Architectural Curriculum Research Articles

Exploring Students Awareness, Access and Utilization of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Architectural Design

Artificial intelligence has become a trending topic in the last decade and has permeated all spheres of life and profession and Architecture is no exception. The use of artificial intelligence in architecture is still in its infancy as more research is still being carried out in the application of artificial intelligence in architecture to solve problems ranging from intelligent material design to architectural plan solutions. This study aimed to examine students’ levels of awareness, access, and use of artificial intelligence in architectural design at selected tertiary institutions in Southeast Nigeria. The three tertiary institutions selected are; The Department of Architectural Technology, Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic Unwana, The Department of Architectural Technology Abia State Polytechnic, Aba and The Department of Architecture, Abia State University, Uturu. The main objective is to carry out a survey to investigate the awareness, access, and utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) in architectural design among students in selected tertiary institutions in Southeast Nigeria. This study adopted a descriptive research design of the survey method and employed a three-sectioned questionnaire to elicit information from the respondents. The sample size included a multistage sample of 300 undergraduates across three tertiary institutions in Ebonyi State and Abia State. The findings of the study were that the majority of the students are not aware of artificial intelligence and will use AI if they are aware of it and have access to it for their architectural design. Therefore, there is a need for integrating AI-related courses and workshops into the Architectural curriculum which can lead to better-prepared graduates who are proficient in using advanced design tools, potentially increasing their employability and innovation in the field. This study concluded that students' ability to explore digital resources such as AI for Architectural design is dependent on their awareness and access to digital technologies. A lack of these will result in a lack of use and lack of skill to use them.

Embracing sustainable development goals in B.Arch. design studio curriculum guideline through framework

PurposeThe Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were established by the UN in 2015 as an international call to action to end poverty, protect the environment, and ensure that everyone will live in peace and prosperity by the year 2030. (UNDP, 2015). Out of the 17 Goals, Goal 4 talks about “ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all.” The SDGs are essential to architectural education since buildings account for 40% of extracted materials used in construction and 39% of global energy-related carbon emissions. (Hendawy, 2023) To accomplish these objectives, the architecture curriculum must be up-to-date and efficient. It specifically takes into account the field of architecture. The purpose of this paper is to propose a framework for curriculum guidelines of B.Arch. design studios, focusing on the parameter designing for inclusivity (UIA2023CPH, 2020) of SDGs.Design/methodology/approachModels, approaches and theories of curriculum development are studied. An evaluation matrix is made to evaluate different curriculum framework for government colleges on their incorporation of SDGs. A survey/questionnaire and interviews with academicians from architecture are conducted to analyze the incorporation of SDGs in design studios and find recommended solutions for its incorporation.FindingsFinally, this research paper proposes a set of Architecture curriculum guidelines based on the evaluation framework for B.Arch. and an exemplary curriculum design model for the Architecture design studio which is evaluated through the desk critique stage for analyzing its functionality and applicability.Originality/valueDespite the emphasis on SDGs in the present scenario, the “Council Of Architecture (Minimum Standards of Architecture Education in India) Regulations, 2020” does not include or mention SDGs as a key aspect (Architecture, 2020).

Practices contributing to building sustainability: Investigating opinions of architecture students using partial least squares structural equation modeling

Owing to the significant contribution of the architecture profession towards a more sustainable built environment, architecture students need to possess sound knowledge of building sustainability. Identifying gaps in the sustainability understanding of these students is critical to recommend improvements in course curriculum. Even though sustainability related awareness of architecture students has been determined previously, the earlier studies have been limited in terms of their focus on individual institutions and their reliance on simplistic analysis approaches. Accordingly, this study investigates the viewpoint of architecture degree students regarding key sustainability practices in buildings. A questionnaire survey is conducted primarily among undergraduate students of architecture, across eight institutions in six countries, resulting in 203 responses. Survey responses indicate that students find ‘Energy’, ‘Passive and Biophilic’, and ‘Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ)’ practices highly relevant to building sustainability. For investigating relationship of various building practices with building sustainability, quantitative modelling is conducted using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). Significant relationships are found between building sustainability and ‘building materials’, ‘health interventions', ‘energy’, ‘safety and security’ and ‘passive and biophilic’ constructs. This implies that for these building practices having significant relationships with sustainability, students have better understanding and clarity. However, for other building attributes, their understanding may be lacking and needs attention. Based on these findings, recommendations for the enhancement of architecture curriculum design are proposed. The study findings are expected to support the sustainability learning outcomes for architecture degree students and their agency to contribute to a more sustainable built environment.

