Explorations in Teaching Interior Design: Involving User Perspectives

Abstract

Understanding the needs and expectations of the intended users of a designed environment is recognized as one of the essential factors that influence the decision-making process in an interior design project. This situation is also reflected in interior design education, where students conventionally design for hypothetical clients and users. This study explores the contribution of a new user-focused and scenario-based design studio modal to students’ approach to successive stages of design processes, learning outcomes, and engagement to the project course during an online education period. Within the scope of the study, second-year interior design students were assigned to real artists and product designers as clients for a workshop for creative production- showroom project. The students had to communicate with their clients, do research and integrate the information they have collected into their design proposals. The paper concludes with an evaluation of the proposed model from students’ view. It is believed that the approach proposed and applied within the scope of the study has the potential to present a different perspective in interior design studio courses.