Examining Workshops in the Intersection of Formal and Informal Architecture Education: The Case of “Bahar Atölyeleri”

Abstract

Today, it is known that formal education models alone are not sufficient for the complexity of design education. Thus, these models should be supported by informal methods. In contemporary architectural education, the formal structure is supported by various informal education tools such as competitions, workshops, and panels. However, although it is seen as two different education models, it is not possible to draw a clear boundary between formal and informal education. Because it can be said that today's formal education contains informality and informal education has various formal aspects. In this context firstly, formal, informal, and non-formal education models are examined. Furthermore, extracurricular, and co-curricular activities, which are a part of formal, informal, and non-formal education models, are explained. Secondly, the workshops, which are seen as an informal tool in architectural education, are examined according to their characteristics such as method, subject, actors, organizer, duration, and venue. Subsequently, this article discusses the formal and informal status of workshops according to these characteristics. The discussion is carried out over four workshops with different characteristics, organized by the Department of Interior Architecture and Environmental Design at Istanbul Kültür University under the name of “Bahar Atölyeleri” (Spring Workshops). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with four participants who participated in four different workshops. Thus, it was aimed to discover the formal and informal aspects of the workshops by conducting interviews with the participants.