Physiological and Neurological Impact of Biophilic Design in Architectural Design Studios: A Case Study of King Salman International University

Architectural education increasingly suffers from a conceptual separation between design and structure. While design studios tend to privilege abstract formal exploration, structural education is often reduced to technical calculations detached from spatial imagination. This division leaves students uncertain about how to translate creative intentions into structurally coherent architectural proposals. This paper argues that structure should be understood not as a secondary technical requirement, but as a generative and formative component of architectural design. Drawing on a two-year pedagogical implementation in undergraduate architectural education, the study presents a three-phase experiential learning model integrating analytical observation, digital modeling, and physical model making. Students analyze selected buildings to understand structural behavior and load paths, reconstruct these systems through digital tools, and finally test them through hands-on workshop production. The findings demonstrate that this cyclical learning process strengthens structural intuition, improves proportional and spatial clarity, and fosters more integrated relationships between form, material, and construction. The paper concludes that reintegrating structural knowledge into the creative core of architectural education enhances both design quality and architectural thinking in architectural education.

Purpose Since the advent of democracy in South Africa numerous changes have been implemented within higher education to address the legacies of apartheid. The transformation involved amalgamating some former white, traditional universities with Technikons to establish Comprehensive Universities (CUs) and Universities of Technology (UOTs). While the motivation to transform select higher learning institutions in South Africa through mergers was deemed imperative, some contend it fell short of adequately addressing the disparities in higher education and contemporary urban issues. This article critically examines the shifts in architectural education at former Technikons in South Africa. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on focus group discussions, in-depth interviews with educators and institutional documentation, the research explored the shifts in programs to respond to the transformation of the higher education framework. Focusing on the Department of Architecture at the University of Johannesburg (UJ), comparisons were drawn with several accredited institutions in South Africa, including Tshwane University of Technology, Durban University of Technology, Cape Peninsula University of Technology and Nelson Mandela University. Moreover, the research examined how design studio lecturers transform curricula to address the socio-spatial complexities of African urbanism. Findings The study identifies a movement from Eurocentric design norms toward more participatory, interdisciplinary and contextually responsive pedagogies. Research limitations/implications As with many qualitative studies, this research is subject to limitations in scope, generalizability and potential bias. These limitations primarily arise from the participant sample size, constraints in data collection methods and the use of an autoethnographic approach. Originality/value The conceptualized radical trans-critical spatial design praxis, inspired by critical pedagogy, aims to liberate participants within the design studio. It foregrounds humanity, often marginalized within traditional design education, particularly in politically charged and complex environments.

Generative art has become a paradigm shift in the modern art education industry where it provides a fresh way to explore creativity by means of algorithms and human-artificial intelligence. The paper discusses generative art as a pedagogical approach in art schools, highlighting its significance in transforming an outcome-oriented production instructional approach in favor of a process-based and reflective pedagogical approach of learning. It is suggested to implement a more systematic pedagogical model that incorporates methods of generative work into the studio-based curriculum by means of progressive course design, inquiry-based exploration, and human-AI design approaches to work. The paper also presents a curriculum- mapping scheme and process-based framework of assessment that anticipates the advancement of foreground iteration, conceptual articulation and reflective practice as the major indicators of creative development. The paper based on rubric based evaluation and illustrative visualization of analysis shows that learning outcomes in generative art education can be evaluated longitudinally, not using single points in form of artifacts. The results substantiate that the generative art improves the systems thinking, metacognitive awareness, and creative accountability as well as promotes the inclusive engagement of various learner profiles. The paper ends by pinpointing future directions of research that seeks to empirically validate and/or culturally responsive AI-assisted studio design, and sustainable AI-assisted studio processes, making generative art a central pedagogical initiative in the teaching of art to next-generation students.

Food culture differs between regions according to the lifestyle of the society. It is important that these spaces, transformed into areas of consumption, production, and socialization, are suitable for geographical conditions. To emphasize the importance of context and improve the quality of architectural design products in project studios, physical, economic, and social context components should be taken into account. To examine this, the subject of Biruni University’s Interior Architecture and Environmental Design, 2022-2023 fall semester Interior Architecture Project III course was determined as “eating and drinking spaces,” and its purpose was for students to design by considering the context. In the project areas located in different locations in Turkey, students were left free to choose scenarios and spaces, creating eating and drinking spaces by choosing different kitchen types according to the given fixed dimensions. In order to evaluate the concept-context relationship in project studios, a concept-based model proposal that includes qualitative and quantitative data based on physical, sociocultural, and economic criteria was presented and this relationship was analyzed. The projects of the fifteen students who completed the final submission fully were evaluated using a graded scoring rubric based on “space organization and functioning.” Among these, six projects that scored above the average were evaluated in terms of the “concept–context relationship.” From this, four projects above the average were analyzed in detail in terms of context. The analyses showed that regional needs and contextual components were taken into account in projects and that these components were effective in the concept development phase.

