1. INNOVATIVE
methods
in
Architectural
Education:
Ar. Kenny P. Joy
M. Arch, M. Plan
ACMA 2014

2. INTRODUCTION
1
Urban Designer – Planner - Academician
2008 – B. Arch, National Institute of Technology,
Calicut
2008 – Architect, Total Environment, Bangalore
2009 – Project Architect, Kumar Group, Kochi
2013 – M. Arch (Urban design) &
M. Plan (Urban & regional planning)
CEPT, Ahmadabad
– Research Associate, CRDC a design &
research cell of CEPT Ahmadabad
- Founded with partners
Drishti Studios – Architecture + Urbanism
(Bangalore, Kochi, Abudhabi)
- Member of Kochi based NGO – KUDS
(Kerala Urban Development Society)
- Joined Holy Crescent College of Architecture,
Alwaye, Kochi as a full time faculty member

3. INTRODUCTION TO THE TOPIC
New approaches or alternative thinking towards imparting
architectural education more effectively as some of the methods
suggested here may be already been practiced in other parts of
the country in different forms.
Effective learning – Making maximum use of whatever is learnt &
reducing wastage of what is learnt
Not tested scientifically through pedagogic experiments but
through experience and observation (in short duration) based
study and arriving at logical solutions to the problems with some
conventional practiced used in the context
Study based on samples of students – contextual
- General socio economic background
- Exposure before & during the course

4. DESIGN ESSENTIALLY IS A
SOLUTION TO A PROBLEM;
WHERE THE
PROBLEM IS DEFINED BY
USER & USE

5. CONVENTIONAL
METHODS
A look into the existing methodology followed in the architectural
programme in the context
2

6. CONVENTIONAL APPROACH IN TEACHING
Schools -
Conventionally followed teaching system was predominantly
through classroom based oral classes.
Advent of new practices like audio visual methods & interactive
methods
More practical application based methods (like DPEP system)
where students engage in activities of day to day life and learn
through them
In school, a large amount of theories and subjects are taught of
which very few the students encounter or apply later in the life or
career.
Architecture –
Is a professional course where the subjects you learn need to be
applied in practice or career
More of preaching than teaching: Introducing the student to the
world of design based on understanding of the technology
physiographic sociology and varied other subjects that affect the
decision making in design of a product.

7. CONVENTIONAL METHODS
IF A SUBJECT IS TAUGHT IN A PROFESSIONAL COURSE,
IT SHOULD HAVE A PURPOSE & APPLICATION IN THE PROFESSION
1 2 3 4 5
MATHS
VISUAL
ARTS
BASIC
DESIGN
GRAPHICS
STRUCTURES
1
BUILDING
CONST. 1
DESIGN
STUDIO 1
YEAR
STRUCTURES
2
TOPICS
COVERED ?
STRUCTURES
3
STRUCTURES
4
BUILDING
CONST. 2
BUILDING
CONST. 3
BUILDING
CONST. 4
DESIGN
STUDIO 2
DESIGN
STUDIO 3
DESIGN
STUDIO 4
THESIS
APPLICATION
OF

8. LEARNING
A brief examination of the basics of learning science and the
psychology associated with it
3

9. YOU CAN TEACH
A STUDENT A LESSON FOR A
DAY; BUT IF YOU CAN TEACH
HIM TO LEARN BY CREATING
CURIOSITY, HE WILL CONTINUE
THE LEARNING PROCESS AS
LONG AS HE LIVES
CLAY P. BEDFORD

10. OUR SENSES EVOLVED TO
WORK TOGETHER – VISION
INFLUENCING HEARING, FOR
EXAMPLE – WHICH MEANS
THAT WE LEARN BEST IF WE
STIMULATE SEVERAL SENSES AT
ONCE
JOHN MEDINA

11. Source: http://edudemic.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/7-styles-of-learning.
jpg

12. THE BEST WAY
TO LEARN IS
TO DO;
THE WORST WAY
TO TEACH IS
TO TALK
PAUL HAMOS

13. LEARNING
PYRAMID
AVERAGE RETENTION RATES
5%
10%
20%
30%
50%
75%
LECTURE
READING
AUDIO VISUAL
DEMONSTRATION
GROUP DISCUSSION
PRACTICE
90% TEACHING OTHERS
(Edgar Dale, 1969)

14. EDUCATIONAL PYSCHOLOGY :BETTER WAYS OF LEARNING
• Memory improvement basics
•Keep learning and practicing new
things
•Learn in multiple ways
•Teach what you’ve learned to another
person
•Gain practical experience

