The research and education have a strong applied and experimental profile with several large and well-equipped laboratories. The department is run by a dedicated staff, with a well-established record of successful collaborations with the business and public sector. 70 % of the research is funded externally in well-developed national and international cooperation with universities worldwide. Today, the department has around 400 staff, including 180 doctoral students and over 50 professors of around 50 different nationalities. Architecture is one of the 18 research subjects at the department. The subject of Architecture has around 20 senior researchers/teachers and doctoral students, with an even gender distribution.
The Architecture Group conducts research, undergraduate education and postgraduate education with a focus on sustainable and good physical environments that counteract climate stress and are adapted to climate change. This is achieved by integrating building, urban and traffic planning, where aesthetic design combines functional, technical, practical and economic dimensions in relation to people, sustainability, the landscape, and the already built environment. The group has a special focus on adapting the built environment through urban design and planning to seasonal climate variations and changes in the climate.
The long winter season places special demands on the design of buildings and physical community structures. It influences choices of traffic solutions, the design and location of buildings, and how the built environment can enrich indoor and outdoor living environments. The scale varies from the very detailed level to larger planning structures at the regional, national and international level.