Architectural Design Studio Research Articles

Storytelling as a learning tool in creative education: A case study in an architecture design studio

This paper investigates the significant aspects of storytelling, when used as a pedagogical method to enhance students critical and creative thinking and communicative technique, by applying it to first-year students in the architecture design studio. Creativity is a substantial part of architectural education as it improves students’ design processes in innovative ways. This paper considers how the architecture design studio can form a creative design solution that can be learned and developed by learner-centred activity; it concentrates on aspects of storytelling, which many scholars have begun to discuss its significance in creative education. Thus, this paper aims to develop a creative learning strategy for use in the architecture design studio and suggest a new learning method by engaging storytelling in the design process. This paper starts with discussions about storytelling and its usages in the architecture design studio, referring to several theorists and educators, particularly focusing on McDrury and Alterio (2003); it helps to create a framework and develop a curriculum for the architecture design studio. The overall results suggest that using storytelling as a learning method in an architecture design studio is important in contextualising and articulating design work, from ideas to analysis, visualisation and expression, in a coherent context. It helps students gain better design skills and a greater understanding of the design process across the disciplines of the design studio, improving students creative thinking during the unique design process.

The impact of research and representation of site analysis for creative design approach in architectural design studio

In the context of architectural education, design studio projects generally begin with the research of design themes and contexts; however, few attempts have been made to appreciate site analysis as reliable architectural design research. This study aims to explore strategies that link site analysis and design application to bridge the gap between research and representation as a framework for applying architectural design education. To bridge this knowledge gap, this study describes four phases of site analysis—(1) site selection, (2) site survey, (3) problem identification, and (4) suggestion for the design approach —in which visual expression of the representation technique was explored to develop a creative design approach through observation and analysis of students’ work. A curriculum that adopts the four phases of site analysis was developed based on the SPC and expanded for second-year architecture students in the university. The results showed that there are differences between architecture students in schematizing specific ideas and analysis methods, and that a substantial change in the process occurs when including visual expression in site analysis. In addition, the combination of group-based work and site analysis led to problem-solving that showed co-evolution. Finally, the study describes how research shapes site analysis and explains how representation can contribute to understanding the research. Site analysis consists of an initial attempt to explore research related to creative approaches, and may benefit both architecture educators and students.

Architecture Students Self-Report Wellbeing Assessment Based On Quality Learning Environment in Design Studio

Higher education students’ difficulties, especially students in architecture education lead students to health problems. The design studio is the heart of architecture education and students spent most of their time with staff. Students tend to do various activities in the studio such as demonstrating, model-making, drawing, and lecturing. Therefore, the learning environment in the studio should attract students to spend most of their time in the studio happily. This research focused on a mixed method to assess the relationship between students’ wellbeing and the quality learning environment in the design studio. The students’ self-report assessment for the wellbeing situation has been used that depends on students experience in the design studio. For this reason, architecture design studios at private universities in Erbil city have been selected as a case study. The statistical program SPSS has been used to test hypotheses and analyze data. The findings of this study represent the significant positive relationship between students’ wellbeing and the quality learning environment in the design studio. Furthermore, the study illustrates the significance of the quality learning environment in the design studio and its role in the development of the student’s wellbeing.

Experiment on The Cooperative Practice of Biomimicry in The Architectural Studio

Life in the architectural design studio is about the acquisition of experienceduring the cooperative architectural practice Scholars have observed thatcooperation between students is the most effective tool in architectural learning. Inthis scope, the study aims to compare the cooperative spirit of teamwork practicewith the solo practice in a biomimetic project-based workshop to measure theinfluence of cooperation on students` productivity and anxiety state, consideringgender, locality, and the state of siblings as influencing factors. The methodologyintends to employ a qualitative comparative analysis to indicate the transformationof students` productivity in a biomimetic design workshop after switching from asolo practice to a cooperative peer learning application as well as an embracementfor the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) test during both practices during twoworkshops for architectural students from different academic levels emphasizingbiomimetic design principles and Nature thinking. The results outlined the positiveimpact of cooperative biomimetic practice on students` accomplishments andanxiety state.

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.

