162 EAAE no 35 Teaching and Experimenting with Architectural Design: Advances in Technology and Changes in Pedagogy
predetermined or a self-defined functional programme into an architectural concept
and also to re-interpret a predefined programme and transcend its limitations in the
architectural projects in a functional-spatial way. Apart form this, students must be
able to create and present a valuable and adequate programme. The critical dimension
of their approach is shown through the relevance of the research questions posed in
the preliminary studies on the one hand and the way they deal with the knowledge
gained in these studies, in an open and self-critical way in their projects on the
other hand. Students must be able to relate their specific design problems to a much
broader cultural context. Finally, with regards to communication skills, students must
be able to present architectural topics in general and their projects more specifically
in a correct, clear and coherent manner. Special attention is given to the sensibility
of verbal and visual communication, the relevant use of presentation tools and the
value of the communication proposal in itself.
Conclusion
Students must learn to experience space, how to gain insights into space, how to
model and manipulate space, how to materialise these spaces and how to com-
municate their experiences, insights and concepts. This is of course, not an exact
representation of the chronology of the overall design process, which is not a static
given. Therefore the design studio setting provides us with an opportunity to follow
a critical-spatial approach towards design education. A tool that proves to be very
appropriate for this is the intensive use of ICT.