Find full digitized copies of Architectural Design Research at the digital headquarters of the Association of Architecture Schools of Australasia.

First published in 2008 as a unique publishing platform for architectural design research, the pint-sized journal of the same title is overseen by the Association of Architecture Schools of Australasia, an elusive (from Google at least) but significant organisation which has the progress and performance of our schools of architecture in its sights.

The journal is co-edited by the eminent researcher Michael Ostwald, of the University of Newcastle, and Brent Allpress, the Research Director and Postgraduate Coordinator at RMIT.

The annual journal (of which there are three volumes now available) is introduced by the Editors on its first edition cover:

"This journal promotes the publication of architectural design research, focusing particularly on project-based research and associated discourse on design.  Design is a core activity of the architectural discipline, and yet there are few refereed publications committed to disseminating design-driven research.  The term design research is often accounted for as a design science, relying primarily on empirical analytical methodologies drawn from outside the discipline.

This journal offers an alternative model."

'Drafting Pier 40' is an intriguing project presented in this first issue.  Using (what I would further call) drawing research as as principle methodology, Yoryia Manolopoulou engages "chance as a drawing tool in the process of Architectural Design."  And the results are beautifully curious.

Fire/House by Luke Douglas is another exquisitely drawn project reminiscent of Libeskind's unstable orthographic projections, which culminates in a stunning transparent planometric drawing (pictured below).  Both well worth a closer reading.


Fire/House drawing by Luke Douglas (detail), ADR, Vol 1, n.1


In Volume 2, Richard Goodwin grabs my attention, with his playful but subversive analysis of urban porosite, a study based on the improvised 'infiltration' of occupants through vertical urban buildings to find 'public', or more accurately 'accessible' spaces.  The results are presented in a 'porosity index', as well as some expressive spatial diagrams of 'porosity' (pictured below), and a beautiful range of hand-drawn and digital sketches.


Richard Goodwin, 'Porosity' ADR, Vol.2, n.1 p76-77


Volume 3 is befittingly launched by Brent Allpress with 'Design Research Infrastructure', a short introduction to the role of 'design research' in the University, specifically in regard to the Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) who now recognise qualitative and creative research as a key research activity, alongside traditional publication and grant funded research.

Another standout work is Light Works, from Gabriela Seifert, Goetz Stoeckmann, and Narelle Yabuka (pictured below).


Light Works, detail photographic drawing. Seifert, Stoeckman, Yabuka. ADR Vol.3, n.1


If you'd prefer hardcopies in your fingertips, you can subscribe here.
Otherwise check them all out here, online.

Enjoy.