Writing an original research paper is challenging; it requires the interest, ideas, and capacity to do independent
research. A design theory research paper poses an original topic and idea related to art, architecture, and/or
industrial design. Your research paper should be about an artist, industrial designer, architect, artwork,
sculpture, building, product, car, industrial/commercial object, furniture, architecture, or urban environment. It
should take as a point of departure either the study of a renowned artist, designer, architect and/or design
thinker and propose an investigation of ideas and works related to this person or person(s). The choice to
study
an artist, designer, architect and/or their work will focus the ideas surrounding your investigation. So choose an
artist, designer, architect or work most related to something you are interested or find of value. You may also
choose to study an event surrounding an artist, designer, architect or design thinker that leads to a discussion
and analysis of their work. A built work can be an urban site, sculpture or multi-media project and does not
have to be an artwork, industrial/commercial product/object, or building if it can be shown to relate to the field
of art, design, and/or architecture.
200 to 400 word abstract (in DIGITAL .PDF FORMATS) which begins to examine an artist,
designer, or architect from the below list, and the artworks, furniture, designs, products, cars, or buildings and
ideas surrounding this artist, designer, or architect you are interested. Provide a bibliography of at least 4
books
and 2 articles you have researched on your subject for your abstract. You may also include one or two
additional theory essays or texts you believe are relevant to your topic that you will use to analyze the material.
You are not required to select from the below list if you have a modern topic/industrial
design/designer/product/object you are interested. You may propose an idea and select a
modern/contemporary study not from this list for approval. However, you must provide a strong argument and
at least the same number of bibliographic and theoretic resources for your original research. Please refer to
the Chicago Manual of Style for all formatting. Please note: this is NOT a biography of an artist, designer, or
architect, a book report, or a summary of a
building, artwork, or design, or an explanation of known ideas surrounding an artist, designer, or
architect and/or their work. Instead it is a theoretical analysis and argument of a specific artist, designer, or
architect and work(s) as they relate to and develop an investigation surrounding a series of specific ideas or
values that you are interested: artistic, design-oriented, architectural, sculptural, political, cultural, sociological,
philosophical, commercial, scientific, etc. Please provide a thesis statement (one sentence) for your proposed
research essay as part of your abstract.
In addition, only one student in the class may write on any particular artist, designer, or architect without
instructor permission. I will start accepting emails with your select choice of artist, designer, and/or architect to
investigate starting today. I may also ask you to choose another topic and write another abstract based on who
presents the best topic surrounding any one artist, designer, and/or architect. If I do not contact you, please
proceed to write your abstract/proposal for submission and review – Do not wait for my approval. I may
wait to receive your proposal first before letting you know the designer is taken and/or your topic unacceptable.
I recommend you choose any of the following artist, designer, and/or architects to begin your research:
Frank Lloyd Wright
Adolf Loos
Otto Wagner
John Hejduk
Lebbus Woods
Walter Gropius
Alvar Aalto
Louis Sullivan
Rem Koolhaas
Charles Moore
Coop Himmelb(l)au