Abstract

What is architectural design? What is knowledge? What is research-based knowledge and why, according to some scholars, should architecture become a science-based profession? Why should “design become the application of research based knowledge” and why it should not be based on “designer’s personal preferences, intuition, and the like”? These fundamental questions will serve as a point of departure for the discussion in this presentation. Throughout this presentation I will argue that scientific research and architectural design are two very different human undertakings. I will explore the nature of research and architectural design through the discussion of the study of knowledge, the differences between tacit and explicit knowledge, and the distinct nature of architectural theory. The point I want to make is that architecture is in need of a theoretical foundation. The need for architectural theory arises from the necessity to devise principles to guide and inform us on how to build. The essence of architectural theorizing is situated in the dynamics between the actual and the possible. Therefore, we should not turn design into an imitation of science; neither into indescribable art. Design should be recognized as a distinct intellectual culture that is situated between art and science.