Identifying the phases of learning in an Australasian undergraduate architecture design studio model

An understanding of the theoretical basis of the design learning process, and the resulting partnership between students and teachers in contemporary design studios, is required to optimise learning. Students’ learning in the architecture design studio has been widely studied, however the specific activities of students and teachers, and the interpersonal interactions between them, have not been investigated in great depth. This research identifies a complex, nuanced situation, one with three consecutive phases of different learning activities and relationships. An undergraduate architecture program at a large Australian university is analysed using a modified Delphi method to investigate the perceptions of staff and students and achieve convergence upon a shared understanding of how the design learning process unfolds through three distinct phases to support learning.

The effects of workstation arrangements on the acoustical performance of the architecture design studios.

Architecture design studios spaces needs special treatment for its acoustical environment. Interaction, communication, meetings, and various activities could influence concentration, which in turn, affects other aspects as quality of the architectural concepts and creation level. Workstation arrangement could consider as one of the elements which can improve the design studio acoustical conditions. In this paper, we evaluate the impact of 5 types of workstation arrangement with two different partitions heights (1.10m and 1.60m). The measurements were conducted in the College of Architecture, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, KSA. Speech Transmission Index, STI in the nearest workstation, Distraction distance rD, privacy distance rP, A-weighted background noise level Lp, A, B and A-weighted SPL of speech at 4 meters Lp,A,S,4m have been measured according to ISO 3382-3. We found that U-shaped workstation arrangement can improve the acoustical environment the design studio. Furthermore, good results were observed using 1.60m partition height for all types of arrangements.

The Online Studio: Cultures, Perceptions and Questions for the Future

AbstractWe investigated the impact of the transition to online architectural design studios in response to the COVID‐19 pandemic at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia. The study focussed specifically on student and tutor perceptions of online design studio before the sudden transition to online delivery, and how those perceptions shifted through the initial months of online delivery. We consider the pedagogical context in which the shift to online teaching took place and the evident successes and failures in the early iterations of online studio. We discuss similar and contrasting perceptions in student and tutor groups and observe the changes in these perceptions prior to and after teaching and learning in online studios. The paper concludes with a series of questions directed to the architectural design studio teaching community regarding the apparent inevitability of a future in which both FTF and online‐only studios are surpassed with hybrid design studios.

A Comparison of Students’ Thermal Comfort and Perceived Learning Performance between Two Types of University Halls: Architecture Design Studios and Ordinary Lecture Rooms during the Heating Season

In classrooms, several variables may affect students’ thermal comfort, and hence health, well-being, and learning performance. In particular, the type of learning activity may play a role in students’ thermal comfort. However, most of the previous research has mainly investigated the thermal comfort of students in ordinary classrooms, while less attention has been paid to students’ thermal comfort in classrooms with particular learning activities, such as architecture design studios, where students spend a long time and perform learning activities with high metabolic rates. For this purpose, we compared the thermal comfort and perceived learning performance of students majoring in architecture (n = 173) between two types of university halls, namely, design studios and typical lecture rooms (N = 15). We applied the classroom–comfort–data method, which included collecting physical, physiological, and psychological data from students and classrooms. Data were collected during the heating season (November 2021–January 2022) in a university building in Jordan. We conducted continuous monitoring combined with periodic measures for indoor temperature, relative humidity, mean radiant temperature, and air speed. Questionnaires, focus groups, and observations were also used to collect subjective data from students. The results showed statistically significant differences (Δμ = 3.1 °C, p < 0.01, d = 0.61) in indoor temperature between design studios and lecture rooms. Only 58% of students’ votes were within the ASHRAE 55-2107 recommended comfort zone. In design studios, 53% of students felt warm compared to 58.8% of students who had a cold sensation in lecture rooms. Students perceived themselves as more productive when they felt cooler. Our research’s significance lies in its injunction that there must be a special thermal comfort guide for educational buildings that are adapted to the local environment and functions of the spaces, cooperatively.

