RESEARCH and CONSULTING
Dr. Kendall’s research activities focus on both architectural teaching methods, and open building design and construction methods. This focus has its origins in recognition of challenges the professions face guiding the transformation of the ordinary built environment under conditions of change across several levels of intervention (e.g. urban design, building design and interior design). Preparing students – and practitioners – with the attitudes, skills and knowledge needed to enable them to contribute to the improvement of the built field (not only the special buildings), given these forces, is the goal of his studies of new ways to teach design and construction.
His research in open building design and technology also encompasses studies of new organizational and design methods, new logistics and business forms, and new technology needed to make buildings – especially large multi-tenant buildings – more adaptable, easier to customize to meet individual preferences. His work focuses primarily on housing and health care architecture, each facing a convergence of three dominant characteristics of the contemporary urban environment. First is the increasing size and complexity of buildings. Second is the dynamics of living environments, the workplace and the marketplace where use is increasingly varied and changing. Third is the availability of, and demand for, an increasing array of catalog-based building systems and mechanical equipment, as well as constantly improving building methods serving both “the commons” (e.g. base buildings) and the inhabitant user.