Access profile

Given the scientific character of the programme in the field of architectural design, the natural pathway for admission is through official master’s programmes offered by the UPC in Design Theory and Practice, in Sustainable Intervention in the Built Environment (MISMeC) or in Advanced Studies in Architecture-Barcelona (MBArch) with specialisations in Contemporary Design (taught entirely in English); Process, Design and Programming; or Architectural Restoration and Rehabilitation, which will not require candidates to take any additional courses. The admission process to these master’s programmes already ensures that students have the backgrounds necessary to be admitted to the doctoral programme.

In addition to this academic background, certain personal characteristics are considered important, such as an interest in the research projects that are carried out in the programme, having critical and analytical abilities, having initiative, being consistent and persistent with work, being able to work well in a team and being able to communicate properly, both orally and in writing. The doctoral programme’s Postgraduate Committee will resolve any cases in which candidates exhibit peculiar characteristics.

Output profile

Doctoral candidates who complete a doctoral degree will have acquired the following competencies, which are needed to carry out quality research (Royal Decree 99/2011, of 28 January, which regulates official doctoral studies):

a) A systematic understanding of the field of study and a mastery of the research skills and methods related to the field.
b) An ability to conceive, design or create, put into practice and adopt a substantial process of research or creation.
c) An ability to contribute to pushing back the frontiers of knowledge through original research.
d) A capacity for critical analysis and an ability to assess and summarise new and complex ideas.
e) An ability to communicate with the academic and scientific community and with society in general as regards their fields of knowledge in the manner and languages that are typical of the international scientific community to which they belong.
f) An ability to foster scientific, technological, social, artistic and cultural progress in academic and professional contexts within a knowledge-based society.

The award of a doctoral degree must equip the graduate for work in a variety of settings, especially those requiring creativity and innovation. Doctoral graduates must have at least acquired the personal skills needed to:

a) Develop in contexts in which there is little specific information.
b) Find the key questions that must be answered to solve a complex problem.
c) Design, create, develop and undertake original, innovative projects in their field.
d) Work as part of a team and independently in an international or multidisciplinary context.
e) Integrate knowledge, deal with complexity and make judgements with limited information.
f) Offer criticism on and intellectually defend solutions.

Finally, with respect to competencies, doctoral students must:
a) have acquired advanced knowledge at the frontier of their discipline and demonstrated, in the context of internationally recognised scientific research, a deep, detailed and well-grounded understanding of theoretical and practical issues and scientific methodology in one or more research fields;
b) have made an original and significant contribution to scientific research in their field of expertise that has been recognised as such by the international scientific community;
c) have demonstrated that they are capable of designing a research project that serves as a framework for carrying out a critical analysis and assessment of imprecise situations, in which they are able to apply their contributions, expertise and working method to synthesise new and complex ideas that yield a deeper knowledge of the research context in which they work;
d) have developed sufficient autonomy to set up, manage and lead innovative research teams and projects and scientific collaborations (both national and international) within their subject area, in multidisciplinary contexts and, where appropriate, with a substantial element of knowledge transfer;
e) have demonstrated that they are able to carry out their research activity in a socially responsible manner and with scientific integrity;
f) have demonstrated, within their specific scientific context, that they are able to make cultural, social or technological advances and promote innovation in all areas within a knowledge-based society;
g) have demonstrated that they are able to participate in scientific discussions at the international level in their field of expertise and disseminate the results of their research activity to audiences of all kinds.

Number of places

20

Duration of studies and dedication regime

Duration
The maximum period of study for full-time doctoral studies is three years, counted from the date of admission to the programme to the date of submission of the doctoral thesis. The academic committee of the doctoral programme may authorise a doctoral candidate to pursue doctoral studies on a part-time basis. In this case, the maximum period of study is five years, counting from the date of admission to the programme to the date of submission of the doctoral thesis. For calculating these periods, the date of admission is considered to be the date of the first enrolment for tutorials, and the date of submission the moment in which the Doctoral School officially deposits the doctoral thesis.

For full-time doctoral candidates, the minimum period of study is two years, counted from the date of an applicant's admission to the programme until the date on which the doctoral thesis is deposited; for part-time doctoral candidates it is four years. When there are justified grounds for doing so, and the thesis supervisor and academic tutor have given their authorisation, doctoral candidates may request that the academic committee of their doctoral programme exempt them from the minimum period of study requirement.

