Experiencing the real-scale: mock-up of a set design project

This paper (1) claims that in spite of the unique opportunities introduced to design learning by the emergence of virtual models, the benefits of learning through building in real-scale cannot be totally disregarded. Within this framework, a real-scale project through which students could study light, color and texture was proposed in a senior interior design studio course. Students were asked to work in groups and create a set design, using different objects, materials, colors and lighting configurations within a mock-up space. This paper presents an assessment of the students' responses to the project, discussing the impacts of the project in terms of three main aspects: learning by doing and seeing, learning in different styles, and learning in a group environment. The study suggests that despite its functional difficulties both in terms of provision of space and budget, the integration of even simple real-scale projects to the design studio may be a viable option in design education, enhancing students' comprehension of the transformation between the design and its application.