Abstract:

The instructor of Interior Design 4 within the B.Sc. in Interior Design Engineering Program offered at Gulf University in Bahrain has presented a research paper in collaboration with co-authors at the 8th annual International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies (EDULEARN16), Barcelona, Spain. The paper entitled: “STAY, INTERACT, AND LEARN: RESTYLING UNIVERSITIES’ EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENTS”, where the impact of educational environment on students’ learning, activities, and preferences have been examined and discussed.

The theme of the research has been revisited in the summer of 2016 where a workshop has been organized in collaboration with a design office from the Netherlands under the title of 21st Century University -Educational Effectiveness & Enabling Sustainable Architecture”. In addition to the students, graduates and staff, the university invited individuals and groups from both private and public sectors. The university introduced its approach towards providing not only quality academic programs, but also developing its facilities and educational environments. The university believes that the physical environment and the application of new technologies have a significant impact on students’ learning outcomes, while considering the lifestyle, preferences and learning habits of the recent generation of students. Additionally, the role of universities towards sustainability concept and application were presented and discussed.

The course instructor has introduced the research methodology and results of his published research with the co-authors and the discussion of the 21st century university campus workshop to the design studio 4 students. The students have been assigned a project to redesign the Gulf University Campus. Accordingly, a warm-up project has been introduced to reutilize an unused space (prefabricated cabinet within the university campus).

The students conducted further research within the topic of designing educational environments and developed their project in light of the research results of the course instructor. The result of warm-up project is the “Studio Café” where formal and informal learning spaces have been created. The students used the space throughout the semester. The designed space and furniture facilitated the students’ individual and group work where they have enjoyed the variety of seating, working and presentation arrangements. The students executed most of the modification and produced the furniture elements and units.

In the following semester the students of interior design 3 started to use the Studio Café from the first week and they completed the design of the space by selecting fabrics and colors according to their preferences. The students of other department have been invited to use the space.

The paper presents the reflection of research results on teaching and learning of design studio that in addition to the initial impact and feedback of the students on the created space “Studio Café” where the variety of furniture design and arrangement have affected positively the time the students stay at the university and the collaboration in their study and development of design projects.

Keywords:

Studio Café, Research Reflection, Teaching & Learning, Formal & Informal.