The article is devoted to the development of innovative approaches to the design of children's clothing using artificial intelligence tools and 3D modeling technologies. The paper considers current trends in the development of modern children's fashion and identifies the main psychophysiological, ergonomic, hygienic and safety requirements for clothing for children of nursery age, which affect the adoption of constructive and compositional solutions in the design of children's clothing. The need for the introduction of digital technologies as an effective tool for improving the quality of design and constructive and compositional solutions is substantiated. The psychophysiological and anthropometric features of the design of clothing for children of nursery age are determined. The possibilities of using artificial intelligence tools at the stage of conceptual and artistic search are analyzed, which allows expanding the variability of compositional solutions, optimizing the process of generating sketches and ensuring the adaptation of models to the requirements of the target audience. The effectiveness of using 3D modeling and virtual prototyping as components of the design process of children's clothing is substantiated. The use of digital avatars made it possible to carry out a virtual assessment of the fit of products, the level of freedom of movement, the interaction of materials and the behavior of the structure in dynamics without manufacturing physical samples. Based on an integrated approach, digital prototypes of children's clothing models were developed taking into account ergonomic, physiological and hygienic, aesthetic and operational requirements. Design solutions were tested in a 3D environment, which confirmed the feasibility of integrating artificial intelligence and digital technologies into the design process of children's clothing. The results obtained indicate the possibility of optimizing the preparation of products for production, reducing material and time costs, as well as increasing the accuracy of design solutions. The practical significance of the study lies in the possibility of using the proposed approaches in the activities of light industry enterprises, design studios and educational institutions. The proposed innovative methods contribute to improving the design process of children's clothing and increasing the competitiveness of products. Prospects for further research aimed at implementing the principles of sustainable development in the design of children's clothing are outlined.

Abstract This paper investigates how moving the architectural design studio from its conventional physical setting to an online multi‐user virtual environment (MUVE) affects students' social dynamics. Building on Pierre Bourdieu's concepts of educational capital, habitus and field alongside Jozef Bochenski's theories of authority, the authors employed a quasi‐experimental approach with 15 architecture students who completed design tasks in a MUVE while experiencing different forms of tutor‐imparted educational capital—specifically written critiques and letter grades. Data collection through linkography, observations and retrospective interviews facilitated analysis of how authority manifests among students in this remediated environment. The findings reveal that MUVEs transform the studio's ‘field’, requiring students to adapt their established habitus while fostering new forms of educational capital tied to technical competence. Letter grades undergo devaluation in virtual environments, while written critiques gain prominence as indicators of epistemic skill. Praised students gained authority among peers and led design conversations with critical verbalisations (CVs), while in grading scenarios, low‐graded students were marginalised in high‐majority variants but not in low‐majority conditions. The gamified nature of MUVEs creates a less formal learning atmosphere that encourages experimentation and peer interaction. These subtle transformations cumulatively impact design practise, influencing students’ decision‐making processes, technical language and judgement. By examining the social implications of remediating the design studio, this research contributes to architectural pedagogy by providing insights into how virtual environments reshape not only the practical aspects of design education but also its foundational social dynamics that shape students' architectural identity.

This paper examines the intricate relationship that exists between the field of architecture and the role that research can play in it, by describing how this relationship has manifested itself in academic environments over the past two decades. The paper goes over modalities and methods to conduct architectural research, illustrates paradigmatic examples, and identifies a specific place for the formulation of what research can constitute in architecture. In analyzing architectural research connected to doctoral education, but also to the second cycle of higher education, the paper describes the Design Studio as the ideal place where teaching, research and learning can blend in to produce innovative and meaningful forms of knowledge.

