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Architecture and Community Design Theses and Dissertations

Theses/dissertations from 2011 2011.

Aging with Independence and Interaction: An Assisted Living Community , Steven J. Flositz

Theses/Dissertations from 2010 2010

Wayfinding in Architecture , Jason Brandon Abrams

Phenomenology of Home , Lidiya Angelova

Do You Have A Permit For That? Exposing the Pseudo-Public Space and Exploring Alternative Means of Urban Occupation , Adam Barbosa

Architecture as Canvas , Monika Blazenovic

Women and Architecture: Re-Making Shelter Through Woven Tectonics , Kirsten Lee Dahlquist

Re-Connecting: Revitalizing Downtown Clearwater With Environmental Sensibility , Diego Duran

Livable Streets: Establishing Social Place Through a Walkable Intervention , Jeffrey T. Flositz

Upgrading Design: A Mechatronic Investigation into the Architectural Product Market , Matthew Gaboury

Emergent Morphogenetic Design Strategies , Dawn Gunter

Re-Tooling an American Metropolis , Robert Shawn Hott

The Rebirth of a Semi-Disintegrated Enterprise: Towards the Future of Composites in Pre-Synthesized Domestic Dwellings; and the Societal Acceptance of the Anti-In Situ Architectural Movement , Timothy James Keepers

Architectural Symbiosis , Tim Kimball

Elevating Communication , Thao Thanh Nguyen

PLAY: A Process-Driven Study of Design Discovery , Kuebler Wilson Perry

AC/DC: Let There Be Hybrid Cooling , Christopher Podes

The Third Realm: Suburban Identity through the Transformation of the Main Street , Alberto Rodriguez

From Airport to Spaceport: Designing for an Aerospace Revolution , Paula Selvidge

Perceiving Architecture: An Experiential Design Approach , Ashley Verbanic

(im•print) A Material Investigation to Encourage a Haptic Dialog , Julie Marie Vo

Theses/Dissertations from 2009 2009

The Sleeping Giant: Revealing the Potential Energy of Abandoned Industry Through Adaptive Transformation , Wesley A. Bradley

Community Service Through Architecture: Social Housing with Identity , Karina Cabernite Cigagna

Building a Brighter Future Through Education: Student Housing for Single Parent Families , Carrie Cogsdale

Cooper-Hewitt Museum of Design and Technology (C-HMD+T): Biomimetic architecture as part of nature , Isabel Marisa Corsino Carro

Dyna-Mod Constructing the Modern Adaptable Home , Sarah Deardorff

Memory - Ness: The Collaboration Between a Library and Museum , Kelsey Doughty

Promoting Cultural Experiences Through Responsive Architecture , Shabonni Olivia Elkanah

Urban-Eco-Filter: Introducing New Lungs to the City of Beijing , Carlos Gil

Sustainable Planning and Design for Ecotourism: Ecotecture Embraced by the Essence of Nature on Amboro National Park, Santa Cruz-Bolivia , Claudia P. Gil

Revitalization and Modernization of Old Havana, Cuba , Mileydis Hernandez

Framework for Self Sustaining Eco-Village , Eric Holtgard

Condition / recondition: Reconstruction of the city and its collective memory , C Lopez

Architecture of materialism: A study of craft in design culture, process, and product , Logan Mahaffey

Incorporating solar technology to design in humid subtropical climates , Andres Mamontoff

"RE-Homing": Sustaining housing first , Jennifer McKinney

Devised architecture: Revitalizing the mundane , Jason Novisk

A greener vertical habitat: Creating a naturally cohesive sense of community in a vertical multi-family housing structure , Justin Onorati

Visualizing sound: A musical composition of aural architecture , James Pendley

Biotopia: An interdisciplinary connection between ecology, suburbia, and the city , Jessica Phillips

Cultural visualization through architecture , Fernando Pizarro

Experience + evolution: Exploring nature as a constant in an evolving culture and building type , Robin Plotkowski

Nature, daylight and sound: A sensible environment for the families, staff and patients of neonatal intensive care units , Ana Praskach

School work environment: Transition from education to practice , Shane Ross

ReLife: Transitional Housing for Victims of Natural Disaster , Alexander B. Smith

Form and Numbers: Mathematical Patterns and Ordering Elements in Design , Alison Marie Thom

Martian Modules: Design of a Programmable Martian Settlement , Craig A. Trover

Redesigning the megachurch: reintroduction of sacred space into a highly functional building , Javier Valencia

Aquatecture: Architectural Adaptation to Rising Sea Levels , Erica Williams

Theses/Dissertations from 2008 2008

Landscape as Urbanism , Ryan Nicholas Abraham

Architectural Strategies in Reducing Heat Gain in the Sub-Tropical Urban Heat Island , Mark A. Blazer

A Heritage Center for the Mississippi Gulf Coast: Linking the Community and Tourism Through Culture , Islay Burgess

Living Chassis: Learning from the Automotive Industry; Site Specifi c, Prefabricated, Systems Architecture , Christopher Emilio Emiliucci Cox

Permanent Supportive Housing in Tampa, Florida: Facilitating Transition through Site, Program, & Design , Nicole Lara Dodd

School as a Center for Community: Establishing Neighborhood Identity through Public Space and Educational Facility , Fred Goykhman

Reestablishing the Neighborhood: Exploring New Relationships & Strategies in Inner City Single Family Home Development , Jeremy Michael Hughes

High-Rise Neighborhood: Rethinking Community in the Residential Tower , Benjamin Hurlbut

reBURB: Redefining the Suburban Family Unit Under a New Construction Ecology , Matthew A. Lobeck

Blurring the Disconnect: [Inter]positioning Place within a Struggling Context , Eric Luttmann

Socializing Housing Phased Early Response to Impromptu Migrant Encampments In Lima, Peru , Raul E. Mayta

Knitting of Nature into an Urban Fabric: A Riverfront Development , Thant Myat

An Address, Not a Room Number: An Assisted Living Community within a Community , Gregory J. Novotnak

Ecological Coexistence: A Nature Retreat and Education Center on Rattlesnake Key, Terra Ceia, Florida , Richard F. Peterika

Aging with Identity: Integrating Culture into Senior Housing , Christine Sanchez

Re-Establishing Place Through Knowledge: A Facility for Earth Construction Education in Pisco, Peru , Hannah Jo Sebastian

Redefining What Is Sacred , Sarah A. Sisson

Reside…Commute…Visit... Reintegrating Defined Communal Place Amongst Those Who Engage with Tampa’s Built Environment , Matthew D. Suarez

The First Icomde A Library for the Information Age , Daniel Elias Todd

eCO_URBANism Restitching Clearwater's Urban Fabric Through Transit and Nature , Daniel P. Uebler

Urban Fabric as a Calayst for Architectural Awareness: Center for Architectural Research , Bernard C. Wilhelm

Theses/Dissertations from 2001 2001

Creating Healing Spaces, the Process of Designing Holistically a Battered Women Shelter , Lilian Menéndez

A prototypical Computer Museum , Eric Otto Ryder

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Architecture Dissertation Topics | Thesis Topics (100 examples)

100 dissertation topics for your thesis report.

A dissertation is the key element of final year. The objective of introducing dissertation is to develop the research aptitude, analytics and synthesize skills of report writing and presentation in the form of seminar. The work can be done on any topic under the broader subject in any stream of architecture, known theories, established practices etc. related to the field of architecture.

List Of Latest Dissertation Topics For Your Architectural Thesis Report –

Development of waterfront
Timber structure
Steel structures for large spans
Doubly covered / Curvillinear RCC structure
Construction technology
Painting on old and new structures
External cladding / Finishes
Maintainance of the building
Space frame structures
Water purification system for swimming pools / Small township
Fire fighting eqipment for high rise building
Kitchen arrangement (Planning) for MIG houses
Low-cost techniques for buildings
Appropriate technology for rural / tribal houses
Acoustical treatment and control throuh plan / shape and the choice of material
Foundations for problematic soils for multi storey structures
Bridge construction / bridge architecture
Level segregation of the traffic

Vertical transportation in buildings (Lifts/ Escalators)
Horizontal transprtation in buildings (Travellators)
Planning and designing of the ducts for AC, service lines
Grille designing in the mild steel and aluminum
Designing and placement of door knobs and handles
Street / basement parking
Mud architecture
Stabilized bricks
Hydrated lines
New proprietary materials
Solar architecture
Psychology of colors
Human responses to tall buildings
Cost saving devices in buildings
Passive solar energy as remedy to power shortage
Slums- A major factor in urban development
Planning and designing of buildings in earth quake zones
Roles of heritage in city planning
Implications of infrastructure in an urban area
Critical analysis of the philosophy of and works of a renowned architect
Outdoor lighting for public buildings
Designing with plants
Day lighting in architecture
Shading devices for opening in buildings
Courtyard planning in architecture
Creation of low cost housing
Maximizing green space in residential buildings
Architectural strctures propogation of sound
Elements of landscaping
Apartment architecture

Minimalist design in compact areas
Sustainability aspects of airport architecture
Temple architecture
Architectural planning for urban agriculture
Neo futurism architecture
Sustainability in kinetic architecture
Impact of materials and technologies in health care buildings
Maximizing small spaces
Child-friendly landscapes
Barrier free architecture
Elements of site planning
Water as an element of design
Role of ancient building in tourism and photography
Zero energy building
Storm water management
Housing design for flood prone areas
Solid waste management
Fluid architecture
The environment ideal for a rehaeb
Structure ae aesthetic element in architecture
Urban cultural spaces
History and analysis of landscaping
Heritage museums
Airport and its functioning
Cinema and theatre architecture
Skyscraper design
Suburban homes for multifamily
Aquarium- aqua design and display
Gaming and animation studio
Multimedia film city
Excellence center
Marine park design
Transport study and station
Convention center
Museum designing
Memorials designing
Automobile training center and expo
Archaeological survey institude
School of art and desing
Bus terminal cum commertial complex
Luxury beach/ sea/ lake/ river facing apartments
Bio climatic buildings
Cruise terminal design
Stadium design
Sports training center
Media center
Resort design
Disaster management institude
Television and film institude
Polo retreat/ golf course
Educational institude for rural children

A broad categories of topics can have multiple categories and it can contribute in the thesis in the form of elective or design concept.

For Example – If you are interested in ‘’ BUS TERMINAL ‘’ as your thesis project then you can work on Parking Layouts of Terminal, Allied Services in the Terminal, Long Span Structure, Multistory Parking, Mechanized Parking, Geometric Configuration of the Form for Terminals, Modular Spaces for the Terminals, RCC Structures best for Terminals, Interiors of the Terminal, Organic Forms, Historical study, Material used for Public Purpose, Solar Energy, Visual Communication in Terminals.

Dissertations on Architecture

Architecture relates to the design and construction of buildings and structures. Architecture also involves the complex planning of buildings and structures, before they can be designed and built.

View All Dissertation Examples

Latest Architecture Dissertations

Including full dissertations, proposals, individual dissertation chapters, and study guides for students working on their undergraduate or masters dissertation.

British Coffee Houses and Parisian Arcades Relationship to Architecture and Fashion

Dissertation Examples

The primary findings of this research centre on the architectural-sartorial relationship as it relates to public space of the 18th and 19th centuries....

Last modified: 15th Feb 2022

Can Historic Buildings be Truthful to the Modern Generation?

This document investigates the re-design of Castelvecchio by the venetian architect Carlo Scarpa, as a fine example of preserving the authenticity of the place and how this is presented to a modern public....

Last modified: 24th Jan 2022

How Architecture Can Respond to the Declining Number of Honey Bees?

The project will discuss on how architecture can reverse the deteriorating numbers of honey bees with a particular emphasis on reducing extinction of experience as well....

Last modified: 20th Jan 2022

Slums: The Urban Contemporary of Vernacular Settlement?

This paper looks into the need to view slums as an integral part of the city and not the darker side of the city. This paper aims at drawing a comparison between the vernacular settlements and slums....

Last modified: 11th Jan 2022

The Urban Street: A Conduit for Vitality and Multimodal Movement in the City

Example Literature Reviews

A study of Strøget, Copenhagen, analysing how the pioneering street design impacted the entire city's way of life. Through the exploration of factors which define the success of streets, their impact on the vitality and multimodal movement of the city can be assessed. ...

Last modified: 6th Dec 2021

Challenges of Connecting Heritage Building

This dissertation explains the process of reuse and transformation as the vehicle for adaptive reuse of heritage buildings and sites in our contemporary world....

Sequence of Events and Probable Failure Mechanisms of the World Trade Center

This dissertation is focused on what happened on Sept 11th 2001, with the author’s analysis seeking to determine the probable events that led to the collapse of the World Trade Centre buildings....

Last modified: 30th Nov 2021

Role of Computers in Architectural Design Process

The intention of this research is to investigate the role computers play as a visualization and representational tool in the architectural design process....

Last modified: 24th Nov 2021

Off-Site Manufacturing for the UK Housing Industry

The aim of this dissertation is to investigate and explore Off-Site Manufacturing (OSM) as a modern construction method and the barriers it faces in the UK Housing Industry....

The Influence of the Modernist Pioneer Architect on Urban Design, Materiality and Master Planning

Le Corbusier, Charles-Edouard Jeanneret-Gris, was a Swiss-French architect born October, 6th 1887, and is known as one of the most influential modernist pioneers of the 20th century along with Frank Llyod Wright, Mies van der Rohe....

Last modified: 27th Oct 2021

Floating Home as a Flood Resistant Housing Strategy

The aim of this research project is to assess and evaluate the potential of the Floating Home as a viable flood-resistant housing strategy, with the prospect of an affordable social housing solution within London, UK....

Last modified: 25th Oct 2021

Impact of the Industrial Revolution on British Architecture

An investigation into the origins and impact of the industrial revolution on British architecture....

Last modified: 20th Aug 2021

Design Dissertation Topics

Dissertation Topics

We have provided a selection of example design dissertation topics below to help and inspire you when choosing a topic for your dissertation....

Last modified: 17th Aug 2021

Architecture Dissertation Topics

We have provided a selection of example architecture dissertation topics to help and inspire you when choosing a topic for you architecture dissertation....

Last modified: 16th Aug 2021

Architecture Dissertation Titles

Dissertation Titles

Architecture Dissertation Titles. We have provided the selection of example architecture dissertation titles below to help and inspire you....

Design of a New Office Development that Inspires Workers

An innovative, unique, flexible and easy to use office development that allows users to be inspired by their work places....

Last modified: 11th Jun 2021

Energy Technology for Improved Efficiency in Commercial Buildings

This project was undertaken to design a model and evaluate the interaction and performance of one cogeneration combination, a CHP-ORC configuration....

Last modified: 9th Jun 2021

Strengthening and Restoration of the Stone Building

LITERATURE REVIEW Strengthening and Restoration the Stone Building (Dakanali et al. 2016) investigated the pull-out of titanium bars phenomenon from marble block and to figure out what is the...

Last modified: 16th Dec 2019

Follies and the History of the Garden

Contents Introduction Literature Review Methodology Chapters POLITICS & PALLADIANISM – Follies and the history of architecture SEX & SECRECY – Follies and the history of art and litera...

Interrelation of Spatial and Non-spatial Dimensions

LIST OF SYMBOLS AND ABBREVIATIONS CSV Comma Separated Value BIM Building Information Modeling CAD Computer Aided Design HVAC Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning System AFD Adjacency...

Evolution of Smart Homes

I. Introduction Smart homes, the next gigantic leap in the field of home automation, have become an emerging research field in last few decades. Research on smart homes has been gradually moving towa...

