architecture thesis writing

How to Write an Architecture Dissertation 101​

In this post we will explore how to write an architecture dissertation, but first…

What is an architecture dissertation?

The architecture dissertation (or thesis) is an opportunity to demonstrate the skills you have learnt and the knowledge you have developed over the course of your studies. It identifies a current question of interest that you are willing to explore and analyse.

Thesis and dissertation mean different things in Europe than they do in the USA. In Europe, a dissertation is usually part of a masters degree involving a broader research project. In the USA however, the dissertation is part of a doctorate degree. Likewise, a thesis in Europe generally refers to research work for a PhD, while in the USA thesis is part of your masters degree. Nice and confusing 🙂

Given that we are based in the UK, we will refer to the document as a dissertation, but much of the information and tips here are interchangeable. Hopefully you will find this guide useful when considering your architecture dissertation… or thesis!

Scroll to the end to download this article as a handy PDF guide!

How to write an architecture dissertation, choosing your topic​.

Selecting a topic for your architecture dissertation is often one of the biggest challenges for students. Where to start?! Let’s take a look at the process of selecting your architecture dissertation topic.

Ask a question Your architecture dissertation needs to ask a question. Whether it is a big question or just a small part of a big question, there has to be a reason for your research and data collection.

So, when you have selected a big issue that you would like to explore, you can look at breaking this down into a smaller question for your subject.

Starting off with a big issue, and beginning to narrow this down into smaller issues, allows you to end up asking a small question that could perhaps have big implications or bring very interesting results.

You could use a mind map to help you visualise and brainstorm ideas – have your big question in the centre with other smaller questions branching out from it.

Focus on an area of study that you are comfortable with Try to consider areas within your field of study that you are comfortable with. For example, if you are particularly interested and inspired by environmental architecture, perhaps you can start there.

On the flip side, if you are particularly interested in new technologies and software developments, then perhaps you could start thinking along those lines.

The more comfortable you are with your topic area, the more solid your work will be and you will be able to pursue your architecture dissertation with more confidence.

Select a topic that is focused Don’t go too broad with your topic idea. Don’t forget, you are not writing a long novel, so your research and your final architecture dissertation has to be concise. A broad topic will make it very difficult to get into the nitty gritty details.

As an example, let’s say you are interested in the feasibility of using sustainable prefabricated systems in residential architecture. This is a fairly large subject, so your work could look at an aspect of this, such as a particular sustainable prefabricated system like a timber panel, or perhaps prefab systems in social housing. You could then drill down further. You can look at the subject as a whole in your introduction or conclusion, but investigate a more focused part of that topic for your own work.

Don’t forget, as you start to investigate your topic further, it may lead you to other questions, which in turn can change the theme of your architecture dissertation.

Don’t be too fixated on a topic in the early stages that stops you from shifting and developing the dissertation. It is a bit like design projects, sometimes it is easy to get fixated on your concept at the detriment of the design – adjusting, and pivoting can be a good thing, it is an iterative process.

Look at other architecture dissertations Take some time to read and research other dissertations, to get a feel for what excites or interests you. By gaining an understanding of the format, content and overall outcomes of the architecture dissertation, you will be able to develop your ideas more easily, and drill down on a topic that fits.

Doing this will also help you see what topics have been extensively covered and ones that are niche.

You can find some architecture dissertations on the RIBA Presidents Medals website for some inspiration: https://www.presidentsmedals.com/Entries/2022/0-1/1

Read other architecture works Take some time to read other architecture works while you are in your topic decision making process. This might open up new ideas and thoughts that you didn’t think of before.

Look at current trends, what is new, what is changing, what hasn’t changed, why? How about world events, how do they impact architecture? How does architecture impact them? What can we learn?

Make sure your question can be answered Once you have chosen your question or topic, make sure that data collection and research will bring you to some sort of conclusion or answer. It will be very frustrating if you are investigating an issue that will not be possible to conclude on or resolve.

Make sure you can ask the right questions to get information from people, are there enough books on the subject? Is there any historical data that might be useful? How about photographs and drawings? Consider how you will research your architecture dissertation before finalising your topic.

Drafting a proposal You will most likely be asked to create a proposal for the topic you have selected. Your proposal will be presented to your tutors who will give you feedback that will help you move forward.

