The value of architecture education
The term “architecture pedagogy” comprises two words that each have a distinct meaning. If we consider the word “architecture” in the context of education, it has to do with the study of building design and construction. Similarly, the term “pedagogy” refers to practice and approach to teaching, particularly when used in reference to a subject or theoretical idea. Combining the two terms makes it clear that architecture pedagogy has something to do with instructing students in building design.
Now the question is, how does one teach designing when everything is related to a designer’s level of creativity? The majority of people mistakenly hold this belief. The building design is a drawn-out process; it doesn’t happen overnight from a sheet sketch to a finished structure. It takes a long time for architects to complete all the necessary processes before building a real structure. Architecture pedagogy aids intellectual growth and instills in aspiring architects an awareness of the considerations that must be made. Understanding the difference between creativity and product design for students is helpful.
Architecture as a multidisciplinary field
Architectural pedagogy is intricate and requires bringing out the learner’s subjectivity of thought. Along with technical know-how, it ought to give them a variety of personal qualities, knowledge of design tools, and ethics. The students must understand the significance of sustainability and planning for future generations. It is true what they say: the best way to learn is by doing, and the worst way to teach is by talking.
The teaching in architecture education needs to transition from outdated traditional methods to contemporary methods. To accomplish all of this, it is necessary to understand the design process. The subjects an architecture student studies can be broken down into three categories: Core, Allied, and Associate subjects. The core subject of any architecture course is architecture design, with the ultimate goal of understanding how to design a building. While another subject, such as building construction, is known as an associate subject as it teaches the learner how to prepare design details. The learner gains knowledge of the trends in architectural style from the past to the present and what should be required for their design from an associated subject like the history of architecture. All three subjects were interdependent on each other, but our teaching style separated them and increased the burden of the assignment.
Can Core subjects be combined with Associate and Allied subjects to fully appreciate the value of Associate and Allied subjects?
Submission Deadlines: A Student’s Nightmare
If the student of architecture is being asked how his or her architecture lessons went, how were they? The first thing that might cross your mind is the amount of work there is. How there are always deadlines, and how you have to stay up all night to meet them. There aren’t many happy memories that pop into your head that aren’t directly related to learning. This is the only thought that every architecture student has, whether they are of today or a previous generation. Although new hardware, software, and technological advancements are made to lighten the workload, the struggle to meet deadlines persists.
While the outcome is always the same, the deadline issue only causes the student great stress. Their work is typically only completed in the previous two to three nights. This work frequently doesn’t meet their expectations. The outcome could be that the student ultimately passes.
However, are they able to comprehend the true purpose of teaching?
Fostering the relationship between student and teacher
There is a need to modify things in our education system, where there is no need for deadlines. A strong, healthy relationship between student and teacher can make this possible. The architecture profession is enormous in scope, and understanding the student’s point of interest, or creating it positively, is entirely dependent on student-teacher interaction. A student’s ability to work on the project is boosted by an engaging teacher who delivers positive and negative feedback on the assignment in a pleasant manner. The engaged and receptive students encourage the teacher to provide more feedback on the project.
These interactions between students and teachers during the project contribute to a favourable project outcome. In contrast, less responsive teachers or students, or both, lead to a lack of confidence among students, which leads to a poor project outcome.
Conclusion
In terms of architecture pedagogy, there are many things to concentrate on, stress in student is one of them. We should consider how to make the course less stressful for the students. It is undeniable that students in architecture courses are stressed, and one of the causes is deadlines. Multidisciplinary instruction in architecture increased the student’s subjects and, as a result, the amount of work they had to do. These assignments were undoubtedly completed, but real learning is lacking. A new architecture learning can be something that can connect theoretical subjects with design subjects working on one project with the association of multi-subject can create awareness inside a learner why he is learning the other subjects which are necessary. Writing a write-up on building service is insufficient until students learn how to create a building service plan for their main project. Creating a well-defined detail of stairs for their own project is more learning than creating a typical detail of stairs.
Involving and interrelated subjects can help students understand where they are working on a single project but focusing on multiple subjects. Understanding this connection enables students to appreciate other subjects’ importance while also preparing them for the reality of design, where more than just planning and layout are necessary; other factors must also be taken into consideration.
References
Buchanan, P., 2012. The Big Rethink. [Online]
Available at: https://www.architectural-review.com/archive/campaigns/the-big-rethink/the-big-rethink-part-9-rethinking-architectural-education
[Accessed 14 10 2022].
Ramos, S., 2021. Young Architect Guide. [Online]
Available at: https://architizer.com/blog/practice/details/young-architect-guide-project-deadlines/
[Accessed 14 10 2022].
