Research Article

New Approaches to Performance Space Design: Problem-based Learning Method in Architectural Design Studio

Volume: 7 Number: 2 December 15, 2025

New Approaches to Performance Space Design: Problem-based Learning Method in Architectural Design Studio

Abstract

Performance spaces are multi-dimensional places that create complex links between the space, user, time, and experience. These spaces are not just passive settings; they are active in shaping the way performers and audiences interact with each other. In a design context where fixed functions are blurred and conventional uses are reinterpreted, it becomes possible to explore new modes of interaction within pre-existing spatial structures. Within the scope of the studio, it is aimed for students to conceptually explore performance spaces and develop creative solutions, with an approach to push the boundaries of traditional architectural thought. The study carries out the analysis of the studio works through three fundamental discourses. These include spaces that involve the spectator in the artistic process, spaces that are tailored to the artist's specific needs, and spaces that address the time issue. The results demonstrate that a problem-based learning methodology allows students to produce varied and substantiated spatial concepts, showcasing their innovative interaction with intricate urban, programmatic, and experiential contexts. Thus, the article critically examines a series of design proposals to explore how new approaches can be employed to rethink spatial organization, the dynamics between performer and audience, and the role of time and experience in shaping the live art environment. It highlights the potential of innovative strategies to reimagine these core elements of performance space design.

Keywords

Supporting Institution

“The author declared that this study has received no financial support”.

Ethical Statement

N/A

Thanks

The authors would like to thank her students Oğul Can Aydın, Furkan Alaş, Nevasu Erenel, Sema Turan, İlkay Yıldız, Hatice Büşra Canbuldu, Zeynep Ekinci, Ayça Erciyas and Murat Bilen for contributing their work as part of the content for this paper.

References

  1. Abdelaziz, D. (2021). The Dilemmas of Complexity in Design Studios and The Teachers' Role. Journal of Design Studio, 83-95.
  2. Adiyanto, J. (2017). Real Problem Based Learning in Architectural Design Studio. International Conference on Architectural Education in Asia, (pp. 1-5).
  3. Aronson, A. (2013). Time and Space on the Stage. Performance Research 18:3, 84-94.
  4. Balme, C. B. (1995). Theater im postkolonialen Zeitalter: Studien zum Theatersynkretismus im englischsprachigen Raum. Niemayer: Tübingen.
  5. Carlson, M. (1989). Places of Performance: The Semiotics of Theatre Architecture. Ithaca and London: Cornell University Press.
  6. Çakır, O. (2024). Mimarlık Lisans Müfredatında Akustik: Bir Ders Modeli Önerisinin Çıktıları. Tasarım kuram, 269-280.
  7. Engel, C. E. (2013). Not Just a Method But a Way of Learning. In D. Boud, & G. Feletti, The Challenge of Problem-based Learning (pp. 17-27). London: Routledge.
  8. Gül, Z. S., & Çalışkan, M. (2022). Acoustics for architects: A potpourri of undergraduate and graduate level teaching styles, tools and in-course projects. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 2326-2335.

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Architecture (Other)

Journal Section

Research Article

Early Pub Date

December 15, 2025

Publication Date

December 15, 2025

Submission Date

August 9, 2025

Acceptance Date

November 23, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2025 Volume: 7 Number: 2

APA
Çalışkan, E. B., & Koç Aytekin, Ç. (2025). New Approaches to Performance Space Design: Problem-based Learning Method in Architectural Design Studio. Journal of Design Studio, 7(2), 289-304. https://doi.org/10.46474/jds.1761699
AMA
1.Çalışkan EB, Koç Aytekin Ç. New Approaches to Performance Space Design: Problem-based Learning Method in Architectural Design Studio. JDS. 2025;7(2):289-304. doi:10.46474/jds.1761699
Chicago
Çalışkan, Ekrem Bahadır, and Çiğdem Koç Aytekin. 2025. “New Approaches to Performance Space Design: Problem-Based Learning Method in Architectural Design Studio”. Journal of Design Studio 7 (2): 289-304. https://doi.org/10.46474/jds.1761699.
EndNote
Çalışkan EB, Koç Aytekin Ç (December 1, 2025) New Approaches to Performance Space Design: Problem-based Learning Method in Architectural Design Studio. Journal of Design Studio 7 2 289–304.
IEEE
[1]E. B. Çalışkan and Ç. Koç Aytekin, “New Approaches to Performance Space Design: Problem-based Learning Method in Architectural Design Studio”, JDS, vol. 7, no. 2, pp. 289–304, Dec. 2025, doi: 10.46474/jds.1761699.
ISNAD
Çalışkan, Ekrem Bahadır - Koç Aytekin, Çiğdem. “New Approaches to Performance Space Design: Problem-Based Learning Method in Architectural Design Studio”. Journal of Design Studio 7/2 (December 1, 2025): 289-304. https://doi.org/10.46474/jds.1761699.
JAMA
1.Çalışkan EB, Koç Aytekin Ç. New Approaches to Performance Space Design: Problem-based Learning Method in Architectural Design Studio. JDS. 2025;7:289–304.
MLA
Çalışkan, Ekrem Bahadır, and Çiğdem Koç Aytekin. “New Approaches to Performance Space Design: Problem-Based Learning Method in Architectural Design Studio”. Journal of Design Studio, vol. 7, no. 2, Dec. 2025, pp. 289-04, doi:10.46474/jds.1761699.
Vancouver
1.Ekrem Bahadır Çalışkan, Çiğdem Koç Aytekin. New Approaches to Performance Space Design: Problem-based Learning Method in Architectural Design Studio. JDS. 2025 Dec. 1;7(2):289-304. doi:10.46474/jds.1761699

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