Architectural Education Research Articles

Exploring Architectural Tools for Oculus Quest 2

Virtual Reality (VR) has emerged as a pivotal technology in architectural design and education, offering immersive and interactive experiences that surpass traditional methods. This article delves into the diverse applications of VR in architecture, with a particular emphasis on the various software tools utilized in architectural modeling, visualization, and education. The study conducts a thorough examination of both professional and entry-level VR tools and platforms like Blender, Rhino, Unity, and Enscape, which are increasingly integrated into architectural workflows. By providing real-time rendering, interactive design environments, and enhanced spatial understanding, these tools are transforming the way architects and designers conceive and develop their projects. The article also explores the educational implications of VR software such as Tilt Brush, SketchUp Viewer, and Arkio, which offer accessible platforms for students and educators to engage with complex spatial concepts in an intuitive manner. Through comparative analysis, the study highlights the strengths and limitations of these tools, focusing on their usability, accessibility, and relevance to architectural practice and pedagogy. Furthermore, the integration of VR with Building Information Modeling (BIM) is identified as a significant innovation that enhances collaboration and information synchronization throughout the design and construction process. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of VR software in architecture, offering insights into future trends and potential advancements that could further revolutionize the field. The findings underscore VR’s critical role in fostering creativity, improving design accuracy, and enhancing educational experiences, positioning it as a cornerstone technology in the future of architecture.

Designing the New World: Reconsidering Architectural Education and National Identity in Colonial Australia

ABSTRACT Understandings of architectural education in nineteenth century colonial Australia have generally focused on either formal articles or tertiary institutions. Presented as the official pathways into the profession, this framework has provided a limited viewpoint of the architectural community, concealing the diverse formative experiences of architects. Without a legal mechanism to define who could practice as an architect, the architectural community remained open and porous, with individuals having obtained different levels of education. This professional fluidity created a ready market for architectural education. From the earliest years of European colonisation until the end of the nineteenth century, private and public institutions offered classes in architecture, which provided an alternative pathway into the profession and undermined the apparent dominance of undertaking articles. This process was particularly pronounced in the colony of Victoria, home to Australia’s largest nineteenth century architectural community. This paper argues that examining these alternative avenues for education is critical to understanding the nineteenth century architectural community, the lives of individual architects, as well as the broader aims of colonial society. Ultimately, the localised nature of this education helped promote an Australian design aesthetic and encouraged a divergence from British precedent.

Symposium 3: Content and Language Integrated Learning

European policies mandate encouraging plurilingualism in a digitally enhanced world. This mandate is placing increased demands on higher educational practitioners and institutions to prepare today’s learners with new linguistic skills. Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) policy appears to resonate strongly with European aspirations and goals of educating citizens and promoting lingual diversity, pluriculturism, and mobility within the European Union. Whilst offering a potential solution through the interweaving of content and language in a dual-focused educational approach, CLIL is at risk of becoming a ‘buzz word’ without evidence-based research on emerging CLIL practices. This paper suggests a framework for practice-based research in the initial steps of CLIL implementation into HE curriculum and considers expansive learning theory as a theoretical and analytical framework to advance knowledge creation. The deliberate construction of a transciplinary networked learning community is advanced as the outcome and vehicle as the first initiative for CLIL implementation. The partnering and convergence of the knowledge expertise of language experts and subject experts in collaborative reflective practice enhances networked learning within and beyond the institutional boundaries, professional development and learner multiliteracies, including languages, culture, content and digital media. The context for this study is within tertiary architectural education in France where students study architecture in the first language, French, and Language and Communication Skills in the additional language of English as a separate discipline. This lack of convergence appears at odds with the emerging trend and evolution of transdisiplinarity in architectural education and practice where academia and associated professions of architecture, design and engineering increasingly teach, practice and research collaboratively. This desk-based research first examines the significance of CLIL in the European context, its variants, along with the challenges and drawbacks in crossing disciplinary boundaries. The implications for language and disciplinary practitioners and their role are discussed. Transdisciplinary collaborative work, teaching and learning can bridge language and knowledge barriers between the different disciplines in and through the fusion of language learning of, for, and through the languages of architectural practice and content, leading to innovation in curriculum development. Relational agency, in other words calling on the capacity of individuals to jointly work and learn with other practitioners, pedagogies, theories and resources distributed within institutional settings, given that a supportive learning community is possible, can lead to enhanced professional agency, in other words the capacity to act effectively informed by appropriate professional knowledge.. This paper concludes that further research is needed on relational agency within collective activities, such as networked learning communities to advance CLIL implementation.

