At the School of Architecture, teaching is informed by active research. Faculty investigations range from award-winning design work to production of books and journals, invention of new building components and leadership in state-funded initiatives.
Here is a sampling of faculty research interests:
- Green Roofs Green roofs reduce storm water run-off, cool city streets and cut energy costs. They also cost more than conventional roofs. Professor Mark Boyer is gathering data that will allow building owners across the United States to cash in on the big-picture benefits that green roofs offer. He has launched his research by planting 6,000 Fame flowers, sedums and other succulents on the roofs of two buildings on the University of Arkansas campus.
- Inclusive Design Professor Korydon Smith led the Arkansas Universal Design Project, a pioneering attempt to develop and implement inclusive design housing standards that move beyond ad hoc, retrofit solutions for people with disabilities. Smith’s research has resulted in the adoption of usability standards by the Arkansas Development Finance Authority (ADFA), a major step toward providing accessible, low-cost housing for all citizens of the state. Smith also coauthored Just Below the Line: From Marginalization to Equity in Southern Housing, forthcoming from the University of Arkansas Press. For more information on inclusive design, and to access the usability standards online, visit Kory Smith’s StudioAID web site.
