Armed with an understanding of cultural differences in housing needs, designers can develop residential prototypes that accommodate diverse values and ways of living. Culturally…
Abstract
Armed with an understanding of cultural differences in housing needs, designers can develop residential prototypes that accommodate diverse values and ways of living. Culturally sensitive designs ease the adjustment process of new immigrant groups and contribute to the well-being of communities and the country as a whole. Responding to multiculturalism, design education must prepare graduates for cross-cultural practice by engaging them in the consideration of cultural differences. The paper presents the example of two upper level undergraduate studios, taught in Spring 2002 and Fall 2003 in the Department of Architecture at the University of Minnesota, that exposed students to the design process through the exploration of cultural differences in housing design. Undertaken by an instructor trained in both architecture and social science, these studios integrated social science research into the teaching of design. The projects explored culturally sensitive housing for Hmong and Somali refugees, two of the Minneapolis/Saint Paul area's largest new immigrant groups. Students used verbal narratives collected through focused interviews with members of the Hmong and Somali communities living in the Twin Cities metropolitan area to define both the programmatic and conceptual stages of their designs. The paper elaborates on the theoretical framework that guided students' inquiries; states the methodology and process used to accomplish the research within the constraints of a semester; and outlines the challenges and opportunities afforded through this teaching technique. By focusing on the research phase of these studios, the paper hopes to inspire further development of pedagogies that cater to the changing demographics and respond to cultural differences.
The process of educating future architects and designers around the world varies dramatically. However, there is one striking similarity - the dominance of the design studio as…
Abstract
The process of educating future architects and designers around the world varies dramatically. However, there is one striking similarity - the dominance of the design studio as the main forum for knowledge acquisition and assimilation, and for creative exploration and interaction. Such a setting encompasses intensive cognitive and physical activities, which ultimately result in conceptualizing meaningful environments proposed to accommodate related human activities. The design studio is the primary space where students explore their creative skills that are so prized by the profession; it is the kiln where future architects are molded. It has occupied a central position since architectural education was formalized two centuries ago in France and later in Germany, the rest of Europe, North America, and the rest of the world.