Primary Education in Southeast Asia: A Comparative Analysis between Indonesia and Philippines School Curriculum

This study aims to compare the implementation of elementary curricula in the Philippines and Indonesia, focusing on ten key aspects: Curriculum Function, Curriculum Vision, Aims and Objectives, Values and Principles, Philosophy of Teaching and Learning, Curriculum Architecture, The Importance of Competency, Areas of Learning, Teaching Methodology and Strategies, and Assessment. The objective is to describe and analyze the differences between the curricula of these two countries. A qualitative approach with a multi-site case study design was employed, involving elementary schools in both Indonesia and the Philippines. Data collection methods included surveys, in-depth interviews with staff from six schools in each country, lesson observations, and document analysis. Informants were selected using purposive sampling to ensure the inclusion of experienced individuals from the Education office, school principals, and teachers, totaling 12 informants from both Indonesia and the Philippines. The findings reveal notable differences in the curricula across the ten aspects studied. The Indonesian education curriculum emphasizes the development of character, morals, and social skills, whereas the Philippine education curriculum prioritizes the enhancement of students' cognitive abilities.

ASSESSING THE INFLUENCE OF ARCHITECTURAL TEACHING METHODS ON ADVANCING SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURAL PRACTICES

This study investigated the role of architectural education in Nigeria in preparing professionals for sustainable architectural practice, with a particular focus on advancing Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4). It assessed the relationship between the teaching methods employed in delivery of the architecture curriculum of universities and sustainable architectural practice among professionals. Using positivism as the philosophical stance, a quantitative approach was taken. Regression analysis was employed to analyse teaching methods and its impact on architects' professional practice. Findings revealed that educators who place emphasis on meeting deadlines, employed teaching methods that are flexible enough to adapt to changing needs, and adopting the practice of professional ethics in their teaching delivery have the highest positive influence on future architectural practice of their students. On the flip side, educators who accepted submission from students that were carelessly put together, and capitalize on relationships with their students (such as favouritism) tend to negatively affect the future architectural practice of their students. This research also revealed the crucial impact of architectural education approaches on advancing sustainable architectural practices in Nigeria, aligning with the objectives of SDG 4. It underscores the importance of teaching methods and recommends constant updates of teaching methods at the faculty level so as to have products who have a highly sustainable practice. Keywords: Architectural education, Architectural practice, Sustainability, Teaching methods

Integration of the sustainable development Goals (SDGs) in architecture curriculum – quantifying the extent of SDG contributions

Addressing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has become of paramount importance for higher education institutions; however, a lack of a transparent, transferrable approach to identifying and quantifying the extent of SDG contributions hinders the ability to benchmark against past performance or other institutions. In this study, a four-level, quantitative SDG contribution classification system was developed and applied to a Bachelor of Architectural Design program of an Australian university, by analysing all learning contents and assessment tasks for all the course of the Program. Results show that overall, the highest contributions were towards targets from SDG11 and SDG7, though most SDGs were addressed at some level. Contributions were mainly associated to lower cognitive learning levels, though there was a shift to higher-level (e.g. applications) contributions towards the last year of the program. Results also show that convenor-driven contributions, especially for some specific SDGs, can be significant, though in most cases SDG contributions were deemed part of core assessment/learning contents. The proposed approach provides a numerical assessment of SDGs contributions of a university-level program, which could be refined in the future and used more systematically by other institutions to benchmark and track progress towards achieving these goals.

