Postgraduate Design Courses as Research Think Tanks for Cultural Institutions

Abstract

In the interest of reinforcing the relationship between academic research and professional practice, certain postgraduate design courses can serve as research think tanks for cultural institutions or projects which may not have access to inhouse research departments, either for organic reasons or as a result of limited resources. This approach, which we have been implementing since 2006 within the academic framework provided by Elisava’s Master's Degree in Ephemeral Architecture and Temporary Spaces, opens up a new scenario for collaboration between the academic and professional spheres through continuing alliances with different cultural institutions, where the school acts as an external research think tank for specific projects.