Architectural Design Studio: Embracing a Transdisciplinary Approach

Abstract

The co-creation design studio at the Department of Architecture, University of Cyprus, has been acting as a meeting place for students, educators, researchers, citizens, and external stakeholders since 2021, aiming to bridge gaps between architectural research, pedagogy, civil society, and local governance bodies through a transdisciplinary pedagogical framework. Acknowledging that many societal challenges are complex and multifaceted and cannot be adequately addressed by any single discipline or sector alone, the studio focuses on the co-production of knowledge with stakeholders outside of academia. This entails involving them from the outset of the project as well as co-designing design activities and proposals that are relevant to their needs and interests, ensuring a grounded process in real-world challenges. The studio’s pedagogical framework and methodology have been designed, implemented, and evaluated three times until now through participatory action research methodology, investigating the impact on the design result, the development of skills for the students, and their attitude towards their role as future professionals. The paper highlights the findings of these three years of research in a reflective way, suggesting future steps for improvement. Its long-term repetition will gradually build a knowledge base, aiming to revisit existing educational methods to respond to current and future challenges in an efficient and inclusive way.