GSAPP sounds like the place for you. OSU is also pretty focused on history and theory.

OSU, Ohio State University? What do you know about those programs? 

Thank you for the reply.

Burke

OSU is a solid recommendation for a theory based school, if only for Jeff Kipnis.  

Personally though, and I am speaking completely with partiality, you should take a look at UIC, University of Illinois at Chicago, where I am currently.

First off our school is headed by a Theorist, Robert Somol.  In the last 5 years, since he has assumed the directorship he has completely rebuilt the school faculty up.  The school has become a place where practitioners of different mindsets, but similar ambition, can come and experiment.  Many of our faculty have stated that they have left positions, or turned down positions, at GSAPP, AUP, Sci-ARC, Rice, UK, OSU, Michigan, etc. because UIC provided for the freedom of dogma associated with some other institutions.  I would guess that the average age of our faculty is somewhere around 35-36.  Because of this, there is something of a Futurist style excitement around here.

With the plethora of ideas and view points floating around at UIC there is one thread that seems to bind the vision of t he school together.  That being Somol's project, which  I could explain, but I think it better that you just watch a lecture that he gave at U Michigan and get the idea from there.  I think the lecture HERE will give you an idea of what we are all about.  John McMorrough's introduction is great too.

We are not a theme school, we are not an Environmental school, design build school, social justice school, parametric school, etc.  We are an architectural ideas school, lots of ideas, lots of different ideas, and lots of debate about ideas.  We are interested in imagining new worlds and new modes of thought.

so that is my shameless pitch.  if you are interested in theory you would probably fit in here at our M.Arch program or our MADCrit (Masters of Art and Design Criticism).  we are always looking for those that are interested in stepping out on a rope for an idea.  Check out my blog here on Archnect to see some of what has been happening here over the last few years and some of the work we are producing.

hope that is helpful

Hey Matthew,

I really appreciate the leads, sincerely. I was feeling a bit stuck, and an ideas school is exactly what I need.

It's encouraging to hear about the faculty reshuffle, there can be such a great energy with that sort of change and the composition of too many faculties can be quite static.

I was wondering you have an comments regarding the faculty research? I'll look into it as well, but I thought you might have additional insight. I have had good experience with productive faculty members (from a research standpoint), and I find it can really add to the energy of the school.

Thanks again.

Research is a big part of what we do at UIC.  As you may notice we do not do Thesis and that is a reason why some choose to come to UIC.  Instead of Thesis we do Directed Research, which is becoming more common.  The Directed Research is focused around a seminar and a studio that follow the ongoing research of a faculty member.  So if your faculty is researching the Political Capacity of Architecture, then your work will forward that ends.  That happens to be what my research studio is based on with Andrew Zago.

An interesting explanation of this process is given by Paul Preissner in an interview with Fresh Meat, our student journal found here.

As far as what our individual faculty are researching you will have to take a look at their work.  Once you find one that kind of meshes with your groove, you can gravitate to them and start the more off the record conversations that become really productive.  I think because of their age and mindset the faculty as a whole is very accessible.  My personal interests have lead me to work with Jimenez Lai.

you could also look into, Andrew Moddrell, Andrew Zago, Paul Preissner, Kelly Bair, Grant Gibson, Paul Anderson, Sam Jacob, Sarah Dunn, Alexander Eisenschmidt, Sean Lally and so on.  

Here is an interesting interview with Sam Jacob, describing exactly what the studio is about that I am in right now.

As you might notice this is all kind of shameless self promotion, but in reality I am just very proud of what is going on here.  We have an open house coming up if you happen to be in the midwest.   The open house will also be launch parties for two publications, Lai's Citizens of No Place and Eisenschmidt's issue of AD, City Catalyst.  

Coming to school here also means getting to live in Chicago.  That should be enough in itself.

Cheers!