Transversality In and On Architecture, tools and methods : From Framing the Question to the State of the Art

8.00 credits

100.0 h + 30.0 h

Q1 and Q2

> Schedule

Teacher(s)

Gobbo Emilie; Grosjean Benedicte; Llaguno Maider; Salembier Chloé; Vanhamme Catherine;

Language

French

Main themes

Each course in the Travail de fin d’étude (TFE, master’s thesis) domain addresses themes and methods related to the domains of Edification, Habitat and Society, History and Theory, and Territory. These domains naturally intersect with three longitudinal issues: Sustainability, Heritage, and Digitalization.
Objective: Define the domain, establish the supervisory committee, and frame the TFE.
Building on the transversalities of the Bachelor’s program, this course immerses students in research topics, particularly those related to project-based research. It clarifies the stakes of academic research, deepens methodological approaches, and initiates the development of a research project linked to the architectural design process, culminating in the formulation of a personal research question.
Students undertake iterative work between their state of the art ON architecture and project intentions IN architecture:

Define the research question, domain, and general objectives,
Begin state-of-the-art analysis of the question and context,
Identify the contribution to be made by the TFE.

This course demands significant autonomy, as students progressively explore a research topic tied to the architectural project, starting from a personal question. Students are also expected to critically evaluate the projects of peers addressing similar issues, fostering collaborative discourse.

Learning outcomes

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :

Specific Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

Develop skills in writing a scientific paper, including the ability to use relevant architectural databases and adhere to proper citation rules for bibliographic references,
Familiarize themselves with various research approaches and methods with a strategic focus, including stages, planning, writing structure, and the components of a TFE,
Identify the means of articulation to be implemented in their ON&IN architectural proposal,
Select the most appropriate data-gathering strategy to address the challenges of the subject and the specific theme it encompasses, effectively defining their research method,
Formulate a structured research question based on a clearly defined field of study,
Justify the composition of a supervisory committee by identifying the relevance and expertise of each member in relation to their subject.

General Learning Outcomes

In line with the program’s learning outcomes (LOs), this course contributes to the development and acquisition of the following LOs:

LO1.1 Prioritize the parameters and issues of a given situation.
LO4.1 Understand and mobilise the concepts and methods of scientific disciplines.
LO4.3 Understand and integrate the content of other artistic or scientific disciplines to enrich the architectural project.
LO4.4 Understand and assess the environmental, social, and economic consequences of architectural choices.
LO5.3 Organize individual or collective work attentively, inclusively, and effectively.
LO6.1 Acquire and rigorously apply disciplinary, interdisciplinary, or transdisciplinary methods of scientific research.
LO6.2 Formulate a research question and define a research subject in and on architecture.
LO6.4 Incorporate the requirements of sustainable development into the research process: question, body of work, and scientific monitoring.

Content

Objectives : Defining the research question, selecting the advisory committee, and gradually establishing the scope of the final thesis.
Building on the transversalities of the Bachelor’s program, this course immerses students in research topics,
particularly those related to project-based research. It clarifies the stakes of academic research, deepens
methodological approaches, and initiates the development of a research project linked to the architectural
design process, culminating in the formulation of a personal research question.
Students undertake iterative work between their state of the art ON architecture and project intentions IN
architecture:
• Define the research question, domain, and general objectives,
• Begin state-of-the-art analysis of the question and context,
• Identify the contribution to be made by the TFE.
This course demands significant autonomy, as students progressively explore a research topic tied to the
architectural project, starting from a personal question. Students are also expected to critically evaluate the
projects of peers addressing similar issues, fostering collaborative discourse. This independent project requires collaboration with the advisor, beginning in the second quarter of the first year of the master’s program.

Teaching methods

Scientific procedures and methods will be the subject of presentations followed by independent exercises.

Evaluation methods

Continuous assessment (3 short Q1 exercises and 4 brief Q2 exercises related to disciplinary methods) AND a major assignment due during the June session!
This final assignment consists of a 25-page paper (including figures). This paper will be graded by the co-instructors and the advisor.

Other information

From the research stage right through to the final assessment, you must be mindful of how you use generative AI. In addition to using your common sense, you should refer to the Guidelines for the Responsible Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence within LOCI and at UCLouvain (including the RGEE).
Throughout the year, you will be given specific instructions on how to achieve the learning outcomes with the necessary intellectual autonomy.

Online resources

moodle

Bibliography

voir moodle

Faculty or entity

> LOCI

Programmes / formations proposant cette unité d'enseignement (UE)

Title of the programme

Sigle

Credits

Prerequisites

Learning outcomes

Master [120] in Architecture (Tournai)

ARCT2M