Abstract:

Introduction:
At the Faculty of Architecture of the Silesian University of Technology, for many years, international student exchange has been carried out, previously under the LLP Erasmus programme, and now Erasmus +. Students from countries of European culture such as France, Spain and Lithuania coming from abroad are currently joined by students from countries characterized by greater cultural diversity. Such cooperation gives the opportunity to exchange experiences and insight into a different perspective in the scope of shaping the functional system of the designed space, selecting building and finishing materials, using colors, patterns and textures. The paper is an attempt to describe the main observations regarding common characteristics as well as differences in selected student projects implemented by young people from various cultural backgrounds. The research material comes from design courses run by the authors of the paper. The courses are carried out on the basis of original didactic programs of two design subjects.

Research material and research methodology:
As part of didactic classes conducted at the Faculty of Architecture of the Silesian University of Technology, in the field of Interior Design, one of the design tasks is to solve the domestic space for a defined user, who has the specific hobby, which should affect the aesthetics of the interior. In addition, the flat is to be shared by another inhabitant, which may be a person or an animal. The design must take into account the behavioral needs of both – the main user and co-inhabitant. The subject of the research is a comparative analysis of the approach to the design and aesthetization of the housing space of students from culturally different countries, on the example of semester-long projects. The research sample includes the works of students from countries such as Kazakhstan, Turkey, France and Poland.

The other task results, analyzed in the paper, are semester-long works from the course of Artistic Techniques in Architecture, in which students have to design a stained glass, mosaic, wall painting and sgraffita to fit the chosen interior, domestic space or public (students often use their own study projects). Students have to perform four projects that would fit into the existing space with their subject, artistic expression and color. Conducting this course for both Polish and foreign students (from Kazakhstan and Turkey) made it possible to recognize and compare their way of thinking, and to observe various artistic inspirations related or not to the native cultural circle.

Findings:
Conducted research, based on participant observation of both authors, was a great experience for both – teachers conducting courses and students. The analyzed projects how globalization affects creative thinking of young designers, how important role in designing can be played by referring to the culture and traditions of a given country, and also how strong is the tendency to look for new ideological patterns.

Keywords:

Interior design, students’ exchange, culture, traditional patterns.