Research
Designing a sustainable future through research
Designing a sustainable future through research
Building upon architecture's role as a shaper of community living and a conveyor of lasting values, faculty research, scholarship, and creative endeavor at the Notre Dame School of Architecture goes beyond traditional research. Our faculty and students delve deep into impactful studies and projects to address the urgent challenges of today while carving a path for a brighter tomorrow.
In 2024 the School of Architecture embarked on a significant effort to expand its research profile. This academic year, the School submitted 26 research grant proposals, nine of which were fully funded, equalling 35 percent of its requests. The total grants sought amounted to $5.2 million, which is twice as much as the proposals made the previous academic year.
Current awards enabled the following: Associate Professor Alessandro Pierratini's design research at the ancient site of Isthmia in Greece, where he has been newly appointed as director of archeological excavations; Professor of the Practice Paolo Vitti's archeological and architectural research at Hadrian's Tomb, commonly known as Castel Sant'Angelo, one of the most distinguished ancient monuments of Rome; Associate Professor and Associate Dean of Research, Scholarship and Creative Work Ming Hu's National Science Foundation award that focused on cost-saving energy solutions for Americans living in older homes. This BUILT2AFFORD initiative was a collaboration among professors in the School of Architecture, the College of Engineering, the Lucy Family Institute for Data & Society and the Fitzgerald Institute for Real Estate. In addition, Hu will release a book Embodied Carbon - Carbon Justice in the Built Environment, slated to be published in July 2025; Associate Professor Krupali Krusche's continued digital documentation of the Vatican Belvedere, accomplished by earning the prestigious Rome Prize for 2025; Associate Professor Richard Economakis' completion his book Effigies in Stone: The Origin of Greek Architecture in 'Prop-And-Brace' Construction, due in print in 2026; and Associate Professor Paul Kapp's research for his book, Popular Iconoclasm in the Public Square, the result of winning a Guggenheim Fellowship. This book is also due in print in 2026.
The School of Architecture will be directing its future research activities to partner in various University initiatives, as proposed in the University's Strategic Plan.
Research that Builds a Better World
As part of the University of Notre Dame's greater research focus, our architectural research includes documenting World Heritage Sites, such as the Taj Mahal and the Roman Forum, to understand the implications of the design of the built environment on mental and physical health.
Our faculty research aligns with Notre Dame Research's aims of benefiting the common good of all by combining time-tested techniques with available technology. Our ultimate goal: Building a future at once more humane, functional, sustainable, and beautiful.
- $1.17 million awarded in 2023-24
- 65 peer-reviewed papers and publications in 2023-24
- 100+ international conference presentations since 2022
- 300 sites visited by students for research around the world
