Design education, practice, and research : on building a field of inquiry

Abstract

This article reviews how the fields of architecture and design have developed during recent decades and discusses the relations and synergistic interplay between three constituent components: practice, education, and research. Design education has matured both as a field of practice and of inquiry since becoming a fully recognized component of the triadic interplay between these three parts. However, to date, these developments have mainly been discussed in ter ms of research and creative practice, and have not been discussed in terms of educational practice as an important, mediating factor. We argue that the three components, noted above, have become more equal with one another and more r ecognized in practice and academia and, further, that a phenomenon of “permeability” of various practices within the “continuum from creative practice to scientific research” has emerged. We further note that a new group of professionals combine the roles of professional practitioners, educators, and field-specific researchers, and argue that these “new practitioners” can contribute to a more r obust, self-confident, and dialogue-oriented field of practice and inquiry in architecture and design.