research and innovation

The Research & Innovation (R&I) team of archipelago is active in four areas: sustainability, economy, programming, and user experience.

We follow developments on the move, detect original ideas, and explore new ways of integrating research into architectural projects. Our R&I team offers solutions that are truly integrated into the design process, not preconceived ‘recipes’. Thanks to a transversal approach within our organization, we maintain a balance between research and practice: a stimulating exercise which, in the end, nourishes both approaches.

Performance-Based Design

The conceptual phase of a project is crucial. Decisions taken upstream will have maximum impact. R&I ensures that optimal material and energy usage, programme adaptability, and desired comfort levels for end users are all fully integrated into the architectural concept.

There are three tools we commonly use to share our knowledge with the archipelago teams.
The academy (for collegiate presentations),
info‑sessions (for specific presentations), and
software tools (for dynamic energy and daylight simulations, acoustic simulations, and calculating the environmental impact of materials and buildings).

Evidence-Based Design

Well-being is our main ambition. Whether it is a healthcare setting, a workplace, a school or a nursing home, our projects are at the service of those who live there. We analyse the uses of each specific project over the longest term possible, in order to explore the full potential of a programme and create a truly sustainable vision.

At the start of the design process, R&I sets up
scenarios to anticipate the different ways in which people can approach a project.
Through co-creation and interview processes , we collect information about end-user spatial experiences and pass it on to our studios through continuously updated internal checklists and publications.

collaboration

As part of its commitment to knowledge sharing, R&I plays an active role in various internal and
external research projects and in several advisory committees . The involvement of colleagues as researchers or guest speakers constitutes a privileged link with the academic world , promoting the development and presentation of new ideas. We also support applied research through the mandates of the VLAIO Baekeland which funds doctoral research.

Through these collaborations, we benefit from valuable feedback. We use this feedback to continually refine our design method – all part of creating a contextual architecture, sensitive to both people and the environment, and geared towards a sustainable future.