Methodology for teaching anthropometry in the first year architectural design studio

Architectural Education is a multifaceted field that integrates human values, sustainability, environmental factors, technology, and more into building design to satisfy human needs. It deals with human activities and the spaces required to perform those activities. Architectural design forms the core subject in architectural education and holds a place in every year of the five-year program, with increasing complexity and focus. The first year forms the foundation of the program, which focuses on basic design and anthropometry. Anthropometry, the study of human body dimensions and proportions, is an important domain of ergonomics that focuses on human-centered design. The aim of this research paper is to understand the relevance of anthropometry in design and develop a systematic process for teaching anthropometry in the first-year architectural design studio. The results conclude that the process should involve step-by-step design stages for the students to have a thorough understanding of anthropometry and its application in architecture so that they can design spaces of different typologies with the human being as the center of design.

REPRESENTATION OF TOPOGRAPHY AS A DESIGN INSTRUMENT: EXPERIENCE IN A DESIGN STUDIO

Aim: Based on the argument that the abstract representation of topography makes new design possibilities visible it is aimed to evaluate the design processes of students within the scope of design studio. The scope of the study was determined as the analysis of the topographic structure of the place through instrumentalization. This study was determined within the framework of making the possibilities of representation visible in the architectural design process and observing the interaction of students with these representational levels. The design period is limited to the fourteen-week period of architectural education. A defined design problem given to the students forms the upper frame of the studio. Method: The method of this research was created by recording the ideas, discussions and criticisms of the students on a design problem of the learning processes that took place in the architectural design studio. Results: Making a topography model with a different method than usual changes the student’s perspective on design. Conclusion: It has been observed that starting the first-year architectural design studio education with a tool that the student can use in the design process carries the acquisition of design skills to an advanced level.

Cheia T – Technique, Technology, Transfer. 10 Key-Components for Sustainable Architectural Design

CHEIA T (Holistic Research, Integrated Academic Expertise: Technique, Technology, Transfer) was a research project initiated in 2022 by the Department of Technical Sciences, UAUIM. The three objectives of CHEIA T were transdisciplinary techniques approaches in architectural education, prefab building technologies analysis and sustainable knowledge transfer. The research team undertook a synthetic comparison of categories and items that configure the most important certification standards for sustainable buildings and filtered several elements having a direct influence upon the students’ architectural proposals. We created a complex survey addressed to students in the final years of the Faculty of Architecture, aiming to assess different ways of integrating sustainable principles and technologies into their architectural design studio projects. 10 components of sustainable architectural design were defined: Site, Inclusive Design, Air, Water, Sun & Light, Sound, Materials, Waste, Energy, Wellbeing. Considering the four pillars of sustainability, the multiple-choice options presented in each of the 10 specific areas of the survey focused on the architectural form, architectural details, social and environmental aspects. The synthesis of the 10 key sustainable components emphasizing pragmatic solutions presented in this research paper can be used as a valuable tool in architectural education when generating new ideas for architectural projects.

A FIELD STUDY ON ADAPTIVE THERMAL COMFORT IN A NATURALLY VENTILATED DESIGN STUDIO CLASS IN THE POST-PANDEMIC PERIOD

Design studios are where design students spend most of their time learning theory and practices. For this reason, thermal comfort conditions in studios are crucial to provide a suitable environment for education. Especially in the post-pandemic period, thermal comfort conditions have become more critical in educational buildings. The present study focuses on the adaptive thermal comfort condition in an architectural design studio in the Mediterranean climate of Izmir/Turkey. The study aims to evaluate the comfort conditions of the students and determine the effect of mask use on thermal sensation in the post-pandemic period. For this purpose, air temperature, relative humidity, and air velocity measurements were collected during the studio hours in the spring semester when the heating and cooling systems were not working. Additionally, a thermal sensation survey was conducted with 42 students. The results showed that the thermal comfort level was within the 90% acceptability limits according to the ASHRAE Standard-55. According to the survey results, the use of masks by the students did not have a significant effect on thermal perception.

