Recent decades have witnessed a notable expansion of architectural research activities, with respect to both subject and methodology. This expansion can be mostly credited to an increase in government and private funding of primarily...
moreRecent decades have witnessed a notable expansion of architectural research activities, with respect to both subject and methodology. This expansion can be mostly credited to an increase in government and private funding of primarily academic research initiatives. More recently, however, a noticeable increase in research activities within the architectural profession makes it possible to argue that it is the profession itself that is now taking leadership in the development of contemporary research agendas. This growing significance of architectural research, in both academia and the profession, is ultimately a response to the diverse challenges facing the profession; most notably, the issue of environmental sustainability, but also including the rapid pace of technological change, the increased
diversity of users, and the growing complexity of architectural projects. Engaging research is an essential factor in facing these challenges as well as taking full advantage of the opportunities they offer. For this research to be most effective, however, a greater perspective and a clearer definition of its role and the goals it can aspire to, in both academia and the profession, are needed; and most importantly, the question becomes, how do we foster a more integrated research culture between academia and the profession? The theme for the 2009 ARCC conference invited an exploration of existing and future trends in leadership in architectural research, the impact of these trends on research subjects and methodologies, and how this leadership can foster an integrated research culture. In this context, the conference explored a variety of topics in which architectural research is used to enhance design quality, expand the knowledge base, and systematically analyze and address common challenges, while at the same time responding to regional and local influences. The
conference also explored the role that collaborative and interdisciplinary research can play in this regard, both between academia and the profession, as well as between different disciplines of the built environment and other professions. The papers included in these proceedings were selected through a rigorous two-stage blind peer review process in which each submission was evaluated by 3 reviewers from the ARCC board and conference technical review committee. In the first stage, we received 147 abstract submissions representing 71 institutions from 13 countries. Of
these, 90 abstracts were accepted and these authors were invited to submit full papers. In the full paper review stage, we received 59 submissions representing 46 institutions from 10 countries. Of these, 51 papers were accepted and the
authors invited to make aural presentations in the conference, 50 of whom attended the conference while one author declined. The conference also included a panel discussion addressing the conference's main theme of leadership in architectural Research, two keynote presentations, and a presentation from the ARCC's New Researcher Award Recipient. The panel discussion and presentations are not included in these proceedings. On behalf of the Architectural Research Centers Consortium, we would like to express our gratitude to all the abstract and paper reviewers, who contributed their time to the review process. We would also like to express our great
appreciation for the conference sponsors, The American Institute of Architecture, and the College of Architecture; the University of Texas at San Antonio., Without their generous support the conference would not have been possible.