15. SHIFT IN THE
APPROACH
A glance into how the approach in preaching architecture is
given an alternative direction
4

16. SHIFT IN THE METHODOLOGY
•Hands on workshops for various sub courses within the
programme – DESIGN, BUILD & MAINTAIN
• Educating professionals requires practicing professionals and
academics to work closely together. The System here works as a
collaborative of academicians and practitioners.
Practitioners adept at decision-making bring their experience to
classrooms and academics impart a more thoughtful and critical
approach.
• STUDIO OR LAB BASED LEARNING- Effective learning through
continuous & multi dimensional learning – application of theories
in studios

17. YOU CANNOT TEACH A MAN
ANYTHING, YOU CAN ONLY
HELP HIM FIND IT WITHIN
HIMSELF
GALILEO GALILEI

18. NEW APPROACHES IN DESIGN STUDIO
The studio is a sub course within the architecture course, which
shapes up the design skills of an architecture student
through the entire course of five year undergraduate programme.
Pedagogical scientists in the field of architectural education have
proven that the studio or application based study gives a
much better understanding of the subject.
Taking this forward into the next level our programme is molded in
such a way that each subject contributes to the studio and in
return the studio makes the student comprehend the subject and
the theories in it more effectively.
When there is an application of a theory, there is an extensive
involvement of the student in applying the theories or
techniques into his or her design through the design process.

19. EXPERIENCE HAS SHOWN
THAT STUDENTS LEARN
TECHNICAL SKILLS MORE
EFFICIENTLY AND
INCORPORATE THEM MORE
READILY INTO THE BUILDING
DESIGN PROCESS WHEN THE
SKILLS ARE ACQUIRED ON AN
AS-NEEDED BASIS DURING
ONGOING DESIGN PROJECTS
(Allen, 1997)

20. NEW APPROACHES IN DESIGN STUDIO
INTEGRATIVE STUDIO APPROACH
STRUCTURES MATHS
BUILDING
CONST.
GRAPHICS
VISUAL ARTS
BASIC
DESIGN
DESIGN

21. NEW APPROACHES IN DESIGN STUDIO
Investigating into the intention of a design studio in an
architectural programme, it emerges out that the prime focus on
exercising the studio with the students, should be on the
‘process’ rather than the ‘product’.
In the past, it is observed that this purpose of the studio is
achieved to a satisfactory level in very few institutions across the
country. The key reason responsible for this plight is the use of an
inappropriate methodology.
As a new attitude towards this, the studio can take themes in
each level (like biomimcry, sustainability etc.).
They can be taken forward through multiple staged studies in
understanding of the theme. Periodic exercises which defined the
expected process in a design programme. The studio essentially
should be given without an initial introduction of the design
output.
The design studio outputs - different media of presentation like still
& dynamic models, animations, drama based presentations as
well as movies.

22. THE BEST TEACHERS DON’T
GIVE YOU THE ANSWERS. THEY
JUST POINT THE WAY AND LET
YOU MAKE YOUR OWN
CHOICES YOUR OWN
MISTAKES. THAT WAY YOU GET
ALL THE GLORY AND YOU
DESERVE IT.
SHUESTER

23. CONVENTIONAL APPROACHES IN DESIGN STUDIO
Design
brief
Data
Large unwanted data set
Case
study
concept
Design
•Look into
everything about
case study.
•Tendency to
adapt functional
layout, design
features etc.
irrelevant case
studies
Tendency of losing originality
Direct
product
intent
•Product - a
result of multiple
stage
‘inspirations’ or
adaptations
from case
studies.

24. NEW APPROACHES IN DESIGN STUDIO
Design
brief
Data
Case
study
concept
Design
Cases and
studies relevant
for concepts &
ideas
Multi stage process multi
directional evolved design
assured
Design & problem responsive
indirect
product
intent
STUDIO
THEME

25. ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN STUDIO 4 - Studio theme: Bio-mimicry
“If we are prepared, as apparently we are, for our buildings to look
like animals and plants, perhaps we should be looking to make
them function like them as well. There’s a latent interest in biology,
but little actual knowledge” - Hugh Aldresey-Williams
The architectural profession is rapidly embracing digital design
technologies developed and applied in the framework of
biologically inspired processes. Putting it simply, nature is the
largest laboratory that ever existed and ever will. While bio-mimicry
does not exclude emulating form, design resides in the
processes and systems. The characteristics and processes of the
natural environment can inspire the design of the built
environment.