Last modified: 11th Dec 2019

Development of Sustainable LED Lighting for Offices

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1: Study Background Climate change is rapidly increasing in our environment due to an increase in gases such as carbon dioxide and methane produced by humans and animals in th...

Utilisation of Wind Energy for High Rise Building Power

Introduction The price of conventional energy is on the rise, due to the ever-widening gap between demands and supply. The main reason for such shortages is the depletion in natural resources, such as...

Relationship Between Museum and Cultural Identity

THE MUSEUM AND THE CITY: AN EMBODIMENT OF CULTURAL IDENTITY OF THE CITY IN WHICH IT STANDS INTRODUCTION As society enters a new century, many cultures have recond to an age of globalisation and, in tu...

Intersections in Fashion and Architecture: How Does a Designer Use Spatial Tools to Conceptualise the Runway Show of Their Collection?

ABSTRACT The framework of the study enquires about the relationship Fashion and Architecture share, today. The manifestation of this relationship has been studied about in the context of Fashion Runw...

Last modified: 10th Dec 2019

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Excellent Dissertation Topics in Architecture

Table of contents

1 Eco-Friendly Architecture Dissertation Topics
2 Architecture Dissertation Topics in Risk Management
3 Landscape Architecture Dissertation Topics
4 Architecture Dissertation Topics for Urban Planning and Transport
5 Interesting Architecture Dissertation Topics
6 Research Topics in Modern Design
7 Sustainable Architecture Topics
8 Trending Topics in Landscape Design

Picking a topic for your architecture dissertation or thesis can be a challenge because whether your final project is successful depends on it. It’s essential that you focus on your field of study to ensure that your arguments are solid and strong. If you pick a topic that you feel comfortable with, writing your final draft will be easier. Still, and if you choose to go for a theme that you’re interested in but have little or zero knowledge of, you should keep in mind that your chances of being 100% outstanding decrease. You also have to select one of the architecture dissertation topics that involve innovation and technology because in the century we’re in, people care a lot about how these two things affect our everyday lives. If you talk about what interests others, you’ll have them hooked.

With this in mind, it’s vital that you stick to your field of study and the topics that are within it. If you’re clueless as to what to talk about, you can always go online and see what other people have to say and what they’re writing about; this could give you a heads-up on what’s to come. If, for example, you study architecture, there are many things that you could address in your final document.

The structures for buildings around the world change with the years and come from many different styles that have very different meanings because of the cultures in which they were created within. This gives you an endless list of possibilities to talk about. There really are no limits when it comes to writing about architecture.

You could discuss the never-ending debate regarding whether old buildings should be preserved or not. All you’ll have to do is provide your idea and opinion based on a series of research that you’ll need to do prior to writing your final draft. A dissertation paper isn’t something that you do in one day; this document requires months and months of hard, tedious work, where you have to read a lot and work on your citation formats and turn in various pieces of work that others will revise and provide feedback for you to adjust and have the cycle repeat itself endless times.

When you’re faced with the task of writing your dissertation for your Ph.D , the most important factor to consider is the topic. If you need inspiration, take a look at the list of topics below, which were popular choices among other students. You can also buy case study online to get an in-depth look at a particular subject. Whichever route you choose, make sure to pick a topic that interests you. If you still have no idea of what to talk about, you can take a look at the list below, which will provide you with a series of topics that other students have been talking about throughout the years, and they are still popular. If you still have no idea of what to talk about, you can take a look at the list below, which will provide you with a series of topics that other students have been talking about throughout the years, and they are still popular.

Eco-Friendly Architecture Dissertation Topics

These architecture dissertation topics are more than just popular, and we have a list of dissertation topics in architecture that will make any task you have on mind easier. At the same time, we will partially be focused on waste management, recycling spaces, and renewable energy, which are all related here. Let’s check the best architecture thesis topics right now.

Eco-friendly neighborhood development
Making more urban parks
Best eco-friendly community garden design
Old building eco-restoration
Proper waste management
Fast and cheap riverfront development
Making the most advanced SMART village
Exploring sustainable materials in modern architectural design
The role of circular economy principles in sustainable architecture
Creating sustainable buildings for urban environments
Integrating green spaces in residential architecture for healthier living
Applying sustainable practices in co-living spaces
Completely sustainable building idea
What is regenerative design?
What is an urban agriculture center?
How retail spaces use biophilic design principles
Transformative design for public markets
Green design in data centers
Sustainable design practices for healthcare facilities
The relationship between eco-friendly architecture and mental health

Architecture Dissertation Topics in Risk Management

It is important for all architecture students to have a good understanding of dissertation topics in architecture, as it is an essential field. This list of topics will be a great help when researching, and with the help of professional thesis writers, you can even pay for thesis writing to get the best results. With this assistance, you can be sure to get the best quality dissertation that will impress your peers.

Here we have a list of dissertation topics in architecture that are mandatory to know, and you will probably see a lot of architecture dissertation topics from this group. We can add that it is an essential field of architecture and one all students need to know more about.

Best practices for making safety better
How to avoid future water pollution?
Managing risks of high-end infrastructures
Limits of computer simulation
Evaluating public spaces as solutions for urban risk management
Game-changing strategies for disaster-resilient architecture
Benefits of risk computer simulations
Pros of low-cost and high-strength buildings
Cons of low-cost and high-strength buildings
New methods for decreasing risk in architecture
Common risk mistakes new workers make
Using virtual reality to test the risk
The influence of technology on architectural heritage preservation
Architecture’s role in disaster recovery and resilience
Sustainable transportation methods in urban design
Earthquake-resistant skyscrapers and construction techniques

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Landscape Architecture Dissertation Topics

You may need to focus on one of these when it comes to proper dissertation writing. Each dissertation topic here is a bit special, and each dissertation topic is something you will need to invest a lot of research in and then make presentable. Let’s see the best topics of this type.

Processing data on food, water, and energy in the real time
Benefits of offshore wind energy projects
Using landscape to make architecture self-sustainable
Evolution on current energy landscape models
Food access for locals in large cities
Shaping the landscape to suit people more
Making landscape more suitable for people with disabilities
Cultural influences on landscape architecture
Integrating green spaces into urban landscapes for environmental benefits
Using rainwater design in a modern city
Adaptive reuse of a river park
Adapting building design to the specific landscape
The impact of historic preservation on architectural design
The influence of colonial architecture on urban planning
The evolution of cafeteria design in workplaces
Virtual reality in architectural design projects
The importance of public art in urban planning

Architecture Dissertation Topics for Urban Planning and Transport

The field of architecture we have here is a bit special but more important than ever before. Now you can see the topics that will help you and the ones that can make any process of this kind even better and easier.

Low-cost homes and low-cost transport
Should we make more skyscrapers?
Suburban communities and transporting issues
Benefits of developing a marine park
Is transport suitable for modern cities?
How transport can be improved in multi-million cities
Incorporating airports in urban planning
Making train stations more suitable for urban areas
Managing a million tourists in a modern city
Hotels that can accommodate more visitors than ever before but are eco-friendly
The impact of social media on architectural design and trends
Architecture’s role in community development
Promoting inclusivity and accessibility through architecture
Redesigning public transportation stations: challenges and benefits
Integrating renewable energy in cultural institutions through modern architecture
Challenges in city planning during urban expansion
Rethinking residential architecture to support sustainable city growth
The role of co-living spaces in addressing urban housing needs

Interesting Architecture Dissertation Topics

Here you can see all about housing schemes, appealing ideas, and more that are definitely going to make your writing process easier and better the lack of a better word. Each one of these ideas has been more than just popular. Focus on building design if this is what you like.

How to know what the right number of restrooms is when building a large, public venue.
Redefining a city through architecture.
Maximizing small spaces: all there is to know.
Building for the family: privacy and closeness.
Cathedrals: using the new world’s budget to recreate the old world.
Discuss the difference in the design of houses in cold climates and warm climates.
Explain some benefits of using technological models in architectural diagrams.
Provide an accurate description of an architectural model that would be appealing to a religious client.
Discuss the nature of middle-class architecture and its place in modern society.
Include elements of famous architects without copying their work.
The evolution of postmodern architecture in today’s context
Relevance of classic architecture in modern design practices
Influence of temple architecture on contemporary religious buildings
A comparative analysis of architectural styles across different cultures
Architectural influence in various global contexts
Getting people to move through energizing architecture.
Architecture and the family. The need for closeness and privacy
Cathedrals: Recreating the old world on a new world budget
The influence of Bauhaus on modern architectural practices
The connection between architecture and psychology
Using unconventional materials in contemporary architecture
The significance of spatial dynamics in architectural design
Architecture’s role in addressing social justice issues
The role of architecture in the gig economy

It is no wonder that more and more students are turning to these services for dissertation help . They can provide guidance, expertise and offer support for editing, proofreading, and writing for your best results. With their help, the dissertation can be completed in a timely and efficient manner.

Research Topics in Modern Design

The contemporary architecture will cover the hot topics in the field, and a good place to start would be one of these engaging building design topics:

Multicultural Architecture in the Urban Landscape
Trends of Environmental Technology in Residential Structures
Developing Commercial Projects for IoT
Evaluating Design in Municipal Structures
Creative Designs in the Modern Era
Maximizing Resources and Space with Accessibility
Adapting architectural education to meet modern challenges
The impact of interior design on functionality and aesthetics in spaces
How creating buildings reflects societal changes over time
The role of digital transformation in modern architectural education
Minimalist Design in Compact Areas
Methods of Mitigating Damage from Natural Disaster
Methods of Pre-fabricated Design
Features of Portable Housing Units
Critical regionalism and architectural identity
The role of phenomenology in designing human-centered architecture
Digital transformation and architectural possibilities
The impact of postmodernism on current architectural trends
The use of semiotics in architectural design and interpretation

Sustainable Architecture Topics

With so much focus on the environment and technology associated with it, there is a significant push to develop green tech with design. Here are some ideas:

Applications of Hemp in Building Structure
Retrofitting Inefficiency with Existing Buildings
Building in Response to Climate Change
Micro-Construction for the Future
Creating Self-Sufficient Structures
Calculating Solar Panel Output with Planning
Determining Optimal Insulation R-Values
Principles of Net Zero Design
The impact of sustainable design on construction practices today
How sustainable materials contribute to reducing the carbon footprint
The long-term benefits of sustainable buildings in urban areas
Enhancing urban life with the incorporation of green spaces
Reducing A Structure’s Carbon Footprint
Heating and Cooling Systems with Renewable Energy
Ethical considerations of sustainability in architectural practices
Constructing emergency shelters for disaster relief
The effect of architecture on preserving wildlife habitats
Reducing carbon footprint in coastal areas through architecture
Revamping industrial spaces for multiuse purposes

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2020 Student Thesis Showcase - Part I

Have you ever wondered what students design in architecture school? A few years ago, we started an Instagram account called IMADETHAT_ to curate student work from across North America. Now, we have nearly 3,000 projects featured for you to view. In this series, we are featuring thesis projects of recent graduates to give you a glimpse into what architecture students create while in school. Each week, for the rest of the summer, we will be curating five projects that highlight unique aspects of design. In this week’s group, the research ranges from urban scale designs focused on climate change to a proposal for a new type of collective housing and so much in between. Check back each week for new projects.

In the meantime, Archinect has also created a series featuring the work of 2020 graduates in architecture and design programs. Check out the full list, here .

Redefining the Gradient by Kate Katz and Ryan Shaaban, Tulane University, M.Arch ‘20

Thesis Advisors: Cordula Roser Gray and Ammar Eloueini / Course: 01-SP20-Thesis Studio

Sea level rise has become a major concern for coastal cities due to the economic and cultural importance tied to their proximity to water. These cities have sustained their livelihood in low-lying elevations through the process of filling, bridging, and raising land over coastal ecosystems, replacing their ecological value with infrastructures focused on defining the edge between city and nature. Hard infrastructures have been employed to maintain urban landscapes but have minimal capacity for both human and non-human engagement due to their monofunctional applications focused on separating conditions rather than integrating them. They produce short-term gains with long-term consequences, replacing and restricting ecosystems and acting as physical barriers in a context defined by seasonal transition.

To address the issues of hard infrastructure and sea level rise, this thesis proposes an alternative design strategy that incorporates the dynamic water system into the urban grid network. San Francisco was chosen as the location of study as it is a peninsula where a majority of the predicted inundation occurs on the eastern bayside. In this estuary, there were over 500 acres of ecologically rich tidal marshlands that were filled in during the late 1800s. To protect these new lands, the Embarcadero Sea Wall was built in 1916 and is now in a state of neglect. The city has set aside $5 billion for repairs but, instead of pouring more money into a broken system, we propose an investment in new multi-functional ecologically-responsive strategies.

As sea levels rise, the city will be inundated with water, creating the opportunity to develop a new circulation system that maintains accessibility throughout areas located in the flood zone. In this proposal, we’ve designed a connective network where instance moments become moments of pause and relief to enjoy the new cityscape in a dynamic maritime district.

On the lower level, paths widen to become plazas while on the upper level, they become breakout destinations which can connect to certain occupiable rooftops that are given to the public realm. The bases of carved canals become seeding grounds for plants and aquatic life as the water level rises over time. Buildings can protect high-risk floors through floodproofing and structural encasement combined with adaptive floorplates to maintain the use of lower levels. The floating walkway is composed of modular units that are buoyant, allowing the pedestrian paths to conform and fluctuate with diurnal tidal changes. The composition of the units creates street furniture and apertures to engage with the ecologies below while enabling a once restricted landscape of wetlands to take place within the city.

The new vision of the public realm in this waterfront district hopes to shine an optimistic light on how we can live with nature once again as we deal with the consequences of climate change.

Unearthing the Black Aesthetic by Demar Matthews, Woodbury University, M.Arch ‘20

Advisor: Ryan Tyler Martinez Featured on Archinect

“Unearthing The Black Aesthetic” highlights South Central Los Angeles’s (or Black Los Angeles’s) unique positioning as a dynamic hub of Black culture and creativity. South Central is the densest population of African Americans west of the Mississippi. While every historically Black neighborhood in Los Angeles has experienced displacement, the neighborhood of Watts was hit particularly hard. As more and more Black Angelenos are forced for one reason or another to relocate, we are losing our history and connection to Los Angeles.

As a way to fight this gentrification, we are developing an architectural language derived from Black culture. So many cultures have their own architectural styles based on values, goals, morals, and customs shared by their society. When these cultures have relocated to America, to keep their culture and values intact, they bought land and built in the image of their homelands. That is not true for Black people in America. In fact, until 1968, Black people had no rights to own property in Los Angeles. While others began a race to acquire land in 1492, building homes and communities in their image, we started running 476 years after the race began. What percentage of land was left for Blacks to acquire? How then can we advance the development of a Black aesthetic in architecture?

This project, most importantly, is a collaboration with the community that will be for us and by us. My goal is to take control of our image in architecture; to elevate, not denigrate, Black life and culture. Ultimately, we envision repeating this process in nine historically Black cities in America to develop an architectural language that will vary based on the history and specificities of Black culture in each area.

KILLING IT: The Life and Death of Great American Cities by Amanda Golemba, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, M.Arch ’20

Advisors: Nikole Bouchard, Jasmine Benyamin, and Erik Hancock / Independent Design Thesis

For decades, post-industrial cities throughout the United States have been quietly erased through self-imposed tabula rasa demolition. If considered at all, demolition is touted as the mechanism for removing unsightly blight, promoting safety, and discarding the obsolete and the unwanted. Once deemed unworthy, rarely does a building survive the threat of demolition.

In the last decade, the City of Chicago has erased over 13,000 buildings with 225 in just the last four months. Not only does this mass erasure eradicate the material and the spatial, but it permanently wipes the remnants of human bodies, values, and history — a complete annulment of event, time, and memory.

