Synergies: Building Collaborations in Architectural Research
Guest Editors: Urs Hirschberg, Sophia Meeres, Milena Stavrić
A defining feature of architecture is its multidisciplinary nature—whether in design, practice, or research. In architectural design, many different fields of knowledge must be considered. In building practice, many teams of specialists are involved in any sizable project. Architectural research, which, according to Jeremy Till, must address an “expanded field,” is obviously multidisciplinary as well. For none of the pressing questions facing architecture today, a single discipline can provide sufficient answers. Faced with the challenges of the future, one thing is clear: we cannot do it alone. We, as individuals—or as architects or architectural researchers––we need to reach out. We need to join forces with other disciplines, other kinds of expertise, other points of view. Yet the added value of multidisciplinary efforts isn’t guaranteed. Sometimes it is even the opposite. In variation of a popular saying one might quip that sometimes “a camel is a horse, designed by a multidisciplinary team.” We have all been there. Finding common ground, working together productively and towards common goals, creating synergies is not easy. And yet, when synergies arise, they make every effort worthwhile.
GAM.22 is looking for positive examples of synergies not only between academia and building practice, but also between different disciplines of research: architects teaming up with material scientists to develop carbon neutral building materials, multidisciplinary teams that come up with novel construction methods, new ways of recycling, of using digital technology, of integrating biological processes into architectural proposals, or other innovative interdisciplinary approaches in dealing with the complexities of our environment and in improving our buildings, cities and regions, or more generally, the landscapes we live in. We are also looking for built examples of such synergies: projects that can be seen as applied research, that demonstrate the value of multidisciplinary research, that provide fresh ideas and the positive, inspiring energy only synergies can provide. In other words: a bit of hope and some joy, at a time when we really need it.
Abstracts on the topic “Synergies” can be submitted together with a short biography until June 10th, 2025 to gam@tugraz.at. The submission deadline for the final contribution is September 15th, 2025.