The endowment provides financial support towards research into hillside design for settlements especially in the Asia Pacific region. The Hillside Design Lab focuses on the design of appropriate foundation and structural systems for buildings on hillside by providing opportunities for architectural students to explore the various issues of building with hillside conditions. Concentrating on the integration of engineering and architecture, the Hillside Design lab represents the efforts by the School to educate architectural students about the importance of resolving site problems. This integration incorporates working with engineers as consultants in a studio setting. For project assignments within the Lab, students execute all phases of the design solution with engineers and other consultants that deal with hillside conditions.
Final presentation incorporates hillside site resolutions with the benefit of the consultants.
The intent of hillside projects also involves introducing architecture students to consultants within the profession. The Hillside Design Lab educates students that complex and difficult situations require consultation between various professions to resolve the site and project conditions for building suitable structures. The funding for the Lab includes support for students to study designing on hillsides in the Asia Pacific area at leading universities within the region. In addition, the Lab provides grants for visiting scholars from the Asia Pacific region to teach and conduct research.