Beyond the hard and soft skills paradigm: an Australian architecture industry perspective on employability and the university/practice divide

PurposeThis study explores practitioners’ perspectives on the perceived gap between university and practice beyond the hard and soft skill paradigm. Utilising Tomlinson’s graduate capital model of employability (2017), we explored human, social, cultural, and psychological capitals to enrich the understanding of this issue and employability. It provided a new perspective, useful for implementing curriculum renewal.Design/methodology/approachThis study utilised a two-stage mixed methods design. Using Tomlinson’s (2017) Graduate capital model as a framework, the first stage involved distributing an online survey to qualified architects in hiring positions practising in Australia. This served as the foundation for generating qualitative and quantitative data. The second stage involved a two-hour practitioner workshop where the survey results were discussed and expanded upon.FindingsOur results found that the practitioner’s perspective on the perceived skills gap is more complex than the hard/soft skill paradigm commonly discussed. Practitioners expressed a need for students/graduates to possess identity and cultural capital to contextualise industry norms and expectations. This knowledge lets students know where and how hard/soft skills are used. Our results also suggest practitioners are concerned with the prevailing individualistic approach to the higher education system and traditional architectural teaching methods, instead suggesting a more industry-aligned collaborative disposition.Originality/valueBy expanding the employability discourse beyond hard/soft skills, the results of this research provide an opportunity for architectural curriculum renewal in line with industry expectations.

Creative programming in architecture: a computational thinking approach

The creative programming language Processing can be used as a generative architectural design tool, which allows the designer to write design instructions (algorithms) and compute them, obtaining graphical outputs of great interest. This contribution addresses the inclusion of this language in the architecture curriculum, within the context of digital culture and alternative approaches to how digital tools are used and learned. It studies the different processes related to Computational Thinking that are triggered in the prototyping of computer applications and that lead to creativity. The similarity between architectural design and programming is analysed, both in problem solving (abstraction, decomposition, iterative revisions -debugging-, etc.) and in the use of mechanisms of a digital nature (loops, randomness, etc.). The results of the design and testing of a pilot course are shown, in which the way of teaching, learning and using this programming language is based on the graphical representation of problems through sketches.

Need for Inclusion of Conservation and Rehabilitation Courses in Architectural Curriculum: Lessons from Pedagogical Experience

Need for Inclusion of Conservation and Rehabilitation Courses in Architectural Curriculum: Lessons from Pedagogical Experience

Co-Innovating for Integrated Research, Teaching, and Outreach in Sea Level Rise Adaptation

Approximately 680 million people live in low-lying coastal regions susceptible to flooding (IPCC 2019), and architects are positioned to drive wide-scale adoption of practical design solutions to address climate change impacts (AIA 2020). This paper describes innovative pedagogical approaches to integrate climate change into the architectural curricula in conjunction with funded applied research and community outreach to inform future climate change adaptation. The community-engaged scholarship, Envisioning Sea Level Rise Adaptation in Waikīkī, Hawai‘i and its parallel graduate architecture courses resulted in locally tailored architectural renderings, policy guidance, and visions that may inform future design and policy. The replicable research methods describe the processes, individuals, partnerships, and products for knowledge-sharing and coordinating climate change adaptation and resilience through interdisciplinary cocreation within academia and coordinated community input.

Integrating sustainable development goals into the architecture curriculum: Experiences and perspectives

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) play a crucial role in architectural education, as buildings contribute 39% of global energy-related carbon emissions and 40% of extracted materials are used in construction. This research investigates the current status of SDG integration in architecture education, its challenges, and potential future advancements. A qualitative survey was conducted among architecture educators from 22 institutions across nine countries, focusing on four key aspects: (i) general knowledge and understanding of the SDGs; (ii) qualification and experience regarding the SDGs; (iii) integration of the SDGs in architecture education; and (iv) implementation of the SDGs in architectural practises. The findings revealed that most educators did not receive formal education focused on the SDGs, relying on self-exposure and self-learning. SDG 11 was the most adopted, focusing on improving slum areas, providing safe housing, and promoting sustainable urban settlements while preserving cultural heritage.

