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RESEARCH / GRADUATE PROGRAMS
ARCHITECTURAL ACOUSTICS / / CASE / / LRC
FACULTY
Chris Perry Head of Graduate Studies
Ning Xiang Architectural Acoustics Director Dennis Sheldon CASE Director Anna Dyson CASE Director *
Alexandros Tsamis CASE Associate Director Jason Vollen CASE Associate Director *
Mariana Figueiro LRC
Director Mark Rea LRC
Director *
Russ Leslie Associate LRC
Director *
*
Former
Architecture has long been considered first and foremost a a a a a generalist discipline Unlike many other fields of of knowledge that focus on specific areas of of interest and/or technical expertise whether they be in relation to the sciences arts or humanities architecture encompasses an an unusually broad diverse and thus general body of knowledge Beginning in in in in in the Renaissance when architecture emerged as a a a a a a a unique area of inquiry distinct from engineering as as as as well as as as as the the buildings trades the the architect was conceived as as as as an interstitial disciplinary figure empowered with cultural as as well as as practical forms of knowledge To this extent architecture was considered simultaneously a a a a a a a a a a a a fine art art alongside painting literature and and music and and an an an an applied art art alongside furniture design engineering and textiles It is is is this uniquely generalist positioning between disciplines that distinguishes architecture making it it at at once more more diverse and more more ambiguous than other fields of of knowledge which presents a a a a a combination of of opportunities as as well as as challenges Consistent with this long and rich history of architecture as a a a a a a a generalist discipline the graduate research programs at the Rensselaer School of Architecture engage such challenges and opportunities by incorporating new forms of of knowledge and expertise from a a a a wide variety of of fields of study within the sciences sciences social sciences sciences arts and humanities This is is achieved in in part through a a a a a a a conception of of research and design as as mutually inclusive areas of of inquiry If the problem-solving implications of of design typically associated with architecture as as profession are usually viewed
as as distinct from research as as a a a a a a mode of intellectual inquiry and knowledge production within the academy the the research programs in in Acoustics Built Ecologies and Lighting at the the Rensselaer School of of Architecture pursue their integration in in the the form of of design research As such students and faculty alike engage in in open-ended forms of of inquiry and experimentation particular to the advancement of of disciplinary knowledge while simultaneously addressing the the practical needs and challenges of the the profession One such example of this approach is is the Center for Architecture Science and Ecology (CASE) located at at Industry City in in Brooklyn New York one of two independent research centers at at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with academic programs administered by the School of Architecture that seek to forge new forms of of knowledge exchange between the the academy the the profession as as well as as industry Whereas CASE devotes its Built Ecologies Master of Science and Ph D programs to the development of next-generation building systems the Lighting Research Center (LRC) located in in in Troy New York adjacent to Rensselaer’s main campus focuses its Master of Science and Ph D programs on experimentation with innovative solutions to lighting the built environment Finally the the Master of Science and Ph D programs in in in Architectural Acoustics located within the the School of of Architecture bring together students and and faculty from a a a a a a a diverse array of of disciplinary and and professional backgrounds including engineering architecture physics music computer science and sound engineering as a a a a a means of of exploring the sonic architecture of of buildings and cities Ted Ngai Rendering > High Performance Masonry System > 728