But why do we feel the need to erase in order to make progress?

Our current path has led to a built environment that is becoming more and more uniform and sterile. Much of America has become standardized, mixed-use developments; neighborhoods of cookie-cutter homes and the excessive use of synthetic, toxic building materials. A uniform world is a boring one that has little room for creativity, individuality, or authenticity.

This thesis, “KILLING IT,” is a design proposal for a traveling exhibition that seeks to change perceptions of the existing city fabric by visualizing patterns of erasure, questioning the resultant implications and effects of that erasure, and proposing an alternative fate. “KILLING IT” confronts the inherently violent aspects of architecture and explores that violence through the intentionally jarring, uncomfortable, and absurd analogy of murder. This analogy is a lens through which to trace the violent, intentional, and premature ending and sterilization of the existing built environment. After all, as Bernard Tschumi said, “To really appreciate architecture, you may even need to commit a murder.”1 But murder is not just about the events that take place within a building, it is also the material reality of the building itself.

Over the life of a building, scarring, moments in time, and decay layer to create an inhabitable palimpsest of memory. This traveling exhibition is infused with the palimpsest concept by investigating strategies of layering, modularity, flexibility, transparency, and building remains, while layering them together to form a system that operates as an inhabitable core model collage. Each individual exhibition simultaneously memorializes the violence that happened at that particular site and implements murderous adaptive reuse strategies through collage and salvage material to expose what could have been.

If we continue down our current path, we will only continue to make the same mistakes and achieve the same monotonous, sterilizing results we currently see in every American city and suburb. We need to embrace a new path that values authenticity, celebrates the scars and traces of the past, and carries memories into the future. By reimaging what death can mean and addressing cycles of violence, “KILLING IT” proposes an optimistic vision for the future of American cities.

Tschumi, Bernard. “Questions of space: lectures on architecture” (ed. 1990)

A New Prototype for Collective Housing by Juan Acosta and Gable Bostic, University of Texas at Austin, M.Arch ‘20

Advisor: Martin Haettasch / Course: Integrative Design Studio Read more: https://soa.utexas.edu/work/new-prototype-collective-housing

Austin is a city that faces extreme housing pressures. This problem is framed almost exclusively in terms of supply and demand, and the related question of affordability. For architects, however, a more productive question is: Will this new quantity produce a new quality of housing?

How do we live in the city, how do we create individual and collective identity through architecture, and what are the urban consequences? This studio investigates new urban housing types, smaller than an apartment block yet larger and denser than a detached house. Critically assessing existing typologies, we ask the question: How can the comforts of the individual house be reconfigured to form new types of residential urban fabric beyond the entropy of tract housing or the formulaic denominator of “mixed-use.” The nature of the integrative design studio allowed for the testing of material systems and construction techniques that have long had an important economic and ecological impact.

“A New Prototype for Collective Housing” addresses collectivity in both a formal and social sense, existing between the commercial and residential scales present in Austin’s St. John neighborhood as it straddles the I-35 corridor; a normative American condition. A diversity of programs, and multigenerational living, create an inherently diverse community. Additionally, a courtyard typology is used to negotiate the spectrum of private and shared space. Volumes, comprising multiple housing units ranging from studio apartments to four bedrooms, penetrate a commercial plinth that circulates both residents and mechanical systems. The use of heavy timber ensures an equitable use of resources while imbuing the project with a familiar material character.

ELSEWHERE, OR ELSE WHERE? by Brenda (Bz) Zhang, University of California at Berkeley, M.Arch ’20

Advisors: Andrew Atwood and Neyran Turan See more: https://www.brendazhang.com/#/elsewhere-or-else-where/

“ELSEWHERE, OR ELSE WHERE?” is an architectural fever dream about the San Francisco Bay Area. Beginning with the premise that two common ideas of Place—Home and Elsewhere—are no longer useful, the project wonders how disciplinary tools of architecture can be used to shape new stories about where we are.

For our purposes, “Home,” although primarily used to describe a place of domestic habitation, is also referring generally to a “familiar or usual setting,” as in home-base, home-court, home-page, and even home-button. As a counterpoint, Elsewhere shifts our attention “in or to another place,” away. This thesis is situated both in the literal spaces of Elsewhere and Home (landfills, houses, wilderness, base camps, wastelands, hometowns) and in their culturally constructed space (value-embedded narratives determining whether something belongs, and to whom). Since we construct both narratives through principles of exclusion, Elsewhere is a lot closer to Home than we say. These hybrid spaces—domestic and industrial, urban and hinterland, natural and built—are investigated as found conditions of the Anthropocene and potential sites for new understandings of Place.

Ultimately, this thesis attempts to challenge conventional notions of what architects could do with our existing skill sets, just by shifting our attention—Elsewhere. The sites shown here and the concerns they represent undeniably exist, but because of the ways Western architecture draws thick boundaries between and around them, they resist architectural focus—to our detriment.

In reworking the physical and cultural constructions of Homes and Elsewheres, architects are uniquely positioned to go beyond diagnostics in visualizing and designing how, where, and why we build. While this project looks specifically at two particular stories we tell about where we are, the overall objective is to provoke new approaches to how we construct Place—both physically and culturally—within or without our discipline.

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Home > Architecture > Architecture Masters Theses

Architecture Masters Theses

RISD’s Master of Architecture program is one of the few in the US embedded in a college of art and design. Here, architecture is taught in a way that understands the practice of design and making as a thoughtful, reflective process that both engenders and draws from social, political, material, technological and cultural agendas. The program aims to empower students to exercise their creativity by understanding their role as cultural creators and equipping them to succeed in the client-based practice of architecture.

The degree project represents the culmination of each student’s interests relative to the curriculum. A seminar in the fall of the final year helps focus these interests into a plan of action. Working in small groups of five or six under the guidance of a single professor, students pursue individual projects throughout Wintersession and spring semester. Degree projects are expected to embody the architectural values that best characterize their authors as architects and are critiqued based on the success of translating these values into tangible objects.

Graduate Program Director: Hansy Better Barraza

These works are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License .

Theses from 2024 2024

Reform Craft | Re-Form Clay , Katherine Badenhausen

Narrative Structures , Theodore Badenhausen

Room to Grieve: The Space of Solace in Public Life , Lauren Blonde

Frontier: Land, Architecture, and Abstraction , Jacob Boatman

Rhythm of Space , Brian Carrillo

Searching for the Hyperobject: Crystals as Transscalar Vehicles , Jay Costello

Unconditioning Air , Weijia Deng

(Matter)ial Revolution , Aleza Epstein

Building the Body , Jasmine Flowers

House Calls , Gregory Goldstone

Culinary community: Collaborative Relationship Building through Improvisational Fine Dining , Victoria Goodisman

Textile Tectonics: Shaping Space Through Soft Studies , Lela Gunderson

Hong Kong’s Architectural Resistance: Practice Through Research , Jingjing Huang

“Modern Nomads”: Unfolding Domesticity , Yifan Hu

Mind Follows Matter , Fiona Libby

Curb Appeal , Eric Liu

Dreampool , Xia Li

Atelier Interloper , Isabel Jane Marvel

Entre Manos Y Barro: Innovando Con Tradición , Jose Mata

Patchwork: 76km between Juárez and El Paso , Naheyla Medina

The Dollhouse , Kristina Miesel

A Dispatch from the Site Office , Adrian Pelliccia

Infinite Plane: Metaphysical Architecture + Digital Space , Isabella Ruggiero

Icons of Solitude: Peace, Quiet, and the Urban Condition , Jack Schildge

Beyond the Idle Machine: Spatio-Subjective Architecture , Andrew Schnurr

snowstorm , Caleb Shafer

Corner Revolution: Beyond “skynet”, Brightening Grey space and Building Security , Caimin Shen

Living Surfaces , Ryan R. Sotelo

THE RUNIS: HOW CAN SOCIAL REMIDATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL REMEIDATION BE LINKED THROGUH ARCHITECTURE? , Tayu Ting

Entropic Accumulation , Abby Tuckett

What does water want? , Julia Woznicki

Design With Decay , Charlotte Wyman

LifeLink , Yuan Yuan

Architecture As A Carbon-Based Practice , Qixin Yu

Theses from 2023 2023

Ghost Hotel , George Acosta

Cohabitation x Adaptation, 2100: A Climate Change Epoch , Kyle Andrews

Reintroducing Hemp (rongony) in the Material Palette of Madagascar: A study on the potential of Hemp Clay components and its impact on social and ecological communities. , Henintsoa Thierry Andrianambinina

Norteada- En Busca De un Nuevo Norte. Cocoon Portals and the Negotiation of Space. , Kimberly Ayala Najera

Decolonial Perspective on Fashion and Sustainability , Haisum Basharat

Psychochoreography , Nora Bayer

Whale Fall·Building Fall , Jiayi Cai

Means and Methods: Pedagogy and Proto-Architecture , Daniel Choconta

The Miacomet Movement , Charles Duce

Unpacked: Consumer Culture in Suburban Spaces , Jaime Dunlap

you're making me sentimental , Chris Geng

Myths, Legends, and Landscapes , Oromia Jula

Old and New: Intervention in Space and Material , Yoonji Kang

Urban Succession: an ecocentric urbanism , Anthony Kershaw

An Architect's Toolkit for Color Theory , ella knight

WAST3D POTENTIAL , Andrew Larsen

Sustainable Seismic Architecture: Exploring the Synergy of Mortise-and-Tenon Joinery and Modern Timber Construction for Reducing Embodied Carbon , Cong Li

Recipes for Building Relationships , Adriana Lintz

Water Relations, Understanding Our Relationship to Water: Through Research, Diagrams, and Glass , Tian Li

Exploring Permanent Temporariness: A Look into the Palestinian Experience through Refugee Camps , Tamara Malhas

A Study of Dwelling , Julia McArthur

Appropriate that Bridge: Appropriation as a way of Intervention , Haochen Meng

Toronto Rewilded , Forrest Meyer

Confronting and Caring for Spaces of Service , Tia Miller

Reorientation , Soleil Nguyen

The De-centering of Architecture , Uthman Olowa

[De]Composition: Grounding Architecture , Skylar Perez

Soft City: Reclaiming Urban Public Spaces for Play , Jennifer Pham

We Have a (Home) - Co-operative Homes for Sunset Park , Lisa Qiu

The Incremental Ecosystem: Hybridizing Self-Built + Conventional Processes as a Solution to Urban Expansion , Shayne Serrano

Liberdade para quem? - Layered Histories , Vanessa Shimada

Tracing as Process , Lesley Su

The Design of Consequences , Yuqi Tang

On the Edge of the "Er-Ocean" State , Mariesa Travers

Beyond the White Box: Building Alternative Art Spaces for the Black Community , Elijah Trice

Translational Placemaking: The Diasporic Archive , Alia Varawalla

Unearthing Complexity: Tangible Histories of Water and Earth , Alexis Violet

Ritual as Design Gesture: Reimagining the Spring Festival in Downtown Providence , wenjie wang

Spatial Reveries , Alexander Wenstrup

Public-ish , Aliah Werth

Phantom Spaces , Craytonia Williams II

Navigating Contextualism: An architectural and urban design study at the intersection of climate, culture, urban development, and globalization Case Study of Dire Dawa , Ruth Wondimu

Green Paths - On the Space In-Between Buildings , Hongru Zhang

Blowing Away , Ziyi Zhao

Uncovering Emotional Contamination: Five Sites of Trauma , Abigail Zola

Theses from 2022 2022

Revisionist Zinealog : a coacted countercultural device , Madaleine Ackerman

Reengineer value , Maxwell Altman

Space in sound , Gidiony Rocha Alves

Anybody home? Figural studies in architectural representation , David Auerbach

An atlas of speculating flooded futures ; water keeps rising , Victoria Barlay

Notes on institutional architecture ; towards and understanding of erasure and conversation , Liam Burke

For a moment, I was lost ; a visual reflection on the process of grief and mortality within the home , Adam Chiang-Harris

Remnants , Sarah Chriss

A thesis on the entanglement of art and design , Racquel Clarke

Community conservation & engagement through the architecture of public transportation , Liam Costello

Sacred pleasures : a patronage festival of the erotic and play , David Dávila

Caregivers as worldbuilders , Caitlin Dippo

Youkoso Tokyo : Guidebook to a new cybercity , Evelyn Ehgotz

Home: a landscape of narratives ; spaces through story telling , Tania S. Estrada

A digital surreal , Michael Garel-Martorana

Moving through time , Anca Gherghiceanu

Rising to the occasion : a resiliency strategy for Brickell, Miami , Stephanie Gottlieb

Food for an island : on the relationships between agriculture, architecture and land , Melinda Groenewegen

Towards a new immersion , Kaijie Huang

Astoria houses: a resilient community , James Juscik

Healing the Black Butterfly: reparation through resources , Danasha Kelly

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How to Write an Architecture Dissertation 101

In this post we will explore how to write an architecture dissertation, but first…

What is an architecture dissertation?

The architecture dissertation (or thesis) is an opportunity to demonstrate the skills you have learnt and the knowledge you have developed over the course of your studies. It identifies a current question of interest that you are willing to explore and analyse.

Thesis and dissertation mean different things in Europe than they do in the USA. In Europe, a dissertation is usually part of a masters degree involving a broader research project. In the USA however, the dissertation is part of a doctorate degree. Likewise, a thesis in Europe generally refers to research work for a PhD, while in the USA thesis is part of your masters degree. Nice and confusing 🙂

Given that we are based in the UK, we will refer to the document as a dissertation, but much of the information and tips here are interchangeable. Hopefully you will find this guide useful when considering your architecture dissertation… or thesis!

Scroll to the end to download this article as a handy PDF guide!

How to write an architecture dissertation, choosing your topic.

Selecting a topic for your architecture dissertation is often one of the biggest challenges for students. Where to start?! Let’s take a look at the process of selecting your architecture dissertation topic.

Ask a question Your architecture dissertation needs to ask a question. Whether it is a big question or just a small part of a big question, there has to be a reason for your research and data collection.

So, when you have selected a big issue that you would like to explore, you can look at breaking this down into a smaller question for your subject.

Starting off with a big issue, and beginning to narrow this down into smaller issues, allows you to end up asking a small question that could perhaps have big implications or bring very interesting results.

You could use a mind map to help you visualise and brainstorm ideas – have your big question in the centre with other smaller questions branching out from it.

Focus on an area of study that you are comfortable with Try to consider areas within your field of study that you are comfortable with. For example, if you are particularly interested and inspired by environmental architecture, perhaps you can start there.

On the flip side, if you are particularly interested in new technologies and software developments, then perhaps you could start thinking along those lines.

The more comfortable you are with your topic area, the more solid your work will be and you will be able to pursue your architecture dissertation with more confidence.

Select a topic that is focused Don’t go too broad with your topic idea. Don’t forget, you are not writing a long novel, so your research and your final architecture dissertation has to be concise. A broad topic will make it very difficult to get into the nitty gritty details.

As an example, let’s say you are interested in the feasibility of using sustainable prefabricated systems in residential architecture. This is a fairly large subject, so your work could look at an aspect of this, such as a particular sustainable prefabricated system like a timber panel, or perhaps prefab systems in social housing. You could then drill down further. You can look at the subject as a whole in your introduction or conclusion, but investigate a more focused part of that topic for your own work.

Don’t forget, as you start to investigate your topic further, it may lead you to other questions, which in turn can change the theme of your architecture dissertation.

Don’t be too fixated on a topic in the early stages that stops you from shifting and developing the dissertation. It is a bit like design projects, sometimes it is easy to get fixated on your concept at the detriment of the design – adjusting, and pivoting can be a good thing, it is an iterative process.

