Impact of Photographs as a Visual Reference in Architecture Design Studio

Impact of Photographs as a Visual Reference in Architecture Design Studio by Patrick Uwajeh, Ikenna Stephen Enzennia, and Peter Chukwuemeka Agbonome

It is essential for the 21st-century generation of students to be equipped with proficient visual skills and the need to use visual methods for teaching design in architectural undergraduate studies cannot be overemphasized. Photographs are used for analytic illustrations and case study presentations mainly in architecture. However, utilizing photographs as a visual reference tool will build a better prospect for students to enhance their creative thinking and design concepts. This study required a group of first-year students in FARC 102 – (Introduction to design), Eastern Mediterranean University, to watch a movie of their choice and extract ideas that would inspire the design of a theme park. They were also asked to snap photos from various scenes in the movie that most captivated them, for use as visual references, then translate the feelings and ideas from these photos to create architectural designs. A second group which served as a control was also studied, to compare the outcomes from both groups in order to make a concrete argument.