This issue of Perkins and Will Research Journal includes five articles that focus on diverse research topics, such as evidence-based design in healthcare; design of a modular student housing unit; analysis of information content in BIM; relationships between digital design and fabrication and network challenges associated with BIM data sharing.

“A Design-Based Approach to Collective Evidence: Translating Design Investigation into a Valid Research Model” discusses evidence-based design research and applications in the built environment, particularly relating to healthcare design. It presents results of a research project conducted on a neonatal intensive care unit where the efficiency of the design and the impact on patient’s medical progress and the medical staff was studied. The article relates research process to the design process and correlates scientific research methods to design problems.

“uPod: A Modular Living Environment for Students: The Case for Community” presents design inquiry into movable, transformable student housing. The article presents a design solution for a modular, pod-style student housing unit that would be able to adapt to students’ lifestyle and living preferences. It also discusses possible spatial arrangements and configurations for living-learning communities.

“The Information Content of BIM: An Information Theory Analysis of Building Information Model (BIM) Content” relates cost and value of information embedded in BIMs. It compares the conventional and model-based design process and presents four principles that relate cost, value and the quantity of information contained in the model-based representation. It also suggests ways to increase value of information in BIMs, such as combining conventional and model-based representations, use of parametric design methods and use of BIMs during the construction and occupancy design phases.

“Performance Driven Design and Prototyping: Design Computation and Fabrication” discusses an integrated design method and the use of computational tools for design exploration, analysis and fabrication. It discusses the development of a collaborative course where simulations, modeling, parametric design and fabrication are used to investigate and optimize design solutions based on their performance, such as response to environmental constraints. Digital fabrication is used as a method to study and investigate physical behavior of the design, such as materiality and constructability. Several projects are presented as outcomes using different digital fabrication methods, such as CNC-milling and laser cutting.

“BIM on the WAN: Autodesk’s Revit and the Wide Area Design Problem” discusses networking and data sharing challenges with BIM for geographically dispersed collaborative projects. It reviews several techniques that can be used, such as accessing models through remote desktop and distributed servers. It reviews results of a comparitive analysis for data sharing using four different methods.