ArchiWAIS: a Multimedia-Based Architectural Information System for Teaching and Learning Architectural History and Theory

Currently, there is a debate among architectural educators regarding the use of computers in the curricula. At present, computers are used for design purposes, and there is limited use in other areas of the curricula. This paper explores an instructional tool developed specifically for the teaching and learning of architectural history and theory, and since these courses are main components of any architectural curricula, using this tool can have a great impact on architectural education in general. The tool, called ArchiWAIS, is a multimedia-based architectural information system that utilizes emerging computer technologies such as multimedia, hypermedia, and telecommunications. As a multimedia system ArchiWAIS provides effective ways of handling various architectural media-text, images, architectural drawings and diagrams, three-dimensional models, animation and sound. ArchiWAIS as a distributed hypermedia system also provides multiple ways to search multimedia databases and browse through multimedia. ArchiWAIS is a WAIS (Wide-Area Information Server) client and has access to architectural databases specially constructed for this experimental project as well as general WAIS databases. ArchiWAIS is one of two subsystems of ArchiTOUR, an educational system currently under development. While ArchiWAIS searches and collects a variety of architectural information, HyperTOUR, the other subsystem of ArchiTOUR, can be used for presenting and learning a specific subject in architectural history and theory. A future extension of ArchiTOUR will be the integration of other curricula into the system, in essence, creating a common ground among architectural courses