From Abstract Concepts to Spatial Form: Representation, Creativity, and Design Thinking in Architectural Studio Education
This study investigates how architecture students translate abstract design concepts into tangible spatial forms within the context of studio-based education. Recognizing architectural design as a cognitively complex and iterative process, the research positions representation as a central mechanism through which ideas are explored, tested, and refined. By examining both qualitative and quantitative evidence from a structured design studio, the study addresses a critical gap in understanding how conceptual thinking evolves into spatial outcomes through representational practices. Pedagogical Framework and Design Studio Structure The research is grounded in a nine-week architectural design studio organized into five sequential phases: site analysis, concept development, mass study, architectural drawing, and spatial form. This structured framework provides a controlled pedagogical environment for observing how students progress from analytical understanding to spatial resolutio...