Internalization of architectural spaces as a methodological approach to enhancing the design process

<p>This paper presents the principles and outcomes of a specific methodology conceived as a teaching tool at the Faculty of Civil Engineering in Subotica. The methodology is designed to support students in developing a deeper understanding of spatial relations, applicable across all phases of architectural design education.</p> <p>The methodological framework is grounded in an expanded interpretation of the term internalization, defined as the assimilation of spatial relations experienced through direct perception into the individual's cognitive framework. This process aims to enrich students' personal systems of thought and behavior, advancing their ability to apply these insights in architectural design practice.</p> <p>The methodology unfolds through three key stages:</p> <p>Perceptual Analysis<strong> </strong>as personal experience of the architectural space, documented through photographs capturing selected spatial relations;</p> <p>Verbal Interpretation as an articulation of spatial experience through five keywords, composed into a haiku poem;</p> <p>Visual interpretation of spatial relations as their abstract transposition into a representative pictogram transcending stylistic conventions.</p> <p>The study included 20 students from the second and fourth year of undergraduate studies. Selected for the research were buildings in the architectural styles of Secession (second year) and Neoclassicism (fourth year) in Subotica. Each student independently chose a distinct building from the works of renowned architects of the period, ensuring equal research conditions within the same architectural language.</p> <p>The results reveal that the methodology successfully fostered intuitive engagement and multilayered spatial understanding, expressed through a synthesis of perceptual, verbal, and visual forms. The presented works showcase the students' developing subjective perspectives, which are a key objective of the process. Future academic practice will explore how this approach guides students in generating new values within the architectural discipline.</p>