Department of Architecture and Urban Planning
Description: Research at the ASRO department is conducted by four divisions:
1. Architectural History and Conservation
2. Theory of Urbanism and Architecture (OSA)
3. Design and Building Methodology
4. Planning and Development
Research at ASRO is fundamental as well as applied, and covers the wide range of the built environment. This fosters a diversity of mutually enriching and complementary approaches. We mention in particular the focus on development contexts, mainly in the Planning & Development and OSA divisions.
The research group History of Architecture and Conservation (ARCHISTORIA), jointly directed by professors K. De Jonge and L. Verpoest, numbers circa ten researchers with a multidisciplinary background. Basic research focuses on the history and historiography of architecture, construction and conservation in the Low Countries from the Late Middle Ages to the present day in a European perspective. Projects also touch upon other research areas, such as archival and documentation sciences, CAAD, urban history and urbanism, military and institutional history. The group’s composition and the scientific output (contributions to international symposia, publications and networks) testify to its international profile.
OSA (Onderzoeksgroep Stedelijkheid en Architectuur or Theory of Urbanism and Architecture), led by professors A. Loeckx, H. Heynen and M. Smets, focuses its research on questions of urbanity and urbanism. Its main concern is the relationship between architecture and the city, as it is shaped by urban morphologies and typologies, and its significance through patterns of use and discourse. These topics are dealt with in fundamental (theoretically oriented) research as well as in applied (policy-oriented) research. In methodological terms, the group’s research relies upon critical theory, historical [typo-morphological] analyses and fieldwork. The applied and policy oriented research builds upon this methodology in order to deal with specific and concrete questions that arise in the practice of urbanism and planning.
Research at the division of Design and Building Methodology (professors H. Neuckermans, F. De Troyer and A. Heylighen) relates to the epistemological and methodological study of the design and building process. The team’s foundation in architectural, construction and design sciences allows critical and constructive research in a wide range of areas. The primary focus lies on the early stages of design, which represent a major intellectual challenge. In the domain of CAAD, useful concepts for future developments in computer-aided architectural design are being explored. Design didactics, building economy, universal design and sustainable construction methods constitute other research fields. Particular topics originate from the CAADLAB’s involvement in the Raymond Lemaire International Centre for Conservation.
The research unit of Planning and Development is a multi-disciplinary team, led by the professors F. Moulaert and J. Schreurs. It does research in the fields of planning methodology and planning theory, regional development, strategic planning, project development, project and process management, mobility and transport. Besides basic research, long-term programs such as "Spatial planning to Strategic projects (SP2SP)", which ensure necessary deepening, and policy studies and policy programs are also developed as an application to the research. These applied studies provide an important feedback to the basic research and form a permanent supplier of topics to be studied.
Key words: history of architecture and conservation, Urbanity and architecture, design and building methodology, planning and devel
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