Academic / Practice Partnership — Developing Responsive Architecture

Academic entities have the ability to assemble resources and form ‘local labs’ able to creatively address complex technical problems. This paper describes academic partnerships with professional practice that offer responsive materials design expertise not available in many architectural firms. These projects are funded by grants, gifts, and consultation mechanisms with architectural firms during the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) and the Request for Proposals (RFP) phase in competitive design solicitations. The RFQ and the RFP mechanisms are high-value low-risk means for architectural firms to add research and development capabilities to their project team. Examples are given of two collaborative projects that have brought practice-based research to the architectural office and brought practical experience to students.