Scenarios of Building Information Modelling-Based Design Education in Architecture Schools

Due to the rapid development of computer technologies and trends in digital design, including building information modeling (BIM) and its diffusion into architectural design practice, it was necessary to introduce BIM into architectural curricula in order to prepare students for practice. This article therefore aims to identify scenarios for teaching BIM to architecture students worldwide. To achieve this objective, a thematic analysis of BIM teaching experiences in several selected academic institutions was conducted. The data studied included published articles and official university websites dealing with BIM teaching. A theoretical framework for BIM education was determined, comprising two aspects: pedagogical methods for BIM education and specifications for BIM courses in architecture programs. The document identified several scenarios for teaching BIM in multidisciplinary or architecture-specific courses. BIM teaching can be offered as part of a single course integrated with other courses, or as a separate course. It may be taught as part of related or unrelated courses. Related courses can be organized in parallel with an academic semester, or over several semesters. In addition, there are different types of input to project-based BIM teaching, such as a new design project, the results of a previous design course or an actual project. These scenarios can serve as a reference for universities wishing to integrate BIM into their programs.

Integration of cultural heritage in architecture: a national study of Jordanian higher education

ABSTRACT This paper explores cultural heritage pedagogical practices in architectural curricula. A comprehensive mixed-method research approach was implemented on a national scale to examine the curricula of architecture departments in all Jordanian universities. This investigation encompassed qualitative and quantitative analyses, including the development of Standard and Compulsory Affinity Index ratios to assess the level of heritage integration in these curricula. To further enhance findings from both analyses, purposive criterion sampling was used for semi-structured interviews with 20 architectural professors, alongside a participatory workshop involving 25 academics, heritage professionals, and organisations. The research contributes to the limited existing literature on cultural heritage education in architectural curricula. It also introduces a model for assessing cultural heritage education at the BSc level, uncovering disparities in its presence within architectural curricula. The role of the Accreditation & Quality Assurance Commission for Higher Education Institutions in promoting heritage education is found to be limited, and inconsistencies in terminology and approaches across institutions are observed. While the primary focus is on the Jordanian context, this research offers practical recommendations that can be applied more broadly to architectural education.

Transition in Architecture Education? Exploring Socio-Technical Factors of Curricular Changes for a Sustainable Built Environment

Curricular changes in architecture can support to meet the increased demand for sustainability in higher education (HE). Identifying their associated factors is necessary to understand ongoing and future transitions in architecture education. Transition management (TM) frameworks have been frequently used to analyze structural changes in various institutions but have received little attention in architecture education. This study explores the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich) as a case study, focusing on its architecture curricula within 32 years from 1990 to 2022, corresponding to multiple generations of academic careers. A multiple-level perspective (MLP) document analysis on curricular changes is conducted in three steps, drawing on a specific perspective on sustainability in architecture. First, generic characteristics that may influence curricular changes are identified from the literature. Second, shifts in the undergraduate curriculum of ETH Zurich are systematically mapped. Third, a classification of implemented curricular shifts results in seven nuanced variations in generic factors. These socio-technical factors involve the development and dissemination of new disciplinary (1) and interdisciplinary (2) approaches to a sustainable built environment (SBE), a relocation of the viewpoint on sustainability from physiology/hygiene to building physics (3), experimentation with inquiry-based learning in niches (4), extended spheres of influence in teaching (5), early committed intra-faculty opinion leaders (6), and the formation of educational networks (7). The proposed approach based on longitudinal curriculum mapping offers a way to locate structural curricular changes, identify hidden educational trends, and inform institutional changes.