Multiple Mnazi Mmoja

This paper argues for the appreciation of multiple identities present within cities in Africa by discussing the pedagogic experiment of an architectural design studio and the design projects of the studio between 2017 and 2019. Mnazi Mmoja is a Kiswahili phrase loosely translated to mean "one coconut tree"- oneness in a post-colonial context. This paper interrogates the problematic single-stroke description of African challenges, a continent with over 51 countries with diverse cultures, ethnicities, and urban morphologies. The paper argues that there are many Mnazi Mmoja. Unit15X’s design teaching strategy has been to challenge knowledge in architecture, landscape, and urban design by First taking students at the University of Johannesburg to other African countries to foster cultural awareness. Secondly, Unit15X’s studio utilizes landscape themes, allowing students to research complex relationships between urban inhabitants and their landscapes and their production to enhance critical awareness and move beyond aesthetic explorations. Our curiosity guides us to understand what it means to practice architecture, landscape architecture, urban design, and planning by interrogating public spaces on the continent. This paper discusses Unit15X's studio exploration of Larval (Emergent) Landscapes on the public space of the Mnazi Moja site of historical and cultural significance in Dar es Salaam in Tanzania through two students' speculative design projects.Two students’ projects, The Anti-Atlas, and The One Coconut Tree, explore the concept of Mnazi Mmoja- 'oneness' - to pause questions that challenge planning and design legislations and begin to speculate on how indigenous knowledge, multiple identities, and African material conditions can be (re)-applied to contemporary contexts in order to raise awareness of: identity; multiculturalism in cites; post-colonial urbanism within cities in an attempt to reinterpret the multiple representations of the concept of Mnazi Mmoja.

The Multidimensional Exploration Methodology for Architectural Design Studio Education: An Innovative Teaching Methodology Proposal

In this paper, we discuss the next phase of architectural design, and concerning the requirements of this point of view, we propose a new learning approach that includes digital-design thinking (by the approach) and design-driven innovation (as outcomes). The paper aims to reflect an architectural understanding shaped by current global facts and developing technologies. Moreover, we discuss this understanding from the academic perspective, which is compatible with the globally evolving socio-cultural, environmental, and economic norms. Therefore, under the title, The Multidimensional Exploration Methodology, we present a new education scheme and a learning methodology that transfers this aligned view to the architectural design studio education model and trains new designers accordingly. The learning method is developed by taking references from existing methods and blending them into each other in a way compatible with architectural design. While addressing the student as a professional, this method challenges them via real problems through challenge-based learning and adopts the new architectural understanding through the cognitive learning method. Furthermore, it aims to develop designers’ perceptions and approaches that align with the digital world through design-science research methodology within the framework of a new understanding. Consequently, it develops practical skills with the learning-by-doing model. This new architectural concept has emerged, backed up by the power of data and shaped by users’ roles and responsibilities in the digital age. This understanding, which is not only limited to Form and Function but also consists of ‘Form + Function + Interaction’, should be covered by design schools as a progression for the human-centred design approach.

Transformation of Architectural Design Concepts During the Early Design Phase

The most difficult objective for students in an architectural design studio during the early design phase is to produce a design concept satisfyingly. This is due not just to the difficulty of selecting an appropriate method of approaching concepts, but also because of the many transformations associated with the concept's evolution over time.
 This research examines the modifications that occur throughout the conceptual phase of a design session, which typically lasts a few weeks. We hypothesize that while students' conception methods have been more abstract in creating a concept, they are subject to more alterations during the early phase of design. The research conducts concept generation and transformations by monitoring a group of fourth-grade architecture students through their design process. It also tries to link those transformations to the various methods utilized by students to create their concepts. It appears that the transformations that occurred throughout the design sessions were either formal or functional-oriented. Observations clarify that those transformations are linked to the sort of concept generating, which is either abstract or concrete. By observing the design sessions, the research was able to confirm the previous hypothesis. The modifications implemented to the design concepts were obviously tied to the nature of their selection of methods of production. When compared to concrete nature concepts, abstract nature concepts were more vulnerable to transformations throughout the conceptual phase of the design task on the scope of form and function.

