Research Objectives

This research convenes a range of interests in the building industry, design practice, and education and acts as a conduit for relevant information from around the world and as an operations centre for research into portable and flexible architecture, instigating and aiding with the creation of public events, forums, exhibitions, conferences and publications.

The nature of this research is such that it covers a diverse range of areas of interest and expertise. The guiding aims of the research are:

• To chart the history of Portable Architecture as a discrete genre of building design that makes use of technological transfer opportunities.
• To alert users, manufacturers and designers to the opportunities and potential that the appropriate use of Portable Architecture can offer.
• To coordinate and originate dedicated research activities in the field of portable and flexible building design and manufacture.
• To stimulate a national and international researcher network for the exchange of information and expertise relating to Portable Architecture.

Portable Architecture research was first established at the University of Liverpool in 1993. Activity stemming from the research includes:

Exhibitions

Researchers curated the first dedicated public displays of the history, development and potential of portable building with the "Portable Architecture" and "Spontaneous Construction" exhibitions that took place in London, UK in the Spring of 1997. "Spontaneous Construction" toured to Liverpool in October 1997 as part of Visionfest - a celebration of the visual arts, and to InterBuild at the International Exhibition Centre, Birmingham, November 1997. In 1998 a reduced version of the Portable Architecture exhibition was the inaugural event at CUBE Manchester's new architecture and urban design gallery. Robert Kronenburg was a consultant to the Vitra Design Museum for the major touring exhibition Living in Motion, which opened May 2002 in Weil-am-Rhein, Germany before touring Europe and North America until 2007. The unit contributed to the catalogue of the exhibition at the Art Museum of the University of Santa Barbara of LOT/EK's MDU (Mobile Dwelling Unit) in October 2003.

Vitra Design Museum - Living in Motion exhibition
© Robert Kronenburg

Conferences

Researchers organized the first major international conference on Portable Architecture, held at the RIBA, London, 30th - 31st May 1997. This was the first gathering of interested parties from all fields of education, the design professions, manufacturing, legislation, user groups and client bodies. Transportable Environments 2001 was held in Singapore on 17-18th May 2001 and Transportable Environments III was held in Toronto, Canada in April 2004. Researchers from Liverpool regularly taken part in research symposia internationally.

Publications

Researchers continues to publish books and journal articles, conference proceedings, to monitor new research work and establish the basis for further work. For further information visit the research publications page.

Workshops

A week long residential summer workshop aimed at students of architecture and design, led by Robert Kronenburg and organised by the Vitra Design Museum and the Centre Georges Pompidou, has been held at the Domaine de Boisbuchet, France five times since 2002. For further information: http://www.boisbuchet.com/

Post-graduate research students

The Liverpool School of Architecture welcomes applications from students wishing to undertake further study in the field of mobile design based at the University of Liverpool School of Architecture, UK. Students work in collaboration with Professor Robert Kronenburg and their work typically leads to either a Master of Architecture (M.Arch) degree if working primarily in design practice, or a Master of Philosophy (M.Phil) or Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) if research based.

More information on higher degree studies is available at the University of Liverpool School of Architecture website.