ARK-E1520 - Introduction to Architectural Research, Lecture, 8.9.2022-1.12.2022

Topic outline

• Homework
  This section contains the folders for all the individual homework required in this course:
  

  • The Reflective Learning Diary about the Visiting Scholars' talks
  • Research Case
  • Structural Analysis
  • Text Analysis

  
  

  • Select activity Reflective Learning Diary about our Visiting Scholars' Talks

    Not available unless: You are a(n) Student

    

    Reflective Learning Diary about our Visiting Scholars' Talks Assignment

    Please write about your thoughts about each of the talks given by our Visiting Scholars. Focus on their contribution as regards applicability to your current challenges and their input on your learning. Please reflect, for example, the following questions (you can use these as subtitles in your Diary):
    

    • What was new to me? What did I learn?
    • What was the key message of the talk for me?
      
    • How could I improve my project management when doing research?
      
    • How could I improve my working habits when doing research?

    If for some reason, you could not attend the class when our Visiting Scholar was present, please substitute the diary entry for that class with a review of their thesis or any of their articles.
    

    
    

    Make a separate entry for each talk (your Diary will have, in other words, 3–4 main chapters, one per visitor) and submit one complete Diary file by 31.12.2022.
    

    
    

  • Select activity Homework 1: Research Case

    Not available unless: You are a(n) Student

    

    Homework 1: Research Case Assignment

    Go through your current or past school projects and choose one design project, essay assignment or prospective thesis idea that you would like to work with at class. The idea is to reflect your case against some recent research on the topic, so this assignment will just provide you with a working paper. Please prepare a paper (max one A4 page) with the following information:

    • title suggestion (example: Interpretations of Critical Regionalism in 1980s Finnish Architecture)
    • possible keywords
    • drafts for 2-4 research questions

    
    We'll do a little class exercise with the library resources with your cases.

  • Select activity Homework 2: Text analysis / Structure of a research paper

    Not available unless: You are a(n) Student

    

    Homework 2: Text analysis / Structure of a research paper Assignment

    • Read the paper below; please not that you may need to be logged in the Aalto Library system for full access. 
    • Stam, Liesbeth; Verbeek, Peter-Paul; and Heylighen Ann. “Between Specificity and Openness: How Architects Deal with Design-Use Complexities.” Design Studies 66 (2020): 54–81. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.destud.2019.11.010 or https://primo.aalto.fi/permalink/358AALTO_INST/1h25avu/cdi_crossref_primary_10_1016_j_destud_2019_11_010
    • Analyse its structure as regards information flow. Pay attention to how the information has been arranged within the paper: what comes first, what comes next, what is the last thing etc.  
      
    • Summarise its headline structure (table of contents) and describe in a few sentences the main themes, questions, arguments, discussion points etc. under each headline. The result should be an expanded table of contents constructed according to your interpretation.
      
    • One page A4 is enough.

  • Select activity Homework 3: Text analysis / Language of argumentation

    Not available unless: You are a(n) Student

    

    Homework 3: Text analysis / Language of argumentation Assignment

    Please pick up one (1) of the papers listed below and analyse their use of language. 

    • The voice: Passive or active? Who is speaking? 
    • Sentence structures: Long or short? Curly and complicated or simple and straightforward?
    • Giving grounds: What kind of techniques does/do the author(s) use when the author(s) justify their arguments?
    • Wording: Are there any specific words that does/do the author(s) use that attract your attention? What kind of words or phrases make the paper stand out as academic and scholarly?
    • Metatext: Are there any parts in the paper where the author(s) explain(s) the paper to the reader? Where are these bits positioned within the paper?
    • What characteristics in the language make the text stand out as 'scientific'?
      

    Please mark your findings on the article pdf and add comments as much as you like. Submit the annotated pdf in the assignment folder. 
    

    Paper options (choose one, whichever you find interesting). Please note that you may need to be logged in or navigate to the journals through the Aalto Library System for full text access:

    • Björklund, Tua A ; Keipi, Teo ; Maula, Hanna. “Crafters, Explorers, Innovators, and Co-Creators: Narratives in Designers’ Identity Work.” Design Studies 68 (2020): 82–112. Web. https://primo.aalto.fi/permalink/358AALTO_INST/cis3s6/cdi_crossref_primary_10_1016_j_destud_2020_02_003
    • Gough, Tim. “Are We So Sure It’s Not Architecture.” Architecture and Culture 4, no. 1 (2016): 9–29, DOI: 10.1080/20507828.2015.1089057. https://primo.aalto.fi/permalink/358AALTO_INST/cis3s6/cdi_crossref_primary_10_1080_20507828_2015_1089057
      
    • Dovey, Kim, and Kenn Fisher. “Designing for Adaptation: The School as Socio-Spatial Assemblage.” The Journal of Architecture 19, no. 1 (2014): 43–63, DOI: 10.1080/13602365.2014.882376. https://primo.aalto.fi/permalink/358AALTO_INST/cis3s6/cdi_crossref_primary_10_1080_13602365_2014_882376