Design ability; a survey of architecture schools recruitment criteria

This research is concerned with the often criticised quality of the design of the built environment. It is interested in the ability or lack of ability of the individual to produce good building design. The research is in four main sections Section 1.The Cultural, Historical, Social and Educational Factors in the Architects Role. The first section is a review and analysis of the cultural position, the professional role, and the social historical perception of the architect. This assists in identifying what attracts individuals to embark on courses in architectural schools. The schools are also surveyed and an account given of their regulations, their curricula and what they may be looking for in their applicants. Their performance while in charge of their students is reviewed though published statistics. Then their graduates are examined in order to establish whether they believed their education was of benefit. Section 2.Overview of how Historians, Authors, Critics, Architects and Others Report the Architectural Profession. The second section is an overview of how historians, authors, critics architects and designers from different professions have viewed the activities of the production of building and other types design. This reviews various process, procurement and style/type models However the information available, has more to do with the practicalities rather than an analysis of, or recipe for producing quality design Section 3.The Psychological Aspects of Design Ability. The third section researches design ability the field of psychology. This was necessary because of the problems encountered in discovering from participants and observers of Architecture what good design is, or what some individuals have which can produce design of exemplary quality, it was believed necessary to turn to the field of psychology for amplification and elucidation. Creativity and giftedness were studied and a series of relevant recommendations analyzed and reproduced which could be of use in identifying those individuals who would benefit from creative design courses. Section 4. The Field Study. In the fourth section a field study was undertaken at nine schools of architecture to discern what procedures were used to identify possible design creative individuals As well as collecting basic statistics, interviews were constructed to identify what battery of views and concepts individual tutors bring to the selection of students. This protocol produced a response which suggested that all to often admissions tutors were using a form of self imaging in selecting students for their courses From these four sections the conclusion develops the view that within the area of architectural pedagogy there may be several firmly believed axioms concerning an individuals design talent which are never publicly acknowledged or rationally discussed. It is clear that the subject requires ventilation and research, therefore this paper suggests recommendations for change