26. Task 1
Understanding systems of nature
•Choose any organism or its product
•Deduct the various processes that undergoes within its system
•Identify the various components of the system or various elements which go into the
making of the system
•Correlate each of the components and analyze how each of them contribute into
the whole system
Exercise:
Using various media of expression including model (static or dynamic), collages,
photographs, video, animation explain:
•The reason for choosing the object under study
•The various functions of and process undergoing within the object
Task 2
Reasoning the form
•Evaluate the form of the object or organism under study.
•Deduct the relation of the form or shape of various individual components of the
object with its function.
•Reason the form of the entire object under study as supportive to its entire system.
Exercise
Using abstract models and evolution diagrams explain:
•The relationship of the form with system and its functions.
Task 3
Live and learn concepts
•From the past experiences in your school life and other, elaborate your
understanding of an environment conducive to learn for a group of students in the
age group 4 to15.
•Elaborate your understanding of living concepts associated with learning
environments.
•Illustrate how they
•can be created in reality.
•Illustrate how can they be materialized using the conceptual adaptations of
biomimicry each one of you have adopted?

28. WHAT’S POPULAR IS
NOT ALWAYS RIGHT,
WHAT’S RIGHT IS
NOT ALWAYS POPULAR

29. NEW APPROACHES IN DEIGN STUDIO
STUDENT RESPONSIVE STUDIO INPUTS & TRAINING
CATEGORY
1
CATEGORY 2
STUDIO
GUIDE
CATEGORY
3

30. LEARNING BUILDING MATERIALS & CONSTRUCTION
HANDS ON DESIGN BUILD METHOD is the one & only method to
learn this subject effectively
In campus Workshops under guidance of Experts practicing in
each construction technique – Eg: Arte Barro , a mud based
construction, under the guidance of Ar. Vinu Daniel was one
which was popular within architectural schools of the state
Workshop course - Masonry, Carpentry, Electrical & Plumbing
services: To scale models & installations

31. LEARNING VISUAL ARTS / BASIC DESIGN
Visual Arts and basic design are specializations or skills inevitable in
developing a sense of aesthetics in a design based course like
architecture.
Teaching to make works of arts as works of public
appreciation, the students can be given the task of
conducting a public exhibition of their works with a
targeted sale of their products.

32. LEARNING BUILDING STRUCTURES
Students who pursue design based courses , in comparison with
those who take up theory based courses like pure science,
engineering, economic science, language etc., are more driven
or pulled by visual information or physical entities - as the main
intention of the course is to produce design of a physical entity.
The structural design and related subjects shall be introduced
through model making sessions of various structural systems,
animations or other visual representations – they physically relate
themselves with the structural principles when they kinesthetically
experience them.

33. LEARNING LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE
On application based approach
Sensitivization towards plants or plant life – ‘MY PLANT’
Landscape workshop
Hands on design and construct programme with an application of
in designing various spaces within the campus
Design build & SEE - in campus structures.
Learn about life & maintenance of each structure they design

34. LEARNING URBAN DESIGN
In syllabus – introduced in 3rd year – not exposed in dealing with
multiple buildings in design studio or spaces in between buildings
Sensitivization towards publics realm & urban design –
Classroom based discussions & debates
MY CITY – Continuous OBSERVATION & ANALYSIS project
Application of urban design principles in institutional township
design studio

35. LEARNING ARCHITECTURE & CULTURE BY TRAVEL
Architectural education is not one which can be imparted within
the walls of a class room.
Understanding architecture be better done through various
cultures where they get evolved through a time tested process of
evolution of the built form, technology and character, should be
the main intention behind the study tours.
Study tours - in a systematic programme with pre tour
presentations, on site discussions and talks, sketching &
photography exercise, movie making etc.
Documentation – a well illustrated travelogue

36. IN CAMPUS DESIGN & RESEARCH CELL
Collaboration of Architectural education and practice
culminates in its highest level at a place where they both
meet – CAMPUS
Regular exposure of students to practice & an opportunity at door
step to get trained themselves before internship as well as
professional practice.
Develop a research oriented academic atmosphere within the
campus - research is one of the highest levels in which an institute
can contribute to the nation
Keeping the faculty engage in practice more synchronous with
the academics
Potential contributions to the city and its people for a wide range
of services the faculty team is specialized in.
Wide the range of service, larger the exposure of students to
multiple disciplines within architecture.

37. STUDENT RESPONSIVE SKILL DEVELOPMENT
COMMUNICATION SKETCHING
ZERO
HOUR
DISCUSSION READING

38. An initiative from a visionary
management and an inspirational
dean, together with a young
dynamic faculty team to put the
extra effort to achieve an
educational system which is far
more effective in preaching
architecture and thereby raise the
quality of architectural education
within the state & country

39. THANK
YOU