Abstract
Computer-aided design is active in architectural practice. Thus, it has become required training in architectural education. While offering accuracy and effectiveness for computer-aided architectural design, computer technologies have not benefited design studios by organizing, presenting, critiquing and reviewing design projects. This thesis proposes a software system, which aims to interactively assist educational activities among students, instructors and possible visitors by organizing information in architectural design studios. The system is composed of three layers. The layer of database schemas organizes database definitions and instances while serving as look-up tables to access information in architectural design studios. The layer of database manipulation is composed of programs to manipulate the database. The layer of user interfaces provides hypermedia and 3-D model viewing capacity while handling the interaction between computers and design studio participants via computer networks. Design Studio Organizer (DSO), the system prototype, was developed. Usability of DSO was evaluated in two real-world courses, one was a typical senior-level design studio course, and the other was a graduate-level course. Usage of DSO was analyzed. The analysis showed that DSO was able to facilitate posting and viewing course information, organizing and presenting course projects, and critiques, review and evaluation of course projects. When compared to activities conducted in conventional design studios, using DSO has its advantages and disadvantages. The advantages include that DSO is able to digitally organize and present course projects, interactively critique projects, and view and evaluate projects at users' cannot track verbal information, does not allow users to design presentations, and needs extra administration. Despite its disadvantages, the advantages provided convincing reasons for using it. This research concluded that a usable software system can be developed to facilitate educational activities in architectural design studios.
Wang, Chih-yung (1998). Design Studio Organizer: software development to facilitate architectural design studio activities. Master's thesis, Texas A&M University. Available electronically from
https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /ETD -TAMU -1998 -THESIS -W269.