A General Framework for Design Courses: Experimentation towards a Comprehensive Architectural Curriculum

Different teaching methods make students’ educational experience hard and even frustrating. This article suggests a framework for architectural design courses that aims to provide a general road map according to which information is addressed in parallel with theoretical information gained from other courses. It is based on the three main issues of architectural design as defined by Vitruvius; namely, function, structure, and form. Two other issues are also addressed: the social and the environmental side. The framework was applied for two semesters at the International University for Science and Technology in Damascus; open juries were also used for the first time. Results obtained from questionnaires and interviews indicate acceptance of the proposed framework and the idea of open juries by faculty and students. However, the application of the framework requires longer time to be fully and seriously accepted and then adopted by faculty. Students were enthusiastic about the open jury.