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Research within the College of Architecture, Art, and Design combines aspects of both science and art, and is therefore more than either basic research or creative expression: it aims to improve the quality of life and ranges from the development of new materials, building components, and signage that make buildings more efficient, safer, less expensive, and more durable, to the design of prototypical communities that are environmentally sensitive, energy efficient, and economically viable. The research endeavors of the College include the Carl Small Town Center (CSTC), the Gulf Coast Community Design Studio (GCCDS), the Design Research and Informatics Lab (DRIL), and the Educational Design Institute (EDI).

The Carl Small Town Center

Established in 1979, the Carl Small Town Center seeks to initiate theoretical and applied research, and to serve as a national focus for the collection, storage, dissemination, and application of information pertinent to issues of special interest in small towns. Activities include graphic and photographic documentation, and computer imaging of the small-town scene. The CSTC has participated in design case studies, environmental impact studies, and economic and marketing analyses. It provides research and service assistance to towns through the redevelopment of downtowns and the implementation of other comparable community improvement initiatives. Assistance projects include community design and improvement, economic diversification, town planning, conservation of architectural and historic resources, affordable housing design and technology, and other activities that affect quality of life in the community.

The Gulf Coast Community Design Studio

The purpose of the Gulf Coast Community Design Studio is to provide architectural design and planning services, and leadership to Mississippi Gulf Coast Communities affected by Hurricane Katrina. The GCCDS represented MSU as one of seven national universities awarded a University Rebuilding America Partnership Grant (URAP) from HUD and has become a familiar partner in the Biloxi community working with non-profit organizations to rebuild affordable housing. In addition to producing a community action plan for East Biloxi, the GCCDS is partnering with the Hancock County Housing Resource Center to provide housing advice, financial information, and design assistance. The design assistance provided to the non-profit group Home Again has resulted in the construction of one site built, and 15 modular houses in Pass Christian.

Design Research and Informatics Lab

The work of the Design Research and Informatics Lab aims to apply state-of-the-art visualization technology to problems that yield significant improvements in the quality of life for the people of Mississippi and beyond. Located in Giles Hall, it is a state-of-the-art laboratory for the creation of multi-media productions, including videotape and CD-ROM, as well as for the development of new graphics and visualization software. Graduate and undergraduate students participate in projects that apply visualization technology to a range of multi-disciplinary problems. Work ranges from design studies of buildings and facilities on the MSU campus and around the state through master planning and visualization, to a variety of projects of national and international scope that bring together such disciplines as archaeology, anthropology, history, and the sciences.

Educational Design Institute

The Educational Design Institute is a collaborative initiative between the College of Education and the College of Architecture, Art, and Design. The EDI is charged with exploring the changes in educational delivery and with rethinking how schools envision, plan, design, manage, and use their educational facilities. The EDI is conducting surveys of educational facilities and preparing design guidelines and documents for school-facilities design. To achieve the goals of establishing the EDI as both a collaborative partner for educational-facility planning and a leader in educational design innovation in the South, the Institute is pursuing collaborative projects and initiatives with local school districts, the Small Town Center, the Mississippi Department of Education, and private foundations.


Other research activities within the College of Architecture, Art, and Design focus on graphic design, humanities, and technology. Graphic Design addresses issues dealing with identity and branding while humanities addresses issues dealing with methodologies for programming, planning and design, anthropometric modeling and evaluation, architecture theory and history research, visual imagery and its impact, and post-occupancy evaluation of buildings by their users. Technology studies include technological evaluation of building materials and methods, energy design evaluation, solar energy equipment, construction, and testing. During the Fall 2006 semester, the College hosted its first CAAD Symposium aimed at highlighting the diverse scholarly endeavors of its faculty.


James L. West, M. Arch., A.I.A., Dean
Jane Britt Greenwood, M. Arch., A.I.A., Associate Dean
John Poros, Director of the Carl Small Town Center
Larry R. Barrow, D. Des., A.I.A., Director, Design Research and Informatics Laboratory
David Perkes, M. Arch., Director, Gulf Coast Community Design Center