Cultural Sensitivity and Social Well-Being in Embassy Architecture: Educational Approaches and Design Strategies

Over the past two decades, the expanding environmental and ecological crises highlight the need to broaden the concept of sustainability to encompass support for cultural sensitivity and social well-being. This study explores the role of architectural education in fostering cultural sensitivity and social well-being in embassy architecture within a framework of environment–behavior studies. It starts from the premise that the architectural values of a culture are deeply rooted in the relationship between the users, architecture, and surrounding environment. State-sponsored architectural works (e.g., embassies, consulates, cultural centers) built outside the country are viewed as symbolic representations of a nation’s diplomatic and cultural influence. These architectural typologies hold a unique potential to act as bridges for cross-cultural dialogue and foster a collective sense of global citizenship. In order to develop and assess the teaching curriculum, a specific assignment was given to master’s students of the Faculty of Architecture, University of Belgrade, with the aim to explore how engineering education can be adopted to motivate students toward sustainable attitudes and design solutions. While traditional diplomatic architecture emphasizes inward-facing, fortress-like design strategies, establishing physical and symbolic barriers between the embassy’s territory and the surrounding context, this research advocates for a more holistic approach oriented toward cultural sustainability, openness, and integration within an urban context. Key findings highlight creative solutions for balancing cultural representation with functional requirements while prioritizing community engagement, environmental responsibility, and user well-being. By demonstrating the two distinctive architectural strategies, this study contributes to the culturally responsive embassy design within the broader context of sustainable architectural education.

Siberian modernist architect A. A. Volovik

This article presents the creative biography of architect Anatoly Afanasyevich Volovik, a seminal figure in the development of Soviet modernism in Novosibirsk. The article devotes particular attention to Volovik’s notable projects, including the State Public Scientific and Technical Library and Tolmachevo Airport. Additionally, it examines the impact of Volovik’s contributions to the advancement of architectural education and the training of young professionals. It is based on archival materials, contemporaneous testimonies, and an analysis of his legacy in the context of 20th-century architectural heritage.

Exploring the Vital Role of Colors and Shapes in Architectural Design and Education

This study investigates the crucial influence of color and form on architectural design and architecture education, highlighting how these elements shape the aesthetics of the built environment and impact human experiences. The central problem addressed is the need to understand the interaction between color and form in creating spaces that evoke specific emotions and cultural narratives, contributing to an architecture that goes beyond functionality. The importance of this study lies in demonstrating how the careful integration of these elements can enrich the built environment and improve the quality of architectural education. The methodology adopted includes the analysis of case studies and expert opinions, along with the exploration of innovative methods in the teaching of architecture, which combine practical learning, virtual simulations and interdisciplinary collaboration. The results indicate that an in-depth understanding of the dynamic relationship between colors and shapes allows architects, but also society in general, to enhance their creativity, contributing to a more culturally significant and aesthetically impactful built environment.

Pushing the Boundaries of Architectural and Engineering Education

This study investigates the impact of an interdisciplinary and collaborative approach to architecture and engineering education through a case study analysis based on a Solar Decathlon studio conducted in Turkey. The studio, which competed in the Solar Decathlon Design Challenge 2024, engaged architecture and engineering students, academics, and professionals in collaboration with design and industry partners to repurpose an abandoned school site. The study uses a hermeneutic methodology to explore the lived experiences of team participants and assess the outcomes, benefits, and challenges of the interdisciplinary and collaborative studio experience in developing a professional horizon and design knowledge and skills to address contemporary issues. Through semi-structured interviews, surveys, and thematic analysis, the study sheds light on the symbiotic relationship between academia, industry, civil society, and state departments in architectural and engineering education. This research contributes to understanding the potential of interdisciplinary design education in addressing the 21st-century problems in the built environment.

Integrative analysis of Text-to-Image AI systems in architectural design education: pedagogical innovations and creative design implications

Integrative analysis of Text-to-Image AI systems in architectural design education: pedagogical innovations and creative design implications

Navigating the Complexities: A Systematic Literature Review on the Challengers of Implementing Sustainable Interior Architecture Education

Navigating the Complexities: A Systematic Literature Review on the Challengers of Implementing Sustainable Interior Architecture Education

Metodologías innovadoras en la enseñanza de la arquitectura

The study "Innovative methodologies in the teaching of architecture" was based on exploring and analyzing three main innovative approaches currently used in the Architecture program at the Universidad Rafael Landívar; among which are the Academic Poster, the Video Podcast and the Architectural Project of Academic Social Responsibility; to analyze their effectiveness and their positive impact on the teaching-learning process. In addition, various educational methods such as Project Based Learning, Laboratories, Models, Field Visits, complemented with Workshops and Conferences, were addressed in order to demonstrate the great variety and achievements in learning by applying these strategies. The results showed that innovative methods are highly effective in fostering critical thinking, creativity and active participation in students. These approaches contributed to a greater understanding of theoretical concepts and better practical application of acquired knowledge. ILIA: Investigaciones Latinoamericanas en Ingeniería y Arquitectura, No. 01, 2024: 79-89.