Carry out your research

The research phase of your architecture dissertation is really important. We must look at many different sources and aspects of our topic to start to develop our strategies and ideas.

Start with the library The best way to start investigating our topic is to find out what information currently exists, who has asked your question, or similar questions, what has been published? So head to the library and start reading!

Try and get a selection of sources for a more balanced overview, rather than relying on just one source. Although you can use the internet, don’t forget that it is an unregulated source, and therefore not all the information is completely reliable.

Keep track of any books, journals etc that you have consulted. (more on that later).

Follow the citations and references in relevant articles to see if other works have been written that are relevant to your topic. Research papers are good sources of references and information you could further explore.

During this initial stage of research you may still be narrowing your topic, refining your question and that’s totally ok. Often, it is not until you have started reading around your topic and delving deeper that you start to see the questions that need to be asked.

Take notes Take notes and keep track of all your research, book name, author, title, date, publisher plus all the page numbers of the important points. This will help you when you come to referencing and citation and also enable you to stay organised.

Keep your topic / question in mind as you read through the research material and make notes on relevant points, in your own words. Write down any phrases or quotations that you will want to cite later, but make sure you keep a list of the details of the author etc, so the quotation doesn’t get mixed up with your own writing.

Citations and references Make sure you reference and cite all your work correctly. This is a tedious part of the architecture dissertation but extremely important to do it right.

You can find a guide about doing the Harvard referencing system which is most commonly used in UK universities, here: https://www.citethisforme.com/harvard-referencing

This page goes through the other citation styles and gives examples for each: https://www.scribbr.com/citing-sources/citation-styles/

Or you can refer to your own university library reference material to make sure you are carrying out your citations and references according to university guidelines.

Collect data The goal of your architecture dissertation should be to gather and interpret new data, rather than just regurgitating existing information.

Try to collect data that you can analyse and interpret rather than just writing descriptively about the topic.

Collection of data can include information from books as we have mentioned, but also reports, studies, statistical data, surveys, interviews, opinions, archived material, and so much more.

Be prepared to think openly, and think wide. By drawing on many different data sources and formats you will have a more rounded research pool to collect data and analyse going forward.

Our Architecture Dissertation Source Log

Our Dissertation Source log is a valuable tool for architecture students and researchers working on their dissertations. This spreadsheet can help you record all the key information on the sources you have used in your research.

It is also a great way to keep track of your research progress. As you add new sources to the spreadsheet, you can include notes on each source and its quality. This information can be helpful when you are writing your dissertation and need to refer back to your sources.

There are also columns where you can add in citations for each source. This means that all your references will be stored in one place, which will be super handy for when you come to create your bibliography.

The Architecture Dissertation Source Log is a free download. You can start filling it in right away or adjust and edit to your liking to make it your own.

Download your copy today!

As you analyse your data and research, your findings will shape your architecture dissertation, the topic and the big or small question that you are exploring. Make sure you leave the title, introduction and abstract till last.

There are different types of analysis when it comes to researching. The main ones you will be using for your architecture dissertation are visual analysis, textual analysis and historical analysis – although there are many more that you could draw on.

Obviously your choice of topic and question will determine what data you will be analysing but let’s look at this as an overview.

Textual content analysis This is a deep focus on the books, reports, papers and journals that you have identified as being an important part of your research. The areas you have ‘highlighted’ to be of interest should be studied in detail and notes taken as to why these points are important.

What is the author saying? Why is this important? How does it relate to your question, and your observations? Has the author written any other titles? Do they refer to other titles? Lots of questions to ask in order to draw out the information you are looking for.

Visual content analysis Visually, you will be looking at plans, maps, photographs and use your skills to question what you see. Analysis of the spaces, the site etc similar to a site analysis or precedent analysis .

There should be countless questions you could ask when analysing your visual findings, write down your observations.

Historical analysis Here you will focus on the historical events or situations that have had an impact on the topic or question that you are studying.

What were the circumstances at that time? Where do the ideas come from? What is the author focusing on? And so on.

Where appropriate, use maps, images, diagrams, drawings, surveys, time lines and data mapping to explore and present the data you have collected and analysed.

