Texas Tech University

Architecture Research & Design Center (ARDC)

The Architecture Research & Design Center (ARDC) was created in 1993 to meet the research objectives of the Huckabee College of Architecture. The Research Committee of the college is responsible for strategic planning and faculty guidance of the ARDC.

The ARDC has individualized laboratories that direct research, design, service, and scholarly activity in the three specialized areas of study in the Master of Science in Architecture program and offers a dedicated facility for the performance of research, design, and service activities. The ARDC provides equipment and administrative support for each of the labs and for general access by the faculty of architecture.

Mission Statement

The ARDC advances, catalyzes, and supports faculty research and design endeavors that support and align with the HCOA's core purpose and values, in order to help the College establish its standing and competitiveness within the discipline and profession.

Vision Statement

The ARDC supports and helps foster research, scholarship, creative and engagement activity that serves the global community involving stakeholders within the HCOA, TTU, and external contributors.

Goal 1: Increase the HCOA's research, creative and engagement activity visibility

Strategies:

  • Identify and categorize each faculty member's research agendas and potential contributions to the ARDC mission
  • Collaborate with TTU Office of Research and Innovation, TTU Office of Research Services, the HCOA's Marketing team, and the TTU Innovation Hub to highlight and display work done by HCOA Faculty
  • Strengthen use of broadcasting methods and medias to widen the dissemination and awareness of the HCOA's research agendas.

Assessment:

  • Faculty research visibility will be increased by the creation and distribution of the ARDC newsletters
  • The ARDC will establish brownbag sessions for faculty to present their research, creative or engagement activities to the HCOA Community.
  • ADR will meet with new tenure-track faculty to workshop and share research statements and strategies.
  • Each faculty member will meet with the Office of Research Services grant specialist assigned to architecture in order to identify grant opportunities through ORS database.

Goal 2: Increase external funding

Strategies:

  • Identify faculty with established or developing research agendas likely to garner funding
  • Identify funding opportunities and distribute information on a regular schedule
  • Arrange meetings between those faculty and the ORS grant specialist to help invigorate grant proposal writing.
  • Encourage grant success of faculty by consulting with TTU VPR office and other programs to determine ways to increase grant success rates.
  • Identify areas where potential research opportunities are lacking or missing in the HCOA
  • Align efforts with HCOA faculty to identify potential funding opportunities

Assessment:

  • Faculty grant proposals will increase by 50% within the next 3 years.

Goal 3: Establish Interdisciplinary teaching and research collaborations with other disciplines

Strategies:

  • Identify HCOA faculty with research and teaching interests that are possibly interdisciplinary
  • Raise awareness of potential collaborations with other disciplines and provide samples of peer institution interdisciplinary collaborations

Assessment:

  • Interdisciplinary collaborations will be identified within 1 year with faculty whose research allows it
  • Establish interdisciplinary collaborations over the next 3 years

Goals 4: Establish partnerships between the academy, practice and the larger community.

Strategies:

  • Identify HCOA faculty whose research and/or teaching overlap areas in architectural practice
  • Identify and establish connections with firms that have mutual interests with HCOA faculty
  • Propose research and/or teaching partnerships of HCOA faculty with firms that indicate interest and provide external funding support

Assessment:

  • HCOA faculty will establish ongoing partnerships with the profession or other appropriate agencies during the next 3 years

ARDC Policies

Research and Travel

Limited funding is available to support faculty research and conference/research travel. Faculty who seek funding must complete the form and return it to the Associate Dean for Research who will submit it to the Faculty Grant Application Review Committee. Support for international travel is available from the TTU Alumni Association.

Equipment

The ARDC has the following equipment available for faculty use: Leica HDS 3000 (3D scanner); Leica Scan Station C10 (3D scanner); Global Positioning System (GPS) Survey Equipment; Trimble survey grade GPS; Optical Total Station (Survey Equipment); The Creaform handheld 3D Scanner; The FLIR Infrared Camera; The ground penetrating radar system.

Annual Reports

2020