Look at other architecture dissertations Take some time to read and research other dissertations, to get a feel for what excites or interests you. By gaining an understanding of the format, content and overall outcomes of the architecture dissertation, you will be able to develop your ideas more easily, and drill down on a topic that fits.

Doing this will also help you see what topics have been extensively covered and ones that are niche.

You can find some architecture dissertations on the RIBA Presidents Medals website for some inspiration: https://www.presidentsmedals.com/Entries/2022/0-1/1

Read other architecture works Take some time to read other architecture works while you are in your topic decision making process. This might open up new ideas and thoughts that you didn’t think of before.

Look at current trends, what is new, what is changing, what hasn’t changed, why? How about world events, how do they impact architecture? How does architecture impact them? What can we learn?

Make sure your question can be answered Once you have chosen your question or topic, make sure that data collection and research will bring you to some sort of conclusion or answer. It will be very frustrating if you are investigating an issue that will not be possible to conclude on or resolve.

Make sure you can ask the right questions to get information from people, are there enough books on the subject? Is there any historical data that might be useful? How about photographs and drawings? Consider how you will research your architecture dissertation before finalising your topic.

Drafting a proposal You will most likely be asked to create a proposal for the topic you have selected. Your proposal will be presented to your tutors who will give you feedback that will help you move forward.

Carry out your research

The research phase of your architecture dissertation is really important. We must look at many different sources and aspects of our topic to start to develop our strategies and ideas.

Start with the library The best way to start investigating our topic is to find out what information currently exists, who has asked your question, or similar questions, what has been published? So head to the library and start reading!

Try and get a selection of sources for a more balanced overview, rather than relying on just one source. Although you can use the internet, don’t forget that it is an unregulated source, and therefore not all the information is completely reliable.

Keep track of any books, journals etc that you have consulted. (more on that later).

Follow the citations and references in relevant articles to see if other works have been written that are relevant to your topic. Research papers are good sources of references and information you could further explore.

During this initial stage of research you may still be narrowing your topic, refining your question and that’s totally ok. Often, it is not until you have started reading around your topic and delving deeper that you start to see the questions that need to be asked.

Take notes Take notes and keep track of all your research, book name, author, title, date, publisher plus all the page numbers of the important points. This will help you when you come to referencing and citation and also enable you to stay organised.

Keep your topic / question in mind as you read through the research material and make notes on relevant points, in your own words. Write down any phrases or quotations that you will want to cite later, but make sure you keep a list of the details of the author etc, so the quotation doesn’t get mixed up with your own writing.

Citations and references Make sure you reference and cite all your work correctly. This is a tedious part of the architecture dissertation but extremely important to do it right.

You can find a guide about doing the Harvard referencing system which is most commonly used in UK universities, here: https://www.citethisforme.com/harvard-referencing

This page goes through the other citation styles and gives examples for each: https://www.scribbr.com/citing-sources/citation-styles/

Or you can refer to your own university library reference material to make sure you are carrying out your citations and references according to university guidelines.

Collect data The goal of your architecture dissertation should be to gather and interpret new data, rather than just regurgitating existing information.

Try to collect data that you can analyse and interpret rather than just writing descriptively about the topic.

Collection of data can include information from books as we have mentioned, but also reports, studies, statistical data, surveys, interviews, opinions, archived material, and so much more.

Be prepared to think openly, and think wide. By drawing on many different data sources and formats you will have a more rounded research pool to collect data and analyse going forward.

Our Architecture Dissertation Source Log

Our Dissertation Source log is a valuable tool for architecture students and researchers working on their dissertations. This spreadsheet can help you record all the key information on the sources you have used in your research.

It is also a great way to keep track of your research progress. As you add new sources to the spreadsheet, you can include notes on each source and its quality. This information can be helpful when you are writing your dissertation and need to refer back to your sources.

There are also columns where you can add in citations for each source. This means that all your references will be stored in one place, which will be super handy for when you come to create your bibliography.

The Architecture Dissertation Source Log is a free download. You can start filling it in right away or adjust and edit to your liking to make it your own.

Download your copy today!

As you analyse your data and research, your findings will shape your architecture dissertation, the topic and the big or small question that you are exploring. Make sure you leave the title, introduction and abstract till last.

There are different types of analysis when it comes to researching. The main ones you will be using for your architecture dissertation are visual analysis, textual analysis and historical analysis – although there are many more that you could draw on.

Obviously your choice of topic and question will determine what data you will be analysing but let’s look at this as an overview.

Textual content analysis This is a deep focus on the books, reports, papers and journals that you have identified as being an important part of your research. The areas you have ‘highlighted’ to be of interest should be studied in detail and notes taken as to why these points are important.

What is the author saying? Why is this important? How does it relate to your question, and your observations? Has the author written any other titles? Do they refer to other titles? Lots of questions to ask in order to draw out the information you are looking for.

Visual content analysis Visually, you will be looking at plans, maps, photographs and use your skills to question what you see. Analysis of the spaces, the site etc similar to a site analysis or precedent analysis .

There should be countless questions you could ask when analysing your visual findings, write down your observations.

Historical analysis Here you will focus on the historical events or situations that have had an impact on the topic or question that you are studying.

What were the circumstances at that time? Where do the ideas come from? What is the author focusing on? And so on.

Where appropriate, use maps, images, diagrams, drawings, surveys, time lines and data mapping to explore and present the data you have collected and analysed.

Check out our Mapping Techniques Pinterest board for some ideas:

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/1starchitecture/mapping-techniques/

The main things to consider here are:

What is your big question or topic?

What is the sub topic or smaller question that you are looking to answer?

What research and information will you draw on to answer the question?

How will you analyse the research?

How will you present or argue your findings?

Before presenting or putting together your final works, it is important to have a clear structure to your architecture dissertation and the research you have carried out.

By now, hopefully you will be clear on your topic and the question you are looking to answer. You will know what research you will draw on to inform your ideas, and how you will collect your data.

The clearer you can make your outline of how you want the structure of your dissertation to be, the easier it will be to write. If your ideas and concepts are in a muddle, the end result could mirror this.

Your university will most likely provide guidance on how you should structure your dissertation. Some UK university guidance examples include:

University of Westminster https://libguides.westminster.ac.uk/c.php?g=692395&p=4963012

University of Bath https://blogs.bath.ac.uk/academic-and-employability-skills/2020/07/07/writing-your-dissertations-structure-and-sections/

University of York https://subjectguides.york.ac.uk/dissertation/structure

In general a dissertation will typically follow the structure shown below:

Title Acknowledgements Abstract Table of contents List of figures and tables List of Abbreviations Glossary

Introduction Literature review Methodology Results Discussion Conclusion

Bibliography/Reference list Appendix

General Architecture Dissertation Tips

1. Start work on your dissertation early.

2. Include references and citations to other scholars’ work.

3. Discuss the topic with other people.

4. Make the most of your tutorials, or any dedicated sessions.

5. Don’t get stuck on your title/topic. Let your data research lead and guide you.

6. Don’t feel you have to solve the world’s problems with your architecture dissertation. You are contributing to the research on a particular topic, don’t feel that your work has to result in a ground breaking solution to a worldwide problem.

7. Tell a story – make sure there is a flow to your architecture dissertation. Avoid using complex sentence structures and fancy words, make it readable. Always try to say more, with less – keep it simple.

8. Give yourself plenty of time to carry out your project from start to finish. Start early with your research – it takes a lot of time if it is to be done properly.

9. Make a schedule – dedicate chunks of time to your architecture dissertation. Ideally intersperse these studies with lighter tasks or something different like sport. It is difficult to write for more than 4 hours without becoming tired and inefficient so make sure your schedule allows for breaks and changes in activity.

10. If you are asking people for help in your data collection, make sure you give them lots of time to get back to you.

11. Be as direct and clear as you can in your writing, avoid fluffy over wordy sentences.

12. Make visual connections between your architecture dissertation topic and the way you design and set it up. Use a consistent style and readable fonts.

13. Get someone to proofread your work, ideally a couple of people.

14. Use your tutors for advice and guidance, that is what they are there for. Be sure to ask plenty of questions if you are not sure about something.

Topic Ideas

Here are some broad topic areas you could consider looking into when you are deciding what to write about.

1. Sustainable Architecture: This topic area focuses on designing and constructing buildings with a reduced environmental impact, incorporating energy-efficient systems, renewable materials, and sustainable design principles.

2. Urban Design and Planning: This area explores the planning, development, and design of cities and urban spaces, including aspects such as transportation systems, public spaces, infrastructure, and community development.

3. Historic Preservation and Conservation: This topic area delves into the preservation, restoration, and adaptive reuse of historic buildings and sites, considering the cultural and historical significance of architecture and the methods used to protect and maintain them.

4. Housing and Residential Architecture: This area focuses on the design and planning of housing solutions, including affordable housing, sustainable housing, multi-family dwellings, and innovative approaches to residential architecture.

5. Interior Design and Space Planning: This topic area examines the design and arrangement of interior spaces, exploring aspects such as ergonomics, aesthetics, functionality, and the use of materials and finishes to create effective and appealing interior environments.

6. Landscape Architecture: This area explores the design and planning of outdoor spaces, including parks, gardens, urban landscapes, and sustainable landscape design strategies that integrate natural and built elements.

7. Digital Design and Building Information Modeling (BIM): This topic area investigates the use of digital tools, technologies, and software in architectural design and construction processes, including topics like parametric design, computational design, and BIM implementation.

8. Cultural and Contextual Studies: This area examines the relationship between architecture and culture, exploring how buildings and urban environments reflect and influence social, cultural, and historical contexts.

9. Architectural Theory and Criticism: This topic area involves the exploration of theoretical concepts, critical analysis of architectural works, and the examination of philosophical, social, and cultural influences on architecture.

10. Human-Centred Design and Well-being: This area focuses on designing spaces that prioritise the well-being, comfort, and health of occupants, exploring topics such as biophilic design, universal design, and the impact of the built environment on human behaviour and psychology.

Remember to choose a topic that aligns with your interests and academic goals. It’s also essential to conduct thorough research to ensure that your chosen topic has sufficient scholarly literature available for reference.

Example Architecture Dissertation Studies Here are some examples of other dissertation topics to get you inspired.

1. Sustainable Architecture: Exploring innovative design strategies for energy-efficient and environmentally conscious buildings.

2. Adaptive Reuse: Analysing the potential of transforming abandoned or underutilised structures into functional spaces while preserving their historical significance.

3. Urban Planning and Design: Investigating strategies for creating inclusive and livable cities through thoughtful urban design and infrastructure development.

4. Biophilic Design: Exploring the integration of nature and natural elements within built environments to enhance well-being and productivity.

5. Parametric Design: Investigating the applications of computational design techniques and algorithms in creating complex architectural forms and structures.

6. Affordable Housing: Analysing design approaches and policies that address the pressing need for affordable and accessible housing solutions in urban areas.

7. Post-Disaster Reconstruction: Examining architectural responses and strategies for rebuilding communities affected by natural disasters and creating resilient built environments.

8. Heritage Conservation: Investigating methods and principles for preserving and conserving historic buildings and sites while adapting them for contemporary use.

9. Smart Cities: Exploring the integration of advanced technologies and data-driven solutions in urban environments to improve efficiency, sustainability, and quality of life.

10. Cultural Identity in Architecture: Analysing how architecture can reflect and reinforce cultural identity, exploring the relationship between built form and cultural heritage.

Helpful Links:

Books The Dissertation: A Guide for Architecture Students

Resources There will be loads of useful websites and databases that you can access through your university. A few examples include:

Jstor https://www.jstor.org/

The Courtauld Institute’s Conway Library https://photocollections.courtauld.ac.uk/menu-item1/conway-library

Arts & Architecture http://www.artsandarchitecture.com/

Harvard Digital Collection Library https://library.harvard.edu/digital-collections

Getty Publications Virtual Library https://www.getty.edu/publications/virtuallibrary/

RIBApix https://www.ribapix.com/#

Architectural Association Photo Library https://photolibrary.aaschool.ac.uk/index.php?WINID=1684503427358

Archigram Archive https://www.mplus.org.hk/en/collection/archives/archigram-archive-ca36/

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Selected Architecture Thesis Projects: Fall 2020

A collage of five architecture thesis projects from Fall 2020.

Clockwise from top left: “Citing the Native Genius” by Taylor Cook, “Pair of Dice, Para-Dice, Paradise: A Counter-Memorial to Victims of Police Brutality” by Calvin Boyd, “The Magic Carpet” by Goli Jalali, “Stacked Daydreams: Ceiling-Scape for the Neglected” by Zai Xi Jeffrey Wong, and “Up from the Past: Housing as Reparations on Chicago’s South Side” by Isabel Strauss

Five films showcase a selection of Fall 2020 thesis projects from the Department of Architecture.

Time-lapse of Counter-memorial aggregation and burning, with National Museum of African American History and Culture in the foreground.

Pair of Dice, Para-Dice, Paradise: A Counter-Memorial to Victims of Police Brutality

This thesis is a proposal for a counter-memorial to victims of police brutality. The counter-memorial addresses scale by being both local and national, addresses materiality by privileging black aesthetics over politeness, addresses presence/absence by being more transient than permanent, and lastly, addresses site by being collective rather than singular. The result is an architecture that plays itself out over 18,000 police stations across America and the Washington Monument at the National Mall, two sites that are intrinsically linked through the architecture itself: negative “voids” at police stations whose positive counterparts aggregate at the Mall.

The critical question here is whether or not the system in which police brutality takes place can be reformed from within, or if people of color need to seek their utopia outside of these too-ironclad structures. This counter-memorial, when understood as an instrument of accountability (and therefore a real-time beacon that measures America’s capacity to either change or otherwise repeat the same violent patterns), ultimately provides us with an eventual answer.

Author: Calvin Boyd, MArch I 2020 Advisor: Jon Lott , Assistant Professor of Architecture Duration: 11 min, 2 sec

Thesis Helpers: Shaina Yang (MArch I 2021), Rachel Coulomb (MArch I 2022)

The white dome re-imagined. A cross-section of a multi-leveled building surrounded by vegetation with people participating in various activities inside and outside its walls.

The Magic Carpet

The Persian Carpet and the Persian Miniature painting have served as representation tools for the Persian Garden and the idea of paradise in Persian culture since antiquity. The word paradise derives from the Persian word pari-daeza meaning “walled enclosure.” The garden is always walled and stands in opposition to its landscape. This thesis investigates the idea of a contemporary image of paradise in the Iranian imagination by using carpets and miniature paintings as a tool for designing architecture. The garden, with its profound associations, provided a world of metaphor for the classical mystic poets. One of the manuscripts describing the Persian garden is called Haft Paykar – known as the Seven Domes – written by the 12th century Persian poet called Nizami. These types of manuscripts were made for Persian kings and contain within them miniature paintings and poetry describing battles, romances, tragedies, and triumphs that compromise Iran’s mythical and pre-Islamic history. The carpet is the repeating object in the miniature paintings of the manuscript. This thesis deconstructs the carpet in seven ways in order to digitally reconstruct the miniature paintings of the Seven Domes and the image of paradise with new techniques.

Author: Goli Jalali, MArch I 2021 Advisor: Jennifer Bonner , Associate Professor of Architecture Duration: 8min, 28 sec

An abstract rendering of an architectural space with images of historically prominent Black citizens on the walls.

