This study aims to emphasize the importance of participatory design approach in architectural education via user satisfaction through recently applied public project.

An era in the second half of 20th century, a thought had influence; “If architects designed the right cities, there would be no war.” and architecture students are trained by this thought. In time, designers focus to designs that enable people to live how they want to live, instead of trying to make utopias real. While discussions on involving users to design process continued, individuals demanded to play an active role on environment that they live and participatory design approach started to get across.

In architectural education, user satisfaction is a worth-stressing point. When the design training focus product-centered process instead of user-centered, thereoccurs lack of communication between user and architect.

The field study is conducted in 2013, and Küçükçekmece Urban Square Project is chosen to examine the users meanings and the responds of the designs. Observation and interview were used in the study. Following the search, it’s seen that majority is not satisfied with the new organization. Users compared the new one with the old square and said that the new square could be better.

In conjunction with architectural design education, participatory design approac should be involved to the studio. With participatory design in education, students will learn to respect rights and thought of users and so, there will be satisfied users and this situation will contribute to provide social sustainability.