Exploring Alternate Teaching Models: Understanding Space away from the Design Studio

There are many researches that explore alternate tools for studio teaching in Architecture, ranging from hands-on material explorations, working on live sites, reliance on digital technologies, and inquiry by design, to introduction of an angle of advocacy and engagement with the community. The purpose of this research is to introduce the concept of scale and space to B. Arch students away from physical presence in a studio. The research question explored is, can an online studio teaching method inculcate in the students’ similar learnings as a physical studio if multi-disciplinary methods become part of the teaching tools and methodology?, The research looked into the notion of space and how it can be understood away from the studio space and what methods of teaching should be used. The methods and measures used to develop this understanding went beyond the conventional methods of a typical design studio, and relied on multi-disciplinary and alternate methods for getting access to research information. These included online tutorials, documentaries, online discussions and feedback, online interviews, home-based workshops and self-learning exercises. The research procedure focused around two architectural design studios at different public sector universities in Karachi in 2020. Eighty-two students from both universities answered quantitative research questions and qualitative interviews were conducted of three faculty members from each university who were part of these studios. The students of both the universities were part of the sample. All students included were in their final year of study. Similarly all faculty members teaching them were interviewed. The findings point towards the importance and outcomes of using multi-disciplinary methodology, with heavy reliance on alternative pedagogical methods, and how this methodology led to inculcating an understanding of scale and led towards development of the thesis projects.