I am an architectural sociologist working with an architecture firm in the southwest. The work is gratifying and very interesting. I am aware of other design firms who foster collaboration between social scientists and designers, but there appear to be few of such firms.
Do any of you have experience working with sociologists or anthropologists in your project teams? If so, how was that collaboration accomplished? How do you feel about working with social scientists?
Our firm does a lot of research on place, program, and history, but most of it is done in-house. (Of course, it is research of the applied, down-and-dirty variety, and not scholarly. I wish we had more time for this aspect.)
Since we do urban design as well as architecture, I'd love to see a consultant trained in environment-behavior studies be a part of our design teams. Alas, not yet.
Hi, Citizen. My firm has made use of both the quantitative and qualitative aspects of sociology. Statistical data is helpful for some of our work, but we have cultivated an interest in social theory. We have found that an understanding of sociological concepts is very helpful in our work- which is pretty exciting to me as a qualitative sociologist.
Arzo's point, crude (and misspelled) as it is, is largely true in mainstream architectural practice, as I'm sure you know.
Firms that incorporate more research into their methodology are few and far-between, and usually are specialized themselves in terms of clients and projects.
What kinds of projects do you work on? For what kinds of clients?
In the 70’s and 80’s, a fusion jazz band that called itself “Weather Report” revolutionized a genre. This was not your typical barber shop quartet. Over 16 years, a total of 26 musicians moved through the group, producing 16 unique and experimental albums. This constantly changing cast of characters took fusion jazz - a genre already pushing the limits of jazz music - even further. Our proposed mode of practice will share a few key similarities with Weather Report.
Foremost, this method will be both purposefully fluid and explicitly collaborative. Each project will not be addressed just as the one before it, in the linear manner typically associated with established design firms. Instead, a continually renewed sense of invention will be injected into every investigation. This will be accomplished by coordinating a unique cast of characters for any given design problem.
A strategically integrated project team, well suited to engage a particular study, will be established and deployed. The appropriate scope of the analysis will be discovered collectively, and a rigorous, iterative process will lead to findings and eventually a proposal.
In direct relation to this primary component of the practice, a broad range of consideration will be brought to every project. This collective will not only include architects, planners, and other design professionals, it will also call on historians, artists, sociologists, business and legal professionals, scientists, politicians and any other discipline that may effectively augment a given inquiry.
In order to maintain relevancy and significance in the face of modern culture’s fluctuating interests, a practice must be able to attack design problems at any scale, from a variety of angles, offering a holistic response in any number of media. Solutions must be extensively researched, carefully orchestrated and methodically prepared for implementation. A practice such as this will be positioned to tackle unique projects which call for a focused organization with vast capability.
Finally, this fluid and expansive practice will be united by a common aspiration. Our epoch calls for solutions that are both environmentally conscious yet economically profitable. These two concerns must no longer be mutually exclusive. It is the task of the next generation of architects and planners to develop and implement strategies that will bring these opposing forces together. This can not be accomplished without the wholesale involvement of common society, political authority, economic power and design intelligence. The practice of the future will unite these frayed strands. It must.
Citizen, we've used quantitative research data when working with communities who want services such as community centers, libraries and senior citizen centers because they need to understand the demographics of the area being served - that's an example.
We've used qualitative research to learn about how clients use their current space; this informs the way we design their new space. It's amazing what can be learned through observation and participant observation. And ethnographic data is also helpful; we've used it in coming to understand more clearly how it feels to be, say, a frail elderly person, negotiating a neighborhood or living independently in a retirement community. Social theories about concepts like identity have helped us to design places that are more responsive to client needs than generic designs would have been.
There are architectural firms who know how to incorporate social science into their work in a financially feasible way, and who truly appreciate the inclusion. It seems that European firms are ahead of us in this regard, but I'm looking for U.S. and Canadian firms who embrace this collaboration as well.
I was *going* to say that we need to elevate this kind of social and cultural work to the point where hiring such a consultant is as routine as hiring an MEP engineer.
*Then* I remembered that many people don't even want to hire an architect, much less any other consultants.
Jun 25, 08 6:35 pm ·
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Any Design Firms Working with Social Scientists?
I am an architectural sociologist working with an architecture firm in the southwest. The work is gratifying and very interesting. I am aware of other design firms who foster collaboration between social scientists and designers, but there appear to be few of such firms.
Do any of you have experience working with sociologists or anthropologists in your project teams? If so, how was that collaboration accomplished? How do you feel about working with social scientists?