Predicting students’ continuous intention of blended design studio: a PLS-SEM and IPMA analysis

This study investigates the psychological dimensions of Human-AI collaboration in architectural education through a retrospective analysis of pedagogical documentation and student work from a second-year architectural design studio. The concept of algorithmic intimacy is introduced to characterise the emotional and collaborative bonds students develop with Artificial Intelligence (AI) agents, specifically examining how these relationships influence authorship attribution and professional identity formation. The research identifies four key themes: the prompt as a medium of personal expression, student ambivalence regarding authorship during critique defences, the tension between efficiency and deep comprehension in the design thinking process, and the projection of personal identity onto AI-generated outputs. While this inverse, concept-first pedagogical model facilitates rapid conceptual exploration, it presents challenges that may constrain students’ creative agency. Consequently, this study proposes a pedagogy of ‘algorithmic reflexivity’ to assist students in navigating authorship, agency, and ethical practice in an AI-augmented discipline. By shifting the analytical focus from the final design outcomes to the Human-AI interaction itself, this study offers critical strategies for integrating generative technologies into creative education.

ABSTRACT This study proposes a set of pedagogical principles for implementing thick mapping in spatial design studios, based on insights from three workshops involving 166 students. Grounded in collective intelligence and framed within an action research methodology, it examines the impact of thick mapping strategies, supported by geospatial and bio-physiological tools, on co-creation processes and spatial understanding in complex urban environments. The research also evaluates the usability of the Field Maps mobile application, comparing open and geofenced modes for spatial data collection, effectiveness, and user engagement. Findings indicate that thick mapping fosters situated, multimodal, and narrative-driven engagement with complex urban environments, while improving students’ contextual insights and soft skills. Ultimately, the study positions thick mapping as an adaptive, creative, and critical methodology in spatial design education, with the integration of bio-physiological data emerging as a particularly promising approach to enriching site analysis.

This study investigates the influence of three biophilic interior design variables: natural light, interior vegetation (vertical green wall), and biomorphic form (biomorphic wall panel) on affective and physiological responses in a design studio interior utilizing immersive virtual reality (IVR) and wearable biofeedback technology. This study was a within-participant 23 factorial design that included one baseline and eight IVR studio conditions. Participants experienced all conditions while reporting affects using the Self-Assessment Manikin (SAM) valence and arousal scales, electrodermal activity (EDA), and skin temperature (ST). Cybersickness was measured with the Simulator Sickness Questionnaire (SSQ) and presence was assessed using the Igroup Presence Questionnaire and Slater-Usoh-Steed presence measures (IPQ, SUS), while baseline anxiety (STAI) was controlled. The results demonstrated a significant primary influence of natural light on SAM valence ratings: conditions with natural light were evaluated as more pleasant than the non-variable and baseline condition, whereas interior vegetation and biomorphic form had smaller, context-dependent effects that were most evident when layered with natural light. Differences in SAM arousal ratings were modest and non-systematic. EDA did not differentiate, and ST showed only small shifts, indicating that during calm exploratory monitoring, subjective affect was more responsive. The circumplex findings guided to an activity-specific zoned interior rather than a single uniform design studio.

IntroductionThe Design Studios for Health (DSH) framework is a participatory, partnership-driven model designed to foster equitable collaboration between community members and researchers to address diverse health priorities. This study evaluates outcomes from 11 DSH sessions conducted over 2 years with historically underserved communities, focusing on key indicators of engagement: collaboration, facilitator performance, participant willingness to support each other, group cohesion, and trust. Grounded in design thinking and community-based participatory research (CBPR), the DSH model uses an iterative structure of 2–3 sessions per health topic to support sustained, meaningful engagement. DSH fosters shared ownership, multidirectional learning, and culturally responsive solution development.MethodsWe conducted 11 DSH sessions with historically underserved communities over two years. Mixed-methods data were collected through post-session surveys, open-ended responses, and qualitative debriefs. Quantitative metrics assessed collaboration, facilitator performance, participant willingness to support others, cohesion, and trust. Qualitative analyses explored participant experiences, perceived value, and the role of iterative engagement in fostering co-creation.ResultsLater DSH sessions demonstrated improvements in collaboration, group cohesion, and trust compared to earlier studios. Participants described DSH as a safe, empowering space that promoted deep listening, mutual support, and shared ownership. Iterative engagement allowed community members to refine ideas, elevate cultural insight, and contribute meaningfully to intervention development. A single-session studio on Women’s Brain Health illustrated the model’s adaptability across varied health topics.ConclusionDSH functions as a scalable co-design framework that strengthens academic–community partnerships, builds trust, and supports community-led innovation. By centering lived experience and embedding iterative feedback loops, the model offers a practical, equity-oriented approach for co-creating culturally relevant health solutions with underserved populations.

