In the final semester of the professional degree programs, the School of Architecture offers several courses that relate to research areas prioritized by faculty, students, and the profession. Each Directed Research course involves students in a collaborative design project and requires student initiative, a willingness to take risks, and an advanced skill set. Course format and output varies depending on the type of research undertaken. The aim of the Directed Research courses is to culminate—with maximum quality, intensity, flexibility and diversity—the aspirations of the B.Arch and M.Arch curricula (including design, design research, technical knowledge, history, theory, critical/creative thinking, and political and cultural awareness) in ways that prepare students for careers in the evolving and increasingly specialized, collaborative, and multi-faceted field of architecture.
Graduating students completing Directed Research are eligible for awards: the Dean’s Citations for Excellence, Citations for Excellence and the James A. Britton Memorial Awards, which acknowledge the accomplishments of graduate and undergraduate students in their final year.
Awards were determined by Invited Guest Jurors, Faculty, and members of the Advisory Board, who evaluated student projects and submitted ranked ballots. Dean Michael Speaks announced the winners on May 10, 2025 at the School of Architecture Convocation.
James A. Britton Memorial Awards
First Prize
Second Prize
Dean’s Citations for Excellence in Design Research
- Zhirun Huang & Weixia Luo
- Aidan R. Turner
- Jayden Schexnayder
- Isabela Restrepo
- Jing An, Yea Ji (Hannah) Kang & Anyang Zu
Citations for Excellence in Design Research
- Sansiri Saensopa
- Yifan (Ivan) Shen
- Rebecca Goetzke
- Qianzhen Li & Victoria Vardanyan
- Ruohan Jiang & Douglas Pusey
- Jazlynn Wohlers
- Aryan Ambani, Isabella Klug, Katherine Edwards & Maureen Ferguson
- Tairan Fang & Linqing Lao
- Matthew Gilbert
- Jiwei Wang & Huilin Wu
- Zhaoyi Wang
- Annika Amor
- David J. Anderson, Evelyn Broughton, Silvia Diaz & Sarah Cawley