Exploring the architectural design process assisted in conventional design studio: a systematic literature review

The architectural design process is a unique process that has its inherent phases with specific activities within. Exploring and identifying the real design process which occurs within the conventional design studio is the key focus of this study. This study was carried out by adopting systematic literature review methodology. The most relevant articles for the review were identified by applying an inclusion and exclusion criteria based on a rubric developed to find answers to the research questions developed. For the literature review, 50 articles were selected by eliminating the non-related and non-suitable articles based on the rubric developed. The data was analysed by the content analysis based on the Grounded Theory. Grounded Theory was applied to generate a theory based on the data or findings. The results have given data to draw a Design Process model which is specific for architectural design studio practice. It is evident that the lack of integrating the intended user in the design process has impacted the solutions. Furthermore, many scholars have discussed the architectural design process, but there is a significant gap in discussing the involvement of users and context during the design process.

The Impact of Furniture Arrangement upon Experiential Learning in Architectural Design Studios, with Reference to Cairo, Egypt

Architectural education is one of the most special and complex disciplines that need specific spatial requirements. Architectural design studio is the backbone of architectural education for that the setting of the studio affects the students' productivity; it should suit the learning process and activities to help the students. Yet, many studios follow the traditional grid setting. The experiential learning cycle developed by Kolb is known to be an effective educational strategy in architecture and consists of four stages which are concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation that balance input and output data through learning activities. In order to fully acquire the requirements of the experiential learning cycle, there are spatial requirements that should be taken into consideration, one of which a seating arrangement is a common factor that can balance the tangible and non-tangible factors. The aim of the study is to test the impact of the four seating arrangements on Kolb's learning activities to figure out the most appropriate arrangement for each activity to realize the highest levels of productivity in the studio. The study was carried out at four universities in Cairo, Egypt (two private-two public). An online survey was completed by 322 participants from 3rd, 4th, and 5th year undergraduate students and staff members. The results were analyzed quantitatively using SPSS software. They suggest that the seating arrangement can be easily changed to suit the users' needs that a centralized/u-shaped arrangement is best for eight activities. The radial arrangement was best for four activities, while clustered arrangement was best for two activities, and a grid arrangement was best for four activities. There are some limitations of this study, as the study was done with the existing physical factors: if there was the possibility to change some of the physical factors, it may have affected some of the results according to the participants' preferences. It is hoped that the findings of the study may help architecture educators and administrators take more appropriate decisions regarding the seating arrangement in architectural design studios, in relation to different learning activities towards realizing more desirable outcomes.

“Legibility” a product of obligatory processes in parametric architectural design: A study of implications of associative modeling on design thinking in a parametric architectural design studio

In a problem-based, digital-intensive learning environment, the increased proliferation of computational tools used for architectural design has led to a fundamental transformation in architectural studios. Many studies have shown that this has significantly led to the change in cognition of design environments in academia. Design decisions are made through a recursive process that is cyclically refined by allowing constant feedback and testing. This paper represents an observational study with an aim to understand the impact of digital mediums on design processes and design outcomes focusing on associative modeling using VPL. It contextualizes the difference, the associative modeling system as a parametric subset brings to design thinking when used as a medium to explore architectural design. It analyzes specific attributes of associative modeling, otherwise native to computational thinking, that contribute to the legibility of the design process. The paper demonstrates how associative modeling allows the design process to be examined and edited at any stage during and even after algorithmic development, bringing in flexibility. It is argued that digital design tool affordances enable students to develop multilayered and more structured design logic that augments cognition bringing more legibility to the design thinking process.

Educational behavior of the students in the design studios during the pandemic time

The main aim of this paper is to demonstrate the process of adapting architecture students to the pandemic condition in the design studios due to wearing face masks and social distance measures. An architectural design studio is different from a normal classroom due to the open space for open discussion and dialogue and group work. The methodology of the research was designed based on the quantitative method with the application of the Likert scale questionnaire and analyzing the data in SPSS. The findings of the research identified that three factors are important for the students in the activities in the design studios including desk-crits (critique), social interaction, and the physical environment of the design studios. The Chi-square analysis illustrated that the students preferred to use the individual desk-crits over group desk-crits during the pandemic time due to wearing face masks and social distance. Apparently, public activities such as presentations, communication, and discussion were replaced with the individual desk-crits as a more adapted form to wearing face masks and social distance for the students in terms of personalization of the learning process in design studios during the pandemic time.