Journal of Architectural and Planning Research (JAPR)
The Journal of Architectural and Planning Research (JAPR) is an interdisciplinary, peer-reviewed journal dedicated to advancing knowledge and practice in architecture, urban and regional planning, and the built environment. JAPR publishes high-quality scholarship that connects theory, evidence, and practice—supporting both academic researchers and practicing professionals with work that is rigorous, relevant, and actionable.
JAPR offers a global forum for research and professional insight. We welcome submissions from diverse geographic and cultural contexts and encourage scholarship that addresses contemporary challenges in the built environment through empirical investigation, theoretical development, methodological innovation, and practice-informed reflection.
JAPR publishes original empirical research articles, theoretical and integrative review articles, position papers, and book reviews. The journal prioritizes submissions that clearly articulate their contribution to scholarship and demonstrate implications for design, planning, policy, and professional practice.
JAPR’s scope includes three broad and interconnected areas.
Architectural and design research
This area includes research on architectural technology; environment–behavior and user experience; design theory and design methods; architectural practice and professional processes; design programming and evaluation; post-occupancy evaluation and environmental performance assessment; social-impact assessment; participatory design and user engagement; digital and computational tools for design and practice (including information technologies and computer applications); building configuration, topology, and spatial analysis; site planning; energy and sustainability; and education and communication related to the built environment.
Urban planning and spatial policy research
This area includes social, geographic, administrative, economic, and political studies of the forces shaping neighborhoods, cities, and regions. JAPR welcomes research that links planning inquiry to public and private decision-making, including governance, policy design, implementation, evaluation, and management. Topics may include urban systems, land use, mobility, housing, public space, infrastructure, resilience, equity, environmental planning, and methods for planning analysis and forecasting.
Design, interior design, and urban design in practice
JAPR also publishes practice-oriented contributions of particular interest to professionals. These submissions may document and critically reflect on architectural, interior, and urban design projects, provided they present clear objectives, contextual grounding, and evidence-informed processes. Work in this area should communicate transferable insights—such as methods, evaluation outcomes, lessons learned, and implications for future practice.
Original in scope and international in outlook, JAPR provides comprehensive coverage of the research and practice of architecture and urban planning. It serves as a scholarly bridge between disciplines and sectors for all those engaged in shaping the built environment.