The calculation of periods of study will not include periods of absence due to illness, pregnancy or any other reason provided for in the regulations in force. Students who find themselves in any of these circumstances must notify the academic committee of the doctoral programme, which, where appropriate, must inform the Doctoral School. Doctoral candidates may also temporarily withdraw from the programme for up to one year, and this period may be extended for an additional year. Doctoral candidates who wish to interrupt their studies must submit a justified request to the academic committee of the doctoral programme, which will decide whether or not to approve the request. Each programme will establish conditions for readmission to doctoral studies.

Extension
If full-time doctoral candidates have not applied to deposit their thesis by the end of the three-year period of study, the academic committee of the programme may authorise an extension of up to one year. In exceptional circumstances, a further one-year extension may be granted, subject to the conditions established by the corresponding doctoral programme. In the case of part-time doctoral candidates, an extension of two years may be authorised. In both cases, in exceptional circumstances a further one-year extension may be granted by the Doctoral School's Standing Committee, upon the submission of a reasoned application by the academic committee of the doctoral programme.

Dismissal from the doctoral programme
A doctoral candidate may be dismissed from a doctoral programme for the following reasons:

• The doctoral candidate submitting a justified application to withdraw from the programme.
• The maximum period of study and of extensions thereof ending.
• The doctoral candidate not having enrolled every academic year (unless he or she has been authorised to temporarily withdraw).
• The doctoral candidate failing two consecutive assessments.
• The doctoral candidate having disciplinary proceedings filed against him or her that rule that he or she must be dismissed from the UPC.

Dismissal from the programme implies that doctoral candidates cannot continue studying at the UPC and the closing of their academic record. This notwithstanding, they may apply to the academic committee of the programme for readmission and the committee must reevaluate them in accordance with the criteria established in the regulations.

Organization

• Mària Serrano, Maria Magdalena

• Bru Bistuer, Eduard
• Coll Lopez, Jaime
• Corbera Munne, Marta
• Gaston Guirao, Cristina
• Jover Fontanals, Cristina
• Llobet Ribeiro, Xavier
• Mària Serrano, Maria Magdalena
• Peñin Llobell, Alberto
• Ravetllat Mira, Pere Joan
• Saura Carulla, Magda

• Department of Architectural Design (PROMOTORA)

Secretary’s Office for Doctoral Programmes in Architecture
Tel.: 934 011 875
Secretariadoctorat.utgab@upc.edu

Agreements with other institutions

Other collaborations:
• Collaboration with the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Greece. Foreign. Public.
Description: exchange agreement with students from this university.
• Collaboration with the Politecnico di Milano. Milan. Foreign. Public.
Description: doctoral teaching exchange agreement.
• Collaboration with École d’Architecture de Marseille-Luminy. France. Foreign. Public.
Description: teaching agreement under the framework of Socrates/Erasmus programmes.
• Collaboration with the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaiso. Chile. Foreign. Private.
Description: collaboration in doctoral teaching and thesis supervision.
• Collaboration with the Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning at the Technical University Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Foreign. Public.
Description: follow-up with candidates’ doctoral thesis research.
• Collaboration with the Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Santa Fe. Argentina. Foreign. Public.
Description: doctoral programme teaching and student exchange.
• Collaboration with the University of São Paulo, Brazil. Foreign. Public.
Description: doctoral programme teaching and student exchange.
• Collaboration with the Architecture School at the University of Bío-Bío, Concepción, Chile. Foreign. Private.
Description: doctoral programme teaching and student exchange.
• Collaboration with the Facultad de San Carlos, at the National Autonomous University of Mexico.
Description: doctoral programme teaching and student exchange.
Collaboration with the Architecture and Urbanism Faculty, FAU-Mackenzie, at the Mackenzie Presbyterian University. São Paulo. Brazil. Private. Foreign.
Description: doctoral programme teaching and student exchange.
• Collaboration with the Faculty of Architecture, Design and Urbanism at the Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Argentina. Public. Foreign.
Description: doctoral programme teaching and student exchange.
• Collaboration with the Universidad de Concepción de Chile. Foreign. Private.
Description: doctoral programme teaching and student exchange.
• Collaboration with universities associated with the Mediterranean Cities Program.
• Collaboration. Princeton University School of Architecture. Private. Foreign.
Description: teaching exchange with the Center for Architecture, Urbanism and Infrastructures (CAUI)
• Collaboration with Tongji University. Foreign. Public.
Description: co-supervision of doctoral theses between professors from the two universities.
Collaboration with the Istanbul Bilgi University. Foreign. Private.
• Collaboration with the Istanbul Technical University. Foreign. Public.
• Collaboration with the Middle East Technical University. Foreign. Public.
• Collaboration with the Lebanese American University. Foreign. Private.
• Collaboration with the American University of Beirut. Foreign. Private.
• Collaboration with Alexandria University. Foreign. Public.
• Collaboration with the Faculty of Architecture at the University of Genoa. Foreign. Public.