Up from the Past: Housing as Reparations on Chicago’s South Side

Do people know what the Illinois Institute of Technology and the South Side Planning Board and the city of Chicago and the state of Illinois and the United States government did to the Black Metropolis? If they know, do they care? Is it too hard to hold these entities accountable? If we held them accountable, could we find justice for those that were displaced? What would justice look like? What comes after Mecca? What types of spaces come after Mecca? Are they different than what was there before? Are they already there? What defines them? Can Reparations be housing? How many people are already doing this work? How many people are doing this work in academia? On the ground? Is the word “Reparations” dead? What do we draw from? Who is this for? Do white men own the legacy of the architecture that defined the Black Metropolis? How personal should this work be? How anecdotal? How quantitative? Does the design need to be inherently spatial? Or atmospheric? What should it feel like? How do I draw a feeling in Rhino? What are radical ways of looking? How do we reclaim racialized architecture? Do we? Should we even talk about these things?

Author: Isabel Strauss, MArch I 2021 Advisor: Oana Stanescu , Design Critic in Architecture Duration: 4 min, 4 sec

Soundtrack Created By: Edward Davis (@DJ Eway) Production Support: Adam Maserow , Evan Orf , Glen Marquardt Collaborators: Rekha Auguste Nelson , Farnoosh Rafaie , Zena Mariem Mengesha , Edward Davis (DJ Eway) Special Thanks: Caleb Negash , Tara Oluwafemi , Maggie Janik , Ann Whiteside , Dana McKinney Guidance: Stephen Gray , John Peterson , Chris Herbert , Cecilia Conrad , Lawrence J. Vale , Ilan Strauss , Mark Lee , Iman Fayyad , Jennifer Bonner , Mindy Pugh , Peter Martinez Collage Credits: Adler and Sullivan , Bisa Butler , Carrie Mae Weems , Dawoud Bey , Deborah Roberts , Ebony G Patterson , Ellen Gallagher , Frank Lloyd Wright , Howardena Pindell , Jordan Casteel , Kerry James Marshall , Latoya Ruby Frazier , Lelaine Foster , Lorna Simpson , Mark Bradford , Mickalene Thomas , Mies van der Rohe , Nick Cave , Njideka Akunyili Crosby , Romare Bearden , Sadie Barnette More Information: architectureofreparations.cargo.site

An early morning shot of the communal chapel space formed by operable stretched fabric ceiling that drapes around an existing concrete column in the elderly care home atrium.

Stacked Daydreams: Ceiling‐Scape for the Neglected

Elderly Care Adaptive Reuse of Hong Kong’s Vertical Factory

This thesis operates at the intersection of three domains of neglect:

In the realm of building elements, the ceiling is often considered as an afterthought in the design process.
Across building types, the vertical factory sits abandoned and anachronistic to its surroundings. It spiraled into disuse due to Hong Kong’s shifting economic focus.
In society, the elderly are often subjected to social neglect, seen as a financial burden, and forced toward the fringes of society.

These parts experience obsolescence that led to indifference, and subsequently to boredom. I intend to draw the parallel of deterioration between the body of the elderly and the body of the vertical factory. Using a set of ceiling parts in the manner of prosthetics to reactivate the spaces into elderly care facilities, revert boredom to daydreams, and reimagine the concept of elderhood as an experimental second stage of life.

Author: Zai Xi Jeffrey Wong, MArch I AP 2021 Advisor: Eric Höweler , Associate Professor of Architecture & Architecture Thesis Coordinator Duration: 4 min, 53 sec

Leaving the duplex for an early morning surf session. A figure carries a surfboard in front of curved two-story residential buildings bisected by a walkway.

Citing the Native Genius

Reconstructing vernacular architecture in Hawai’i

For over 120 years, Americanization has tried to demean and erase Hawaiian language, culture, and architecture. In contemporary discourse, the vernacular architecture of Hawai’i is mostly referred to as ancient and vague. As with many Indigenous cultures, Western perspectives tend to fetishize or patronize the Hawaiian design aesthetic. Within this hierarchy of knowledge is a systemic assumption that Hawaiian vernacular architecture cannot effectively serve as a precedent resource for contemporary architects. Those who do reference the original vernacular will often classify it as utilitarian or resourceful. Regardless of intent, this narrative takes design agency away from the people involved. As a corrective, a respectful use of vernacular domestic form would benefit designers that are struggling to connect with Hawai’i’s cultural and architectural traditions.

Mining the European gaze and influence out of revivalist publications, archeological surveys and historic images reveal unique characteristics of Hawaiian domestic space. Geometric quotation and symbolic referencing are the foundational instruments in applying the discrete components, form, and organizational logic of the vernacular. The result is a design process that creates an amalgamation of decolonized form and contemporary technique. This residential project intends to revive Hawai’i’s erased domestic experience by revisiting the precolonial vernacular form and plan.

Author: Taylor Cook, MArch I 2021 Advisor: Jeffry Burchard , Assistant Professor in Practice of Architecture Duration: 5 min, 13 sec

Special Thanks: Jeffry Burchard, Cameron Wu, Kanoa Chung, Nik Butterbaugh, Carly Yong, Vernacular Pacific LLC More Information: www.vernacularhawaii.com

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the galleries in Gund Hall have been turned ‘inside out,’ with exhibitions shown through a series of exterior projections on the building’s facade. View some images from the screening of these films below:

The Cambridge Street facade of Gund hall at night. On the wall is projected an image of a building with a demonstrator in front holding a sign that says “Justice for George Floyd”

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10 Award-Winning Architecture Thesis Projects From Around The World

Neha Sharma

8 mins read

Architectural Illustration as a part of a thesis project.

It is always interesting to see the architecture thesis projects students come up with every year. With each passing batch, there is more knowledge passed down and a better base to begin. The result is a rise in innovation and creativity by students, and overall a better mix!

Architecture thesis is an ordeal all students are intimidated by. From choosing an architecture thesis topic all the way to giving a great final thesis review , every step is equally challenging and important. It is that turn in an architecture student’s life that pushes them to churn out their best. Therefore, it is inevitable to come across some life-altering design solutions through architecture theses across the world.

To identify and appreciate these exceptional final projects by architecture students, many organisations across the world like Archistart, Council of Architecture, etcetera, award recognition for excellence in architecture thesis and also grant financial support for further research to the projects worthy of being realised.

Read through the list of 10 such award-winning architecture theses across the world with links to study them in detail!

1. ISTHME // Le CHAOS SENSIBLE - Dafni Filippa and Meriam Sehimi

architectural visualisation of a mixed-use hub by B.Arch students

ISTHME // Le Chaos Sensible - Architecture Thesis of the Year 2020 (Source: www.nonarchitecture.eu)

Starting from the most recent one, the award-winning thesis is a proposal of a mixed-use building in the capital city of Ghana, Africa, that aims to cater to a large spectrum of functions of the Ghanaian community, especially living, commercial, sports and leisure.

This culturally thoughtful architecture thesis project is an honest effort to celebrate the African spirit and empower the local community, which reflects in the ‘sensible chaos’ of the design.

2. INFRA-PAISAJE: New Landscape Architecture - Luis Bendezu

illustration of a landscape thesis project by a student

INFRA-PAISAJE: New Landscape Infrastructure for San Juan de Marcona - Special Mention: Architectural Thesis Award ATA 2018 (Source: www.archistart.net)

Landscape architecture manifests the connection between humans and nature. The landscape thesis project proposes a series of technical elements for the creation of a seamless landscape between the urbanised territory of San Juan de Marcona in Peru and the suburban parts, thus forming a cohesive townscape which converses with the coastline and brings active life to the otherwise desolate expanse of the region.

3. Water Exploratorium - Satyam Gyanchandani

architectural visualisation of a thesis design project by a B.Arch student

Water Exploratorium - Ace of Space Design Awards: Outstanding Student Thesis Award (Source: www.architectandinteriorsindia.com)

Water is a life-giving resource and considered sacred across many cultures. To sustain life on earth, it is important to save and use it with utmost efficiency. The architecture thesis project showcases experiential design through and for water. It also tackles design challenges like infotainment by educating visitors on water conservation and creating a static built form for an element as fluid as water for a wholesome sensory experience.

Want to know how to come up with such fascinating thesis topics? Read: 7 Tips on Choosing the Perfect Architecture Thesis Topic For You

4. Architecture for Blind People - Mariagiorgia Pisano

multiple design solutions for the visually impaired

Between Light and Shadow: Architecture for Blind People - 1st Place: Architectural Thesis Award 2017 (Source: www.archistart.net)

Inclusive design offers a wide-spread net of research opportunities and is gaining much-needed recognition today!

Design for people with disabilities is dealt with empathy in this architecture thesis project, where the focus is exploring innovative design solutions for the visually deprived and getting the design of rehabilitation centres as close as possible to meeting their needs.

5. Mosul Postwar Camp - Edoardo Daniele Stuggiu and Stefano Lombardi

architectural digital collage for a thesis project by students

Mosul Postwar Camp - 1st Place: Architectural Thesis Award ATA 2019 (Source: www.archistart.net)

War does permanent damage to a person’s mental health. The survivors experience trauma, loss and even destruction of self-identity. The architecture thesis project proposes a postwar camp at Mosul, Iraq, aiming to create a place where people of various backgrounds can peacefully coexist and build a community based on humanitarian values to prevent war in the future.

6. Consolation through Architecture - A New Journey through the Abandoned Landscapes of Varanasi - Navin Lucas Sebastian

visualisation and architectural drawings of a thesis project by a B.Arch student

Consolation Through Architecture - COA National Awards for Excellence in Architectural Thesis 2016 (Source: www.coa.gov.in)

The intangible aspects of design are tough to pinpoint but necessary for the essence and feel of it. This urban design thesis project shows light on architecture’s influence on one’s emotions with the holy city of Varanasi in India as the backdrop. With a focus on issues arising due to the city’s cremation grounds, the thesis explores innovative and sustainable solutions for the same.

7. Unfinished Tor Vergata Scenario - Carmelo Gagliano

illustration of a part of an architecture thesis project

Unfinished Tor Vergata Scenario - 1st Place: Architectural Thesis Award 2020 (Source: www.archistart.net)

When it comes to building projects, the trend of the ‘unfinished’ is something Italy has been increasingly seeing in the past few years. The most popular unfinished public work is Calatrava’s Olympic Stadium, which is the main object for reuse in the proposal of a science museum at Rome Tor Vergata.

This architecture thesis project explores the existing building trends of the region, aims to reinvent the iconic building and become a scientific attraction for tourists and locals.

8. Chachapoyas Peri-Urban Park - Nájat Jishar Fernández Díaz

Structures for Incidents in Nature: Chachapoyas Peri-Urban Park - Special Mention: Architectural Thesis Award ATA 2019 (Source: www.archistart.net)

Growing urban areas are a concern as they slowly consume the ecology surrounding them. Chachapoyas (forest of clouds) in Peru faces a similar problem from the expanding urban confinements which are slowly taking over the beautiful landscapes for which the place is particularly famous.

The project aims to mend the damage by connecting every speck of open land available in the region and converting it into a network of green corridors, making for an interesting urban planning thesis!

9. Garden of Reconciliation, Kashmir - Jay Shah

graphic illustration of a miniature drawing for an architecture thesis project by a student

Garden of Reconciliation: Miniature Drawing - COA National Award in Excellence for Architectural Thesis 2018 (Source: www.uni.xyz)

Cultural and political unrest in a region has always been the glue for controversies, leading to public tip-toeing around such topics. This bold architecture thesis project looks at the conflicted region of Kashmir, to analyse its cultural, social and artistic practices and then come up with an architecture program best suited for the region. This is traversed in the form of a mixed-use landscape that aims to find a solution and is not the solution itself!

Such theses usually require intensive site studies. Read: Site Analysis Categories You Need to Cover For Your Architecture Thesis Project to know more.

10. Adaptive Reuse of STP Grain Silos - Alila Mhamed

illustration of a part of an architecture thesis project by a student

Poudrière Community Hub - 2nd Place: Architectural Thesis Awards ATA 2020 (Source: www.archistart.net)

Adaptive reuse of spaces that have been uninhabited for a long time does true justice to the core values of architecture and design. This thesis project explores the creative redefinition of the old STP Grain silos complex, the first mill constructed as a part of the Poudrière industrial park in the present-day city of Sfax, Tuscany, Italy, by converting it into a mixed-use hub for art, commerce, trade, administration and collaboration.

Numerous amazing architecture thesis projects come to light every year and the list is not limited to this one! At the learning stages, people have the power to unleash their creativity without any limitations and such scenarios might just lead to the right solutions for the time and society we live in.

Giving your architecture thesis project? Check out our A-Z Architecture Thesis Guide!

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Successful thesis proposals in architecture and urban planning

Archnet-IJAR

ISSN : 2631-6862

Article publication date: 1 May 2020

Issue publication date: 11 November 2020

The purpose of this research is to improve the understanding of what constitutes a successful thesis proposal (TP) and as such enhance the quality of the TP writing in architecture, planning and related disciplines.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on extended personal experience and a review of relevant literature, the authors proposed a conception of a successful TP comprising 13 standard components. The conception provides specific definition/s, attributes and success rules for each component. The conception was applied for 15 years on several batches of Saudi graduate students. The implications of the conception were assessed by a students' opinion survey. An expert inquiry of experienced academics from architectural schools in nine countries was applied to validate and improve the conception.

Assessment of the proposed conception demonstrated several positive implications on students' knowledge, performance and outputs which illustrates its applicability in real life. Experts' validation of the conception and constructive remarks have enabled further improvements on the definitions, attributes and success rules of the TP components.

Research limitations/implications

The proposed TP conception with its 13 components is limited to standard problem-solving research and will differ in the case of other types such as hypothesis-based research.

Practical implications

The proposed conception is a useful directive and evaluative tool for writing and assessing thesis proposals for graduate students, academic advisors and examiners.

Social implications

The research contributes to improving the quality of thesis production process among the academic community in the built environment fields.

Originality/value

The paper is meant to alleviate the confusion and hardship caused by the absence of a consensus on what constitutes a successful TP in the fields of architecture, urban planning and related disciplines.

Urban planning
Architecture
Built environment
Postgraduate research
Writing successful thesis proposals

Abdellatif, M. and Abdellatif, R. (2020), "Successful thesis proposals in architecture and urban planning", Archnet-IJAR , Vol. 14 No. 3, pp. 503-524. https://doi.org/10.1108/ARCH-12-2019-0281

Emerald Publishing Limited

Published by Emerald Publishing Limited. This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) licence. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this licence may be seen at http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode .

1. Introduction

After the postgraduate student completes her/his coursework in a master programme or passes the comprehensive exam and becomes a doctoral candidate in a doctoral programme, s/he is allowed to submit a “Thesis Proposal” (TP) to her/his department whose main concern is to assess whether the topic is suitable for a graduate study and for the time and resources available ( Afful, 2008 ; Kivunja, 2016 ; Reddy, 2019 ).

The department then sends the submitted TP to higher bodies for official approval. Once approved, the TP becomes a legal binding or “a formal contract” ( Walliman, 2017 ) and “a statement of intent” ( Hofstee, 2006 ) between the researcher and the university. If the student adheres to all prescribed TP requirements within the specified time, s/he will be awarded the degree ( Leo, 2019 ).

Guided by his/her academic advisor, the student prepares the TP within which the researcher explains the research problem, questions, aim and objectives, scope, and methodologies to describe, analyse and synthesize the research problem and develop solutions for it ( Paltridge and Starfield, 2007 ). In addition, the proposal includes a brief about research significance and expected contributions; a preliminary review of literature; thesis structure and approximate completion timeline; and a list of relevant references ( Kivunja, 2016 ; Thomas, 2016 ; Kornuta and Germaine, 2019 ).

