Summary: |
Computers have gained universal acceptance as tools that designers use. However, computers are often not used to advance the design process but just to make drawings. Many architectural schools still focus on a production orientation which puts the highest value on information management, precise representations and drafting enhancements. Mostly, computer education is limited with button pushing and training manuals. It is the contention of the author that students in Design Studio courses can benefit greatly from computer based educational pedagogy designed to provide them with experiences they currently do not possess. In particular, little time in the computer courses (outside lectures) is spent applying concepts and features of digital tools in design studio environment. In architecture, computers cannot be simply defined as a presentation and production tools. As a cognitive tool, computers provide designers with intelligible and effective representational tools of thought and communication, changes the syntactic structure of design. Consequently, the conceptual structure of computers impacts the conceptual structure of the design project, fosters the analytical processes and facilitates conceptual changes. This paper describes the use of computers in a first year architectural design studio. It attempts to address the importance of developing a design process that is redefined by the use of computing, integrating concept and perception. Furthermore, it describes the theoretical foundations and the underlying cognitive processes that contribute designers' conceptual development. |