Check out our Mapping Techniques Pinterest board for some ideas:

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/1starchitecture/mapping-techniques/

The main things to consider here are:

What is your big question or topic?

What is the sub topic or smaller question that you are looking to answer?

What research and information will you draw on to answer the question?

How will you analyse the research?

How will you present or argue your findings?

Before presenting or putting together your final works, it is important to have a clear structure to your architecture dissertation and the research you have carried out.

By now, hopefully you will be clear on your topic and the question you are looking to answer. You will know what research you will draw on to inform your ideas, and how you will collect your data.

The clearer you can make your outline of how you want the structure of your dissertation to be, the easier it will be to write. If your ideas and concepts are in a muddle, the end result could mirror this.

Your university will most likely provide guidance on how you should structure your dissertation. Some UK university guidance examples include:

University of Westminster https://libguides.westminster.ac.uk/c.php?g=692395&p=4963012

University of Bath https://blogs.bath.ac.uk/academic-and-employability-skills/2020/07/07/writing-your-dissertations-structure-and-sections/

University of York https://subjectguides.york.ac.uk/dissertation/structure

In general a dissertation will typically follow the structure shown below:

Title Acknowledgements Abstract Table of contents List of figures and tables List of Abbreviations Glossary

Introduction Literature review Methodology Results Discussion Conclusion

Bibliography/Reference list Appendix

General Architecture Dissertation Tips 

1. Start work on your dissertation early.

2. Include references and citations to other scholars’ work.

3. Discuss the topic with other people.

4. Make the most of your tutorials, or any dedicated sessions.

5. Don’t get stuck on your title/topic. Let your data research lead and guide you.

6. Don’t feel you have to solve the world’s problems with your architecture dissertation. You are contributing to the research on a particular topic, don’t feel that your work has to result in a ground breaking solution to a worldwide problem.

7. Tell a story – make sure there is a flow to your architecture dissertation. Avoid using complex sentence structures and fancy words, make it readable. Always try to say more, with less – keep it simple.

8. Give yourself plenty of time to carry out your project from start to finish. Start early with your research – it takes a lot of time if it is to be done properly.

9. Make a schedule – dedicate chunks of time to your architecture dissertation. Ideally intersperse these studies with lighter tasks or something different like sport. It is difficult to write for more than 4 hours without becoming tired and inefficient so make sure your schedule allows for breaks and changes in activity.

10. If you are asking people for help in your data collection, make sure you give them lots of time to get back to you.

11. Be as direct and clear as you can in your writing, avoid fluffy over wordy sentences.

12. Make visual connections between your architecture dissertation topic and the way you design and set it up. Use a consistent style and readable fonts.

13. Get someone to proofread your work, ideally a couple of people.

14. Use your tutors for advice and guidance, that is what they are there for. Be sure to ask plenty of questions if you are not sure about something.

Topic Ideas

Here are some broad topic areas you could consider looking into when you are deciding what to write about.

1. Sustainable Architecture: This topic area focuses on designing and constructing buildings with a reduced environmental impact, incorporating energy-efficient systems, renewable materials, and sustainable design principles.

2. Urban Design and Planning: This area explores the planning, development, and design of cities and urban spaces, including aspects such as transportation systems, public spaces, infrastructure, and community development.

3. Historic Preservation and Conservation: This topic area delves into the preservation, restoration, and adaptive reuse of historic buildings and sites, considering the cultural and historical significance of architecture and the methods used to protect and maintain them.

4. Housing and Residential Architecture: This area focuses on the design and planning of housing solutions, including affordable housing, sustainable housing, multi-family dwellings, and innovative approaches to residential architecture.

5. Interior Design and Space Planning: This topic area examines the design and arrangement of interior spaces, exploring aspects such as ergonomics, aesthetics, functionality, and the use of materials and finishes to create effective and appealing interior environments.

6. Landscape Architecture: This area explores the design and planning of outdoor spaces, including parks, gardens, urban landscapes, and sustainable landscape design strategies that integrate natural and built elements.

7. Digital Design and Building Information Modeling (BIM): This topic area investigates the use of digital tools, technologies, and software in architectural design and construction processes, including topics like parametric design, computational design, and BIM implementation.

