University–Industry Collaborations in Interior Architecture Education

Abstract

This article aims to evaluate the potential of university–industry collaboration within interior architecture education and to contribute to the national regulations governing R&D and Design Centers in Türkiye. It examines a case study conducted during the 2023–2024 Spring semester, involving partnership between a foundation university’s Department of Interior Architecture and Environmental Design and a government-supported R&D and Design Center. Since interior architecture is a practice-based discipline, theoretical knowledge must be supported by practical experience during undergraduate education. Existing literature shows that such collaborations are primarily conducted in the areas of furniture design and production within the regular curricular activities. However, there is a clear need for studies that explore the integration of theoretical knowledge and holistic spatial design practice in interior architecture. Accordingly, an extracurricular workshop was developed through a university–Design Center collaboration, within the theory of “learning by doing.” Fourteen students participated in the workshop. Using a mixed-methods approach, demographic information and participants’ prior design experience were collected through a questionnaire. In addition, open-ended questions were administered both before and after the workshop to explore students’ expectations and experiences, respectively. The open-ended responses were analyzed independently by three researchers using content analysis. Student expectations were classified under two main themes: “developing design knowledge” and “cooperation with the sector,” whereas student experiences yielded three main themes: “understanding the end user,” “temporal constraints and efficiency,” and “conceptual diversity and topic suggestions.” The study reveals the potential of an extracurricular workshop predicated on active, reciprocal roles among all participants. Furthermore, it outlines limitations and gaps in national policies, guides similar collaborations to increase such partnerships, and contributes to a more defined framework for institutional and government policies regarding R&D and Design Centers.