Narrative as a Generative Tool in Architectural Design Education: An Integrative Model Linking Drawing and Physical Model-Making

This article is situated within the field of introductory architectural design education, where the challenge of enabling students to connect abstract ideas with their spatial and material translation remains unresolved. Although a range of active learning methodologies is currently available, the literature suggests that narrative has not yet been systematically integrated as a projective resource in early design education, leaving a gap in the articulation between imagination, representation, and design. In response to this issue, the study explores the value of the short story as a space-generating device and its capacity to structure design thinking. To this end, the Narrative–Analogical Project Model (MNAP) was implemented with first-year Architecture students at the Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja through an iterative process combining narrative reading, sketch production, model-making, and collective critiques within a research-through-design framework. The findings, triangulated through a four-dimension rubric applied retrospectively by external evaluators, indicate that this approach not only activates imagination and promotes multiple interpretations, but is also associated with greater coherence between narrative and space, which, in turn, supports supporting the development of skills such as argumentation, communication, and collaborative work. Overall, the study suggests that incorporating narrative from the outset of the design process may constitute a relevant and replicable pedagogical strategy for integrating visual thinking and material exploration in architectural education.