Construction Education through Virtual Reality: A Game-based Approach for Interior Architecture Students

This study investigates a novel method of instructing interior architecture students on building specifics pertaining to walls by utilizing the combination of virtual reality (VR) and game-based learning. The creation and application of a virtual reality game called "VR ConstructED," which aims to improve knowledge of wall construction methods, materials, and design consequences, is the study's focus. This project intends to improve students' understanding of wall-related construction elements and their applicability in real-world circumstances by utilizing the immersive and interactive properties of virtual reality technology in conjunction with gamification methods. Through a case study involving academic staff and students at Bahçeşehir University, the efficacy of this pedagogical strategy will be assessed. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study collects quantitative data from surveys and qualitative data from semi-structured interviews. These questionnaires will evaluate the academic performance, contentment, and VR game participation of the students. The main goal is to clarify the advantages and difficulties of using virtual VR to teach construction features, such walls, so that curriculum designers and teachers may make informed decisions. Additionally, by illustrating how gamification and the integration of VR technology may greatly improve student engagement and academic achievement, this study hopes to contribute to the larger area of design education. The results of this study are anticipated to add to the body of knowledge in architectural education and stimulate more research into specific VR applications for design pedagogy.

Reimagining Architecture Education in India: Prioritizing Sustainability, Innovation, and Multidisciplinary Collaboration through the Lens of Ancient Indian Cities

This paper explores the potential transformation of architecture education in India by integrating principles of sustainability, innovation, and multidisciplinary collaboration, drawing inspiration from the ancient Indian city planning methodologies. Through an examination of historical urban design practices, this study proposes a re-evaluation of contemporary architectural pedagogy to address contemporary India’s pressing issues of environmental sustainability, technological advancement, and interdisciplinary engagement.

Enhancing Online Learning in Architectural Education: A Virtual Reality Enabled Experiment with Arkio

This study examines the role of Arkio, a Virtual Reality (VR) platform, in facilitating design critiques during online learning in first-year architectural design studios. This research, which was conducted in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and a severe earthquake that required a return to remote education, is based on the experiences of instructors who had previously adapted to online teaching during the pandemic. Arkio provides an innovative solution for the preservation of the quality of architectural education by offering an immersive, real-time environment for design feedback, which is essential in the absence of in-person studio sessions. Using a mixed-methods approach that incorporates surveys and qualitative feedback from students, the study investigates the impact of Arkio on students' understanding of architectural principles, participation in design critiques, and overall learning experience. The results suggest that Arkio was generally well-received for its ability to facilitate critiques and enhance spatial understanding. However, students encountered difficulties with the platform's interface, 3D modeling tools, and file integration. The significance of user-friendly design in educational technologies is underscored by the strong correlation between the perceived educational value of Arkio and its usability, as revealed by cross-analysis. The study identifies critical areas for improvement, despite the fact that Arkio has the potential to significantly transform the critique process in architectural education, particularly in an online setting that is influenced by external disruptions. These insights are essential for the continuous adaptation of VR-driven tools in architectural education, particularly as institutions navigate the complexities of post-pandemic and disaster-responsive teaching environments.

Innovative Approaches to Architectural Education: Metaverse Technology and Learning Resilience

Abstract Amid the pandemic, learning architecture online has led to heightened stress and anxiety. To mitigate these challenges, a resilient learning model is imperative. Taking Atma Jaya University Yogyakarta (UAJY) as a case study, the paper explores the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on architecture learning, highlighting the challenge present in online architecture education. Recognising the need for resilience, the study suggests integrating virtual reality (VR) and metaverse technologies to enhance educational quality. It identifies substantial differences between online and virtual space learning, emphasising the necessity for specific design criteria in long-distance studio education. The research presents a mixed-method approach, utilising VR headsets for a prototype evaluation with five experts/lecturers and 20 architecture students. Quantitative data collected through the User Experience Questionnaire (UEQ) and qualitative insights from structured interviews reveal positive effects of metaverse adoption on learning experiences, notably reducing stress and anxiety. The study concludes by proposing virtual space design criteria, serving as guidelines for creating more engaging, stimulating, and creative learning environments. These criteria align with Sustainable Development Goal 4, promoting increased ICT skills among youth and adults and showcasing the potential of technology in transforming architectural education amidst global challenges.

