MANDATE

Intersecting epistemological thinking, professional and educational issues, the research chair in architecture dedicated to the study of practices in the design of built environments, emphasising on the analysis of competitions, both across Canada and internationally. The first research mandate is the identification of issues, questions and significant transformations in architecture, emphasizing new forms of reflexivity, of critical thinking and innovative strategies, all considered as indicators revealing advancement in contemporary architecture. A first direction for the program develops research projects on competitions by analyzing more specifically the practices of qualitative judgment and collective wisdom, as well as observable methods of experimentation and innovation in particular situations of public procurement. Competitions in architecture are generally compared with related practices, such as landscape design, urban planning and industrial design. A second research direction studies the role of analogical reasoning, as well as different ways of modelling architectural space, without necessarily restricting observations relating to competitions. Where these two directions intersect, designed as a direct input to the scientific program of the Laboratoire d’étude de l’architecture potentielle (L.E.A.P), the Research Chair on competitions and contemporary practices aims to contribute to the understanding of production and transfer of knowledge in architecture.

SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE

• Anne Cormier, Director of the School of Architecture
• Georges Adamczyk, co-director of the LEAP
• Representative of the Bureau Recherche Développement Valorisation (BRDV)
• Joris Van Wezemael, external researcher (Geography, University of Fribourg, Switzerland)
• Fabiano Sobreira, external researcher (Architect, Parliament of Brazil, Brasilia, Brazil)

EVALUATION COMMITTEE

• Vice-President of Research of the Université de Montréal
• Dean of the Faculté de l’Aménagement
• Director of the École d'Architecture
• Vice-Dean of Research
• Representatives of the Bureau Recherche Développement Valorisation (BRDV)