Improving Architectural Pedagogy toward Better Archistructural Design Values

Structure is columnar, planar, or a combination of these which a designer can intentionally use to reinforce or realize ideas. In this context, columns, walls and beams can be thought of in terms of concepts of frequency, pattern, simplicity, regularity, randomness and complexity…” Since earlier urban settlements; buildings, structures and monuments have revealed the work of the master builders who reacted to the social, political and religious needs of their age with their aesthetic creativity on one hand and the technical excellence on the other. Today, while architects regret the inhumanity and formality of structural engineers towards timeless values in architecture such as aesthetics, structural engineers criticize the architects for their lack of essential structural engineering knowledge. This research aims to improve the pedagogy of the architectural design studio along with efficient structural and technical content of the curriculum delivered to architecture students, for a better integration of architectural concepts with structural solutions. Architecture programs at Lebanese universities have been selected as a case study where program content, instruction approaches and teaching methods of structural subjects are examined, as well as students' performance and perception in integrating technical knowledge in their design projects. This selection has been due to a primary hypothesis indicating that some amendments are required. The study investigated that students show difficulties to integrate structural strategies with architectural decisions, and most of structural and technical courses have pathetic standing accompanied by student loss of interest and enthusiasm.