Research in the School of Architecture and Built Environment
Information for Prospective Research Higher Degree Students
Overview
The University of Newcastle is one of the top 10 research Universities in Australia and the School of Architecture and Built Environment at Newcastle has developed an international reputation for research into design and the built environment.
Academic staff in the School have been awarded national and international prizes for research and design and they have held research fellow and visiting scholar positions at the world's foremost institutions. Academics in the School hold prestigious research grants from the ARC, ALTC (Carrick Institute), the EU and a range of North American institutions and several of the School’s academics have been independently rated in the top 100 researchers in their field internationally. Since 2003, academics in the school have been awarded more than $4,000,000 in research income and have published more than 200 research books, chapters and papers. The School’s research strengths in “creative endeavor” (research by design) are also significant and academics have curated, and have had their works featured in, state, national and international exhibitions. The School of Architecture and Built Environment is home to the Centre for Interdisciplinary Built Environment Research (CIBER) and academics in the school are members of the Priority Research Centers for Energy and Gender, Health and Ageing. For a school of its size and type its research performance is excellent.
The School of Architecture and Built Environment has five active research areas which supervise Research Higher Degree students. These research areas provide a significant opportunity for candidates to undertake research with experts in a particular field of study.
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Research Area |
Architectural Theory and History*** |
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Discipline Area |
Architecture |
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Description |
This group undertakes research that focuses on the cultural, symbolic and philosophical dimensions of contemporary and historic architecture. Possible research topics include: geometry and science in design; computational analysis of architectural and urban space; design computing; connections between architecture, art and film; urban design history and theory; architectural history; Feng Shui; meaning in the built environment; design in virtual environments; the philosophy of design. |
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Potential Research |
Prof. Michael Ostwald, Prof. Steffen Lehmann, Dr Steven Fleming, Dr Tessa Morrison, Dr. Ning Gu, Dr Michael Mak, Michael Chapman |
|
Research Area |
Design Cognition and Learning |
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Discipline Areas |
Architecture and Construction Management |
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Description |
This group undertakes research which relates to how the process of design is learnt, taught, understood and applied. Research topics in this area include: professional and vocational educational methods; professional competency standards and curriculum design; social and psychological processes of creativity and design; virtual environments; the social study of discipline or professional areas; analysis of design and team processes; Building Information Models; information technology in the workplace. |
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Potential Research |
Assoc. Prof. Tony Williams, Assoc. Prof. Kerry London, Prof. Michael Ostwald, Dr. Ning Gu, Dr. Figen Gul, Willy Sher, Graham Brewer, Thayaparan Gajendran |
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Research Area |
Design Management |
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Discipline Areas |
Architecture and Construction Management |
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Description |
The management of design issues in the built environment is the focus of this research group. |
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Potential Research |
Assoc. Prof. Tony Williams, Assoc. Prof. Kerry London, Dr. Figen Gul, Dr. Jamie, Dr.Ning Gu, Willy Sher Mackee, Chris Landorf, Graham Brewer, Thayaparan Gajendran |
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Research Area |
Construction Management and Economics |
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Discipline Area |
Construction Management |
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Description |
The focus of this group is managing the physical and economic conditions surrounding the creation and maintenance of the built environment. Research topics in this area include: supply chain management; internationalisation and development processes; management of information technology in construction; public private partnerships; post-occupancy analysis; construction industry policy; contractual and risk issues; urban and property economics; supply chain economics; procurement modeling and innovative procurement approaches. |
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Potential Research |
Assoc. Prof. Kerry London, Dr Michael Mak, Willy Sher, Marcus Jefferies, Thayaparan Gajendran, Graham Brewer, Peter Ward |
|
Research Area |
Sustainable Built Environment*** |
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Discipline Area |
Architecture and Construction Management |
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Description |
The built environment is the world’s primary consumer of energy and a major contributor to the state of global environments. Applied and strategic sustainability research is the focus of this area. |
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Potential Research |
Prof. Steffen Lehmann, Dr Jamie Mackee, Chris Landorf, Graham Brewer. |
*** Research in these areas can be undertaken using traditional scholarly approaches or “research by design”; an approach wherein a combination of scholarly and design works make up the content of a research higher degree.
