Shutting the studio: the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on architectural education in the United Kingdom

Abstract

The Covid-19 pandemic instigated a rapid shift to remote learning in schools of architecture in the United Kingdom. Through the largest survey of its kind of architectural students and tutors in the UK, this research compares experiences in the physical design studio and its remote equivalent. The context of the pandemic provided a unique opportunity to survey a range of cohorts, at different stages in their architectural education to compare these two modes of studio delivery. The findings show a fall in student satisfaction after the move to remote learning in every metric assessed. Peer interaction and support were particularly effected. More formal teaching interactions, such as reviews, crits and tutorials, also suffered but to a lesser extent. For teaching staff, some small improvements in the working environment were observed as well as organisational factors. However, these small gains were outweighed by the negative changes. The research suggests that despite the replication of teaching activities digitally, the situated learning of design education and the facilitation of informal learning scenarios are critical components of design education. This research contributes to the ongoing characterisation of architectural education’s signature pedagogy and suggests that for effective remote learning, design studio education must be reconceptualised, and alternative pedagogies embraced. This can direct educators looking to develop remote design studio learning as well as highlighting areas in which the traditional model of architectural education may be enhanced.

McLuhan’s Tetrad as a Tool to Interpret the Impact of Online Studio Education on Design Studio Pedagogy

“…Grover and Wright [22] physical design studio Teaching in the physical design studio was considered integral to architectural education by the students and staff.…”

“…Actors [15,21,27] low level of engagement and participation 4 [16,18,20,21,29,30] student autonomy increased 7 [19,22,25,28] low level of peer interaction and peer learning 4 [18,21,30] tutor roles need to be redefined 3…”

A Critical Reflection on the Impact of Virtual Design Studio on Curriculum Development and Studio Culture in First-Year Architecture Studies

“…Nevertheless, the setting of the virtual design studio (VDS) in higher education has had challenges, identified as "behaviour correlations, such as 'listening-in' (viewing other students' work) and student success, as well as behaviour shifts from 'passive' to 'active' engagement" [15]. Research also reflects on student preferences that form diverse education formats that impact student satisfaction [16] and a "fall in student satisfaction after the move to remote learning" [17] (p. 1173).…”

Examining the impact of students’ ratings of architectural design studio on graduation project before and midst COVID-19

“…No final solutions have yet been found in architectural design studios on the ideal mechanism for post-COVID-19 design studio 2 . The whole world was affected during COVID-19, the design studio turned into an electronic design studio, new technologies and means of communication have been used as communication mechanisms between students and design studio tutors 3 . Few studies have dealt with the impact of COVID-19 on architecture, given the novelty of the resulting exceptional case; some studies have discussed the opportunities that architecture offers to improve human health in conditions of epidemics 4 .…”

“…An experimental educational approach is suggested to address this challenge 29 . The various educational experiences in the sophomore-level of ADS were discussed 30 31 , there are many teaching and training challenges during the sophomore-level design studio 32 , besides, the different aspects of the engineering design studio were explained 3 . The design studio environment and its effect on architecture students' performance and satisfaction were examined 34 .…”