Abstract:

Integration of courses is an ongoing debate in undergraduate education. Students have difficulty in utilizing the knowledge they gain in one course on to the other courses. This is especially vital in disciplines such as architecture which strongly centers around the studio course fed by the theory courses.

Architectural education comprises of five major headings. The design studio, courses on construction and technology, history and theory, communication techniques and elective courses. Knowledge and skills gained in the last four need to be integrated to the design project which requires to possess a creative design idea, a theoretical base equipped with technical information and details. In the communication techniques, students learn how to express their design ideas graphically. Freehand sketches, technical drawings, 3D drawings and models are the means to express what is intended in the design and how it is going to be implemented. In the construction and technology group, students get the necessary information on how to design statically sound structures, the characteristics of materials and details of building construction. In history and theory courses students learn about the precedents in architecture, the essence and nature of architecture and utilize the knowledge on the design project in creating the concept and process of their design. In that respect the design project is a medium where integration of all these is reflected. The issue of integration is usually missing in the design projects when integration is only in the discreation of the student. On the other hand students have difficulty in understanding the relevance of theory courses when they do not integrate it to real life examples.

This paper talks about an issue of integration in teaching carried out among students of architecture. It is a case study on the process of learning and teaching in the two courses; architectural theory and design studio given to the students of architecture in their third level in the pursuit of their four year architecture education. Through class discussions lectures and assignments, each course aimed to create an awareness on integration among students. Students were able utilize the knowledge and skills they learned in one course on to the other. This paper aims to discuss the ways and means for integration and its outcome on the performance of the students.

Keywords:

architectural education, integration, awareness, design, architectural theory.