Alternative Pedagogies Integrating Architectural Design and Technology [chapter 21]

Abstract

Realization of an architectural design requires a proper structural design, suitable materials, and construction technology. Possibilities and restrictions of construction technology have always had a decisive role in materialization of architecture. Accord-ingly, architects need to be knowledgeable about structures, materials, and technol-ogy. For this reason, curricula of schools of architecture include a set of technologi-cal courses such as statics, strength of materials, basic structural analysis and related topics of building science. Most of the students, while they are struggling with calcu-lations, fail to understand the meaning of all this knowledge to a design. Because they can’t find any design relevance, students question that if this learning is ever needed by the architect. Therefore, knowledge gained is not engaged in architectural imagi-nation. This paper briefly addresses why “design” and “technology” fall apart in ar-chitectural education and then presents several examples of alternative pedagogies including the one conducted by the author to constitute a link between technological courses and design practices.