1.1 Statement of the problem and research aim

After decades of writing, supervising and refereeing master and doctoral theses in the fields of Architecture and Urban Planning, the authors noticed that TP's differ in format and content from a school to another. This may be considered a healthy matter because it gives room for flexibility that absorbs the variety of research problems and techniques. Yet, the absence of a consensus on what constitutes a successful TP could cause confusion and hardship to both students and advisors ( Kamler and Thomson, 2008 ; Abdulai and Owusu-Ansah, 2014 ). The review of literature indicates that TP writing has been tackled in depth in many fields (see for instance Gonzalez, 2007 ; Balakumar et al. , 2013 ; Eco, 2015 ; Kivunja, 2016 ; Glatthorn and Randy, 2018 ; Kornuta and Germaine, 2019 ). Apart from thesis proposal instruction and guideline manuals posted on universities' websites, the authors believe that there is a lack of in-depth research on the issue of producing successful thesis proposals in the fields of Architecture and Planning.

To propose a successful TP conception which determines the standard components of TP and sets specific definitions, attributes and rules of success for each component.

To apply the proposed conception on several batches of graduate students, then assess its impact on students' performance and output along the years of application.

To validate the proposed conception by getting the insights of experienced academics from architecture and planning schools worldwide, and as such, improve and finalize the conception.

1.2 Research methodology

To propose the Successful TP Conception , the authors relied on two sources: knowledge extracted from their extended experience and a review of relevant studies and instruction manuals and guidelines for preparing TP in several worldwide universities. The Conception has been applied on several batches of master and doctoral students from IAU, KSA for almost 15 years between 2005 and 2020 during their enrolment in three courses in the College of Architecture and Planning, IAU, KSA. These courses are “ARPL 603 Research Methods” and “BISC 600 Research Methods” for the master's level and “URPL 803 Seminar (3): Doctoral Research Methods” for the doctoral level.

From a total of 60 students, 39 students (65%) completed the survey; of whom 12 students (31%) were doctoral and 27 students (69%) were masters students.

- Improve their understanding of the components of a successful TP.

- Enhance their performance in developing their TP's.

- Conduct a more effective self-assessment of their developed TP's.

- Enhance their performance along other stages of producing their theses and dissertations.

- Maintain any other benefits adding to students' research capabilities.

The first part recorded the general characteristics of respondents.

The second inquired about experts' viewpoints on the definitions, attributes and the rules of success of the components of the proposed TP conception.

2. Proposing the Successful TP Conception

2.1 components of a tp for a standard problem-solving research type.

A review of thesis writing guidelines posted on universities' websites and other related literature has indicated that the number of components of a masters' or doctoral thesis proposal varies. After a thorough review of related literature and with their experience, the authors have been convinced that, in its standard form, a TP should include 13 components. Chronically arranged, as appearing in the proposal, they are: title page, abstract, keywords, background, statement of the problem, research questions, research aim and objectives, research scope, research significance and contributions, preliminary review of literature, research methodology, thesis structure and timeline, and references list ( Ostler, 1996 ; Simpson and Turner, 2004 ; Zhou, 2004 ; Davies, 2011 ; Axelrod and Windell, 2012 ; Donohue, 2018 ; Glatthorn and Randy, 2018 ; Kornuta and Germaine, 2019 ). It is worth mentioning that these 13 components will differ in the case of a hypothesis-based research whose aim is to validate a specific hypothesis that a specific variable/s is/are or is/are not the main cause/s of an investigated research problem. This paper is limited only to the standard problem-solving research type.

2.2 Building the Successful TP Conception

Setting a general definition for each component including its meaning, importance, functions and contents.

Outlining the most important attributes that must be considered when writing the component.

Based on step 1 and 2, the authors extracted a list of success rules which provides a concise definition for each component of the TP, and/or describes the relationship between the component and other components of the TP (the list is summarized at the end of Part 2).

2.2.1 Research title

This is the first item that appears to the reader. It invites or detains him/her from proceeding to other contents ( Blaxter et al. , 2010 ). The research title is positioned in the title page along with several basic data, namely, the title; the names of the Department, College, University, study programme, researcher and advisory committee; and submission date.

The research title should be useful, discussing an issue critical to society; true, conveying a real message about the investigated problem ( Donohue, 2018 ); concise, presenting the message with the minimum number of words; adequate, using the right wording to explain the intended meaning; and attractive , stimulating the reader's attention. Iterations in refining the research title go hand-in-hand with refining the research question ( Groat and Wang, 2013 ).

2.2.2 The abstract

It is the first item that appears in the TP after the title and of the same significance; yet, it is the last to be written ( Kornuta and Germaine, 2019 ). It has a marketing function ( Lamanauskas, 2019 ); it calls the reader in or alienates him out. A comprehensive abstract contains a summary of the problem, aim, scope, methodology, importance, contributions and outline ( Koopman, 1997 ).

The Abstract should be concise or brief with a maximum of 200–300 words; adequate, including profiles of all parts of the proposal; clear, expressing its message without ambiguity; and interrelated, serving as a body of sequential, coherent and connected ideas ( Blaxter et al. , 2010 ).

2.2.3 The keywords

These are a set of words or terms used for archiving, tabulation and electronic search on databases. They should include essential “subject terms” describing the research topic, the unique sub-specializations and focus of the research (what is researched), the contextual scope of the research (where and when), and the used research methodology (how to conduct the research) ( Lamanauskas, 2019 ). They are better written by splitting the title into its separate single words or terms which must be found in the abstract, as well ( Mack, 2012 ).

Keywords should be brief, not more than 8–12 words; adequate, conveying the research theme, scope, aim and approach; exact, focusing on the investigated topic and scope; and standard, using scientific terminology used in the field.

2.2.4 The background

This is a gradual preparation of the reader from the larger scientific field to the specific field, from the wider geographic area to the immediate area, and from the larger timeframe to the immediate one. It starts from the strategic level and general scope of the research and gradually reaches the level closer to the examined problem ( Abdellatif and Abdellatif, 2005 ). It places the study within the larger context of the research, creates interest to the reader and catches his attention, and includes quotations and statistics leading the reader to proceed ( Babbie, 2014 ).

The background statement should be striking, drawing the reader's attention to the research; brief, not lengthy; gradual, moving from the general level surrounding the investigated issue to the specific level; and careful, not speeding up in disclosing the study problem, aim or methodology to the reader ( Axelrod and Windell, 2012 ; Pautasso, 2013 ).

2.2.5 The statement of the problem

Statement of the General Research Problem is a narrative describing a negative aspect/s prevailing in the investigated urban environment/ecosystem or architectural setting; it is equivalent to the negative wording of the research aim ( Abdellatif and Abdellatif, 2005 ). It stimulates interest in the study; scientifically explained to convey a simple, clear and specific issue to which a reader can relate and is useful to the society at large ( Balakumar et al. , 2013 ). In the humanities and social sciences many dissertations endeavour to establish the conditions of the problem, not to solve it ( Dorst, 2011 ).

In formulating the research problem, it is useful to consider it a problem which hinders the natural development of the society and/or environment and leads to a decline in the Quality of Life (QOL) or Quality of Environment (QOE) or both. A development problem is a factor/cause leading to either a quantitative or qualitative deficiency in satisfying a human need or both such as a lack of certain service or inadequate provision of the service ( Abdellatif, 2015 ). To arrive at a successful statement of the general problem, the researcher should pinpoint the main cause/s behind the study problem. All what comes next depends on the clarity of the problem statement.

Technically oriented research (TOR), which places emphasis on the process and procedures as the primary basis of effective design, TOR can be either systematic, or computational, or managerial.

Conceptually driven research (CDR), which can be either psychological or person–environment. The psychological type is driven by the goal of matching knowledge with the nature of the design problem, its components, context and social and environmental requirements. Whereas, the person–environment type places emphasis on the socio-cultural and socio-behavioural factors as they relate to the design process itself and to settings, buildings and urban environments.

Classify the investigated situation to branched dimensions, e.g. demographic, planning, regulatory, economic, social, environmental, etc.

Trace the causes or the influencing factors that lead to the emergence or aggravation of the problem/s in each dimension.

Clarify the problem more by identifying the consequences or adverse effects (the symptoms of the problem) that resulted from those causes. This helps isolate the causes from the consequences to focus on treating the causes not the consequences. Using temporary painkillers will not eliminate the disease; it only tranquilizes the symptoms.

Statement of the consequences of the problem is a narrative that describes the negative effects caused by sub-problems on the investigated environment ( Goetz et al. , 2005 ).

The statement of consequences of the problem should be focused, where each consequence focuses on one independent sub-problem; articulate, not overlapping with other consequences; rooted, relating to one of the roots of the general problems; deep, providing description for specific symptom; and comprehended, could be perceived, described and determined ( Abdellatif, 2015 ).

2.2.6 Research questions

What is the nature of the development problem as defined by the latest findings of previous literature, similar studies and published statistical reports?

What are the key features of the investigated problem according to a direct field survey?

What are the appropriate links between different variables of the study (causes, consequences, etc.) according to the information gathered from the theoretical review and field surveys?

What are the extracted results and the appropriate solutions and/or recommendations to deal with the general research problem and its sub-problems?

What are the critical contributions of the research findings on the life and/or environmental qualities?

How can the research increase the benefits of research results on the ground?

What are the research areas/points that need further investigation?

Research questions should be specific, each question addresses one sub-problem; unduplicated, each question does not repeat itself in a different format; sequential, or arranged according to their importance and order; and interrelated, where each question relates to other questions.

2.2.7 Research aim, goals and objectives

The general aim of the research is a specific and clear statement presenting the overall purpose of the study. It is directed to find an appropriate and effective solution to the general research problem ( Donohue, 2018 ). It is an attempt to fill a gap between a negative reality of an environment/ecosystem/or development situation and a desired positive future to be achieved at the end of the research process ( Glatthorn and Randy, 2018 ). The aim should be properly stated to ensure the success of all the following stages of the scientific research process.

Exploring the problem by defining the research problem, formulating aim and objectives, designing the methodology, defining the scope, and highlighting the expected contributions.

Collecting secondary data by defining basic concepts and terms, reviewing relevant literature and previous studies, and describing the most important characteristics of the investigated environment from secondary sources and statistical reports.

Collecting primary data via direct field surveys and based on the views of concerned population, experts and officials to describe the characteristics of the investigated development problem.

Analysing the gathered data by using theoretical and field data to determine the appropriate links among different variables of the study (e.g. causes, consequences, etc.).

Synthesizing the gathered data by integrating the findings of analysis to build appropriate approaches or solutions to deal with the general problem.

Extracting conclusions and writing recommendations to highlight research findings and make them more useful and effective.

A micro level objective contributes to solving the specific investigated problem (e.g. a specific quantitative or qualitative problem that hinders the development of a sector of society, environment, or eco-system).

A macro level objective contributes to realizing a higher goal (e.g. improving the overall quality of life of a larger community, upgrading the quality of the larger environment, etc.).

Development objectives should apply the SMART goal rule (previously explained); and be non-overlapping by ensuring that each objective is focused and not conflicting with other objectives.

2.2.8 Research scope

Thematic scope clarifies the general and specific areas of the research (e.g. the research falls within the field of sustainable development in general and focuses on social sustainability).

Geographic/Spatial scope specifies the spatial boundaries of the physical environment within which the research is applied (e.g. a specific local or regional setting).

Temporal scope shows the past, present and future spans the research will cover indicating the number of years from the historical information inventory until the expected completion date. If the research aim is to develop future strategies or policies, the span will extend to future target point.

Research Scope should be categorized, by being classified by subject, place and time; focused, by reaching the closest limits of the investigated research problem, environment and time; and clear, by not being so general or ambiguous.

2.2.9 Research significance and contributions

They highlight the most important benefits and the main beneficiaries from solving the research problem; the potential positive impacts of the study on the life and environmental qualities ( Groat and Wang, 2013 ). Contributions differ in nature (theoretical or applied or both) and in size (huge, average, or marginal). There is a positive relationship between the size of contributions and the size of impacted beneficiaries (individuals, groups, institutions, communities, societies), the scale of the impacted geographic boundaries (local, national or global), the type of impacted development sectors (service, production, etc.) and the numbers of the impacted sectors (one, a few, or all sectors). Research significance increases as the size of contributions increases. Specifying the research significance, expected contributions and potential beneficiaries helps promote the research and provides rational justifications for conducting it. The higher the contributions and the greater the sectors of the beneficiaries, the more significant the research is ( Abdellatif and Abdellatif, 2005 ). According to Balakumar et al. (2013) research significance justifies the need for the research that is being proposed.

Research significance and expected contributions should be categorized, in terms of type (theoretical or applied contribution or both), size and nature of the beneficiaries (individuals, institutions, communities, etc.) and geographical extent (small site, district, city, region, nation, etc.); clear, simple and comprehensible to the reader; and realistic, real, accurate and not exaggerated.

2.2.10 The preliminary review of literature

This is an initial review of literature dealt with relevant problems. It aims to build an initial understanding of the problem, identify the most important variables that have been considered, cite methodologies used to deal with the problem; make use of the latest findings and record the various recommendations/solutions suggested to deal with the problem ( Hart, 1998 ; Grix, 2001 ). According to Dunleavy (2003) , it is a critical review on related recent research that is well documented, structured, analysed and synthesized. It offers the researcher an opportunity to engage with other scholars in one's disciplinary community.

In addition to having a separate part, it is useful to combine the literature review with other components of the TP (e.g. the research problem, questions, aim and objectives, and methodology). It is important that the review presents differing perspectives or contrasting views of the topic and reports the complexities of the issue ( Kornuta and Germaine, 2019 ). By conducting the review, the researcher becomes able to build an initial but comprehensive understanding of the causes and consequences of the problem, the methodologies used to study and analyse the problem and the solutions proposed to deal with it by synthesizing various viewpoints of previous studies, thereby, supporting her/his principle argument about the study problem with the results derived from previous literature ( Pautasso, 2013 ).

Definitions of key terms and concepts; standard terms to appear in the research and special concepts which are not formally provided by previous scholars. The definitions must be logic and derived from scientifically recognized sources.

Review of previous studies; focusing on identifying several issues, namely, the most important dimensions and variables of the research problem (the causes of the problem; why the problem has emerged or aggravated; the most important consequences of this problem on the human and/or physical environment); the methods used to deal with the problem; the latest findings of previous studies and the various approaches/solutions suggested to deal with the problem.

Contextual aspects of the investigated development situation; including a review of relevant characteristics of the researched environment (its basic dimensions and elements) as found in previous studies. Contextual aspects may be classified into physical and human components; or into environmental, functional, aesthetic, structural, economic and social design determinants; or into demographic, planning, regulatory, economic, social, environmental sectors or other classifications.

Preliminary review of literature should be indexed, from reliable scholarly sources; categorized or documented according to standard classification system; employed, used wisely to achieve a desired purpose; up to date, recent, however, in topics which address chronological development or evolutionary aspects references could be recent and old; and related, relevant to the study problem ( Hart, 1998 ).

2.2.11 Research methodology

Data collection methods including office methods used to collect secondary data from previous literature and case studies as well as field methods used to gather original data through field visits, surveying, questionnaires, interviews with stakeholders, etc.

Data analysis methods including methods used to analyse both the secondary and primary information collected from office and the field surveys such as Statistical Analysis, Environmental Scanning (SWOT), Development Components Analysis, etc.

Data synthesis methods including methods used to compile, synthesize the analysis and develop appropriate alternative scenarios or solutions to deal with the problem.

Data presentation methods including methods to present the research process and findings such as scientific research paper containing narratives, tables, figures, forms, maps, results and recommendations as well as final visual presentation to review panel to get remarks and write the last version of the TP.