In architectural education, architectural studios are the environments where designers spend most of their time, where mutual communication and teachings about design methods are discussed the most. Education in architectural studios is based on a system of learning by doing and a constant flow of verbal and visual information. In this system, user satisfaction depends on the presence of building physics comfort conditions in design studios. In this regard, ensuring speech intelligibility and acoustic arrangements become important in design studios that are used constantly. In this study, an architectural studio with mutual conversation and constant information flow, noise factor and high number of users was discussed. The architectural studio was modeled and the current noise level was determined through the SoundPlan 8.2 simulation program. An acoustically comfortable studio model with appropriate surface absorption has been tried to be created through the program that allows the transfer of different surface absorptions. Three architectural studio models were designed according to the number of users and the size of the volume. The total absorption values required to provide optimum acoustic comfort conditions in these volumes were determined with the help of graphs created as a result of the analysis. In relation to the arrangements made and noise control, it will be possible to determine whether the acoustic comfort limit value is met by evaluating the graphics and noise maps obtained with simulation programs.

This research article examines how Henri Fayol’s classical principles of management (planning, organising, commanding, coordinating, and controlling, along with fourteen supporting principles) manifest in contemporary design studio practices. While Fayol’s framework was developed for industrial organisations in the early 20th century, its conceptual clarity and managerial focus have made it a durable lens for analysing varied organisational forms. Using a qualitative multiple-case study of three medium-sized architecture and product-design studios, this study draws on semi-structured interviews (n = 18), participant observation (120 hours), and document analysis to explore how studio leaders interpret and adapt Fayolian principles within creative, project-based workflows. Theoretical framing combines Fayolian classical management with theories of design cognition and organisational culture, and analysis is guided by reflexive thematic analysis. Findings indicate that Fayol’s principles are present but heavily reinterpreted to protect creative autonomy; explicit application occurs most readily in planning, coordination, and control of resources, while command and rigid unity-of-command are softened through collaborative leadership; certain Fayolian principles (e.g., esprit de corps, initiative) align strongly with fostering creative climate and are purposefully cultivated; and tensions arise between efficiency-driven controls and the emergent, iterative character of design work. The article concludes with practical recommendations for studio managers aiming to balance managerial rigour with creative freedom, and it proposes an updated “Studio-Fayol” model that retains Fayol’s managerial core while embedding design-sensitive adaptations. Keywords: Fayol, design studio, management principles, creative industries, qualitative research, organisational culture, studio leadership

This study investigates how architectural studio environments influence student well-being through the lens of Self-Determination Theory (SDT). According to SDT, the fulfilment of three core psychological needs, autonomy, competence, and relatedness, is essential for motivation and learning. Using a convergent mixed-methods case study, we examined the lived experiences of undergraduate interior architecture design students at Osmaniye Korkut Ata University (Türkiye). Data were collected through an online survey ( n = 114), classroom observations, and a design exercise in which students reimagined their ideal studio space. Survey results revealed consistent concerns about spatial inflexibility, inadequate lighting and insufficient equipment, which students perceived as undermining their autonomy and competence. Observations confirmed these limitations, while design proposals emphasised flexible layouts, individualised workstations, improved lighting, and informal gathering spaces to foster relatedness and collaboration. By triangulating quantitative and qualitative data, the study demonstrates how deficiencies in current studio design hinder learning outcomes while also identifying strategies to create environments that support psychological well-being. The findings provide evidence-based recommendations for aligning architecture studio design with SDT principles, offering practical guidance for institutions seeking to create learning environments that foster student motivation, engagement, and well-being.

The mashrabiya is a permeable architectural element with a lattice-like decoration, considered an important part of Islamic architecture and is usually found on the second or higher floors of buildings. Although it is an important cultural heritage and facet of Islamic architecture that should be passed down from generation to generation, it does not have sufficient recognition within design education. While the mashrabiya is discussed extensively in texts on historical Islamic art, climate change, and energy management, it is not a topic specifically addressed in Eurocentric architectural curricula. In light of this problem, the aim of this article is to reveal the use of the mashrabiya as a trigger in the design process with the goal of raising awareness among young designers about this architectural element. This article demonstrates how student engagement with the mashrabiya in a Basic Design Studio course provided a rich educational experience, fostered innovative design solutions, and emphasized the importance of cultural sensitivity and heritage preservation. The findings from this experiment can contribute to a deeper understanding of how traditional architectural elements can be effectively integrated into modern design education and practice, enriching both the learning process and the resulting designs.

