Keywords
Academic research methodologies
Group housing
Participatory Action Research (PAR)
Co-Design
Sustainable housing
User-centered design
Submitted : 2025-03-31
Accepted : 2025-04-15
Published : 2025-04-30
Abstract
The integration of academic research methodologies into design thinking processes presents a transformative approach to addressing complex challenges in group housing, fostering inclusive, sustainable, and user-centered solutions. This research explores how methodologies such as Participatory Action Research, post-occupancy evaluations, and Research through Design can be systematically embedded within design thinking to bridge the gap between academic rigor and empathy-driven, iterative design practices. By synthesizing these paradigms, the study proposes a framework for group housing design that prioritizes co-design processes, empathy-based data collection, and participatory evaluation, while emphasizing adaptability through sociocultural insights and user feedback. Case studies analysis demonstrate the effectiveness of flexible, community-driven design, while emerging technologies like IoT-enabled cohousing signal new opportunities for innovation. Challenges, including scalability, long-term validation, and reconciling user autonomy with professional expertise, are critically analyzed. Ultimately, this research advances a hybrid methodology to redefine the conceptualization, implementation, and assessment of group housing, offering actionable pathways to achieve affordable, inclusive, and context-sensitive housing solutions.
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