Exploring the Neurological Basis and Motivation for Learning to Design during the Covid-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Architectural design curriculum is based on the premise that students want to learn Architecture. However, there is a significant decline in the motivation and enthusiasm of Architecture students for designing projects within the studio courses. This phenomenon can be the natural result of the Covid-19 pandemic that locked young architect candidates down, forcing them to attend courses online. However, the motivation behind the act of designing is loosely related with the designers’ physical or online presence. This study aims to understand the basic motives underlying the desire to design by examining online architectural design education processes. The paper looks into cognitive processes, neuroscientific knowledge around the act of design, and pedagogical knowledge around learning to design. The main question of the research is to see whether the motivation to design can be explained in association with neurological aspects and whether it can shed light on methodologies on learning to design.