architecture - pure or applied research

From BD, CABE (UK) chief criticised the research assessment exercise (RAE), whose results are used to determine how university funding is allocated. “To say research has to be pure rather than applied cannot be based on an understanding of how the profession works. Architecture is an applied discipline [...].”

This is a poignant and relevant issue given that finishing my PhD is currently under consideration - the problem with doing a PhD in architecture revolves around this very issue - is it possible to do pure research in a field that is primarily applied and project based?