Positioning historical evidences in architectural education: review of methods and contents

Abstract

Purpose This paper aims to position the evidence in the history of architectural education, which has contributed to the development of architecture as a discipline. The paper focusses on the transformational stages of architectural education through history. It builds on considering its evolution from informal stages towards formal educational discipline and then standardization as a curriculum-based model in contemporary times. Design/methodology/approach The research adopts a qualitative approach focussing on epistemological interpretations through triangulation. The qualitative data includes two main categories; first, historical research and second, interviews and focussed group discussions. It then adopts the triangulation method for the analysis of data. The exploration positions historical pieces of evidence encompassing important factors involved in the process that directed the changes while suggesting the modes of training of architects. The interviews and focus groups provide a valuable addition to historical data for connecting it to contemporary times. Significant modes examined include master pupil, apprenticeship and curriculum-based model, in addition to several fundamental skill sets such as drawing, painting and sculptures that remained constant in this process. Findings The historical pieces of evidence inform that architectural education has been inclusive and considerate towards cultural concerns throughout its developmental stages untill the currently adopted curriculum-based model. It concludes that the development of architecture as a discipline in formal education has been influenced by methods of disseminating knowledge, contents incorporated for teaching architecture, deliberate inclusion of relevant knowledge areas such as arts and cultural integrations of societies. Research limitations/implications This research is limited to a structured study to explore and position pieces of evidence in the history of architectural education considering its methods and contents. While it signifies the role of culturally sensitive contents in the architectural curricula, the scope of this research is not to focus on the development of any new theory, model or postulate regarding the inclusion of some specific contents. The implications of this research aspire to the best use of methods and contents deeply rooted in the development of the discipline, of architectural curricula in the future. It suggests the negation of possible overlooking of such content in curricula. Originality/value The study signifies the core argument of the relevance of architectural education to social and cultural concerns as an important facet in the developmental stages in the history of the discipline. The exploration of pieces of evidence is significantly important to avoid the inadvertent overlooking of the culturally sensitive content in architectural education in the future development of architectural curricula that were included purposefully.

Physical Evolution of the Last Melanau Communal Dwelling in Kampung Sok, Matu, Sarawak, Malaysia

“…It is chosen because of several advantages. According to Pasha et al (2020), historical research methods verify and explain past human activity, subject, or event. The purpose of the historical research method is to find out the unknown, search and identify relationships of past happenings and their links with the present, and understand the human culture (Berg, 2001).…”

Development of Art Education as a Basis for Sustainable Development of Society

“…In particular, Cameron et al (2019) studied the features of adaptation of graduates in the labor market and directions for updating vocational training to facilitate this process, as well as the formation of the need for systematic professional development. Features of professional education in the field of architecture, its problems and prospects for improvement are reflected in the publication of Pasha et al (2020). Scientists note the need to include issues of cultural integration of societies in the quality of professional training, and they also insist on updating the teaching methods of future specialists in accordance with the modern development of professional pedagogy.…”

Editorial

“…All authors of these issues are nonwestern. There were nine articles on urban issues (Wiedman and Wang, 2020; Zohou et al , 2020; El-Kholei, 2020a; İnce et al , 2020; Ferah, 2020; El-Kholei, 2020b; Ammar et al , 2020; Lingyan and Ming, 2020); two articles on academic research in architecture (Salama and Hurol, 2020; Hurol, 2020), three articles on memory/place/tectonic affects (Tang et al , 2020; Ghelichkhani, 2020; Aksel and Imamoglu, 2020), two articles on the issues of plurality and polyphonic approaches (Salama and Hurol, 2020; El-Ashmouni and Salama, 2020); one article on decolonialism and cosmopolitanism (El-Ashmouni and Salama, 2020); one article on parametric design (Tünger and Taşlı Pektaş, 2020); two articles on photovoltaic facilities (Krstic-Furundzic et al , 2020; Ibrahim, 2020); one article on transformation and social change (Al-Betawi et al , 2020); two articles on sustainability and cittaslow (İnce et al , 2020; Babatunde, 2020); two articles on architectural education (Rauf, 2020; Pasha, 2020); one article on conservation of built-heritage (Thirumaran et al , 2020); one article on traditional villages (Huang and Yuanyuan, 2020); one article on post-war reconstruction (Kudumovic, 2020) and one article on post-pandemic environment (Ghada and Gharib, 2020). Some articles combined double keywords.…”