Architectural skills through design thinking: designing elderly housing with universal and human-centred design principles

Abstract

Architectural education must evolve to prepare students for the complex challenges of contemporary design. This study explores the integration of design thinking (DT) into architectural education, focusing on fostering key skills. The research examines the application of DT in the Design Study: Housing Architecture for the Elderly course, which has been conducted from 2015 to the present in the Faculty of Architecture at Wroc?aw University of Science and Technology (FA-WUST), Poland. This course is designed for second-degree (Master’s level) students who have already obtained an engineer architect degree and are expanding their knowledge in designing for the elderly, incorporating principles of universal design and human-centred design. The study employed an observation protocol to track students’ key behaviours throughout the design process, focusing on metrics, such as empathy toward users, creativity, adaptability to complex challenges, critical thinking and collaboration. The research encompasses observations from three semesters of the course, providing an analysis of the development of these skills.