A 10-Step Design Process for Architectural
Design Studios
Tarek Galal Abdelhamid
Abstract
In most architectural schools, Design Studios Architectural design is usually a process in which there is no clear
methodology or scientific step-by-step process that should
lead the student to a design acceptable to his instructors.
This paper suggests a systematic method that reduces
studio design to a clear process that should lead to what
can be a better design output in a shorter time. This
method is for beginner to intermediate level design
studios. We will first describe and analyse the issue, then
we will explain the proposed process in detail, then a brief
report is given on implementation in five different case
studies, ending with recommendations on how to make
the best use of the process.
Keywords
Design education Á Design process Á Design
methodology Á Architectural design Á Design
techniques
1 Introduction
Architectural design can be considered a problem-solving
activity in which the student is required to generate a solution in the form of a building, which will satisfy a specific
program to fit a specific site for specific users to perform
specific functions and activities on that site, using a process
(a series of steps) to finally communicate his final solution in
universally accepted presentation methods. All over the
world, the method of this problem-solving activity in almost
all architectural schools is the Design Studio, making it the
core of Architectural Education (Salama 1995; El Nachar
et al. 2008; Bas Leurs 2014). Although mostly unwritten,
this method with its undocumented process creates what has
been called a “Design Culture” for each Design Studio, with
almost all basic knowledge and practice of architectural
design being learnt in the studio within that Design Culture.
It is the main part of the academic culture and education of
the architect in those institutions, a practice that is standard
worldwide in all schools of architecture (AIAS 2002, 2008;
Salama 1995). Architecture students allocate 39–58% of
their time to Design Studios and Architectural Design,
making it the “single largest component of the curriculum”
(Wallis et al. 2009: 2; Salama and Amir 2005) and the major
subject of their education (AIAS 2002).
Most Architectural Design Studio cultures are based on
the French “Beaux-Arts” method of architectural education,
which started the formal education model of architects. This
was started in the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris established
in the mid-nineteenth century (Mahmoodi 2001; Draper
1977). The studio method has been further modified by the
concepts of the early twentieth century Bauhaus (1919–
1933) education that was established in Germany then taken
by its immigrant instructors and graduates to the US, then by
academics returning with their PHDs from their studies in
the United States and Europe to all other schools all over the
world (Barrada 1986; Salama 1995). The studio design
methodology and process, usually unwritten and part of the
culture, is quite similar in most architectural schools, with
varying degrees of focus on structure, and technology,
depending on the school and year. This has become the
worldwide standard traditional studio teaching method.
There are positives and negatives when considering different
design studio approaches when assessing traditional studio
teaching as surveyed from the literature (Salama 2005;
Wallis et al. 2009). Although the system remains the same,
the practices and shortcomings differ with the times, as seen
in numerous examples given by Salama (1995). As of 2005,
it is a requirement of universities in the US to have their own
written “Studio Culture Policy” manual as part of their
accreditation, e.g. Cornell (n.d.), however, such a policy is
T. G. Abdelhamid (&)
October University for Modern Sciences and Arts (MSA),
Sixth of October, Giza, Egypt
e-mail: tgalal@msa.eun.eg
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
M. Mateev and J. Nightingale (eds.), Sustainable Development and Social Responsibility—Volume 1,
Advances in Science, Technology & Innovation, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-32922-8_1
1
Design Studios
Tarek Galal Abdelhamid
Abstract
In most architectural schools, Design Studios Architectural design is usually a process in which there is no clear
methodology or scientific step-by-step process that should
lead the student to a design acceptable to his instructors.
This paper suggests a systematic method that reduces
studio design to a clear process that should lead to what
can be a better design output in a shorter time. This
method is for beginner to intermediate level design
studios. We will first describe and analyse the issue, then
we will explain the proposed process in detail, then a brief
report is given on implementation in five different case
studies, ending with recommendations on how to make
the best use of the process.
Keywords
Design education Á Design process Á Design
methodology Á Architectural design Á Design
techniques
1 Introduction
Architectural design can be considered a problem-solving
activity in which the student is required to generate a solution in the form of a building, which will satisfy a specific
program to fit a specific site for specific users to perform
specific functions and activities on that site, using a process
(a series of steps) to finally communicate his final solution in
universally accepted presentation methods. All over the
world, the method of this problem-solving activity in almost
all architectural schools is the Design Studio, making it the
core of Architectural Education (Salama 1995; El Nachar
et al. 2008; Bas Leurs 2014). Although mostly unwritten,
this method with its undocumented process creates what has
been called a “Design Culture” for each Design Studio, with
almost all basic knowledge and practice of architectural
design being learnt in the studio within that Design Culture.
It is the main part of the academic culture and education of
the architect in those institutions, a practice that is standard
worldwide in all schools of architecture (AIAS 2002, 2008;
Salama 1995). Architecture students allocate 39–58% of
their time to Design Studios and Architectural Design,
making it the “single largest component of the curriculum”
(Wallis et al. 2009: 2; Salama and Amir 2005) and the major
subject of their education (AIAS 2002).
Most Architectural Design Studio cultures are based on
the French “Beaux-Arts” method of architectural education,
which started the formal education model of architects. This
was started in the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris established
in the mid-nineteenth century (Mahmoodi 2001; Draper
1977). The studio method has been further modified by the
concepts of the early twentieth century Bauhaus (1919–
1933) education that was established in Germany then taken
by its immigrant instructors and graduates to the US, then by
academics returning with their PHDs from their studies in
the United States and Europe to all other schools all over the
world (Barrada 1986; Salama 1995). The studio design
methodology and process, usually unwritten and part of the
culture, is quite similar in most architectural schools, with
varying degrees of focus on structure, and technology,
depending on the school and year. This has become the
worldwide standard traditional studio teaching method.
There are positives and negatives when considering different
design studio approaches when assessing traditional studio
teaching as surveyed from the literature (Salama 2005;
Wallis et al. 2009). Although the system remains the same,
the practices and shortcomings differ with the times, as seen
in numerous examples given by Salama (1995). As of 2005,
it is a requirement of universities in the US to have their own
written “Studio Culture Policy” manual as part of their
accreditation, e.g. Cornell (n.d.), however, such a policy is
T. G. Abdelhamid (&)
October University for Modern Sciences and Arts (MSA),
Sixth of October, Giza, Egypt
e-mail: tgalal@msa.eun.eg
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
M. Mateev and J. Nightingale (eds.), Sustainable Development and Social Responsibility—Volume 1,
Advances in Science, Technology & Innovation, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-32922-8_1
1