8. Cultural and Contextual Studies: This area examines the relationship between architecture and culture, exploring how buildings and urban environments reflect and influence social, cultural, and historical contexts.

9. Architectural Theory and Criticism: This topic area involves the exploration of theoretical concepts, critical analysis of architectural works, and the examination of philosophical, social, and cultural influences on architecture.

10. Human-Centred Design and Well-being: This area focuses on designing spaces that prioritise the well-being, comfort, and health of occupants, exploring topics such as biophilic design, universal design, and the impact of the built environment on human behaviour and psychology.

Remember to choose a topic that aligns with your interests and academic goals. It’s also essential to conduct thorough research to ensure that your chosen topic has sufficient scholarly literature available for reference.

Example Architecture Dissertation Studies Here are some examples of other dissertation topics to get you inspired.

1. Sustainable Architecture: Exploring innovative design strategies for energy-efficient and environmentally conscious buildings.

2. Adaptive Reuse: Analysing the potential of transforming abandoned or underutilised structures into functional spaces while preserving their historical significance.

3. Urban Planning and Design: Investigating strategies for creating inclusive and livable cities through thoughtful urban design and infrastructure development.

4. Biophilic Design: Exploring the integration of nature and natural elements within built environments to enhance well-being and productivity.

5. Parametric Design: Investigating the applications of computational design techniques and algorithms in creating complex architectural forms and structures.

6. Affordable Housing: Analysing design approaches and policies that address the pressing need for affordable and accessible housing solutions in urban areas.

7. Post-Disaster Reconstruction: Examining architectural responses and strategies for rebuilding communities affected by natural disasters and creating resilient built environments.

8. Heritage Conservation: Investigating methods and principles for preserving and conserving historic buildings and sites while adapting them for contemporary use.

9. Smart Cities: Exploring the integration of advanced technologies and data-driven solutions in urban environments to improve efficiency, sustainability, and quality of life.

10. Cultural Identity in Architecture: Analysing how architecture can reflect and reinforce cultural identity, exploring the relationship between built form and cultural heritage.

Helpful Links:​

Books The Dissertation: A Guide for Architecture Students                   

Resources There will be loads of useful websites and databases that you can access through your university. A few examples include:

Jstor https://www.jstor.org/

The Courtauld Institute’s Conway Library https://photocollections.courtauld.ac.uk/menu-item1/conway-library

Arts & Architecture http://www.artsandarchitecture.com/

Harvard Digital Collection Library https://library.harvard.edu/digital-collections

Getty Publications Virtual Library https://www.getty.edu/publications/virtuallibrary/

RIBApix https://www.ribapix.com/#

Architectural Association Photo Library https://photolibrary.aaschool.ac.uk/index.php?WINID=1684503427358

Archigram Archive https://www.mplus.org.hk/en/collection/archives/archigram-archive-ca36/

You might also be interested in:

We also have lots of incredible architecture content. Be sure to check it out:

Download the Guide!

Download this helpful article as a pdf to keep for reference later!

We hope this post helps you get started on your architecture dissertation.

Wishing you the very best of luck with your work :)

Thank you for reading!

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12 Websites That Can Aid Architectural Thesis Research

Writing the perfect thesis can be a daunting experience. While also juggling other deadlines, internships, projects and tests, final year architecture students are faced with the various challenges that thesis research brings in. Right from finalizing a suitable topic to identifying and analysing verified research data, the entire process is quite taxing on the mind and time-consuming. 

To make your journey a little simpler, here’s a compilation of ten websites that can aid your architectural thesis research:

1. Library Genesis

The holy grail of research papers, dissertations, scholarly articles, scientific projects, journals, books, paintings and magazines, Library Genesis is a must-visit website for thesis research. It provides access to documents that are otherwise paywalled or not digitized and enables users to download and/or upload data. The website provides a searchable database from publicly available resources and currently holds over three million files!

The website can be accessed at: http://libgen.li/

2. The Pudding

Students engaged in thesis research often face difficulties while attempting to obtain reliable data when it comes to area-wise population density. Especially in areas where documented information in the field is sparse, this website can be of great help. The Pudding is a project that utilizes satellite imagery, census data and volunteered geographic information to create near-accurate population density maps. The website not only lets the user explore current population trends but also lets one compare data collected over the years.