Access profile

Given the scientific character of the programme in the field of architectural design, the natural pathway for admission is through official master’s programmes offered by the UPC in Design Theory and Practice, in Sustainable Intervention in the Built Environment (MISMeC) or in Advanced Studies in Architecture-Barcelona (MBArch) with specialisations in Contemporary Design (taught entirely in English); Process, Design and Programming; or Architectural Restoration and Rehabilitation, which will not require candidates to take any additional courses. The admission process to these master’s programmes already ensures that students have the backgrounds necessary to be admitted to the doctoral programme.

In addition to this academic background, certain personal characteristics are considered important, such as an interest in the research projects that are carried out in the programme, having critical and analytical abilities, having initiative, being consistent and persistent with work, being able to work well in a team and being able to communicate properly, both orally and in writing. The doctoral programme’s Postgraduate Committee will resolve any cases in which candidates exhibit peculiar characteristics.

Access requirements

Applicants must hold a Spanish bachelor’s degree or equivalent and a Spanish master’s degree or equivalent, provided they have completed a minimum of 300 ECTS credits on the two degrees (Royal Decree 43/2015, of 2 February)

In addition, the following may apply:

• Holders of an official degree awarded by a university in Spain or any other country in the European Higher Education Area, pursuant to the provisions of Article 16 of Royal Decree 1393/2007, of 29 October, which establishes official university course regulations, who have completed a minimum of 300 ECTS credits on official university degrees, of which at least 60 must be at the master's degree level.
• Holders of an official Spanish bachelor’s degree comprising at least 300 credits, as provided for by EU regulations. Holder of degrees of this kind must complete bridging courses unless the curriculum of the bachelor’s degree in question included research training credits equivalent in value to those which would be earned on a master's degree.
• Holders of an official university qualification who, having passed the entrance examination for specialised medical training, have completed at least two years of a training course leading to an official degree in a health-sciences specialisation.
• Holders of a degree issued under a foreign education system. In these cases, homologation is not required, but the UPC must verify that the degree certifies a level of training equivalent to an official Spanish master's degree and qualifies the holder for admission to doctoral studies in the country where it was issued. Admission on this basis does not imply homologation of the foreign degree or its recognition for any purpose other than admission to doctoral studies.
• Holders of a Spanish doctoral qualification issued under previous university regulations.

Note 1: Doctoral studies entrance regulations for holders of an undergraduate degree awarded before the introduction of the EHEA (CG 47/02 2014)

Note 2: Governing Council Decision 64/2014, which approves the procedure and criteria for assessing the fulfilment of academic admission requirements for doctoral studies by holders of non-homologated foreign degrees (CG 25/03 2014)

Admission criteria and merits assessment

Priority will be given to architect applicants with master’s degrees in DPA; in Advanced Studies in Architecture-Barcelona (MBArch) specialising in Process, Design and Programming, or Contemporary Design (taught exclusively in English); or in other subject areas that cover architectural design, urbanism, landscaping, the environment, technology, architectural theory, dwellings or renovation.

If candidates are considered to be underprepared, they will be required to complete bridging courses. These bridging courses may be taken at the UPC from the activities offered by current master’s programmes in the field of architecture.

Criteria for assessing merits (weighting):

• CV and academic transcript: 55%.
• Proposed research project: 20%.
• Interview and work plan: 20%.
• Languages spoken: 5%.

Training complements

The programme’s Postgraduate Committee may require candidates to pass specific bridging courses. In this case, the Committee will monitor the bridging courses and set up appropriate criteria to limit their length.

The courses shall involve training in research, but in no case will candidates be required to enrol in 60 or more ECTS credits.

Depending on the doctoral student activity report, the programme’s Academic Committee may propose measures, in addition to those established by current regulations, that would disassociate candidates who do not meet the established requisites.

