Research in the School of Architecture and Built Environment
The University of Newcastle is one of the top 10 research Universities in Australia, and the School of Architecture and Built Environment at Newcastle has developed an international reputation for research into design and the built environment.
Academic staff in the School have been awarded national and international prizes for research and design, and they have held research fellow and visiting scholar positions at the world's foremost institutions.
These academics hold prestigious research grants from the Australian Research Council, Australian Learning and Teaching Council, the European Union and a range of North American institutions. Several of the School’s academics have been independently rated in the top 100 researchers in their field internationally.
Over the last decade academics in the School have been awarded more than $7,000,000 in research income and have published more than 300 research books, chapters and papers. The School’s research strengths in creative endeavour (research by design) are also significant, and academics have both curated and had their works featured in State, national and international exhibitions.
The School of Architecture and Built Environment is home to the Centre for Interdisciplinary Built Environment Research (CIBER), a research group that seeks to address issues of industry performance and its social contribution. CIBER’s remit includes the policies, processes and practices undertaken by architectural, construction and engineering professionals, both in private firms and public organisations including governmental bodies.
The School of Architecture and Built Environment has six active research areas within which supervision of Research Higher Degree students is possible. These areas provide a significant opportunity for candidates to undertake research with experts in a particular field of study.
Research areas
| Research Area | Architectural Theory and History*** |
| Discipline Area | Architecture |
| Description | This group undertakes research that focuses on the cultural, symbolic and philosophical dimensions of contemporary and historic architecture. |
| Example research topics | Geometry and science in design; computational analysis of architectural and urban space; design computing; connections between architecture, art and film; urban design history and theory; architectural history; Feng Shui; meaning in the built environment; design in virtual environments; the philosophy of design. |
| Potential Research Supervisors | Professor Michael Ostwald, Dr Michael Chapman, Dr Steven Fleming, Dr Tessa Morrison, Dr. Ning Gu, Dr Michael Mak.
|
| Research Area | Design Cognition and Learning |
| Discipline Area | Architecture, Building and Industrial Design |
| Description | This group undertakes research which relates to how the process of design is learnt, taught, understood and applied. |
| Example research topics | Professional and vocational educational methods; professional competency standards and curriculum design; social and psychological processes of creativity and design; virtual environments; the social study of discipline or professional areas; analysis of design and team processes; Building Information Models; information technology in the workplace. |
| Potential Research Supervisors | Professor Michael Ostwald, Professor Tony Williams, Willy Sher. Specialist support can also be provided by: Conjoint Prof. Rob Cowdroy.
|
| Research Area | Resilience |
| Discipline Area | Architecture and Building |
| Description | The last 20 years has seen a significant increase in the occurrence of natural and non-natural catastrophic events that have had unprecedented impact on the built environment. In this context Resilience is about the ability of a system to return to a state, either the same or better, after a catastrophic event. This is often mapped in the context of adaptive cycles. Resilience of the Built Environment can be seen from the perspective of natural or human inflicted catastrophes and to what state it can return. Addressing government priorities in this area, we work within the regional social, economic and environmental domains with strategic innovative research programmes to support better resilience of the built environment. |
| Example research topics | Capacity building; community/government capabilities in post-disaster recovery; post-disaster organisational risk management, post-disaster supply chain recovery. |
| Potential Research Supervisors | Dr Jamie Mackee, Dr Thayaparan Gajendran.
|
| Research Area | Governance |
| Discipline Area | Building |
| Description | In order to develop sustainable project delivery systems the construction industry is influenced by the re-engineering of the procurement process. Recent trends in the provision of social and economic infrastructure indicate that the private sector is playing an increasing role. We have significant expertise in the field of construction procurement with research focusing on reforming the procurement process, risk management techniques, and benchmarking innovative case study projects. Our vision includes contributing to the development of regional infrastructure that is delivered using sustainable relationship-based techniques. |
| Example research topics | Supply chain management; internationalisation and development processes; management of information technology in construction; public private partnerships; post-occupancy analysis; construction industry policy; contractual and risk issues; urban and property economics; supply chain economics; procurement modeling and innovative procurement approaches. |
| Potential Research Supervisors | Associate Professor Graham Brewer, Dr Michael Mak, Dr Thayaparan Gajendran, Willy Sher, Marcus Jefferies, Peter Ward.
|
| Research Area | Sustainability*** |
| Discipline Area | Architecture and Building |
| Description | The exponential growth in global knowledge generated by research endeavours is matched only by the challenges facing humankind, which are increasingly defined by burgeoning demand to be met by increasingly scarce resources. Our approach to basic and applied research is founded upon utilising resources effectively. Our research addresses the technical, business, and societal challenges found in the constructive environment, when viewed through the triple lenses of environmental, economic and social sustainability. Practically speaking, this ensures that our research outcomes should both philosophically and practically encourage responsible stewardship of scarce resources, ensuring that their application now will satisfy stakeholder needs without leaving a legacy of additional burden for future generations. Our work is scalable having relevance at both micro and macro levels, and our excellence has a regional focus. |
| Example research topics | Design and management of the built environment for economic, environmental and social sustainability; passive and active building systems; urban design, renewal and development; adaptive reuse of heritage structures; the built environment and community health. |
| Potential Research Supervisors | Dr Jamie Mackee, Dr Michael Mak. Specialist support can also be provided by: Conjoint Professor Peter Droege, Conjoint Professor Lindsay Johnston.
|
| Research Area | Digital Processes*** |
| Discipline Area | Architecture and Building |
| Description | The construction industry is gradually embracing evolving digital practices resulting in significant transformation in the sector. Each stage of the built environment life cycle is significantly influenced by the digital transformation. Our mission is to conduct research to advance the theory and practice of digital applications in the built environment. Focus of our research is twofold: firstly, research into the people, processes, technologies and business case for digital practice in the context of firms (relevant stakeholders), professions (architecture, project management, quantity surveying, engineering) and project supply chains, and; secondly, computational analysis of the cultural, symbolic and philosophical dimensions of contemporary and historic architecture. |
| Example research topics | Computational analysis of buildings/built environments; sociological analysis of digital practices; collaboration in digital environments; information management systems; building information modelling. |
| Potential Research Supervisors | Professor Michael Ostwald, Dr. Ning Gu, Associate Professor Graham Brewer, Dr Thayaparan Gajendran, Willy Sher.
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*** Research in these areas can be undertaken using traditional scholarly approaches or "research by design"; an approach wherein a combination of scholarly and design works make up the content of a research higher degree.
