The Role of Conceptual Modeling in Supporting Creativity and Design Quality in Interior Design Education

Generating creative ideas and developing initial concepts during the early stages of architectural and interior design supports the development of creative and valuable design solutions. This study examined the role of conceptual modeling as an educational tool in supporting students’ creativity and improving the quality of their work during the early stages of design. Students were asked to create an abstract conceptual model reflecting their chosen design concept during the first stage, then develop their ideas through sketching, visual feedback, and subsequently use artificial intelligence (AI) tools. This study adopted a descriptive and convergent mixed-methods approach within a studio-based educational setting. Data sources included students’ work, postcourse questionnaire responses from ninety-nine students, and evaluations by twenty-five external reviewers. The results showed that the students perceived conceptual modeling as supporting divergent thinking and clearly translating design ideas. A strong positive association was observed between students’ perceived value of physical conceptual modeling and their self-reported creativity (r = 0.85, p < 0.001). As both variables were measured using students’ self-reports, the association reflects the students’ perceptions. Students also reported that physical modeling and sketching supported design consistency and their understanding of spatial relationships. Overall, the study suggests that conceptual modeling was perceived as a valuable cognitive and experiential learning strategy that supports students’ design thinking processes and concept development.