INTEGRATION OF DIGITAL FABRICATION LABORATORIES AND COMPUTATIONAL DESIGN INTO THE ARCHITECTURE CURRICULUM IN TÜRKİYE

The discipline of architecture undergoes transformation practically, cognitively, and pedagogically due to the widespread use of digital design and fabrication technologies in design processes. This paper aims to eluctade the integration of digital fabrication and computational design with architectural design education at undergraduate level. For this purpose, this study examined the undergraduate course contents and spatial conditions of leading universities with digital fabrication laboratories under three headings: digital design, digital fabrication, and spatial reflections. In addition, this research applied semi-structured interviews with the relevant faculty members of three universities that have robotic tools to obtain more detailed information about their pedagogical approaches. According to this study, the curriculum and laboratories are rapidly changing. As a result, architecture departments are expanding their facilities by building laboratories and tools that have the potential for architectural education to fill the gap between practice and theory. However, there are economic limitations to implementing digital fabrication technologies in terms of the tools and materials used by hundreds of students. This research discusses the requirements, potentials, and limitations of theoretical and practical training through digital fabrication tools that should be included in these courses in the curriculum.

Komplex nadřazenosti. „Naše“ versus „cizí“ v českém užitém umění mezi světovými válkami

André Gide described Soviet attitudes towards the outside world in the 1930s as a manifestation of a superiority complex. And it seems to me that the proclamations of representatives of architecture, applied arts and professional art education in the Czech lands between 1918 and 1925, when they created a “national” or “state” style, do not differ much from these attitudes in many ways. In the texts of Pavel Janák, Otakar Novotný, Jaroslav Benda, V. V. Štech and others, the pronoun “our” occurs most often, which seems to have been generally accepted without further explanation; the opposite is “foreigners” who have nothing more to offer “us” – as the above-mentioned representatives of the Czechoslovak Werkbund, an organization that has set itself the goal of raising the level of housing culture and the environment of life in general, assure themselves. It manifestly promoted “domestic values and domestic spirit”, which are embodied in Slavic poetic, emotional, melodic works, suitable for the mood of “our people”, who were defined as a small, modest person, an ordinary descendant of farmers and village teachers. He is satisfied with the “provinciality”, the “obsolescence” of “our” art, because it reflects “our” conditions. Although the textual programmes of the representatives of the state, national style come to terms with the position of Czech applied art and architecture on the world stage in an immature way, the actual results of their artistic work no longer have to be evaluated from the modernist perspective as a dead end, but as distinctive manifestations of international modern decorativism, despite the isolationist ideas of the creators at the time.

Implementation of a Practical Environmental Sustainable Design Project in Interior Architectural Education: A Case Study at the University of Jordan

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to discuss the implementing of a practical project as a new learning methodology to help students develop expertise in the functional, aesthetic, and creative aspects of environmental design. Methods: The research is qualitative in design and based on a case-study approach, in which sixty-three environmental practical projects were explored. The examined design projects were conducted by interior design students at the department of visual arts of the University of Jordan as part of an environmental design course during three semesters in 2022. Results: Nine themes emerged from the study, which were interpreted based on the selecting and processing of materials (either recycled or adapted from the local environment). These materials comprised recycled plastic, recycled paper, recycled metal, recycled wood, recycled glass, recycled threads, resin, ceramic, and plants. The study also found that working with and processing local or recycled materials in practical projects within the study curriculum helped students acquire skills and gain confidence in relation to environmental practice, and increased their awareness of the different usages of materials and their advantages from both a functional and aesthetic perspective. Conclusions: The significance of the study lies in its adoption of a practical approach as a new active learning methodology within art and design educational programmes to meet the current educational standards stipulated by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research in Jordan. Real-world projects foster students’ development of critical creativity to achieve the ultimate principles of environmental design and prepare them to deal with real challenges within the professional job market.

A Framework to Enhance Flexible Blended Architectural Design Education

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.

How Artificial Intelligence Could Affect the Future of Architectural Design Education

There is currently a high level of uncertainty about the potential impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on architecture as a profession and consequently on architectural education. Some suggest that schools of architecture should prepare themselves for a dramatic reform that clearly integrates AI technologies into their study plans and pedagogical methods, while others argue that AI can’t fully replace the traditional methods and conventions in architectural education and that more time is needed to understand its potential impact in this regard. In all cases, AI is coming and will be soon or later an integral part of our work and teaching methods in architecture. This paper discusses this issue considering some AI applications in the different design stages from an educational perspective. The study concluded that there is an urgent need to explore and understand how AI could affect our educational systems and provoke changes in the architectural design process we currently follow. Quality assurance organizations should reflect this in their accreditation guidelines to offer the required guidance for the schools of architecture in this regard.

¿Dónde está la perspectiva de género en las publicaciones indexadas de arquitectura y urbanismo? Una revisión bibliográfica sistemática centrada en la docencia

By systematically reviewing indexed literature in the Scopus database, this study aims to identify the status of publications on the teaching of architecture and urbanism from a gender perspective. The PRISMAstatement is used, and the analysis is conducted from a descriptive viewpoint, examining trends in production, geographic location, networks of coexistence of significant terms, high-impact documents, and funding organizations. The review shows that scientific production on gender topics is feminized and underrepresented in Latin America, and it provides parallel reflections to establish a debate on the state of the art.