Architecture Research Collaborative

The Architecture Research Collaborative (ARC) is a research entity at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, dedicated to conducting architectural research. ARC comprises a diverse group of faculty members, whose work ranges across the key topics in contemporary architectural research. These include architectural history and theory, high-performance buildings and resilient design, innovations in architecture, advanced building technologies, design engagement, historic preservation, and resilient community development.

Committed to both rigorous scholarship and the multidisciplinary approach demanded by the complexity of architectural research, ARC is structured through a dynamic and evolving pattern of research themes that cut across the conventional divisions of design, technology, and history and theory research.

Our objectives are to develop new knowledge, tools and processes for architectural design and related fields, engage in interdisciplinary research that includes design, humanities, sciences and technology, bridge the gap between academy and the architectural profession, and extend design excellence to create socially responsible, resilient buildings and communities.

The mission of the ARC is to:

• Develop new knowledge, tools, processes, and spur innovation in architecture
• Engage in cutting-edge, interdisciplinary research that addresses current challenges in architectural design
• Bridge the gap between architectural profession and research, and engage with the industry in collaborative research projects
• Extend design excellence and application of research results into communities through our outreach efforts.

As a group of researchers with a wide range of backgrounds including design practice, participatory action, engineering and construction, digital design, ethnography, architectural history and critical theory, we recognize the opportunity that our specializations can bring to shared problems and questions, and aim to stimulate innovation and foster connectivity between various stakeholders interested in architectural research.