The Postwar Legacy of Architectural Research

This article contributes to the current discussion of design as research by examining the ideological basis for the enthusiastic pursuit of scientific research in architecture in the postwar period. The concept of ‘‘research’’ was steeped in theory and ideology, but the research itself was shaped by the research economy—its policies and its institutions. Three very different case studies illustrate this phenomenon and demonstrate the importance of considering the research economy as a factor shaping the direction of architectural research.