Modular Design as a Pedagogical Tool in Architectural Studio Education Across Academic Levels

Abstract

Architectural design studios are learning environments where students develop creative thinking, spatial reasoning, and design skills. Although modular design has been widely discussed as a design strategy, its pedagogical role across architectural education has received limited empirical investigation. Addressing this gap, this study examines how modular design supports creative thinking, spatial organization, and conceptual production across educational stages. The research was conducted during the 2024–2025 spring semester at a public university in Türkiye and involved 53 undergraduate architecture students. A mixed-method design combined structured questionnaire, open-ended responses, student design projects, and rubric-based evaluations. The findings indicate that modular design supports creativity, systematic thinking, and part-to-whole reasoning in the early stages of architectural education, while in later stages it promotes critical awareness of scale, flexibility, and aesthetic coherence. Overall, modular design is a context-sensitive pedagogical approach whose educational contribution evolves according to developmental stage and project complexity.