Call for PhD Applicants

PhD Programme at the Architecture and Sustainable Design Pillar / Singapore University of Technology and Design

The PhD programme at the Architecture and Sustainable Design Pillar (ASD) / Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) aims for highly creative and motivated individuals who wish to engage in intensive research and scholarship related to the built environment. The programme covers a broad range of subjects and represents the cutting edge of design investigation. Based on a multidisciplinary approach, it covers areas such as architecture, design technology, urban design, urban planning, and environmental studies, providing rich opportunities for diverse approaches of investigation. The programme is composed of researchers and scholars whose areas of expertise and study are closely related to the various academic curricula offered at SUTD.

Research in Data-driven tools for early design decision-making

Decarbonisation, Demographic changes and Digitalisation (3 D’s) are some of the main challenges in the built environment. The following topics embed these challenges in a Design Thinking and Innovation framework (4 D’s). They target specific areas, but shall remain connected to all four areas. This research is related to an ongoing research project at the SUTD-MIT International Design Centre and has been awarded with the Arup Global Research Challenge in 2019. The research has been extended to a formal collaboration between SUTD and Arup. It was further selected to be on display in the Singapore Pavilion at the 2020 Venice Architecture Biennale.

Digitalisation / Data-driven tools for early design decision-making

– Predictive mathematical models based on existing buildings

– Machine learning to automate the data-input of existing buildings

– The use of data in contemporary design practice

Other areas touched upon include ‘Demographic changes / Regenerative buildings’ with possible study areas in ‘Flexibility in building components and assembly’, ‘Data-driven allocation and assembly of flexible building components’, ‘Contemporary design practice with Open Building concepts’ and the ‘Decarbonisation / Renewable Materials’ with study areas in ‘Hybrid renewable materials on the building scale’, ‘Hybrid renewable materials on the component scale’, ‘Hybrid construction and composite material systems with tropical timber’, ‘Tropical timber for construction applications’, and ‘Contemporary design practice with renewable materials’.

General Information

The Architecture and Sustainable Design pillar at Singapore University of Technology and Design is looking for applicants to its PhD programme. The programme was established in 2012 and has been able to offer up to six full-time scholarships each year. Areas of research include

• Computation pertaining to the description, generation, and, construction of architecture
• Innovative city design and development
• Technology on the intersection of sustainability and design practice
• Historical, theoretical, and critical approaches to architectural design
• Environmental policy and planning

Interested applicants should have a degree from a relevant field such as architecture or engineering. For specialised areas applicants from computer science, mathematics and so forth are highly encouraged. SUTD provides a truly inter-disciplinary research environment. Respective PhD research could be co-advised by faculty from different areas of specialisation.

More information on the PhD programme can be found at

https://asd.sutd.edu.sg/phd-programme/

Past and present PhD research is listed at

https://asd.sutd.edu.sg/people/phd-students/

For detailed information on the application process, please check

https://sutd.edu.sg/Admissions/Graduate/PhD-Programmes/SUTD-PhD-Programme

You can email to us at michael_budig@sutd.edu.sg if you have further inquiries.