Abstract
A basic pedagogical approach within architecture/design education is the exploration of the design concept. The driving force behind a design, sometimes referred as the ‘parti’, is the core element of the design process which provides meaning, context, and direction for the numerous decisions made during the course of a project. The authors do not intend to oversimplify the multiple layers of meaning of such a creative endeavor, as many have a complexity that make it difficult to distill or even define with one, overarching idea. Furthermore, there are many different ways of generating a concept; as with design, there is no one correct way to proceed—as it can be derived from the program, site context, or external inspiration. The authors provided students and faculty at their university with a questionnaire that asked to define the design concept, explain where it originates from, and how it provides structure and content to a design project. The faculty were asked to take these ideas further; how could these ideas strengthen the studio sequence and the curriculum as a whole? Using the questionnaire results and additional research, the authors sought to define conceptual thinking within the studio context; and specifically, to create a pedagogical approach that would be effective in the studio sequence. The resulting methodology, D3 [define, draw, diagram], helps students understand concepts and shows them how they are applied to different project types and scales. This paper introduces this pedagogical method to other educators who focus on the design studio.
Presenters
Catherine AndersonProject Manager/ Assistant Professor, Design Program, George Washington University Stephanie Travis
Associate Professor and Program Head, Interior Architecture Program, The George Washington University, District of Columbia, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Concept, Parti, Design Studio, Diagramming, Creative Analysis, Pedagogy, Methodology
