Mike Martin

The teaching and research focuses on the study of practice, collaborative design, work-studies of practice, design thinking and innovation, and storytelling as a means of knowledge transfer. Digital media is central to the process of representation of knowledge transfer from practice.

As architects, what we design and build lasts for a very long period of time, therefore, we must add value, however broadly defined, to our clients, users of buildings, and our communities. We use design as our primary skill and knowledge base that differentiates our profession from others. Our use of the term "design" is defined as more than aesthetic or novel invention; it is broader and inclusive of creative thought and innovation. Design innovation that is of value transforms both building performance and human behavior. For most, that is an easy aspiration but a difficult achievement. A quiet revolution is underway to address these challenges. At the core of this gentle revolution is the use of transparent evidence to inform our decisions as designers and restructure the way we practice as a means of ensuring design quality.

Professor Emeritus Mike Martin has been at UC Berkeley for 29 years in the Architecture Department of the College of Environmental Design. His teaching and research has focused on the study of practice, collaborative design, work-studies of practice, and storytelling as a means of knowledge transfer. Digital media is central to his process of representation of knowledge transfer from practice.

Martin served as an Adjunct Professor at the Danish Royal Academy of Architecture in Copenhagen, Denmark, and a Visiting Professor at DIS. He also served as the undergraduate dean of CED for 11 years, and in 2006 he completed a three-year term as chair of the Architecture Department. Most recently, he served as the University of California Systems Education Abroad Director for Scandinavia.

He is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects and a recipient of the 2005 AIA College of Fellows Latrobe Fellowship for Research. He was the recipient of the 2009 AIACC Excellence in Education Honor Award. He served as President Elect of the San Francisco Chapter of the AIA, served as editor of Architecture California (AIACC), and received an Honorable Mention in the 2002 NCARB Prize for his Building Stories: A Case Study Analysis of Practice.

ARCH 24: Why Be an Architect?

ARCH 101: Advanced Architectural Design

ARCH 120: The Practice of Design

ARCH 128: Architectural Internship

ARCH 130: Design Theory and Methods

ARCH 229B: Building Stories

ARCH 207D: The Culture of Practice

American Institute of Architects California Council “Honor Award for Excellence in Education”

College of Fellows of AIA Latrobe Fellowship

NCARB Prize Honorable Mention for “Building Stories: A Case Study Analysis of Practice

Special Commend

Design Informed: Driving Innovation with Evidence-Based Design (Wiley, July 2010)

Fundamental Processes in Concurrent Design and Construction

Progress Through Partnerships: The Changing Profession/Changing the Profession

Building Stories: A Case Study Approach to Practice

Expert Intuition and Evidence-Based Design

Stories of Practice: Illustration of the Changing Nature and Context of Professional Practice

Knowledge Production in the Profession: How is Evidence Illustrated in Design Decisions

Knowledge Production in the Wild: An Attempt to Unlock the Knowledge Capital of Architectural Practice