Panel on the Transformation of Architectural Education

In the 10th year anniversary of the Department of Architecture at the Izmir University of Economics, this panel aims to provide a shared platform for exploring approaches to address new directions in architectural education. The participants are asked to focus on the acute issues at the intersection of two thematic sessions, one being concerned with emerging computational design approaches, and the other with interdisciplinary frameworks in architectural education. The panel is dedicated to fostering a constructive dialogue between leading academics and practitioners concerned with ideas that will take architectural education forward.

Theme 1: The Role of Computational Design in Architecture

Advances in digital computing not only challenge traditional ways of conceptualizing buildings but also impact on the nature of the relationship between design, construction, and habitation. The theme however requires further elaboration and the participants are asked to consider the role of computational design within a framework that links emerging practices in the profession with the relevant strategies adopted in architectural education. The guiding questions that are posed within this session are;

1. How do advances in digital computation shape the approaches to architectural education?
2. How does the academic community react to the developments in design computing?
3. What are the concerns about computational design within both practice based and academic communities?

Theme 2: Interdisciplinary Strategies in Architectural Education

Social, political, economical and environmental demands challenge the architect to rethink traditional strategies of organising and producing architecture. Therefore architectural education needs to address new teaching methodologies which broaden the understanding of, and prepare the architect for interdisciplinary design processes.

1. What are the goals and potentials of interdisciplinary strategies?
2. How are interdisciplinary strategies organised?
3. How do innovative interdisciplinary strategies lead to better architectural environments?

This panel aims at discussing values, goals and organisations of current interdisciplinary strategies, both in architectural education and professional design processes.