ON A PARADOX IN DESIGN STUDIO TEACHING OR THE CENTRALITY OF THE PERIPHERY

The centrality of the design studio in architectural education has rarely been challenged. Yet, it is precisely this forum of learning that causes concern with regard to the extent to which architecture is viewed as a knowledge based discipline. The design studio appears habitually viewed as the forum where knowledge of form is acquired, rather than a forum where a particular form of knowledge or understanding is pursued. At the same time, architectural curricula include so-called taught courses which are typically perceived as knowledge imparting; and students are expected to use this knowledge in the design studio. Taught courses are meant to support the activities in the design studio, but lie at the periphery of architectural education. This paper will suggest that, although the relevance of environmental design and architectural technology studies is actively acknowledged in the design studio, this is not the case with regard to contextual studies and methodologies. Even within the design studio, tasks related to contextual study- site and brief analysis, and the study of precedents- are generally marginalised and typically reduced to mere recording of the physical characteristics of the site, diagrams of accommodation requirements, and a group of pictures from which th