Disruptions: Impact of digital design technologies on continuity in established design process paradigms

Abstract

This paper aims to provide a critical understanding of the discipline of architectural education, exploring how digital technology forms part of two Australian architecture schools. Generally accepted as the unbroken and consistent existence or operation of something over a period of time, continuity represents stability without interruption. In the context of architectural design education, continuity aligns almost symbiotically with the design process; a system that facilitates a continuous loop of input, output and feedback for the designer- from defining the brief, collecting information, synthesising and presenting a design proposal. Preliminary findings of a larger research study that investigates the role of technology in architecture education, suggest that cultural patterns of technology adoption and valuation exist, valorising particular tools and establishing a framework for design teaching and practice that might disrupt the continuity of students' design process. Moreover, the study shows evidence of a disruption of continuity in design school narratives, emphasising the need to rethink design pedagogy and the place of technology herein. Reflecting on these observations, this paper explores the question: When the tools of digital technology challenge the established design process paradigm of an architectural school, how do educators respond to such a disruption in continuity?.