A study on African vernacular mosque: A lesson from tradition

Mosques as a symbol of Islamic cities have a significant place in Islamic Architecture and it prompts architects to create admirable, magnificent buildings. While several studies have done on features and prototypes in this field but mainly it leaded to exaggerate dominance of dome as inseparable component of mosques. Although dome construction is costly, it is not that much adaptable to different climates and even it is not a good culture indicator of different countries, still there is a strong insist on presence of dome in mosques everywhere. This paper aims to study African mosque example which deeply relied on vernacular architecture. Various styles of design in Mali as case study investigated in terms of material, design concept, to arrive at concrete results

Tutor-based approach toward sustainable architecture education

A teaching expert is a valuable asset to any educational institution. These experts are invaluable not only in developing the specific fields of knowledge but also invaluable to other institutions that require their services. Thus, each educator and teacher must strive their utmost to better themselves in their specific field of expertise as well as in other knowledge to reinvent themselves and be able to look at their knowledge in a more meaningful and dynamic fashion and not stick to the same views all the time. But there is tendency to a belief among practitioners that who has some experience in architecture is fully equipped for teaching. This paper discusses the importance of tutor training in architecture education

Critical analysis of criteria-based assessment and grading in architecture education (Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia as case study)

Education is a contiguous and consecutive process. Thereby learning skills and knowledge in any context, requires strong and powerful academic basis. To reach this target, evaluation as a means to recognize student’s learning level and making decisions for further educating steps seems essential. All the Educational systems have sort of official examination, assessment or grading policy to measure student’s learning stage.In the typical policy, students are told clearly about the proposed assessment program and the relative weightings of the various components and they are given timely and helpful feedback after each assessment stage. Internationally, in these decades, universities and educators have become increasingly committed to making assessment and grading more effective in promoting student learning. Appraisal methods and grading systems in studio based educating systems, such as architecture, more than other majors and fields needs attention and scrutiny. Because transmitting the success amount of solving ill-defined problems in design studios to grading symbols are more difficult than multiple choice tests and even open ended questions. The primary interest of this study is in grading methods that claim to be criteria-based. This study tries to hybrid the criteria based models to introduce a new appraisal method in evaluating architectural projects in universities, based on a review of the most common grading policies

A comprehensive learning of architecture education: understanding critique session as learning process and criteria-based assessment in the architecture design studio

In the educational process, a process of continuous and comprehensive learning becomes very important. This paper has the aim to analyze and evaluate the whole process of teaching methods in architecture studio. This research is an action observation and analysis of the student 2nd year Architecture Design Studio Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) on their learning and assessment process in design studio. In the process of education, the teaching process is very important to determine the final result or assessment. Therefore, the implementation of a comprehensive educational process has a very important function. The teaching process in the architectural education viewed from two aspects, the aspects of teaching and assessment. Both of the aspects are using different learning methods, namely Critique Session and Criteria-Based Assessment. With these methods we have been able to conclude that both methods are holistic approaches and very helpful in the learning process of students as they are gradually and continuously develop their ability in the learning experience in design studio

Upgrading Education Architecture by Redefining Critique Session in Design Studio

AbstractArchitecture education with apprenticeship based training method has existed from long time ago. This type of education was based of practice and imitation. But today according to the design issue and open ended problems it is changed to transmitting the concept and idea of design. In this educating system which is based on critique all the efforts are to increase student's self criticizing ability by continuous criticisms to able to manage their own projects. Design is one of the most complex types of problem solving that involves several aspects and components. Its cognitive processes and procedures should be transmitted to the students through lectures and critique sessions. The current model in studios is based on ancient model that must be redefined and be made clearer in order to improve both learning and teaching ways. There is no unreasonable action in the world and all are perusing a prominent target, especially in educating system that in fact it is the base of all forward steps in community around us. This paper analyses architectural studios in order to find the weak and strength points and also to identify procedures and tools that can be used to support the studio based pedagogy in architecture. First we take a look on what is going on in design studios and then by classifying the critique methods in different type of studios and explaining each will explore the reasons of dissatisfactions and at the end will give some suggestions to upgrade the existing system

Computer based analysis in the design process for the second year design studio Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM)

The emergence of technology and its entry to various fields, especially into education systems has its own pros and cons. but the important issue, here, should to acquiring the impact of this presence in order to enhance benefits and reduce drawbacks on educational systems. Digital software has opened a new era into designers and students of art and architecture. Understanding and learning the rules of this new era not only can help designers to keep up abreast to the newest knowledge and technology but also it can help novice designers to rescue from trap of this new world. Main goal of this paper is to study the impacts of using digital technology in design studios in second year architecture student in Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia by analyzing and comparing student’s process and progress during one year

From Words to Action: Incorporation of Sustainability in Architectural Education

Schools of architecture play a major role in motivating and inspiring students to gain competencies in sustainability through pedagogical practices. However, at the operational level, the incorporation of sustainability within architectural programmes needs to be integrated into both the curricula and teaching methods. There are few studies on how architectural programmes’ curricula and pedagogical practices can be institutionally articulated, as well as on how the required coherency among components can be empowered operationally. Since the interrelation of the courses form the structure of the curricula and provide certain inputs for the students’ knowledge and skill, any operational risk can harm the quality assurance. Therefore, an operational framework aimed for a coordinated incorporation of sustainability in architectural programmes is required. In order to achieve this, scrutinising substantial equivalence programmes could provide constructive outcomes for the improvement of the existing programmes and future experiences for students. In order to determine the articulation of sustainability issues in architectural education, in this research, a recently accredited school in the Eastern Mediterranean region was chosen as a case study. The study includes an analysis of course descriptions, teaching methods, and teacher and student perceptions about the incorporation of sustainability into the courses. Also, jury sessions’ evaluation criteria are assessed as a pedagogical tool. Then, the horizontal and vertical articulation of courses within the curricula and their coordination were studied accordingly. The findings reveal that horizontal and vertical relations between different course types that share similar learning objectives are very important. However, this relation and continuum should be perceivable by students, tutors, and the relevant stakeholders; otherwise, any attempt would remain superficial. Accordingly, the association of sustainability with pre-defined evaluation criteria for grading is very important. The methodological tools and lessons from this study can assist young architecture programmes with the incorporation of sustainability into their programme without changing its spirit, through the coordination of courses within curricula and adopted pedagogical tools