I'll be interested to see responses here.
Our firm does a lot of research on place, program, and history, but most of it is done in-house. (Of course, it is research of the applied, down-and-dirty variety, and not scholarly. I wish we had more time for this aspect.)
Since we do urban design as well as architecture, I'd love to see a consultant trained in environment-behavior studies be a part of our design teams. Alas, not yet.
we have a few archaeologists in office.
i used to dig in the trash to find materials for my projects..... does that make me green?....
Hi, Citizen. My firm has made use of both the quantitative and qualitative aspects of sociology. Statistical data is helpful for some of our work, but we have cultivated an interest in social theory. We have found that an understanding of sociological concepts is very helpful in our work- which is pretty exciting to me as a qualitative sociologist.
no time for that in professional practice buddy. i don't know what crazy wacked out firm your associated with...
Antisthenes, that is very interesting. How do you work with the archaeologists? How are they integrated into your projects and design teams?
how do you feel about alleys and underground tunnels?
A.M.O.
2008 venice biennale
personally im starting to become as interested in this type of research as i am in the actual buildings.
the universities are pushing it harder and harder as well.
check it out:
http://www.gofathom.com/about.php
DrPr,
Arzo's point, crude (and misspelled) as it is, is largely true in mainstream architectural practice, as I'm sure you know.
Firms that incorporate more research into their methodology are few and far-between, and usually are specialized themselves in terms of clients and projects.
What kinds of projects do you work on? For what kinds of clients?
"crazy wacked out" firm of the future:
The Weather Report
In the 70’s and 80’s, a fusion jazz band that called itself “Weather Report” revolutionized a genre. This was not your typical barber shop quartet. Over 16 years, a total of 26 musicians moved through the group, producing 16 unique and experimental albums. This constantly changing cast of characters took fusion jazz - a genre already pushing the limits of jazz music - even further. Our proposed mode of practice will share a few key similarities with Weather Report.
Foremost, this method will be both purposefully fluid and explicitly collaborative. Each project will not be addressed just as the one before it, in the linear manner typically associated with established design firms. Instead, a continually renewed sense of invention will be injected into every investigation. This will be accomplished by coordinating a unique cast of characters for any given design problem.
A strategically integrated project team, well suited to engage a particular study, will be established and deployed. The appropriate scope of the analysis will be discovered collectively, and a rigorous, iterative process will lead to findings and eventually a proposal.
In direct relation to this primary component of the practice, a broad range of consideration will be brought to every project. This collective will not only include architects, planners, and other design professionals, it will also call on historians, artists, sociologists, business and legal professionals, scientists, politicians and any other discipline that may effectively augment a given inquiry.
In order to maintain relevancy and significance in the face of modern culture’s fluctuating interests, a practice must be able to attack design problems at any scale, from a variety of angles, offering a holistic response in any number of media. Solutions must be extensively researched, carefully orchestrated and methodically prepared for implementation. A practice such as this will be positioned to tackle unique projects which call for a focused organization with vast capability.
Finally, this fluid and expansive practice will be united by a common aspiration. Our epoch calls for solutions that are both environmentally conscious yet economically profitable. These two concerns must no longer be mutually exclusive. It is the task of the next generation of architects and planners to develop and implement strategies that will bring these opposing forces together. This can not be accomplished without the wholesale involvement of common society, political authority, economic power and design intelligence. The practice of the future will unite these frayed strands. It must.
a Second Empire Mansard working manifesto.
via
Citizen, we've used quantitative research data when working with communities who want services such as community centers, libraries and senior citizen centers because they need to understand the demographics of the area being served - that's an example.
We've used qualitative research to learn about how clients use their current space; this informs the way we design their new space. It's amazing what can be learned through observation and participant observation. And ethnographic data is also helpful; we've used it in coming to understand more clearly how it feels to be, say, a frail elderly person, negotiating a neighborhood or living independently in a retirement community. Social theories about concepts like identity have helped us to design places that are more responsive to client needs than generic designs would have been.
Arzo,
There are architectural firms who know how to incorporate social science into their work in a financially feasible way, and who truly appreciate the inclusion. It seems that European firms are ahead of us in this regard, but I'm looking for U.S. and Canadian firms who embrace this collaboration as well.
Sounds like fun work, DrPr.
I was *going* to say that we need to elevate this kind of social and cultural work to the point where hiring such a consultant is as routine as hiring an MEP engineer.
*Then* I remembered that many people don't even want to hire an architect, much less any other consultants.
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