ARTICLE
Volume 10,Issue 3
28 April 2025
Integrating Academic Research Methodologies like Participatory Action Research (PAR) into Design Thinking: A Framework for Group Housing Design
Tadiboina Samantha Kumar ,
Prof, Dr. Ramesh Srikonda
Show Less
1
Research Scholar, Assistant Professor, School of Planning and Architecture, Vijayawada, AP, India.,
2
Supervisor, Director, and Professor, School of Planning and Architecture, Vijayawada, AP, India.,
JWA 2025 , 9(2), 117–133;
https://doi.org/10.26689/jwa.v9i2.10315
© 2025 by the Authors. Licensee Whioce Publishing, Singapore. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ )
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.
References
Marvaldi R, Pani E, 2016, Project Strategies and Evaluation Methods for Contemporary Social Housing. The Plan Journal, 1(1): 2–15. https://doi.org/10.15274/TPJ.2016.01.01.02
Nix E, Paulose J, Wilkinson P, et al., 2018, Participatory Action Research as a Framework for Transdisciplinary Collaboration: A Pilot Study on Healthy, Sustainable, Low-Income Housing in Delhi, India. Global Challenges, 2(12): 1800054. https://doi.org/10.1002/gch2.201800054
Collina L, Sabatino PD, Mastrantoni C, et al., 2018, Designing Spaces and Services: An Experimental Project for Students’ Dorms. Semantic Scholar. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/07dd25faf92cd10ecdbe3e21a22113b9608332f6
Radtke R, 2018, Experiential Learning in Campus Evaluation: Integrated Design Research Methodologies. Journal of Learning Spaces, 7(1): 1–14. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/9ab1632463b82c35c5d2d8e2cd98321f1c6a8336
Whitzman C, 2017, Participatory Action Research in Affordable Housing Partnerships: Collaborative Rationality, or Sleeping With the Growth Machine? Planning Practice and Research, 32(5): 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/02697459.2017.1372245
Demirel A, Alkhalaf MNA, 2022, Evaluating the Role of Participation in Different Design Phases for More Inclusive Housing. IDEALKENT, 13(38): 45–67. https://doi.org/10.31198/idealkent.1138659
Olson C, Stuart WG, Walsh W, et al., 2024, Program Evaluation and Improvement by a Homeless Community Using a Human-Centered Design Approach. Journal of Participatory Research Methods, 5(1): 1–20. https://doi.org/10.35844/001c.92256
Heslop J, 2020, Learning Through Building: Participatory Action Research and the Production of Housing. Housing Studies, 35(7): 1203–1225. https://doi.org/10.1080/02673037.2020.1732880
Bukovszki V, Doci G, Reith A, 2021, Coding Engines in Participatory Social Housing Design—A Case to Revisit Pattern Languages. Sustainability, 13(6): 3367. https://doi.org/10.3390/SU13063367
Barros RRMP, Pina S, 2012, The Unfinished Symphony of Collective Housing: Lessons From PREVI Towards an Architecture of Possibilities. Ambiente Construido, 12(3): 55–78. https://doi.org/10.1590/S1678-86212012000300002
Tovivich S, 2011, Architecture for the Urban Poor, the ‘New Professionalism’ of ‘Community Architects’ and the Implications for Architectural Education: Reflections on Practice From Thailand, thesis, Thailand. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/2679ec2363ea6a6f858a73b9a04eb924f31a5ff3
Fatima S, Corser R, Hunter J, 2022, Participatory Approaches to Communal Gathering Design in Homeless Shelter Villages. SPACE International Journal of Conference Proceedings, 2(1): 38–52. https://doi.org/10.51596/sijocp.v2i1.38
Seong K, Sitabkhan S, Vakilian SH, et al., 2024, Micro-Intervention and Co-Creation at a Family Shelter. 112th ACSA Annual Meeting Proceedings, 104–120. https://doi.org/10.35483/acsa.am.112.104
Ivett L, Gillick A, 2016, Constructing Community: Synthesizing Lay and Professional Knowledge in Architecture. Semantic Scholar. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/9b546737bd0f4b26c9953906a3e0929b83ff7d90
McNelis S, 2016, Researching Housing in a Global Context: New Directions in Some Critical Issues. Housing, Theory and Society, 33(4): 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1080/14036096.2016.1167121
Jenkins T, 2021, Cohousing IoT: Technology Design for Life in Community. Multimodal Technology and Interaction, 5(3): 14. https://doi.org/10.3390/MTI5030014
Ronald R, 2011, Ethnography and Comparative Housing Research. International Journal of Housing Policy, 11(3): 227–242. https://doi.org/10.1080/14616718.2011.626605
Agyefi-Mensah S, Kpamma ZE, Hagan DD, 2020, Residential Adaptations as Users’ Tacit Means of Communicating Spatial Needs in Housing Design. Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology, 18(3): 123–145. https://doi.org/10.1108/jedt-03-2019-0073
Webber B, 2018, Big House: Co-Living Design for Transitional Housing, thesis, Victoria University of Wellington. https://doi.org/10.26686/wgtn.20388345
Christopoulos N, 2019, Towards a More Human-Oriented, Socially Driven Architecture. Semantic Scholar. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/959def3840b85a6fe253863b7f320ee815f53723
Natu A, 2020, Integrating Behavioral Research in Undergraduate Design Studio in Architecture for Designing Inclusive Environments. Journal of Accessibility and Design for All, 10(2): 231–250. https://doi.org/10.17411/JACCES.V10I2.231
Hilmer L, 2020, Participatory Housing – Segal’s Self-Build Method. Proceedings of the 16th Participatory Design Conference, 2: 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1145/3384772.3385156
Pira M, Fleet G, Moir R, 2024, Design Thinking for Social Change: Exploring Stakeholder Collaboration in Poverty Alleviation. Journal of Sustainability Research, 6(1): 37–52. https://doi.org/10.20900/jsr20240037
Rozewski R, 2019, The Walls We Put Up – Loneliness and Belonging in Urban Co-Living, thesis, Virginia Commonwealth University. https://doi.org/10.25772/8YM4-TR89
Share
Back to top
Bio-Byword Scientific Publishing Pty. Ltd.
We are committed to supporting the scientific community by publishing impactful research and fostering effective communication among scientists. We continuously seek ways to accelerate scientific progress while upholding transparency and open dialogue. Our goal is to make knowledge freely and barrier‑free accessible to all.
Contact us: info@bbwpublisher.com
Level 10, 50 Clarence Street Sydney, NSW 2000 Australia