Research through, into, and for design: using Frayling’s framework to explore architecture students’ design research methodologies

This study examined design research methods used by Master of Architecture II (M.Arch II) students at Yale School of Architecture. Design research is a requirement of the M.Arch II curriculum and intended for students “who are interested in pursuing cross-disciplinary design research that will expand their understanding of how the designed environment—interiors, buildings, cities and landscapes—is shaped by the intersection of broad cultural, political, economic, technical and environmental forces.” (“M.Arch II Post-Professional Design Research,” Yale School of Architecture, accessed January 9, 2025, https://www.architecture.yale.edu/academics/programs/2-m-arch .) The program culminates in a design research project that is flexible and corresponds with their individual interests. While the term “design research” appears in both library and architectural literature, arriving at a singular definition for this type of work is challenging, especially when distinguishing it from other methodologies, because there is no clear consensus. This ambiguity prompted two key research questions: What design research methodologies are M.Arch II students applying in their theses at the Yale School of Architecture? How do M.Arch II students define their research methodologies within the context of their work? The author examined these questions by analysing the 2022–2024 M.Arch II theses through deductive content analysis (Kimberly A. Neuendorf in The Content Analysis Guidebook defines content analysis as “the systematic, objective, quantitative analysis of message characteristics.” (1). While content analysis is often applied to textual analysis, in this case, the author is applying Neuendorf’s definition that can be conducted on written text, visual images, etc. Kimberly A. Neuendorf, The Content Analysis Guidebook ., Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc, 2017. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781071873045 .) with the goal of identifying library support models for design research.