more dominantly generative mode of design;
and inversely, researchers may well incorporate episodes of "design" (abductive reasoning) in more predominantly analytical reasoning."

p 101
"...we now consider the challenge of turning a general topic or interest area into an actual research "design." (By design here we mean the conceptual framework of research strategy and tactics that comprise the rationale for pursing the answers to a researcher’s targeted research questions.)"
"A research design is the set of methods and procedures used in collecting and analyzing measures of the variables specified in the problem research. The design of a study defines the study type (descriptive, correlational, semi-experimental, experimental, review, meta-analytic) and sub-type (e.g., descriptive-longitudinal case study), research problem, hypotheses, independent and dependent variables, experimental design, and, if applicable, data collection methods and a statistical analysis plan. A research design is a framework that has been created to find answers to research questions."

"The design of experiments (DOE, DOX, or experimental design) is the design of any task that aims to describe and explain the variation of information under conditions that are hypothesized to reflect the variation. The term is generally associated with experiments in which the design introduces conditions that directly affect the variation, but may also refer to the design of quasi-experiments, in which natural conditions that influence the variation are selected for observation."

p 110
"The word theory comes from the Greek theoria, which means to behold, to contemplate, from a removed distance.
This term is then contrasted with the Greek praxis, which has more to do with action or activity.
There is, then, a contrast between the contemplative quality of theoria, in which we stand apart from the object we are contemplating, and praxis, in which we are engaged actively with the object.
Implicit in this contrast is the fact that theoria/contemplation is something that precedes praxis/action, in the sense that the former informs the latter. Because we have theoria, we know how to praxis. But this leads to the further observation that theoria and praxis are not simply sequential to each other; instead, they relate cyclically. Out of our praxis informed by theoria, we gain new insights for subsequent theoria; so the process is ongoing."

p 112
"There was a time when "research" was mostly limited to discovery of theories that explain a phenomenon so thoroughly that its behavior can be predicted without significant variance (hence the definition in the first column in Figure 4.4: "plausible or scientifically acceptable general principle or body of principles offered to explain phenomena"). The outlook assuming that all phenomena can be described and explained this way is called positivism. But as noted in previous chapters, research scholarship has become much more inclusive across the spectrum of systems of inquiry."

Chapter 7
prove or disprove vs. support or refute
support verb sup·port
"2 a (1) : to promote the interests or cause of
(2) : to uphold or defend as valid or right
(3) : to argue or vote for"
refute verb re·fute
"1 : to prove wrong by argument or evidence
2 : to deny the truth or accuracy of"

Common Misconceptions About Science "Contrary to popular belief, there is no such thing as a scientific proof... All scientific knowledge is tentative and provisional, and nothing is final... The currently accepted theory of a phenomenon is simply the best explanation for it among all available alternatives."

Texas Tech University College of Architecture Robert D. Perl

"All materials on this course website are for the exclusive use of students enrolled in ARCH 5363 during 2022 Spring Semester and are protected by copyright of their respective authors."

Associate Professor Robert D. Perl, AIA, LEED AP
AH 1002D Office Hours: T R 2:00-3:30 pm or by appointment
(806) 834-6624
robert.perl@ttu.edu