The design studio is the cornerstone of technical applied urban design education – both as a physical space for students to learn within, and pedagogical philosophy for developing and delivering curriculum in higher education settings. A studio-based approach to urban design teaching must reflect the multi-faceted nature of the discipline - a challenge when the current field lacks a consolidated mandate – simulating real-world challenges and contexts and preparing students for the demands of practice. This article explores the pivotal role of the design studio at the University of Manchester (UoM) in shaping future urban designers - emphasizing its contribution to pedagogy, skill development, and nurturing a collaborative and supportive design culture that can extend beyond higher education into professional practice. The studio acts as an interactive and practical laboratory where theoretical knowledge is translated into practical application, where students can experiment, refine ideas, collaborate with peers and tutors, and learn to effectively communicate design visually and orally. The studio-based approach aims to develop technical competencies, cultivate critical thinking, and promote processes that deliver more contextually responsive, people-centered, high quality urban design solutions. The article considers how students (both UK based and international) within the Manchester Urban Design LAB at UoM perceive, and respond to, the studio-based approach during their 1-year dedicated MSc Urban Design program – highlighting their perspective that it instils a positive culture – shaped through the promotion of open dialogue, peer-critique, collective learning, and formative and summative design crits. It is however imperative that these spaces avoid several negative issues that have plagued studio approaches in fields such as architecture in recent years. This brings into focus the role of the academic/tutor in delivering studio that seeks to encourage creativity - where failure is framed as a learning opportunity with a culture of constructive feedback and mentorship at the heart of developing resilience and adaptability in students – as well as developing an appropriate curriculum that maximizes the studio environment. At MUD-Lab/UoM the design studio approach directly shaped, and currently supports, our bespoke framework for practicing urban design (Black et al., 2024) and sits at the very heart of our approach to education.

Although promising, using image Generative AI (GAI) in a design studio in higher education is limited partly due to a lack of appropriate tools to facilitate both students’ creation and instructors’ design critique. To address the gap, guided by the studies of the design process, we designed, developed, tested, and refined a creativity support tool (CST) (i.e., GAI4DE: GAI for design education). This tool has a generation feature powered by Stable Diffusion and a process feature that visualizes the design process and enables users to interact iteratively with their previously generated designs. To examine the process feature usage, experience, and opinions from students and instructors, we conducted a one-week field study in a Computer-Aided Design (CAD) class (n = 40) with a workshop, home task, and a design critique session on interior and fashion design projects. We collected and analyzed student log data, perceived creativity support after the field study, responses to open-ended survey questions, and follow-up interview transcripts. We found that students interacted with the process feature directly and indirectly in co-creation with GAI. Students perceived collaboration and enjoyment (sub-constructs of creativity support) were significantly and positively correlated with their self-reported use frequency; highly engaged students perceived significantly more collaboration. Instructors felt this design feature brought opportunities for critique as a design reference and evaluation. This study contributes to the research and practice of CST through tool development and empirical study, offering insights for tool designers and educators and laying the groundwork for future advancements in integrating GAI in design education.

Urban design education faces unprecedented challenges as ecological emergencies, socio-political risks and technological transitions converge to reshape cities worldwide. These planetary-scale disruptions necessitate pedagogical approaches that prepare future urban designers for fundamentally different professional realities. This paper presents the Master of Urban Design program at the University of Melbourne as a response to these challenges: a grounded projective approach that systematically integrates analytical rigour with speculative imagination across three sequential design studios and a culminating thesis. The paper documents a carefully orchestrated pedagogical journey: students master rule-based design thinking through intensive engagement with urban morphology, design codes, rules and regulations, then collaborate with industry partners to address pressing questions of social equity and public health, before ultimately expanding their temporal vision to envision climate-adapted and technologically augmented urban futures spanning multiple generations. Following this three-design studio sequence, the thesis studio enables students to pursue individual research expertise. Throughout this progression, Melbourne transcends its role as a mere case study to become a genuine living laboratory and a place where students develop profound contextual knowledge. This comprehensive framework demonstrates how systematic spatial-analytical foundations enable rather than constrain imaginative speculation, how individual design expertise can flourish within collaborative frameworks, and how extended temporal thinking can be meaningfully integrated into studio-based education. The program's critical contribution lies in creating space for speculation and projective work by drawing intelligently and creatively from a grounded understanding of urban design practice and enabling students to envision transformative urban futures while maintaining disciplinary rigour.