OLIVER HOUCHELL

MEng Masters in Engineering & Architectural Design Programme, UCL

Engineering & Architectural Design Dissertation

The Dissertation Module in Year 4 of UCL’s Masters in Engineering & Architectural Design Programme enables students to further shape their integrated design research skills by engaging in the development and delivery of an independent research project.

Stimulating the development of critical analytical and evidence-based writing skills students take initiative, plan and organise their own programme of research driven by originality, creativity, independence and self-reliance. The research is technical by nature and can involve surveying, monitoring, field study, modelling, the conducting of experiments and simulations both in the lab and in the field, or developing new analytical, numerical or fabrication tools.

The research carried out through the Engineering & Architectural Design Dissertation equips students with the skills, knowledge and aptitude to critically examine their final year design proposal to determine the key technical issues involved, to research these and integrate the research into their creative design process. Whilst a connection between the Dissertation module and Design Practice 3 is only optional, the use of novel research findings has the potential to greatly enhance the development of students’ graduating year design projects.

Dissertation Supervision: 2023 - present

Students: Aya Souleimani; Joanna Lai; Madeleine Lee; Jun Sakamoto; Adam Ekin; Gabriela Nycz.

Primary Supervisor: Oliver Houchell

Secondary Supervisors: Ben Croxford; Dina D’Ayala; Nick Tyler; Philippe Duffour; Francesco Aletta; Matthew Coop.