Research methodology should be appropriate, aligned with the purpose/s in which they will be used; achievable, within the reach of the researcher; effective, achieving the purpose fast and with high quality; reliable, previously tested, applied and approved in similar cases; and precise, accurate and specific.

2.2.12 Research structure and timeline

This is a brief statement of the main sections of the master's/doctoral thesis with tentative dates for completing the various stages of the research. Careful preparation of research structure and timeline ensures the effectiveness and integrity of the plan of actions towards the completion of the study ( Kivunja, 2016 ). It is also a criterion to judge the achieved progress and seriousness of the researcher.

Research structure and timeline should be sequential, arranged according to a standard scientific research process; logical, proportionate to the total period available for completion; and balanced, distributing time properly among various stages.

2.2.13 The list of references

This is a list which contains a reasonable number of relevant references on the topic which were actually cited in the TP ( Kornuta and Germaine, 2019 ). Including a list of the references about the topic demonstrates that the researcher is familiar with the basic and latest knowledge on his/her problem.

The list of references should be relevant, closely related to the investigated subject; up to date, recent yet containing old and new according the topic and context; and reliable, published in dependable vessels.

2.3 Extracting the success rules

Based on the above definitions and attributes provided for each of the 13 TP components, the authors were able to extract a number of success rules that took the form of equations, each of which describes an equality function between each component and its counterpart component/s as shown in Table 1 . For instance, rule #1 shows that “research title” is equal to “the general aim of the research” and is equal to “the negative wording of the research problem”.

3. Assessing the Successful TP Conception from students' viewpoints

They better understood the meanings of each component (97% agree and strongly agree and 3% neutral).

They better understood the attributes of each component (94% agree and strongly agree and 6% neutral).

They better understood the rules which control the relations between the various components of the TP (87% agree and strongly agree and 13% neutral).

The process of writing the proposal has become easier and more convenient (100% agree and strongly agree).

The effort, cost and time spent in submitting the proposal have been substantially saved (87% agree and strongly and 12% neutral).

The relationship with academic advisor has improved (87% agree and strongly agree and 12% neutral).

The students' confidence in advancing their own learning abilities has improved (93% agree and strongly agree and 7% neutral).

The students' abilities to address the strengths and weaknesses of their personal skills have improved (93% agree and strongly agree and 7% neutral).

The students' abilities to manage their learning process more independently have improved (90% agree and strongly agree, 7% neutral and 3% disagree).

The students have created a clearer and better mutual understanding with their academic advisors (90% agree and strongly agree and 10% neutral).

The students have reduced their distraction from the original target set out in the proposal (81% agree and strongly agree, 16% neutral and 3% disagree).

The students have been able to finish their research on time (78% agree and strongly agree, 19% neutral and 3% disagree).

They gained better analytical skills (87% agree and strongly agree, 10% neutral and 3% disagree).

They gained better problem-solving skills (87% agree and strongly agree, 10% neutral and 3% disagree).

They gained better critical thinking skills (87% agree and strongly agree, 10% neutral and 3% disagree).

4. Verifying the Successful TP Conception based on experts' viewpoints

Having proposed, applied and assessed the Successful TP Conception, it becomes important to validate it using the insights of experienced academics from Architectural and Planning schools worldwide. This part summarizes the results of the experts' inquiry survey conducted in November 2019 to February 2020. It shows the characteristics of experts and their viewpoints and remarks on the originally proposed definitions, attributes and success rules.

4.1 Experts' characteristics

They were from nine countries, namely, the United States of America, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain.

About 75% of the experts were males and 25% were females. About 5% were 35–45 years old, 20% were 45–55 years, 55% were 55–65 years and 20% were 65 years and over.

About 5% were Assistant Professors, 10% Associate Professors and the majority (85%) were Professors.

The experts had teaching experiences in undergraduate and graduate levels (masters, doctoral, diploma, postdoctoral and continuing professional development).

The general specialization of 70% of the experts was Architecture and 30% of experts were specialized in Urban Planning. They taught in several built environment fields (Architecture, Interior Design, Building Technology, Urban Design, Landscape Architecture and Urban and Regional Planning).

The experts had several focus areas, namely, Architecture, History and Theories of Architecture, Assessment of Designed Environments, Design Methods, Pedagogy, Architecture and Digital Technologies, Heritage Conservation, Middle East Architecture and Cities, Construction Project Management, Urban Design, Spatial Development Planning, Landscape, Built Environment and Behaviour, Urban Studies, Techniques and Quantitative Methods of Urban Planning, Urban Conflict, Urban Justice, Community Development, Environmental Management and Planning and Development Approaches.

About 10% of the experts supervised 5 theses, 5% supervised 6–10 theses, 50% supervised 11–20 theses and 35% supervised more than 20 theses.

4.2 Experts' viewpoints and remarks

Concerning the proposed definitions of the TP components, the experts expressed their agreement which ranged between 73 and 96%. Some experts provided additional remarks to help improve the definitions. Table 2 presents the originally proposed definitions, the percentages of agreed experts and their additional remarks.

Regarding the attributes of each component of the TP, the original conception proposed 38 attributes, the experts added 18 attributes resulting in a total of 56 attributes. Table 3 presents a matrix showing the percentages of experts' agreement of the originally proposed attributes as well as the added attributes. The lowest agreement percentage was 59% and the highest was 96%.

Concerning the proposed success rules which were called “equations” in the originally proposed conception, the experts suggested to change the expression into “rules”; which is more appropriate for subjective contents than mathematical expression. Table 4 presents the final 19 success rules for the components/sub-components of a TP and the percentage of experts' agreement which ranged between 57 and 95%.

5. Conclusion

Based on their experience in preparing and supervising masters and doctoral theses and after a thorough review of the literature on preparing thesis proposals, the authors drafted a conception of a successful thesis proposal comprising specific definitions, attributes and rules for each of the 13 components of a standard TP. The conception had been applied over a duration of 15 years (2005–2020) on several batches of master and doctoral students in IAU, KSA. Through an online survey, the majority of students (78–100%) have indicated that understanding and applying the conception helped them improve their performances and outputs during the TP development process and beyond.

The conception was then validated by getting the insights of 39 experienced academics from worldwide architectural schools. The experts accepted the proposed definitions with (73–96%) agreement rate. The experts also accepted the proposed attributes with (59–96%) agreement rate. As for the success rules, the experts' agreed as well with an acceptance rate ranging from (57–95%). The experts suggested constructive remarks which were considered in writing the final version of the conception.

The extracted success rules combine the definitions and attributes of each component of the TP and present them in a concise statement which defines the component and, where applicable, exemplifies its relationship to another corresponding or counterpart component of the TP. For example, rule #1 shows that “research title” should reflect “the general aim and scope of the research” and should also reflect “the negative wording of the research problem”. Extracted also is rule #14 which indicates that “the whole thesis proposal” written in future tenses, should resemble “the introduction of the final thesis” written in past tenses.

A directive tool that assists the researcher in writing a sound TP. Combining the last three tables (2, 3 and 4) into a comprehensive checklist would aid the students in preparing their TP's; enhancing the quality of their performance and outputs.

An evaluative tool that helps in assessing the validity and integrity of the submitted TP's that can be used by the researcher for self-assessment, or by the academic advisor, or by an examiner/evaluator before sending the proposal to higher authorities for approval.

The findings of this paper could be useful not only in evaluating thesis proposals, but also, with proper modifications, in assessing various scientific research documents, including scientific thesis, research papers and others; which is another research topic that will be addressed in the future.

The stages of developing the successful thesis proposal conception

Proposed list of success rules for the TP components

#	Research proposal component	Equals	The corresponding component
1	Research title	=	The general aim of the research
1	Research title	=	Solving the main research problem
2	The abstract	=	Profiles of all components of the research proposal
3	Keywords	=	Title in a fragmented manner
3	Keywords	=	Words that compose the research title
4	Background	=	Gradual preparation of the reader to enter the study
5	The statement of the problem
5–1	General problem of research	=	The main cause of quantitative or qualitative deficiency in the investigated environment
5–2	Research sub-problems	=	The secondary causes of each sub-problem of the general problem
5–3	Research consequences	=	Subsidiary symptoms of the general illness of the examined environment
6	Research questions	=	Presenting general problem and sub-problems of the research in the question format
7	Research aims, goals and objectives	=	Specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely goals
7–1	General aim of the research	=	Solving the general problem of the research
7–2	Procedural objectives of the research	=	Research stages
7–2	Procedural objectives of the research	=	Sections or chapters of the thesis
7–3	Development objectives of the research	=	Solving sub-problems of the study
7–3	Development objectives of the research	=	Finding a cure for the secondary causes of the problem
8	The scope of the research	=	Thematic, geographical and temporal limits of the study
9	Importance of the study and expected contributions	=	expected positive impacts of research (theoretical, practical or both)
10	Preliminary review of literature	=	Building a comprehensive conception from previous studies about the causes and consequences of the problem, the methodologies used to understand and analyse it, the most important findings and the solutions developed to deal with it
11	Research methodology	=	Techniques, methods and tools used in each stage of study
12	Research skeleton and completion timeline	=	Main chapters of research along the completion timeline
12	Research skeleton and completion timeline	=	Stages of the scientific research process along the completion timeline
12	List of references	=	Latest local and international references about the research
14	Thesis proposal (using future tenses)	=	General introduction of the final thesis (Using past tenses)

: Prepared by the authors based on the above definitions and attributes of the TP components

#	Component of a thesis proposal	% of experts agreement of	Experts additional remarks
1	Research title	The first item that appears to the reader. It invites the reader to proceed to other contents	73	It should be reflective of research topic, questions, objectives, content and approach and convey the aim, the purpose, the scope and the outcome
2	The abstract	The first item that appears in the TP after the title and of the same significance. It calls the reader in or alienates him out	79	Although some experts commented that in several schools an abstract is not a compulsory component of TP, 79% of the experts agreed that the abstract is needed
3	Keywords	A set of words or terms used for archiving, tabulation and electronic search on databases	75	Keywords are better written by splitting the title into its separate single words or terms. They should include essential terms describing the research topic, the unique sub-specializations and focus of the research (what is researched), the contextual scope of the research (where and when) and the used research methodology (how to conduct the research)
4	Background	A gradual preparation from the larger scientific field to the specific field, from wider geographic area to the immediate area, and from the strategic level to the level closer to the examined problem	74	The background should place the study within the larger context of the research, create interest to the reader and catch his attention, help him understand why the study is significant, include limitation and arguments of pervious research, and include quotations and statistics leading the reader to go to the next component of the TP
5	Statement of the problem
5–1	Statement of the general research problem	A narrative describing a negative situation prevailing in the investigated urban environment/ecosystem or architectural setting	92	A statement which stimulates interest in the study; scientifically explained to convey a simple, clear and specific issue to which a reader can relate”; “equivalent to the negative wording of the research aim”; and “in the humanities and social sciences many dissertations endeavour to establish the conditions of the problem, not to solve it
5–2	Statement of the research sub-problems	A narrative that describes the general problem in detail; sub-problems are simply the various causes of the general problem	84	One expert commented that “the above definition is valid and useful in causal research types only; other research types might consider different approaches”
5–3	Consequences of the problem	A narrative that describes the effects of sub-problems on the investigated environment	83	None
6	Research questions	A set of questions the research tries to answer. Each question usually covers one of the research sub-problems	96	None
7	Research aim/goal/objectives	The goal should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely	96	None
7–1	General aim of the research	A specific and clear statement presenting the overall purpose of the study	96	None
7–2	Procedural objectives of the research	The sub-goals emanating from the main aim of the study. They provide a roadmap and illustrate important stages leading to sequential targets towards achieving the general aim	79	They are articulated sub-goals that in their totality compose the main research aim
7–3	Development objectives of the research	The objectives which focus on solving the research sub-problems and eventually solving the main problem of the investigated situation	74	None
8	Research scope	A statement which defines the thematic, geographical/spatial and temporal limits of research		None
9	Research significance and contributions	Highlight potential positive impacts of the study on the life and environmental qualities	87	Expected contributions can only be tentative in the early research proposal stage, the researcher must remain open to unexpected findings upon the finishing stage of his/her study
10	Preliminary review of literature	Builds an initial understanding of the problem, identify the most important variables considered, cite methodologies used; make use of the latest findings and record the various recommendations/solutions suggested	91	Related directly to the stated research questions; identify areas of controversy in the literature; describe the relationship of each work to others; point the way forward for further research; and be organized into categories or themes
11	Research methodology	Contains explanation of the appropriate methods to be used in data collection, analysis, synthesis and presentation; for the extraction of results; and for the development of appropriate approaches or solutions to deal with the research problem	82	None
12	Research structure and timeline	A brief statement of the main sections of the master's/doctoral thesis arranged on the tentative dates for completing the various stages of the research	95	None
13	List of references	A list which contains a reasonable number of relevant references on the topic	82	None

Rule #	% of experts agreed	Success rule
1	60%	Research title	Should reflect	The general aim and scope of the research
The negative wording of the research problem
2	75%	The abstract	Should be	A concise brief of all necessary components of the research proposal
3	74%	Keywords	Should include	Terms representing research title, topic, unique sub-specializations, methodology and scope
4	74%	Research background	Should cover	A gradual contextual literary analysis relevant to the study preparing the reader to enter the study
5		The statement of the problem
5–1	73%	Statement of the general research problem	Should reflect	The main cause of a quantitative and/or qualitative deficiency in the environment under investigation
The negative wording of the research aim
5–2	80%	Research sub-problems	Should describe	The subsidiary causes of the main problem
5–3	79%	Consequences of the Problem	Should describe	Subsidiary symptoms of the general illness of the examined environment
6	79%	Research questions	Should rephrase	The research sub-problems in a question format
The research objectives in a question format
7	63%	Research aims, goals and objectives	Should be	SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely)
7–1	63%	General aim of the research	Should reflect	A target responding to the general research problem/question
A potential alternative scenario that may enable the development of solutions
The research title with the same or different wording
7–2	57%	Procedural objectives of the research	Should articulate/represent	The sub-goals that compose the main research aim
The stages of the research
The sections or chapters of the thesis
7–3	70%	Development objectives of the research	Should reflect	Targeted solutions to the sub-problems of the study
Targeted possible cures/fixes for the subsidiary causes of the problem
8	83%	Research scope	Should cover	Thematic, geographic and temporal limits of the study
9	87%	Research significance and contributions	Should highlight	The expected positive theoretical or practical impacts of the research or both
10	95%	Preliminary review of literature	Should cover	A well-documented, structured, analysed and synthesized critical review of relevant research
11	82%	Research methodology	Should explain	The methods, techniques and tools used to accomplish the research objectives in each stage of the study
12	82%	Research structure and timeline	Should articulate/represent	The stages/phases of the research and their expected completion dates
The main chapters of the research distributed along the completion timeline
13	77%	List of references	Should present	The references relevant to the research problem
14	General rule	The thesis proposal (using future tenses)	Should resemble	The general introduction of the final thesis (using past tenses)

IMAGES

2020 Student Thesis Showcase
Architectural Dissertation Examples by Top Academic Professionals
Architectural Thesis Methodology Example
Architecture Thesis Report
Research Methodology Example Thesis Architecture
Architectural thesis synopsis examples

VIDEO

The Best Way To Start Writing Your Dissertation (Architecture Edition)
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MY ARCHITECTURE THESIS PROJECT