Students admitted to the programme with the aforementioned official master’s degrees will not be required to take bridging courses.

For applicants holding other degrees, the Postgraduate Committee will determine, depending on the applicant’s background, which bridging courses, if any, must be taken. Students coming from master’s programmes outside of the UPC must take the number of credits established by the Postgraduate Committee in the aforementioned master’s programmes, which will be recommended by the corresponding research group.

Enrolment period for new doctoral students

In the first half of October.

More information at the registration section for new doctoral students

Enrolment period

In the first half of October.

More information at the general registration section

Procedure for the preparation and defense of the research plan

Doctoral candidates must submit a research plan, which will be included in their doctoral student activity report, before the end of the first year. The plan may be improved over the course of the doctoral degree. It must be endorsed by the tutor and the supervisor, and it must include the method that is to be followed and the aims of the research.

At least one of these annual assessments will include a public presentation and defence of the research plan and work done before a committee composed of three doctoral degree holders, which will be conducted in the manner determined by each academic committee. The examination committee awards a Pass or Fail mark. A Pass mark is a prerequisite for continuing on the doctoral programme. Doctoral candidates awarded a Fail mark must submit a new research plan for assessment by the academic committee of the doctoral programme within six months.

The committee assesses the research plan every year, in addition to all of the other activities in the doctoral student activity report. Doctoral candidates who are awarded two consecutive Fail marks for the research plan will be obliged to definitely withdraw from the programme.

If they change the subject of their thesis, they must submit a new research plan.

Formation activities

Activity: Tutorial.
Hours: 288.
Compulsory.

Activity: Courses.
Hours: 35.
Compulsory.

Activity: Seminars.
Hours: 35.
Compulsory.

Activity: Workshops.
Hours: 18.
Optional.

Activity: Research stays.
Hours: 360.
Optional.

Activity: ETSAB Library workshops.
Hours: 3.
Optional.

Activity: Conference presentations.
Hours: 24.
Optional.

Activity: Publications.
Hours: 1.
Optional.

Activity: Training in information skills.
Hours: 1.5.
Optional.

Activity: Research methodology.
Hours: 12.
Optional.

Activity: Innovation and creativity.
Hours: 8.
Optional.

Activity: Language and communication skills.
Hours: 18.
Optional.

Activity: Assessment based on doctoral student activity report (DAD) and research plan.
Hours: 4.
Compulsory.

Procedure for assignment of tutor and thesis director

The academic committee of the doctoral programme assigns a thesis supervisor to each doctoral candidate when they are admitted or enrol for the first time, taking account of the thesis supervision commitment referred to in the admission decision.

The thesis supervisor will ensure that training activities carried out by the doctoral candidate are coherent and suitable, and that the topic of the candidate’s doctoral thesis will have an impact and make a novel contribution to knowledge in the relevant field. The thesis supervisor will also guide the doctoral candidate in planning the thesis and, if necessary, tailoring it to any other projects or activities undertaken. The thesis supervisor will generally be a UPC professor or researcher who holds a doctoral degree and has documented research experience. This includes PhD-holding staff at associated schools (as determined by the Governing Council) and UPC-affiliated research institutes (in accordance with corresponding collaboration and affiliation agreements). When thesis supervisors are UPC staff members, they also act as the doctoral candidate’s tutor.

PhD holders who do not meet these criteria (as a result of their contractual relationship or the nature of the institution to which they are attached) must be approved by the UPC Doctoral School's Standing Committee in order to participate in a doctoral programme as researchers with documented research experience.

The academic committee of the doctoral programme may approve the appointment of a PhD-holding expert who is not a UPC staff member as a candidate’s thesis supervisor. In such cases, the prior authorisation of the UPC Doctoral School's Standing Committee is required. A UPC staff member who holds a doctoral degree and has documented research experience must also be proposed to act as a co-supervisor, or as the doctoral candidate’s tutor if one has not been assigned.

A thesis supervisor may step down from this role if there are justified reasons (recognised as valid by the committee) for doing so. If this occurs, the academic committee of the doctoral programme will assign the doctoral candidate a new thesis supervisor.

Provided there are justified reasons for doing so, and after hearing any relevant input from the doctoral candidate, the academic committee of the doctoral programme may assign a new thesis supervisor at any time during the period of doctoral study.

