PhD Melike Orhan
Atilim University, Architectural Department, Ankara, Turkey

melike.orhan@atilim.edu.tr, 00 90 (535) 5575556

Abstract

The aim of this study is to define the role and importance of the workshops as one of the methods of informal education for the professional and personal gains of the students.

In the historical process, the architectural design education have being continued as a studio where practical courses in a journeyman-apprentice relationship and institutional lessons. Nowadays, this educational system with the positive and negative aspects is a discussion topic.

The current traditional education system  provides  limited practice opportunity to the students.  We should afford the informal educational atmosphere as a complementary for the students to improve their perspectives and design skills and  create a ground for free expression atmosphere.

Furthermore,  formal and informal educations should be carried out in parallel in the same process  to support the theoretical knowledge of university education by the method of application.

The workshop is a principal education method  for the students  to gain the skills and be acquired in the contemporary architectural design process. It creates a free and interdisciplinary workspace to the participants, improve their effective expression techniques and creativities. The students gain the ability to find a short-term solution, communication skills and critical perspective in the this process.

Furthermore, these national or international informal educations provide an opportunity to recognize various cultures, places in the intercultural collaboration. All these acquired qualifications facilitate to achieve success in their professional life by increasing the student's professional and personal self-confidence.

Therefore ,the gains of the workshops and its importance and necessity must be considered in the training process. In this study an architectural workshop which was organized with the collaboration of Atilim University and Polytechnic University of Bari , will be discussed as an informal education example. Consequently, the results of the works and  students gains will be evaluated and also  the advantages of  workshop  in terms of education and the contributions to the architectural design education will be emphasized.

Key words: Architectural design education, formal-informal architectural education system, workshops, extracurricular education