Problem structuring with user in mind : user concept in the architectural design studio

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2010

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Özten Anay, Meltem

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Dealing with the problem between user related knowledge and design, the present thesis underlines the guiding role of designer’s user concept as a concept in problem structuring, by framing his/her understanding about user and influencing knowledge use and solution generation. Considering limitations of prevailing user concept in the architectural design studio, underlying problems are detected with reference to knowledge and design contexts, which have critical influence on the formation of user concept, particularly on its capacity to cover qualities of user and its relation with design. Defined narrow content of knowledge context and the detachment between design and knowledge contexts constitute the problematic basis of limited user concept and indicate a need for a shift in student’s user understanding. The thesis aims to provide a conceptual framework to define required change referring underlined contexts. The broadening of knowledge context is defined addressing unifying perspective of Universal Design, with its emphasis on diversity, user experience, and knowing user by experience. With reference to the notion of designerly ways of knowing, required constructive relation between knowledge and design contexts is reconceptualized as designerly way of knowing user and defined as user related knowledge generation as part of problem structuring and design concept generation through this knowledge base. The potentials of proposed framework are exemplified by an architectural design studio experience. The analysis shows that when student’s user learning is organized within student’s actual user investigation as part of problem structuring, it is possible for students to acquire needs and expectations of diverse users and translate them to solutions from user perspective generating user related design concepts. Therefore, proposed conceptual base promises to improve user concept of student not only to involve experiences of diverse users, but also to be designerly.

Subject Keywords

Architecture.

URI

http://etd.lib.metu.edu.tr/upload/3/12611718/index.pdf
https://hdl.handle.net/11511/19429

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Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Thesis

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Citation Formats

M. Özten Anay, “ Problem structuring with user in mind : user concept in the architectural design studio,” Ph.D. - Doctoral Program, Middle East Technical University, 2010.