New technologies and their impact on the development of architectural education

Abstract

The advanced developments in the use of the modern technology, such as three-dimensional (3D) printing, internet of things and wearable devices have experienced a significant acceleration in terms of theoretical and practical aspects. These advanced techniques have played an important and vital role in many different fields of our life including the field of architecture. However, the presentation curriculum in the field of architectural education is still lacking in the actual application and optimal use of the (3D) printing technology at the local level in architectural departments for Iraqi universities. The paper aims to identify the innovative technologies and utilize them in the field of architectural education through developing an integrated framework for the Architectural Presentation curriculum using (3D) printer techniques. The latest methods and innovative technologies that have been accepted and applied in the field of E-learning and its utilization in the field of architectural education were reviewed and evaluated. In this paper, therefore, we focused in the proposed framework on the use of the three-dimensional (3D) printing technology in Architectural Presentation and analysing the obstacles that may face the implementation of this technology locally. The results illustrate that there is an urgent need to adopt such an innovative technology (3D printer) in our architectural presentation curriculum, because of its effectiveness as a powerful tool in the academic education. It is anticipated that the three-dimensional printing technology will help not only to develop the architect capabilities in generating the (3D) objects and models, but also to enable architects to implement their project with an accurate, ease and quick manner.