If there are academic reasons for doing so (an interdisciplinary topic, joint or international programmes, etc.) and the academic committee of the programme gives its approval, an additional thesis supervisor may be assigned. Supervisors and co-supervisors have the same responsibilities and academic recognition.

The maximum number of supervisors of a doctoral thesis is two: a supervisor and a co-supervisor.

For theses carried out under a cotutelle agreement or as part of an Industrial Doctorate, if necessary and if the agreement foresees it this maximum number of supervisors may not apply. This notwithstanding, the maximum number of supervisors belonging to the UPC is two.

More information at the PhD theses section

Permanence

The academic committee of the programme may authorise an extension of up to one year for full-time doctoral candidates who have not applied to deposit their thesis by the end of the three-year period of study, in the terms outlined in the Academic Regulations for Doctoral Studies of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. In the case of part-time candidates, an extension of two years may be authorised. In both cases, in exceptional circumstances a further one-year extension may be granted by the Doctoral School's Standing Committee, upon the submission of a reasoned application by the academic committee of the doctoral programme.

A doctoral candidate may be dismissed from a doctoral programme for the following reasons:

• The doctoral candidate submitting a justified application to withdraw from the programme.
• The maximum period of study and of extensions thereof ending.
• The doctoral candidate not having enrolled every academic year (unless he or she has been authorised to temporarily withdraw).
• The doctoral candidate failing two consecutive assessments.
• The doctoral candidate having disciplinary proceedings filed against him or her that rule that he or she must be dismissed from the UPC.

Dismissal from the programme implies that doctoral candidates cannot continue studying at the UPC and the closing of their academic record. This notwithstanding, they may apply to the academic committee of the programme for readmission and the committee must reevaluate them in accordance with the criteria established in the regulations.

International Mention

The doctoral degree certificate may include International Doctorate mention. In this case, the doctoral candidate must meet the following requirements:

a) During the period of study leading to the award of the doctoral degree, the doctoral candidate must have spent at least three months at a respected higher education institution or research centre outside Spain to complete courses or do research work. The stays and activities carried out must be endorsed by the thesis supervisor and authorised by the academic committee of the programme. The candidate must provide a certifying document issued by the person responsible for the research group of the body or bodies where the stay or activity was completed. This information will be added to the doctoral student’s activity report.
b) Part of the thesis (at least the summary and conclusions) must be written and presented in one of the languages commonly used for science communication in the relevant field of knowledge, which must not be an official language of Spain. This rule does not apply to stays and reports in Spanish or to experts from Spanish-speaking countries.
c) At least two PhD-holding experts belonging to a higher education institution or research centre outside Spain must have issued officially certified reports on the thesis.
d) The thesis examination committee must have included at least one PhD-holding expert from a higher education or research institution outside Spain who was not responsible for the candidate’s stay abroad (point a) above).
e) The thesis defence must have taken place on UPC premises or, in the case of joint programmes, at the location specified in the collaboration agreement.

List of authorized thesis for defense

• NAEIMI, TAHMINEH: Urban Park a New Typology of Built-Up Nature: Towards a New Urban Green Language for Barcelona
  