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Name	College	Thesis Title
Abdul Samad,Zulkiflee	W	Intangibles in the built environment: explored through UK primary schools
Adhvaryu,Bhargav	CHU	Land use and transport
Akbar,Siddiq-A	CHU	Urban Housing In Seismic Areas: A Computerised Methodology For Evaluating Planning Strategies For Risk Mitigation
Alifragkis,Stavros	DAR	City symphonies- Restructuring the urban landscape: Dziga Vertov's 'man with the movie camera' and the city of the future
Anderson,Jamie	DAR	Well-being and neighbourhood outdoor space provision
Anderson,Ross James	CLH	From the Bauhütte to the Bauhaus: The progressive immanentisation of an Architectural Paradigm
Andrade,Maria Monica Arruda Raposo	CHU	Performance Of Networks In Architectural And Urban Design
Artopoulos,Giorgos	Q	Polimorphe: Co-relating the quests of form and structure via a computational environment for design
Bakshi,Anita	CL	Urban memory in divided nicosia: Praxis and image
Bambury,Jill Ellen	W	The church in the 'hyperghetto': an architectural investigation of an African American neighbourhood in New Orleans, Louisiana
Barac,Matthew James Wilfred	M	From township to town: urban change in Victoria Mxenge TT informal settlement, Cape Town, South Africa
Bill,Nicholas Aaron	SID	Timber railway bridges and viaducts in the United Kingdom: 1835 - 1870
Bremner,George Alexander	CAI	Imagining London: five studies on architecture, national identity, and Britain's first city of empire, 1856-1911
Brittain-Catlin,Timothy John	T	A.W.N. Pugin's English residential architecture in its context
Bryant,Gabriele Hedwig	PEM	Redesigning life and art: the quest for a Gesamtkunstwerk in modern German art and thought
Calder,Barnabas William Luke	CHR	Committees and concrete: the genesis and architecture of Denys Lasdun's National Theatre
Campbell,James William Patrick	T	Sir Christopher Wren, the Royal Society and the development of structural carpentry 1660-1710
Catania Kulper,Amy Marie	LC	The ambiguity of immanent nature and its manifestations: The contribution of Victor Horta
Cawthorne,Douglas Alexander	PET	Daylighting And Occupant Health In Buildings
Chen,Jun	JE	Occupant behaviour of air conditioning and window use in Chinese residential buildings
Cheng,Bo Ki	W	Human environmental perception of the built environment
Chenvidyakarn,Torwong	DOW	Naturally ventilated buildings: the role of water-bath modelling in ventilation design
Chou,Shiuh-Lin David	DAR	Modernism In Architecture: A Descriptive Theory Of Its Formal/Aesthetic Basis
Chow,Cheuk Lun	W	Resolving natural ventilation and fire safety in sustainable building design
Chung,Simone Shu-Yeng	TH	Spatial translatability in cinema: space in film through a reading of Hou Hsiao-hsien's peripatetic films
Coburn,Andrew William	DAR	Seismic Vulnerability And Risk Reduction Strategies For Housing In Eastern Turkey
Correia Guedes,Manuel de Arriaga Brito	ED	Thermal comfort and passive cooling design in Southern European offices
Corsellis,Thomas	K	The selection of sites for temporary settlements for forced migrants
Crowther,David Richard Geoffrey	K	Health Considerations In House Design
Cullum,Hugh William Conrad	DOW	The Savoy Hunting Lodge At Venaria Reale - A Study In Rhetorical Space
Dade-Robertson,Martyn Francis	DAR	Information architecture in screen based semantic spaces
Daly,Gerald Paul	DAR	Housing Politics And Pressure Groups: The Impacts Of Central-Local Government Relations And Reformers On American Public Housing Policy, 1933-1953
Davidovici,Irina	W	Between typology and typicality: German Swiss architecture 1980-2000
de Paiva,Jose Manuel Ferreira	CAI	The continuity of divine presence in Baroque architecture
Deak,Csaba	K	Rent Theory And The Price Of Urban Land: Spatial Organization In A Capitalist Economy
Demers,Claude Marie-Helene	EM	The sanctuary of art: images in the assessment and design of light in architecture
Denny,Gillean	JE	Reducing fresh produce CO2e emissions through Urban Agriculture, seasonality, and procurement dependency: Life cycle analysis for tomato, potato, and apple consumption in East Anglia and Greater London
Dou,Pingping	Q	Liberated urban flexibility - coordinated flexibility factors in the performance of the 19th century British terraced housing
Dudley,Eric	DAR	- The Critical Villager: Technical Aid For Rural Housing And The Characteristics Of Indigenous Technology Change
Ellingham,Ian	ED	Consumer influences on the life-cycle of housing with particular reference to the east of England
Evans,Antony David	CL	Simulating airline operational responses to environmental constraints
Fair,Alistair James	PEM	Designing dynamic environment for the performing arts
Ferguson,Robert Paul	PEM	The Grove: Some iconographic aspects of the architecture of wren and hawksmoor at Oxford and Cambridge
Fernandez-Santos Ortiz-Iribas,Jorge	DAR	Clavis prudentialis: ethico-architectural analogies and the Solomonic paradigm in Baroque Spain
French,Matthew Anthony	SE	Comfort, control and change: occupant control and the socio-technical construction of thermal comfort in lower socio-economic Argentine dwellings
Frith,Stephen Hamilton	TH	The Architecture Of The Heavenly Jerusalem: The Eschatological City From Deutero Isaiah To Augustine
Hao,Lin	HH	Passive design and the analysis of environmentally sustainable commercial office building in urban China
Hart,Vaughan Anthony	TH	Stonehenge As Emblem: Considerations On The 'Restoration' Of St. Paul'S Cathedral By Inigo Jones
Hoch,David Mack	PET	Passive And Low Energy Building Design For High Latitudes
Houlihan-Wiberg,Aoife Anne-Marie	DAR	An analysis of the performance of certification schemes in the hotel sector in terms of CO2 emissions reduction
Hsu,Pei-Hsien	CLH	3D information place: Architecture for virtual place-making and information navigation
Hui,Desmond Cheuk-Kuen	ED	The Science of Beauty? Theories of proportion from the 16th to the 20th century
Hunt,John Douglas	CHU	Modelling Commuter Parking Location Choice And Its Influence On Mode Choice
Hurd,Philippa Elizabeth	CAI	Signs And Practices: The Work Of Karl Friedrich Schinkel As An Architecture For The Nineteenth Century
Hvattum,Mari	TH	Poetics and practical aesthetics in the writings of Gottfried Semper
Ibarra,Macarena	JE	Urban development perceived by the inhabitants of a city: the case of Santiago Chile 1930-1970
Ikonomou,Eleftherios	CLH	The Transformation Of Space In The Architectural Thinking Of The Late 19th And Early 20th Century With Special Reference To Germany
Ishida,Koji	ED	The Measurement And Prediction Of Sound Transmission Over Auditorium Seats
Jin,Ying	Q	Locational Propensities Under State Provision And Market Conditions: Retailing In Beijing 1978-1988
Kaluarachchi,Yamuna Damayanthi	DAR	An investigation into the variations of urban house forms over time
Kang,Jian	W	Acoustics of long enclosures
Kastrissianakis,Konstantin	CL	Reassessing public space in Beirut: Continuity and change since the Ta'if Agreement, 1990-present
Kelman,Ilan	DAR	Physical flood vulnerability of residential properties in coastal, eastern England
Kenton,Amanda Gail	SID	Theory and practice of natural ventilation in theatre design
Klein,Gil Pinhas	W	Oral towns: the institutional topography of late antique Sepphoris (Zippori) and the rabbinic consecration of the city
Koeck,Richard	TH	The cinematic representation of the near future
Krafta,Romulo Celso	CHU	A Study Of Intra-Urban Configurational Development In Porto Alegre - Brazil
Lee,Weifeng Victoria	T	Heat stress in dwellings: assessing thermal vulnerability and accounting for exposure duration
Leung,Kam Shing	W	Climate-responsive design for high density tropical housing: the effect of urban morphology on the indoor thermal environment of high-density housing in the hot and humid climate
Loach,Judith Denyse	CLH	The Restoration Of The Temple De Lyon In The Seventeenth Century
Lu,Andong	DAR	Narrative space a theory of narrative environment and its architecture
Macarthur,John Peter	DAR	The Ornamental Cottage: Landscape And Disgust
Manchanda,Shweta	CHU	Energy use and end-user satisfaction: with reference to ventilation and space conditioning in buildings
Marinescu,Joseph Sever	CHU	Typological discriminators of urban textures
Marsh,Robert Anthony	ED	Sustainable housing design: an integrated approach
Martin,Samantha Leah	M	The role of the Stoa in the topography of the ancient Athenian Agora: the Stoa Basileios, Stoa Poikile and Stoa of Zeus Eleutherios
Marx,Claudia	CLH	The restoration of cathedrals and major churches in England during the nineteenth century and after
Matthews,Leslie Joseph	DAR	Energy Conservation In Central Urban Buildings
Mcquillan,James Patrick	CLH	Geometry And Light In The Architecture Of Guarino Guarini
Merghani,Abubakr Hussein	CLH	Thermal comfort and spatial variability a study of traditional courtyard houses in the hot dry climate of Khartoum, Sudan
Mingotti,Nicola	HH	Passive environmental design for health
Mochache,Jason Mosomi Henry	CHU	Urban Informal Sector Activities In Nairobi: A Study Towards Urban Planning Policy And Methodology In Kenya
Moore,Gregg Raymond	DAR	An Approach To The Analysis Of Sound In Auditoria : Model Design And Computer Implementation
Mostafa,Heba Mohamed Hosam Aldin Mohamed	K	Religio-political authority and the formation of Islamic architecture
Motycka Weston,Dagmar	DAR	The Problem Of Space In Early Twentieth-Century Art And Architecture
Mulligan,Helen Clare	CHU	The Thermal Performance Of Vernacular Underground Dwellings
Musau,Filbert Mbuli	W	Space planning and energy efficiency in buildings: the role of spatial, activity and temporal diversities
Nanda,Vivek	CHU	Chidambaram - temple and city in the Tamil tradition
Newsham,Guy Russell	DAR	Investigating The Role Of Thermal Comfort In The Assessment Of Building Energy Performance Using A Spatial Thermal Model
Ng,Edward Yan Yung	T	The Romantic Meaning Of Light - From Codified Modelling To A Poetic And Interpretative Basis Of Light In Architecture
Nikolopoulou,Maria-Heleni	PEM	Thermal comfort in outdoor urban spaces
Nitsche,Michael	DAR	Virtual story spaces
Nute,Kevin Horwood	JE	The Role Of Traditional Japanese Art And Architecture In The Work Of Frank Lloyd Wright
Oliveira,Fernanda Sa	R	Museums: the roles of lighting in design
Ong,Boon Lay	W	Place and plants in architecture: an investigation into the phenomenon of place, the thermal environment and the significant role of plants
Parpairi,Katerina	LC	Daylighting in architecture: quality and user preferences
Potvin,Andre Joseph-Auguste	EM	Movement in the architecture of the city: a study in environmental diversity
Prager,Phillip Andrew	DAR	Avant-Garde legacies for interactive cinematics
Prizeman,Oriel Elizabeth Clare	CC	Philanthropy and light: The formulation of transatlantic environmental standards for public interiors through Andrew Carnegie's library building programme 1889-1910
Pullan,Wendy Ann	DAR	The transformation of the urban order in early Christian Jerusalem: pilgrimage and the ritual topography, 325-460
Rassia,Stamatina	DAR	Designing for movement: the impact of indoor office environmental design on occupant physical activity
Ratti,Carlo Filippo	DAR	Urban analysis for environmental prediction
Rikala,Taina Marjatta	K	Catherine Bauer 1928-1935: from Modernism and housing to action
Rockett,Paul	M	On the estimation of seismic risk in low to moderate seismicity areas for purposes of insurance: a case study of Israel
Rollo,Alexander John	CHU	A reassessment of the country house architecture of Sir Edwin Lutyens (1889-1913)
Roudavski,Stanislav	K	Staging places as performances. Creative strategies for architecture
Saito,Keiko	PEM	High-resolution optical satellite images for post-earthquake damage assessment
Santa Clara,Miguel Eduardo	K	The application of digital photographic technologies to lighting research
Sarralde Tassara,Juan Jose	CAI	Urban modelling for resource performance analysis: evaluating the solar energy potential of cities
Schoenefeldt,Henrik	W	'Transformation of the horticultural glasshouse prototype for human habitation'
Schuldenfrei,Eric	DAR	The vision politic: The multiscreen film presentations of Charles and Ray Eames
Seshagiri,Raghavendra Madhavarao	CLH	Household preferences and willingness to pay: water services in Hyderabad, India
Shutler,Andrew John	DAR	Some Climatological Aspects Of Passive Solar Heating In The United Kingdom
Sinou,Maria	DOW	Thermal diversity of semi-enclosed urban spaces
Snell,Justin Madoc	JN	Roma Felix: Rome of Sixtus V
So,Emily Kwok Mei	M	The assessment of casualties for earthquake loss estimation
Song,Ji Young	ED	Emerging patterns of space and time use in the knowledge economy
Southall,Ryan Giles	DAR	Design optimisation of the supply air 'ventilated' window
Steemers,Koen Alexander	DAR	Energy In Buildings: The Urban Context
Steiner,Henriette	JN	Golden Age Copenhagen and the problem of institutional order
Sternberg,Maximilian Jan	PEM	Engaging with the world: Cistercian reform, architecture and medieval society in the Languedoc in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries
Strabucchi Chambers,Wren Christopher	ED	Culture as picture and project: the 'City'of EUR. The formation of the concept museum-city in the Italian architecture of the 1930s
Sule-DuFour,Tao Nwachi	T	The sense of architecture in Husserlian Phenomenology: The example of a Candomble- Caboclo ritual of Tupinikim
Sussner,Julia Marie	SID	Parsing place: staging spatially organised narrative in interactive digital environments
Switek,Gabriela Barbara	LC	Fragment as a paradigm of modernity: the philosophical foundations of the concept and its manifestations in early modern art
Tavernor,Robert William	JN	Concinnitas In The Architectural Theory And Practice Of Leon Battista Alberti
Tobe,Renee	LC	Mimesis and the dialogue between architecture and film
Trinder,Michael Peter Bruce	JE	The potentials of transparency in sketch design interfaces
Trippe,William Micah	K	Where are the urban machinics? The case of the French City film 1926-1930
Tyszczuk,Renata Anna	JN	In spem melioris aevi: the architecture and writings of Stanislaw Leszczynski, roi bienfaisant, 1737-1766
Uduku,Nwola Oluwakemi	R	Factors Affecting The Design Of Secondary Schools In Nigeria
Verdis,Savvas Constantine	M	Topology: the rhetoric of places in ancient Athens
Wall,Christine Margaret	DAR	New ways of building: architects, operatives and industrialised production in Britain 1940-70
Wang,Yi	W	The transformation of Beijing's urban structure in the 20th century: the case of housing
Wasserfall,Jacob	K	Early Mine And Railway Housing In South Africa: A Two-Part Study Of Ideology And Design In Working-Class Housing
Wilson,Wellington Clarke	JN	You Are What You Do: The Self-Organization Of Daily Activity In The Urban Environment
Winton,Tracey Eve	M	A skeleton key to Poliphilo's Dream: the architecture of the imagination in the hypnerotomachia
Wu,Duan	DAR	Embodied tectonics of space and its architectural aesthetics
Yun,Geun Young	W	Occupant behaviour in buildings: Thermal performance implications of window use patterns
Zhang,Ye	DOW	Effects of street-alleyway environment upon pedestrian activities in the old city of Beijing
Zhu,Jie	CTH	A spatial computable general equilibrium model for London and surrounding regions.

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