Architecture research streams

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RMIT Architecture consolidates its research activities around a series of distinct but interrelated research streams, forming curatorial communities of academics, students and research partners located across adjacent disciplines and outside the academy within practice and industry.

For certain academic staff one or more of these thematic research clusters provide a primary focus for their research activities and academic leadership. Participation in these research areas by RMIT Architecture academics generally remains fluid and dynamic, with strategic clusters of research staff and linkage partners forming around specific projects and events.

Invitational Reflective Practice

Reflective Practice - practice-based research
Architects who have established recognised mastery in their architectural practice are invited back within the academy to reflect on and extend their mastery through project-based design research.

Urban Architecture Laboratory

Urban Architectural Design Research
Urban design; urban housing; urban demographic shifts and retirement housing; sustainable communities; rural towns urban planning; qualitative planning and urban arrangement; 2030 urban density research; grant-funded research; consultancy; UAL postgraduate supervision; urban architecture teaching stream.

Spatial Information Architecture Laboratory

Digital Design Technologies Research
Digital design development; integrated digital documentation; digital fabrication techniques; parametric modelling; digital visualisation; virtual spatial design; sound design; grant-funded research; consultancy; Architecture/SIAL postgraduate supervision; Architecture/SIAL teaching stream.

Advanced Architecture

Emerging Design Practices and Emerging Technologies Research
Emerging architectural design practices; digital design and communication technologies; Master of Architecture studio-based supervision; RMIT Architecture teaching stream

Expanded field

Cross-disciplinary Design Research: Art, Architecture, Landscape
Public art/public space; bottom-up urbanism; urban culture and community infrastructure; ephemeral architectures

Architectural discourse

Architectural history, theory and critical design discourse research
Publishing; exhibitions; online project archives; conferences; lectures; Master of Architecture and PhD (research by thesis) postgraduate supervision; architectural history and theory teaching stream

Sustainable Architecture

Sustainable architectural design research; sustainable communities; qualitative sustainable design strategies; sustainability and aesthetics; sustainability policy and regulation

Architectural communication

History and theory of architectural representation; emerging practices; digital communications research; diagramming; representational exegesis; new media.

Global practice

Architecture and globalisation; practice in China and South East Asia; international distributed office practices; digital documentation; design-led project management models.

Key Research Contexts

Architecture gallery: Key research contexts

Community and industry research networks and contexts

Postgraduate research, consultancies, research-led teaching, and other community and industry partnered projects.

International research networks and contexts

International lectures, workshops, exhibitions, visiting fellows, postgraduate exchange, travelling studios and UMAP grants