Arch Tech Dissertation Ideas

richardburke91

Hi there, I'm just about to go into my third year of an Arch Tech Degree and we have been give our topic for the Dissertation.

'Dissertations this year will focus on the broad agenda of Sociable Housing.

By this we mean a move away from current, centralised housing models to a more local and communal vision that has the ability to improve personal and family wellbeing.

A key consideration is ‘how to make more of communal resources and shared ownership models.’

I feel this is more for social aspects or financial aspects than the nuts and bolts of what we should be dealing with :mad:

I was just wondering if anyone anyone agrees with me or am i raving mad??
And any suggestion for alternatives would be very welcome

Muchas Gracias

sinnerboy

Why do public open spaces in suburban housing developments feel like they belong to everyone and therefore no one. Do kids usually play in these "fields" ? Or is it inevitable that they are used only for
1. annual illegal bonfires at Halloween
2. weekend evening use by teenagers ( kn*****er - drinking)
3. community dogs toilets.

Why are the spaces not developed by the local authorities into designed parkways? Or must this only happen in the aftermath of a national tragedy

sinnerboy

richardburke91 wrote: »

I feel this is more for social aspects or financial aspects than the nuts and bolts of what we should be dealing with :mad:

If you mean you wish to focus on learning how to design and build housing units well , I understand that. People and society needs more than that. Why does that not engage you too ?

richardburke91

that is interesting but having looked at other Arch Tech dissertation works, its clear that they are far more technologically mind. I'm working part time in a practise and the questions that this dissertation is posing have not been asked of me.
Also am i not right in thinking that with your dissertation is a blank page for the student to work with, therefore shouldnt be narrowed down to the tutors choice?

sinnerboy

richardburke91 wrote: »

that is interesting but having looked at other Arch Tech dissertation works, its clear that they are far more technologically mind. I'm working part time in a practise and the questions that this dissertation is posing have not been asked of me.
Also am i not right in thinking that with your dissertation is a blank page for the student to work with, therefore shouldnt be narrowed down to the tutors choice?

When you do find work in a normalized economic situation you may find that you literally spend months working on an internal doors schedule. Or curtain walling elevations. Or snagging works. College is a fantastic time to expand your horizons and learn and not simply "produce". What your workplace now is requiring of you should not be a guiding principle.

What latitude you have with this task I can't possibly say and you need guidance from your tutor there.

Just open your mind and embrace what it appears to be offering you - as far as I can see anyway. You may be surprised. You may enjoy it.

richardburke91

I find that the opposite has happened. Although I am aware I maybe showing a vituperative attitude towards the topic area, I cant help feel that this is more channelled learning rather than letting us discover and learn through our own discover. I'm looking at work, especially from DIT students where they are being allowed to research cutting edge techniques and technology, and while it may seem that its a broad spectrum of scope to work in, the follow notes from the tutor has clearly honed in on the financing of these models

sinnerboy

How do we finance social housing? Well you cannot help what does and does not inspire you but that for sure is a big question . Your tutor or course is best placed to clarify his or her texts.

Supertech

richardburke91 wrote: »

Hi there, I'm just about to go into my third year of an Arch Tech Degree and we have been give our topic for the Dissertation.

'Dissertations this year will focus on the broad agenda of Sociable Housing.

By this we mean a move away from current, centralised housing models to a more local and communal vision that has the ability to improve personal and family wellbeing.

A key consideration is ‘how to make more of communal resources and shared ownership models.’

I feel this is more for social aspects or financial aspects than the nuts and bolts of what we should be dealing with :mad:

I was just wondering if anyone anyone agrees with me or am i raving mad??
And any suggestion for alternatives would be very welcome

Muchas Gracias

I'd tend to agree with you alright OP. Seems a very generalised topic for an Architectural Technology dissertation, and in my experience the number of times that this sort of question would be relevant in practice would be very small indeed. I'd have thought that a 3rd year AT dissertation should focus more on building fabric and performance, and developing the basic technical skills required of a technologist, rather than something as far removed from the realm of technology as social housing, but as has been said, your tutor is best placed to expand on this proposal.

sinnerboy

Supertech wrote: »

I'd tend to agree with you alright OP. Seems a very generalised topic for an Architectural Technology dissertation, and in my experience the number of times that this sort of question would be relevant in practice would be very small indeed. I'd have thought that a 3rd year AT dissertation should focus more on building fabric and performance, and developing the basic technical skills required of a technologist, rather than something as far removed from the realm of technology as social housing, but as has been said, your tutor is best placed to expand on this proposal.

And thus the profession limits itself. Shame.