Interdisciplinary and Multi-Scalar Design and Research Models in Architectural Practice and Education

A special issue of Trends in Higher Education (ISSN 2813-4346).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2025 | Viewed by 5376

Special Issue Editors

Huckabee College of Architecture, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79410, USA
Interests: architectural humanities; architectural education; urban history; critical urban studies
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Guest Editor
Huckabee College of Architecture, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79410, USA
Interests: architecture; design computation; architectural robotics; parametric design; 3D printing
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue seeks to delve into innovative approaches that advocate radical inclusivity and foster a collaborative atmosphere in architectural practice and education. The focus lies on interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary collaboration, with the aim of developing pedagogical strategies and methodological frameworks that encourage equal participation and facilitate collaboration in design processes. We welcome contributions that address various topics related to architectural education and collaborative efforts.

Topics of interest for this Special Issue include, but are not limited to, the following: The concept of inclusivity in architectural education and its implications for teaching and learning practices The role of co-production in shaping design and architectural pedagogy, with a focus on collaborative, design practice and learning environments.

The development and application of collaborative methodological frameworks in architectural practice and education that are aimed at enhancing interdisciplinary communication and teamwork. The integration of digital mapping and augmented reality technologies into research led architectural practice and education, and their potential to revolutionize design practices in multiple scales ranging from innovative material design to critical urban thinking.

The exploration of urban community development and digital mapping in architectural education, investigating the relationship between spatial design and social responsiveness. Incorporating design computation and fabrication techniques into architectural education and practice in order emphasise the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and technological fluency for future architects.

By assembling diverse perspectives and research, this Special Issue aims to contribute to the ongoing discourse on inclusivity and collaborative architectural practice and education, ultimately paving the way for more effective, equitable, and innovative approaches in the field.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

You may choose our Joint Special Issue in Architecture.

Dr. Asma Mehan
Dr. Sina Mostafavi
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • interdisciplinary design practices
  • architectural education
  • radical inclusivity
  • interdisciplinary collaboration
  • co-production
  • pedagogical strategies
  • digital mapping
  • augmented reality
  • urban community development
  • design computation
  • fabrication techniques
  • collaborative learning environments
  • spatial design
  • social responsiveness
  • technological fluency
  • AI in architecture and built environment
  • AR/VR mapping
  • gamification

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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12 pages, 6238 KiB  
Article
A Critical Reflection on the Impact of Virtual Design Studio on Curriculum Development and Studio Culture in First-Year Architecture Studies
by Jasna Mariotti and Chantelle Niblock
Trends High. Educ. 2023, 2(4), 599-610; https://doi.org/10.3390/higheredu2040036 - 23 Nov 2023
Viewed by 1408
Abstract
In the past few years, higher education across the world transitioned to different online platforms where virtual classrooms were set, following national guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper analyses qualitative data from first-year students in architecture from a higher education institution in [...] Read more.
In the past few years, higher education across the world transitioned to different online platforms where virtual classrooms were set, following national guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper analyses qualitative data from first-year students in architecture from a higher education institution in the UK and draws on lecturers’ reflective observations of teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings of this research provide some critical considerations for the long-term impact of the virtual design studio on architectural design pedagogy and teaching methods in first-year studies. This research found that technology integration enabled innovative design methods, improved digital literacy, and enhanced collaboration in first-year architectural education. While online learning met learning objectives, it posed challenges like social isolation and motivation issues. The study underscores the importance of investigating virtual design studios and technology integration in early architectural education, offering opportunities for curriculum development and future research. These findings have broad relevance for educators teaching first-year architecture students globally. Full article
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24 pages, 1753 KiB  
Review
McLuhan’s Tetrad as a Tool to Interpret the Impact of Online Studio Education on Design Studio Pedagogy
by Mehmet Sarper Takkeci and Arzu Erdem
Trends High. Educ. 2024, 3(2), 273-296; https://doi.org/10.3390/higheredu3020017 - 22 Apr 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2112
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a surge in online studio education, which has presented a significant challenge to traditional design studio teaching methods that rely on face-to-face interactions between instructors and students. It is contended that online studio education enhances the accessibility [...] Read more.
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a surge in online studio education, which has presented a significant challenge to traditional design studio teaching methods that rely on face-to-face interactions between instructors and students. It is contended that online studio education enhances the accessibility of design studio pedagogy, making it possible for students to learn from anywhere in the world. However, it also challenges the development of tactile skills, which are crucial in design education. Additionally, online studio education can render certain aspects of traditional design studio pedagogy obsolete, while bringing back elements of design history and theory that may have been overlooked in traditional studio teaching. It can also be argued that online studio education has the potential to reverse the traditional power dynamics between instructors and students, resulting in more democratic and collaborative forms of learning that can empower students. As the literature on the effects of online studio education is growing, there is a need to understand how the shift from the material space and its affordances to an online environment affects the core components of an architectural design studio. To understand the effects of this new medium, this research employed Marshall McLuhan’s tetradic approach, a hermeneutic tool to perform a critical interpretation of any medium by examining four simultaneous effects: how it enhances a human sense, what it makes obsolete, what forgotten aspect it retrieves, and how it flips into its opposite at its extremes. A literature review was conducted to analyze the effects of online studios from a tetradic framework and identify the major discussions of the impact of online studio education. The methodology involves a two-part literature review. This study specifically focused on peer-reviewed, empirical research published after 2020, and the authors used search terms related to online architectural studios during the pandemic. The process identified 176 records of peer-reviewed empirical studies for further analysis and 20 papers were read and included in the review, defining repeating topics/themes and organized under four categories pertaining to the founding archetypes of an architectural design studio: (a) setting and communication, (b) actors, (c) outputs, and (d) dynamics. This process was followed by organizing the findings and interpreting them within the tetradic framework to develop a comprehensive understanding of the consequences of the online design studio. Overall, this research aims to provide a detailed and nuanced analysis of the impact of online studio education on design studio pedagogy, conceptualizing McLuhan’s tetrad as a basis for the analysis, and therefore aiming to enrich our understanding of the post-COVID-19 era of learning architecture by examining the dramatic change in the medium and its effects. Full article
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