The importance of figural and verbal sketches in creativity within the architectural design studio

Abstract

Architectural education has a significant history with Sketch, which has consistently held a prominent position in design. This study investigates the various types of sketches used in the design studio and their impact on architectural education. Sketches, including figural and verbal techniques, are essential for advancing students in design studios. Knowing sketches and their use in the design process can significantly increase students'creativity in the design studio. The research explores how figural and verbal sketches influenced creativity within the design studios. A sample of 107 students was selected from the 2022 Spring Semester and 2023 Fall Semester at Architecture Design 1 at Yildiz Technical University. The Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking and questionnaires were used in this methodology. The data was examined using SPSS version 26, and data analysis t-test, Pearson correlation, and Mann-Whitney U statistical tests were applied. Our research results demonstrate the effectiveness of figural (drawing, diagram, and modeling) and verbal (textual expression and dialogue) sketches in students' design process. These tools also affect students' creative thinking in various design stages. Furthermore, figural and verbal sketches are used in different project stages to develop innovative ideas and thinking and identify fresh solutions and problem-solving during the design problem.