Research constitutes the core of everything we do. We are constantly searching for better approaches to each and every aspect of design and building. Research can take the form of experimentation with new materials, innovations in project delivery methods, or developing cutting edge technical solutions. Although research into advanced technologies has been a long-term collaborative effort with graduate and thesis students at the College of Architecture at IIT, not all of our work is aimed at sophisticated new technology. We are constantly looking to recover traditional practices and techniques that have been lost, or supplanted by "cheaper" alternatives. New isn't always best.

Another area of research which is extremely important for us would be the many speculative, exploratory projects we develop. Whether participating in international design competitions or organizing intense workshops with students or colleagues, we engage these efforts as a way of asking "what if?" These projects allow us to consider large scale planning issues, to reformulate our expectations about architecture, and even explore new ways of working in an intensely collaborative environment.