  Author: NAEIMI, TAHMINEH
  Thesis file: (contact the Doctoral School to confirm you have a valid doctoral degree and to get the link to the thesis)
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN
  Department: Department of Architectural Design (PA)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 30/11/2020
  Reading date: 19/03/2021
  Reading time: 09:00
  Reading place: Sala de Graus ETSAB - UPC Campus Sud - Av Diagonal 649
  Thesis director: GONZALEZ RAVENTOS, AQUILES | LLOBET RIBEIRO, XAVIER
  Committee:
       PRESIDENT: GAUSA NAVARRO, MANUEL
       SECRETARI: FERRER FORES, JAIME JOSE
       VOCAL: RUBERT DE VENTOS, MARIA
       VOCAL: FREDIANI I SARFATI, ARTURO
       VOCAL: MUNAR BAUZA, MARGARITA
  Thesis abstract: This thesis aims to generate a new vision for the park division and introduce a new model of parks called Urban Park. Urban Park should follow specific features and unique characteristics that made it suitable to be integrated into any urban fabric. Therefore, a study on the available groups of parks helps the thesis to compare their characteristics and facilities and formulate a complex of design principles for urban Park. It helps the study to go through formulating a flexible architectural model for Urban Park that can respond to the current and future needs of the inhabitant. This thesis is composed of three chapters that generally are studying on three periods in park design as former time, modern time, and the present time. The first chapter based on bibliographical research leads the thesis to study the concept of paradise and relates it to gardens. Historiography and itinerary review clarifies that the first signs of the park from the current vision date back to 500BC in the Persian Empire that created gardens with the concept of paradise. It clarifies that those gardens were royal and private gardens that were open to the public sporadically in local and national festivals, events, and holidays. The characteristics and elements of the Persian paradises made them a reference for the western world for centuries. Comparing and analyzing Persian gardens helped the thesis to find important and structural elements of these parks that served to illuminate those other characteristics of the contemporary urban park.The second chapter refers to modern times and begins with the first public park that broke the boundaries of the symmetrical design that had been implemented by the Persian garden model and offers a new attitude to park design. A comparison of the case studies shows the evolution of public parks to urban parks. Study and comparison of the plan of Randel for Manhattan and the plan of Cerdà for Barcelona clarify fundamental elements of the urban renewal of these two urban fabric. Moreover, analyzing the evolution of greenery in Barcelona and Manhattan, and also different techniques of redrawing Central Park and urban blocks of both cities served as fundamental references to clarify the idea of what an urban park is. Besides, it also helps the thesis to differentiate an Urban Park from a green park and enlighten the characteristics of the contemporary Urban Parks. The third and final chapter studies the present moment and tries to introduce a green pattern for the built cities. Therefore, it took as reference the two urban models of Kevin Lynch as Star model and Galaxy model. According to the purpose of the thesis and also based on the information obtained from analyzing Kevin Lynch's selected models the thesis introduced the Star-Galaxy model. The new model is containing characteristics that are the basis of the contemporary Urban Park model. Moreover, this chapter clarifies the characteristics of the modern metropolis with its relation to urban nature and select Barcelona as a reference. This chapter opens a new vision of Barcelona city with the maximum expression of the relationship between the urban fabric of metropolises and nature. It explains the characteristics of the new system of urban greenery and introduced the new Urban Park of the Plaça de Les Glòries. At the end of this tour of the parks from the Persian era to the present day transferring all the data coming out from research methodologies into a theory had been done. It can be purposed that the model being implemented in Barcelona urban fabric can be considered as a contemporary model for Urban Parks. It opens a vision to the new generation of urban greenery system and can be considered as a reference for further interventions in metropolises.
  

Last update: 27/02/2021 06:03:59.

List of lodged theses

Last update: 27/02/2021 06:03:16.

List of defended theses by year

• MAROTO SALES, JUAN: Arquitecturas para el juego del habitante emancipado. La arquitectura como dispositivo de intermediación: Lacaton y Vassal. Casa Latapie (1993), edificio de 14 viviendas en Mulhouse (2005), ENSA Nantes (2009)
  
  Author: MAROTO SALES, JUAN
  Thesis file: (contact the Doctoral School to confirm you have a valid doctoral degree and to get the link to the thesis)
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN
  Department: Department of Architectural Design (PA)
  Mode: Normal
  Reading date: 09/02/2021
  Thesis director: BRU BISTUER, EDUARDO
  

