An evaluation of physical model-making as a teaching method in the architectural design studio – A case study at Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University

The utilization of physical models is a teaching strategy that has been compared to teaching based on sketching in design studios. This paper aims to determine the effectiveness of using physical models as a key instrument in first-year architecture design studios and as an alternative in cases of graphic sketching and 3D visualization deficiency. The paper adopts descriptive and analytical approaches in a specific case study, in which first-year architecture students were divided in the design studio among three different teaching strategies, namely: model-making, sketching and a blended strategy of both. Observations were validated on the basis of answers given by students to a brief questionnaire, investigating the extent to which they relied on models as supportive tools while designing and evaluating their projects. The results revealed that physical models play a significant role in the development of students’ performance throughout the entire process of project design.