Mapping the creative context of architects.
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TextDescription: 286 pISBN: 0599974494Subject(s): Architecture | Psychology, General | 0729 | 0621Dissertation note: Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of California, Irvine, 2000. Summary: “Mapping the Creative Context of Architects” attempts to expand understanding of the phenomenon of creativity by applying a broadly exploratory, theoretically generative contextual research approach to the practice of architectural design.Summary: The project is based on two principal theses: (1) architectural designs are inherently creative, i.e. both unique and functional; and (2) the context within which an architect lives and works affects his/her creativity. The project proposes that the context within which architectural design is pursued can be usefully conceptualized to include personal, formal social (organizational), informal social, physical environment, and process/situational subcontexts (Clitheroe, Stokols, & Zmuidzinas, 1998). A related question asks whether the number of design awards won by an organization is an accurate reflection of the quality of the organization's design, i.e. creativity.Summary: The project included six steps. (1) The field of creativity, contextual research approaches, and the profession of architecture were reviewed and the project defined. (2) An Expert Panel identified contextual factors that might affect architectural creativity. (3) A Focus Group then prioritized these factors, and made other pertinent suggestions. (4) A “Context Survey” asked a random sample of architects in Orange County, California to indicate their opinions about the relative importance of various items to producing quality architectural design. Architects were also asked to provide information about other potentially relevant personal, organizational and social factors. (5) An “Evaluation Survey” asking another randomly selected group of Orange County architects to rate the design quality of organizations represented in the project also was developed and mailed. (6) The project concluded with data analysis and the reporting of results, including development of path diagram models describing contextual predictors of ‘design quality’ and ‘design awards.’Summary: The results of this study suggest: (1) a definitional expansion of the field of creativity; (2) contextual factors that may contribute to improved performance of architectural design tasks; (3) development of an objective, externally valid measure of architectural creativity; and (4) an exploratory research approach that may be applicable to other contexts. It is hoped and intended that this research will encourage exploration of factors affecting creativity in other contexts that share basic definitional attributes with architecture.
Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 61-10, Section: A, page: 3799.
Chair: Daniel Stokols.
Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of California, Irvine, 2000.
“Mapping the Creative Context of Architects” attempts to expand understanding of the phenomenon of creativity by applying a broadly exploratory, theoretically generative contextual research approach to the practice of architectural design.
The project is based on two principal theses: (1) architectural designs are inherently creative, i.e. both unique and functional; and (2) the context within which an architect lives and works affects his/her creativity. The project proposes that the context within which architectural design is pursued can be usefully conceptualized to include personal, formal social (organizational), informal social, physical environment, and process/situational subcontexts (Clitheroe, Stokols, & Zmuidzinas, 1998). A related question asks whether the number of design awards won by an organization is an accurate reflection of the quality of the organization's design, i.e. creativity.
The project included six steps. (1) The field of creativity, contextual research approaches, and the profession of architecture were reviewed and the project defined. (2) An Expert Panel identified contextual factors that might affect architectural creativity. (3) A Focus Group then prioritized these factors, and made other pertinent suggestions. (4) A “Context Survey” asked a random sample of architects in Orange County, California to indicate their opinions about the relative importance of various items to producing quality architectural design. Architects were also asked to provide information about other potentially relevant personal, organizational and social factors. (5) An “Evaluation Survey” asking another randomly selected group of Orange County architects to rate the design quality of organizations represented in the project also was developed and mailed. (6) The project concluded with data analysis and the reporting of results, including development of path diagram models describing contextual predictors of ‘design quality’ and ‘design awards.’
The results of this study suggest: (1) a definitional expansion of the field of creativity; (2) contextual factors that may contribute to improved performance of architectural design tasks; (3) development of an objective, externally valid measure of architectural creativity; and (4) an exploratory research approach that may be applicable to other contexts. It is hoped and intended that this research will encourage exploration of factors affecting creativity in other contexts that share basic definitional attributes with architecture.
School code: 0030.
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