  Committee:
       PRESIDENT: GAUSA NAVARRO, MANUEL
       SECRETARI: SANTACANA JUNCOSA, AMADEO
       VOCAL: GIRONÈS SADERRA, ANTONIO
       VOCAL: GENIS VIÑALS, MARIONA
       VOCAL: FONTANA, MARIA PIA
  Thesis abstract: Miessen states, in the book `The Nightmare of Participation¿ (2010), that `participation¿ is too often observed through romantic concepts of negotiation and decision making. However, the author proceeds, it has been noted that some formulas do not generate significant results.This research¿s framework is based, fundamentally, in the turning of the inhabitant into an active agent in the architectural processes. Specifically, it tracks and highlights the positions and project practices of the French architects Anne Lacaton (1955) and Jean-Philippe Vassal (1954).The `turning of the inhabitant into an active agent¿ has a clear antecedent: during the decades that go from the 50s until the end of the 70s of the xx century (period that undoubtedly shook the discipline with the promotion of various significant displacements), the rebalancing of architect and inhabitant agencies, the dislocation of disciplinary limits, or the unlocking of excessively autonomous and determinists gazes, drew a complex scenario in which both the architecture and what is attributed to the architect were diluted into positions that had a difficult fit for the discipline. Such discipline reacted, as Rossi pointed out, reinforcing disciplinary autonomy, thus distancing it from uncomfortable, unknown, or plainly impossible places.In the contemporary scenario, once again, `participation¿, `spatial flexibility¿, `versatility¿, or other similar concepts explored during that period, reappear around the discipline.In order not to fall, yet again, into slippery territories, this research explores an intermediate stage where we can focus on 'participation', within the processes of architecture, from the perspective of 'emancipation' (Rancière): architecture as an in-between interface which conveys, mediates and promotes both knowledge of the architect and the inhabitant.This research explores how Lacaton and Vassal project architectures that are understood as a 'thing in-between'; architectures that make the deployment of the concept `freedom¿ possible, a term continuously used by them. `Freedom¿ for the (emancipated) architect to explore and propose architectures ¿professional knowledge within the framework of a non-deterministic disciplinary autonomy¿ and incorporate their intuitions, reflections and personal background; as well as `freedom¿ for the (emancipated) inhabitant in order to play, explore, discover, and implement their own knowledge. Architecture thus becomes a kind of communication tool (dialogue), through time, between the architect and the inhabitant, without impositions and, fundamentally, without resignations.After an exhaustive analysis of Lacaton and Vassal¿s works, three basic project strategies have been detected: space deregulation ¿excessively regulated space, in multiple dimensions, heir to modernity¿, biodynamic skin ¿the active relationship between inhabitant, architecture and the environment¿, and, unlocking the support ¿allowing, for a community of inhabitants, to reconfigure a finished as well as open architecture. Each one of these strategies is deployed by a set of project techniques that are explored and contextualized with the aim of giving this research an operational nature.This thesis focuses on three works by Lacaton and Vassal in which the following strategies are implemented: the Latapie House (1993), the 14-dwelling building in Mulhouse (2005), and the Nantes School of Architecture (2009). Architectures that become `relational¿, `performative¿, and operate in and from everyday life. "Inhabited space should be generous, comfortable, appropriable, economical, fluid, flexible, bright, evolving and 'luxurious', while allowing for the simplest uses: eating, working, resting, isolating, welcoming and receiving friends, hang clothes, play music, do DIY, park your bicycle, car or watch orchids grow¿. Lacaton y Vassal, 2016
  

Last update: 27/02/2021 06:02:46.

Research groups

• AR.I.EN-Architecture, Industry and Engineering
• CERCLE-Architecture Circle
• FORM+-Research Group FORM+
• GIRAS-Research Group on Architecture: Project, Territory and Society
• HABITAR-Research Group
• REARQ-Rehabilitation and Architectural Restoration

Teachers

• Bardi Mila, Berta
• Bru Bistuer, Eduard
• Coll Lopez, Jaime
• Curos Vila, Joan
• Dominguez Moreno, Lluís Àngel
• Fernandez Salas, Elena
• Ferrer Fores, Jaime Jose
• Fuertes Perez, Pere
• Garcia Escudero, Daniel
• Gaston Guirao, Cristina
• Jover Fontanals, Cristina
• Linares Soler, Alfredo
• Llobet Ribeiro, Xavier
• Mària Serrano, Maria Magdalena
• Monteys Roig, Xavier
• Peñin Llobell, Alberto
• Ravetllat Mira, Pere Joan
• Salvado Aragones, Nuria
• Sauquet Llonch, Roger Joan
• Saura Carulla, Magda
• Solaguren-Beascoa de Corral, Felix
• Valor Montero, Jaume

• Armesto Aira, Antonio
• Callis Freixas, Eduard
• Domenech Rodriguez, Marta
• Flores Magrane, Ricard
• Garriga Gimeno, Queralt
• Gonzalez Raventos, Aquiles
• Grau Valldosera, Ferran
• Jimenez Gomez, Eva
• Linares de la Torre, Oscar
• Lopez Alonso, Ignacio
• Marcos Padros, Carlos
• Masip Bosch, Enric
• Muntañola Thornberg, Josep
• Musquera Felip, Silvia
• Partida Muñoz, Mara
• Ros Ballesteros, Jordi
• Santacana Juncosa, Amadeo
• Steegmann Mangrane, David
• Tarrega Klein, Monica
• Uson Guardiola, Ezequiel
• Vancells Guerin, Xavier