Transforming Interior Design Education: Leveraging AI for Creative Innovation

In the evolving landscape of interior design education, artificial intelligence (AI) is emerging as a transformative tool that both inspires and challenges educators. Already revolutionizing business and educational practices (Ceylan, 2021; Limna et al., 2022), AI's influence in interior design is profound, reshaping the creative process and preparing students for the future of the profession. To realize its full potential, it is crucial to integrate AI into design curricula, laying the groundwork for innovation. Platforms like MidJourney and DALL·E have become pivotal in concept generation, enhancing students' ability to visualize and iterate on their designs. AI amplifies the design process by fostering a deeper connection between students and their creative ideas. For instance, when designing sensory-rich spa spaces in this project, students used prompts like "visualizing calming environments," which AI translated into images, sparking further exploration and refinement. This iterative dialogue with AI not only accelerated the design process but also deepened students' sense of ownership and creative engagement. By enhancing mental visualization, AI provides the "perceptual leap" necessary for students to grasp the full potential of their work, leading to thoughtful and refined designs (Al Ruheili & Al Hajri, 2021; Boumaraf & İnceoğlu, 2019). In conjunction with AI, Virtual Reality (VR) tools allowed students to immerse themselves in their AI-generated concepts, bridging the gap between conceptual thinking and experiential design. By simulating environments like spa spaces, VR enabled rapid iterations and a more profound understanding of sensory engagement, while promoting ethical considerations such as responsible AI use and cultural sensitivity. This presentation will showcase a studio project where students were tasked with designing sensory-rich spa spaces that engage all five senses—sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste. Unlike traditional studio projects, AI was employed as a collaborative partner, driving a unique iterative process of "conversations" through prompts. This approach empowered students to visualize, explore, and iterate their ideas with unprecedented speed and creativity. The resulting designs were then translated into VR simulations, further refining their sensory-rich environments and fostering holistic thinking. Aligned with CIDA standards, this project fostered creative thinking, engagement with emerging technologies, and self-reflection. Student reflections, gathered at key project checkpoints, demonstrated how AI reshaped their design thinking and opened new avenues of exploration. Despite challenges such as varying skill levels and time constraints, the project was a success. Final deliverables included comprehensive design documentation, VR simulations, and reflective reports highlighting the iterative nature of the process and the integration of sensory elements. This work not only prepares students for the future of interior design but also contributes to the broader field of design education by fostering innovation, ethical awareness, and a deeper understanding of technology's role in creativity.