Pentafsiran Reka Bentuk Kurikulum Pendidikan Seni Bina Ecole des Beaux Art dari Sudut Pandang Pendidikan Seni Bina Malaysia

This research aims to highlight the distinctive features found in the Ecole des Beaux-Arts architectural education curriculum, the first formal architectural educational institution in Europe during the 17th century that influenced most architectural education curriculum formation at the international level including curriculum in Malaysia. The aim of this research is to provide a foundation of understanding to the parties involved in architectural education regarding the origins and fundamental features of an architectural curriculum. The research methodology adopted in this research is Interpretive Historical Research where historical facts obtained will go through evidence investigation sessions, collection, and compilation of evidence and will be concluded with narrative construction. The architectural education curriculum implemented by the Ecole des Beaux-Arts is not stated in a structured manner as the global curriculum practices today. Therefore, this research specifically highlights the translation method of blurred curriculum information, which is in the form of storytelling on past architectural learning situations into a structured curriculum that can be evaluated in physical form and compared with the current architectural education system. The findings of the research showed that there are specific features in the architectural education curriculum by Ecole des Beaux-Arts based on the course breakdown method as practiced in the Malaysian architectural education system today.

A pedagogical approach optimization toward sustainable architectural technology education applied by massive open online courses

PurposeThe application of massive open online courses (MOOCs) helps integrate sustainable development goals (SDGs) into architectural curricula. The essence of MOOC development is building an education platform that promotes the sharing and continuing of global education resources.Design/methodology/approachThis study establishes a four-dimensional evaluation model based on the four characteristics of MOOCs. The quadrilateral area evaluation method is used to create an evaluation radar chart to comprehensively evaluate satisfaction and demand in the traditional teaching model of architectural technology. This study discusses whether the curriculum is suitable for the development of MOOCs and how to optimize the sustainable pedagogical mode according to its characteristics to meet future teaching needs and realize the sustainable development of education.FindingsSatisfaction evaluation found that current education is not open enough from the students' perspective; therefore, MOOCs enhance students' participation and significantly reduce future learning costs. Through demand evaluation, it was found that both teachers and students believed that the lack of direct and effective communication between them and the difficulty in ensuring the learning effect were problems that must be addressed in MOOCs.Originality/valueThis study focused on the sustainability of MOOCs in curriculum development. It emphasizes the combination of MOOCs' teaching modes and the course itself and provides specific guidance and suggestions for improving the course. It uses an evaluation method for objective analysis and visualization.

Modeling Radiologist Decision Making for Paediatric Elbow Fractures by Deep Learning Multiview

Abstract: To detect an elbow fracture, patients typically need to take frontal and side views of diagnostic elbow radiographs. For the classification of elbow fracture subtypes, we propose a multiview deep learning technique in this work. Our strategy makes advantage of transfer learning by first training two individual models, one for the top view and another for the lateral position, and then moving the values to the relevant layers in the proposed multiview network design. Quantitative medical data has also been included into the training phase using a specific curriculum architecture that lets the model to initially learn from "easier" examples and then advance to "harder" examples to attain improved performance. Furthermore, our multiview network can work with both two simultaneous views as well as a single view as input. Using a database of 1,964 photographs for the classification of elbow fracture, we rigorously evaluate our methods. Results show that our technique may enhance the effectiveness of the tested methods and perform better than two comparable methods on broken bones investigation under various conditions.

Pedagogy for Teaching Fire Safety through Design-Based Immersion of the National Building Code 2016 with Feedback from Students of Undergraduate Architecture.

This study is based on the feedback from 3rd-year architectural undergraduate students at a leading architectural education college in India. An undergraduate degree in architecture in India leads to a professional license to practice as an architect in India. Fire safety is also a component of the architectural curriculum, but there are concerns worldwide that architecture colleges may somehow not give the impetus fire safety education may require. A studio-based, immersive pedagogy was created to make fire safety more relevant and easy to grasp for architecture students. This method used integrating the interventions from the country's fire code into the design using students' self-created design problems, with which they were familiar. This design-based immersive integration of the National Building Code 2016 and its fire provisions were tested in this study. The detailed course pedagogical structure has been presented. The study was tested using feedback from the students at the end of the semester using an 11-part questionnaire which 32 students answered in an anonymous mode. The results show an overall positive response where the students prefer a design-based integrated fire safety curriculum which introduces fire codes to the students in the applied format. This study paves the way for more replications of the studio design-based integration of fire codes into the curricula of architecture colleges. Further studies will require this technique to undergo further testing by involving practitioners who have undergone this pedagogy and testing the same in building projects.

