Teaching and Experimenting with Architectural Design

306 EAAE no 35 Teaching and Experimenting with Architectural Design: Advances in Technology and Changes in Pedagogy

Architecture deals with people. It deals with meeting and working with people. It
involves gathering information and coordinating with people. It involves the arts of
persuasion and compromise in order to create a building envelope for people. The list
of those involved in the design and construction process is almost endless. First of
all there is a client for whom and from whose money the architectural object is cre-
ated. There are also the various technical support engineers dealing with structural,
mechanical, electrical and communication areas of design. There may also be engineers
dealing with site work for sewers, water, gas and communication lines, traffic and
parking experts, fire protection, and security and terrorism experts to name a few.
As an architect, we sometimes deal with individuals in real estate and financing. We
have contacts with governmental officials in various planning, zoning, and building
departments. There are different agencies dealing with environmental, historical and
social issues that may have to be dealt with. Finally there are the contractor and
subcontractors and building material suppliers who will provide the materials and put
the building project together. Those are realities waiting for young architects after
graduation. Ability of dealing with all these people comes with experience along years
of practice. But nowadays most of young architects want to become an independ-
ent self-employed designer as soon as possible. In such case knowledge of all legal
procedures, formalities, technical solution is necessary. Having this in mind why not
introduce the student to these matters early on in the design studio as preparation
for dealing with mentioned people “FACE TO FACE”.

The role of architectural design studio is crucial and difficult. The obvious task is to
develop and extend students ability to create a form of architectural objects. The dif-
ficulty lies on finding the appropriate proportions between formal and artistic aspects
on one side and practical ones on the other. The teaching methods should not limit
students’ imagination but rational aspects of architectural design (function, stabil-
ity, physical aspects, lighting, material solutions) are also important. In my opinion
the student should be also exposed to the experience on how to meet and deal with
people. This aspect is rarely trained in the architectural design studio.
Observation of design studio present education shows that too often there is
emphasis on a current design fad or latest technological or computer graphic advance-
ments as the core of design. Too often the architectural student is led down a design
path that is false that could lead to disillusionment when the student leaves school
and enters practice. By early introduction to meeting those people, who influence the
final realization of a building, the teachers of design, are able to build confidence in
the student as to what is really involved in the design of a piece of architecture.
Basing on the educational curriculum in our school I can see that in normal teach-
ing practice in the architectural studio it is not easy to extend design towards elements
of management type. In the preliminary design the objectives are more abstract with
the aim of developing students imagination. Objectives of designs of upper years are
based on functional program set for specific types of building. Student must fulfill this
program and depending on view and experience of the teacher the design is more or
less realistic. The student develops the design often on the basis of freely interpreted
functional program and abstract site.