Abstract:

Architecture students encounter architectural problems, without broadening their knowledge regarding to Form-based expressions. This fact has been expressed in students` works weaknesses regarding to converting their architectural ideas into tangible physical gestures. Filling this deficiency in the architectural curriculum can help students` perceiving Form in the context of architectural concepts.

Having a deep look into various architect`s works through the lens of Form-based expressions, regardless of their philosophical viewpoints and theoretical approaches, has led to revealing a series of Form designing techniques. These techniques can be classified into two general categories of “modifying techniques” and “organization strategies”. This research consists of a thorough explanation of fourteen techniques, which can make various operations on the geometrical volumes as well as non-geometrical masses. Through these techniques students learn how to use form giving and form transformation strategies to embodiment their spatial thoughts. This process has been tested for more than seven years in three architecture schools.

The impact of incorporating this course into the architecture pedagogy, as an introductory course for the main architecture course such as the Architectural Design, and it will directly broaden the Form-based insight of students. It will additionally enhance their capability for positive reflection with further principal tasks and their understanding about the relationship between form and space. This will also increase the quality of the students` design strategy and their aesthetic aspects of their works.

Keywords:

Form-based practice, design studio, architecture students.