Full-time PhD Scholarship PhD project on Conceptual Design Collaboration between Architects and Structural Engineers

In the face of mutating professionals conditions and shifting paradigms in the field of buildings design, the relation between architects and structural engineers represents a determining factor for the successful outcome of a project. This relates especially to the case of adaptive re-use, due to the holistic and multidisciplinary approach required by this type of practice, increasingly diffused and challenging both architects and engineers with new tasks and roles. This research project will explore the conceptual design collaboration between these two professional figures, trying to answer some questions related to the development of such process in projects of buildings re-use: which phases of the design process are the most critical for a team of architects and structural engineers? How should this collaboration function in terms of planning, solutions proposal and decision-making competencies in order to optimize the results? How can the creativity of both parts be enhanced ? The research methodology will rely on an optimized model of research-by-design, consisting of three basic phases structuring the present study: a pre-design phase (analysis), a design phase (proposals making and testing of collaboration development) and a post-design phase(synthesis, conceptualization, communication of findings). This method will allow to tackle the subject of collaboration in re-use projects with a sufficient degree of freedom from traditional research schemes to accommodate unexpected and innovative design solutions that can fit the specific conditions of the chosen project(s). Ongoing or recently implemented re-use projects and students workshops will provide the occasion and material for research. The study aims at gaining a wider comprehension of the process underlying building re-use projects from the point of view of conceptual design. The hope is to eventually be able to suggest a way to an updated paradigm for optimizing the design process and carry out more fruitful collaborations between architects and engineers.