Research Seminar

Recommended Prerequisites

All units of the first Cycle of Studies, namely Design Studio, Geometry, Drawing, History of Architecture, Theory of Architecture, Construction.

All the units of the first year of the second Cycle of Studies, namely Design Studio, Urbanism, Urbanization, Urbanistics.

Skills in analysis, synthesis, organization and strategic planning.

Teaching Methods

Theoretical classes are taught the programmatic contents, according to an expository model. At the same time, research projects carried out by invited professors are presented and discussed. In the practical classes nine discussion group seminars are organized for a group follow-up of each student's individual research project. For each class the student must bring a situation, with text or slides, of the development of their research project, according to objectives defined by the teacher.

Learning Outcomes

The main learning outcomes of this Curricular Unit is the construction by the student of a Thesis Project in Architecture, that prepares the following Master Dissertation or Diploma Project.

The Research Seminar is structured in Theoretical Classes, that introduce the structure and tools of a research project in Architecture, and Lab Classes where a specific research theme is available by: the 5th year Design Studio courses, and the themes offered by individual teachers.

The main learning outcomes are

- The capacity to state and delimit a problematic of Architecture considering a subject of disciplinary investigation

- To select the theoretical references, bibliographies and case studies pertinent to the study and / or project.

- To encourage a critical perspective on the architectural, theoretical and methodological references used.

- To explore the most appropriate means and instruments of representation for the design, production and communication of the study and / or project.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

The generic programmatic contents are:

- Structure of a research work and academic communication in the area of Architecture.

- Disciplinarity, originality and pertinence in an academic thesis in Architecture.

- Academic formatting of the project work: a reflexive practice. The master's dissertation as procedural construction.

- Adequacy of the instruments of the architecture project in the investigation by the project.

- Ethics in academic reference and research.

- Collection, organization and presentation of material considered relevant to the topics to be explored individually.

- Selection of examples and cases of master's dissertations in Architecture.

The specific programmatic content, related to the research topics to be developed in each thematic Seminar, depend on the specificity of the theme. These contents establish a bibliography, case studies, instruments and methods of their own.

Head Lecturer(s)

Walter Rossa Ferreira da Silva

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Synthesis work: 20.0%
Research work: 20.0%
Project: 60.0%

Bibliography

Borden, I., Rüedi, K. (2000). The Dissertation. An Architecture Student's Handbook. Londres: Architectural Press.

Eco, U. (1977). Como se Faz uma Tese em Ciências Humanas. Lisboa: Editorial Presença.

Figueira, J., Bandeirinha, J. A., Moniz, G. C. (eds.). (2001). ECDJ, Investigar em Arquitetura?, #5.

Guillerme, J. (2008). L'art du Projet. Histoire, technique, architecture. Wavre: Mardaga.

Groat, L. N., Wang, D. (2013). Architectural research Methods. 2nd edition. Wiley.

Ingold, Tim (2009) Making: Anthropology, Archaelogy, Art and Architecture. Londres: Routledge.

Leach, N. (1997). Rethinking architecture. Londres: Routledge.

Solà-Morales, I. de. (2003). “Prácticas teóricas, prácticas históricas, prácticas arquitectónicas.” in Inscripciones (pp. 257-266). Barcelona: Editorial Gustavo Gili.