The website can be accessed at: https://pudding.cool/2018/10/city_3d/

3. Ventusky

Ventusky is a Czech based website that presents real-time meteorological data. It simplifies one’s research by offering various parameters of climatic information on a single platform, thereby cutting down multiple website visits and analysis time. It offers a range of forecast models including the ICON, GFS, GEM, HRRR and NBM and covers thirteen meteorological factors (Temperature, Precipitation, Radar, Satellite, Clouds, Wind Speed, Wind Gust, Air Pressure, Thunderstorms, Humidity, Waves, Snow Cover and Air Quality). It also lets the user access each of the parameters on eighteen different altitude levels.

The website can be accessed at: https://www.ventusky.com/

Another online library, JSTOR has an extensive collection of academic journals, articles, scientific publications, photographs and research papers. With a user-friendly interface and millions of rights-cleared sources, this website is a great companion for architecture students pursuing a thesis. This website also offers an advanced image searching option that can aid research.

The website can be accessed at: https://www.jstor.org/

5. The Courtauld Institute’s Conway Library

This website is a digital collection of architectural drawings, publications, photographs and cuttings from the Courtauld Institute of Art, based in London , United Kingdom. It offers thousands of digitized files from the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries and is a great resource for thesis research work.

The website can be accessed at: http://www.artandarchitecture.org.uk/

6. ArchDaily

ArchDaily is a household name for architecture students. Aside from news, competitions and reviews, the blog offers millions of detailed case studies on projects. Highlighting relevant specifications of architectural design with technical drawings and pictures, Archdaily can cover a major chunk of your preliminary studies! Additionally, it is one of the most visited architecture websites in the world and attracts over 160 million monthly users.

The website can be accessed at: https://www.archdaily.com/

7. Architect Magazine

This website rolls out hundreds of articles every day, describing the latest projects, technologies, products, events and building resources in the architecture industry. It covers multiple facets of the architectural community through insightful reviews by architects and journalists from across the world. Architect Magazine is a great tool to enhance thesis research by learning and discovering practices around the world. 

The website can be accessed at: https://www.architectmagazine.com/

8. Andrew Marsh: 3D Sun Path

Acquiring and plotting accurate sun paths can be a cumbersome process. Andrew Marsh’s Sun Path website simplifies this task by providing solar information according to the location’s geographic coordinates. The site not only maps the sun’s annual path in three dimensions , but it also lets the user observe the behaviour of light during different times of the day. The website also projects shadows of 3d buildings that can be modified by the user.

The website can be accessed at: http://andrewmarsh.com/apps/staging/sunpath3d.html

9. Harvard Digital Collection Library

Opening doors to an Ivy League library, Harvard’s Digital Collection Website is another online database with millions of digitized files. Users can search for information within a range of years with an advanced search option. Adding to the vast collection of text files, the digital library also provides maps, 3d material, audio and videos.

The website can be accessed at:  https://digitalcollections.library.harvard.edu/

10. Open Access Theses and Dissertations (OATD)

The Open Access Theses and Dissertations (OATD) website is a thesis exclusive online database. It offers a range of filters including university, country, language, department and degree that can be instrumental in simplifying thesis research. Indexing nearly 60 lakh publications from over 1100 universities, this non-profit website is one of the best open access dissertation databases on the internet. 

The website can be accessed at:  https://oatd.org/

11. Rethinking The Future

Rethinking The Future (RTF) is a digital platform that aims to inspire individuals to think, create and criticize. The team at RTF rolls out hosts of digital content that is instrumental in thesis research including design journals, courses, collated articles and projects.The website extends its presence on social media as well, with thought provoking articles and designs posted on a regular basis. 

The website can be accessed at:  https://www.re-thinkingthefuture.com/  

A Danish startup based in California , ISSUU is every creator’s go-to publishing platform. This website allows designers and enthusiasts to create and share their work with the world. Users can distribute, measure and monetize their content while also exploring other work in their niche.

The website can be accessed at:  https://issuu.com/

A third year undergrad, Srilalitha believes that the literary universe is a gateway to exploring art and architecture. She has a strong affinity towards music, athletics and photography and enjoys unraveling the similarities between her worlds over a cup of tea.

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