Developing Adaptive Curriculum for Slum Upgrade Projects: The Fourth Year Undergraduate Program Experience

Slum formation is a visible outcome of population growth, rapid urbanization, economic and political policy. Currently, there are approximately one billion slum dwellers, representing approximately thirty percent of the global population. As evident, slums as a critical issue will remain in the upcoming decades. The discipline of architecture should consider the issue of a slum in its curriculum, especially within the design studios. This research attempts to integrate the slum topic within the fourth year undergraduate architecture curriculum and develop a pedagogical framework concerning architectural design projects that focuses on slum topic. The Graduation Research & Preparation (ARC 403) course and Graduation Project (ARC 402) course are modified in order to be responsive to the slum topic. The novelty of the framework can be categorized as follows: the proposed framework is context specific. It is based on an interdisciplinary approach to architecture and ethnography. It utilizes ethnographic tools for collecting data during fieldwork. It values research throughout the design process. A research-based approach prepares young architects for future complex challenges. It requires the young architects to utilize research and build an inventory of collected data, which can guide them during the design process as a reference point. It attempts to increase the awareness of the young architect regarding the discourse on social sustainability. It values social equity, quality of life, and well-being as core indicators of social sustainability and tries to integrate the indicators within the curriculum. The aforementioned indicators can guide young architects to reach strategic decisions to achieve sustainable design solutions.

BIM-enabled virtual reality (VR)-based pedagogical framework in architectural design studios

PurposeOver the past decade, architecture, construction and engineering (ACE) industries have been evolving from traditional practices into more current, interdisciplinary and technology integrated methods. Intricate digital tools and mobile computing such as computational design, simulation and immersive technologies, have been extensively used for different purposes in this field. Immersive technologies such as augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) have proven to be very advantageous while the research is in its infancy in the field. Therefore, this study aims to develop an immersive pedagogical framework that can create a more engaging teaching and learning environment and enhance students' skill in the ACE field.Design/methodology/approachThis study developed a BIM-enabled VR-based pedagogical framework for the design studio teaching in architectural courses, using a qualitative approach. A case study method was then used to test and validate this developed framework. Architectural Master Design Studio B, at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) was selected as the case study, with South Bank Corporation (SBC) as the industry partner and stakeholder of this project.FindingsThe practicality and efficiency of this framework was confirmed through increased students' and stakeholders' engagement. Some of the additional outcomes of this digitally enhanced pedagogical framework are as follows: enhanced students' engagement, active participation, collective knowledge construction and increased creativity and motivation.Research limitations/implicationsThe results have proven that the developed technology-enhanced and digitally enabled teaching pedagogy and framework can be successfully implemented into architectural design studios. This can bridge the existing gap between the technological advancements in ACE industry and higher education teaching and learning methods and outcomes. It is also expected that such innovative pedagogies will future-proof students' skill set as the future generation of architects and built environment workers. A major limitation of this framework is accessibility to the required hardware such as HMD, controllers, high-capacity computers and so on. Although the required software is widely accessible, particularly through universities licencing, the required hardware is yet to be readily and widely available and accessible.Practical implicationsThe result of this study can be implemented in the architectural design studios and other ACE related classrooms in higher educations. This can bridge the existing gap between the technological advancements in ACE industry, and higher education teaching and learning methods and outcomes. It is also expected that such innovative pedagogies will future-proof students' skill set.Social implicationsSuch technology-enhanced teaching methods have proven to enhance students' engagement, active participation, collective knowledge construction and increased creativity and motivation.Originality/valueDespite the advancement of digital technologies in ACE industry, the application of such technologies and tools in higher education context are not yet completely explored and still scarce. Besides, there is still a significant gap in the body of knowledge about developing teaching methods and established pedagogies that embrace the usage of such technologies in the design and architecture curricula.