Karimi, K; (2019) Space syntax as a platform for teaching analytical, research-based design: A pedagogical experience. In: Duan, J, (ed.) Proceedings of the 12th International Space Syntax Symposium (12SSS). Space Syntax Symposium (SSS)

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Abstract

The concept of analytical, evidence-based design is a somewhat obscure area in practicing and teaching urban or architectural design. Sometimes contested by certain designers, which pride themselves in highly intuitive approaches, as deterministic and sometimes labelled by other disciplines, which tend to have a more scientific approach, as pseudo-science, this field has not become a mainstream approach to design. However, if design is accepted as a process, in which intuition and rational thinking have to work hand in hand with different degrees of emphasis in different stages to generate a successful output, then the concept of analytical and researched-based design becomes a much less contestable proposition, since it can enhance the ability of the designer to use the evidence-based research to produce better work by evaluating the design outputs on the one hand, or assist others, including the decision makers and stakeholders, who need to have a more objective understanding of the impacts of architectural or urban design, on the other hand. Such a process has been addressed before in urban design and architectural research, using real-life examples from professional and research projects (Hillier and Stonor, 2010; Karimi, 2012a; Penn, 2008; Sailer et al., 2008). This paper focuses entirely on a different facet of this issue: how the process of analytical, evidence-based design can be taught. Based on the experience of teaching analytical design on the platform of space syntax in the past six years, this paper proposes a teaching methodology that can achieve this objective. The paper starts from theoretical and pedagogical complexities of the issue and moves on to explain the details of such undertaking. The results of student work on a multi-scale architectural and urban design project in the past six years are used not only to establish this process, but also to demonstrate some outcomes of it.

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