Abstract:

There are two main research currents in architecture: ex post current concerned with the existing architecture and ex ante current referring to the architecture-to-be (to be built in the future). The second current includes research in the scope of generative typology where new hypothetical types are formulated on the basis of well-known types of building development. Such new types require verification, for instance by attempting the creation of architectural designs on their basis and the evaluation of such attempts.

For several years the Department of Architectural Design at the Faculty of Architecture at the Silesian University of Technology in Gliwice has been doing research with the application of heuristic methods aiming at the formulation of new, unknown in theory and practice, architectural types of residential housing as well as residential and commercial buildings. As a result of this research, at the end of 2014 twelve new types of residential and commercial buildings of specific complex spatial structure were determined. These types were recorded in a graphic and descriptive form. In February 2015 the students of the 4th year at the Faculty of Architecture were assigned to a task of developing architectural designs corresponding to particular types. The designs were completed and assessed in June 2015. The evaluation confirmed the qualities of individual types making it possible at the same time to define their regularities and limitations. The participation of students in the research process speeded up the whole process and produced excellent didactic effects. The innovative character of topics and lack of well-tried solution patterns only motivated the students to an exceptional involvement, great effort and creative thinking.

Keywords:

Students’ designs, research process, generative typology, types of building.