A Framework to Enhance Flexible Blended Architectural Design Education

Abstract

In the last few years, there have been lots of challenges facing the world from pandemics and wars that have raised a series of challenges facing architectural education, which create a challenge for both teachers and students and to which extent they can adapt to the post-digital adaptation period, as well as the future of architectural education in general. Architecture and design environments mainly require face-to-face learning and teaching techniques that depend on the interaction between the student and the teacher, where application and practical education take place. Furthermore, studio-designed spaces provide solidarity, positive energy, and motivation for students. Therefore, activating the distance learning process that affect the architectural education strategy and directed institutions and teachers to the necessity of flexibility and adaptation as a part of the structure of architectural education curricula. this study is a humble try to evaluate the role of blended learning experiences incorporating architectural design programmes that were first applied after the last pandemic. It focuses on the importance of flexible architectural education through the overlap between the traditional studio and the virtual studio to achieve a positive experience for students and staff members. This is done by observing a design studio procedure during a blended learning period and with the help of a questionnaire for a diverse number of students and faculty members on the subject of architectural design at one of the Egyptian universities that host the architecture department. It is conducted for the purpose of flexible handling through the integration of distance learning with architectural design education in relation to the era of pandemics, the digital age, and the like in the future. The research contributes to developing a future framework that enhances the flexibility of architectural design education, supports self-education, and turns the architectural design studio into an opportunity for reproduction and renewal.