Discourse/Design Production in Architectural Research: Addressing the Issue of Environmental Performance

The issue aims to document the outcome of the optional course “Forms of theoretical discourse in architectural design research” held in the academic years 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 (spring semester) in the context of the PhD Program in Architecture, Urban, and Interior Design (AUID), Department of Architecture and Urban Studies, Politecnico di Milano. It centers around the research papers delivered by the PhD candidates, which address and critically discuss the work of 19 architects/authors that spans from the Modern Movement to today. The papers place a particular emphasis on the ways this crosses over between criticism and speculation, theory and practice in order to address the issue of environmental performance in architecture. In support of the case study analysis, an indicative reading list was provided, articulated into five sections: environmental histories; materiality; metaphor; representation; skins, membranes, and filters. Readings were short theoretical works – research articles, book chapters or design manifestos – from the contemporary architecture literature with the aim to explore the potential of the essay – following its definition from Old French essai which stands for trial – to test and generate new theoretical frameworks which may serve as the basis for future research undertakings.