This optional module, allows for various kinds of research studies in collaboration with planned or ongoing research projects. It is closely linked to the five units of the School of Architecture and is undertaken individually or in small teams of students. Supervision consists of guiding students towards clear results in a particular area of research. The research project is reviewed before a panel of experts from the supervising research unit.

Craft & Structure Unit:
The University of Liechtenstein’s “Room of Silence” project aims to investigate key questions using the research method “Research by Design” and to answer them in a practical manner through a groundbreaking realized rammed earth project. The focus lies on materiality, innovative detailing, the involvement of local stakeholders, as well as the aesthetic and functional quality of the space. The results are intended to be both scientifically grounded and of sustainable value for practical application.

Central Research Questions for the students will be: What innovative architectural and technical solutions can be developed and implemented using the material rammed earth in Liechtenstein? How can local stakeholders be integrated into the planning and construction process to combine their expertise with rammed earth in a sustainable and forward-looking way? How can airtightness and building physics requirements for connections be met without using membranes in ecological construction? What methods and techniques enable stable and durable installation of doors and windows in rammed earth constructions? How can excavated material from Liechtenstein be used for rammed earth construction, and what level of compressive strength can be achieved with it?
Project Objectives and Added Value: The project offers participating students the opportunity to acquire in-depth knowledge of sustainable building design and implementation through an applied research strategy. They will benefit from collaboration with industry partners such as Lehm Ton Erde, GBD, Lenum, and other companies from Liechtenstein and the surrounding region. This includes access to laboratories, material testing, and the development of innovative approaches in cooperation with industry. At the same time, the project explores the interdisciplinary interplay between theory, material research, and practical implementation. Its aim is not only to contribute to the advancement of ecological construction but also to create a platform for future projects that address the sustainable use of resources and the evolution of regional building culture.

Research or design studies defined by research units and under the guidance of mentors, usually closely related to current research projects, developed individually or in groups. The offers of the research semester vary each se-mester depending on the units and are coordinated with the academic director of the Master's degree pro-gramme.

Minimum 75% compulsory attendance, continuous assessment and regular meetings with instructors.
The final grade is calculated according to the weighting of the following com-ponents: final submission (80%) and oral presentation (20%).

Individual appointments will be set with the tutor; group projects are also possible, as well as group work with individual submissions;

start, final submission and presentation can be individually
defined with the respective tutors.

Registration via the intranet of the University of Liechtenstein is not binding and is only valid in combination with the written consent of the respective unit. This applies to all Individual Electives in the Master's degree programme in Architecture.