DIA-LOGUE: Theory and Practice, a two-way bridge symposium

BACKGROUND & PURPOSE

How can theory and practice complement and strengthen each other in architecture?

Can research be the bridge connecting academia and industry?

The gap between academic research and professional practice presents a critical challenge concerning the disciplines focusing on the built environment. This symposium is dedicated to setting a dialogue between academicians and practitioners centering on this problem. It seeks to initiate an exchange of ideas, outlooks and / or methods. The objective is not just to assimilate or form a consensus through dialogue but to create an interspace where differences remain dynamic and generative as dissensus (an agreement to disagree).

The symposium aims to act as an activator of different views, a force that attunes different ways of thinking. We ask: How can dialogue serve as a catalyst for transformation rather than merely a bridge to agreement?

The increasing communication gap between academic research and professional practice motivates this symposium in search of collaboration opportunities that foster interdisciplinary dialogue. Instead of a one-way dissemination of knowledge, it aims to create a round table where scholars and practitioners actively engage and exchange their experiences. The secondary question we want to ask academicians, researchers, and industry professionals is how to translate academic research into practical application.

VISION

The first dialogue symposium aims to bridge research and practice in architecture through dynamic, interdisciplinary exchange. Through the dialogue, we intend to cultivate
a new generation of scholars and practitioners who view research and practice as intertwined forces shaping the built environment.

MOVING FORWARD

This first symposium marks the beginning of an ongoing tradition—one that will grow each year in scope and impact within PhD education in Design and the Built Environment.
It sets the foundation for a sustained exchange of ideas

that not only challenges conventional boundaries between research and practice but also serves as a catalyst
to transform the way in which we approach the built environment.

For more information, download the official event PDF.