Can AI Function As A New Mode of Sketching

A Teaching Experiment with Freshman

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3991/ijet.v18i18.42603

Keywords:

Design Education, Design Representation, Visual Communication, Artificial Intelligence, Midjourney

Abstract


This study investigates how artificial intelligence (AI) can be integrated into first-year design education. The goal of the study is to examine how students combine orthographic projections with AI-generated images. To answer this question, a design representation course called Visual Communication I (VC-I), taught at Istanbul Technical University’s Faculty of Architecture, was selected. A three-step assignment called “ISO-meets-AI” was planned and implemented in the VC-I. The steps of the assignment were as follows: (i) producing orthographic projections of created physical compositions; (ii) generating image output from text input using an AI program (Midjourney); and (iii) combining the AI-generated images with the orthographic projections. The assignment was completed by 50 students from the departments of architecture, interior architecture, and industrial design. Tutors defined the evaluation categories and sub-criteria based on an initial analysis. While tutors evaluated every submission based on the established categories and sub-criteria, students only assessed their own work through a survey. Lastly, a second survey was given to the students in order to better understand their willingness to employ AI in their future studies. The first survey’s comparative evaluation results of the tutors and students, as well as the results of the second survey, are presented.

Author Biographies

Hakan Tong, Istanbul Technical University

Hakan Tong received his B.Arch. (1985) degree from Istanbul Technical University, and his M.Sc. (1988) and Ph.D. (2001) degrees from Building Science Program of ITU. He worked as a Research and Teaching Assistant at ITU between 1988 and 2004, where he has been working as a full-time lecturer since 2004. He co-authored the book "Projections" in 2010. He teaches various undergraduate courses including design studio, computer aided design methods, as well as graduate courses related to the digital design methods in architecture, multimedia and animation in architectural design, and virtual architectural design studio. (email: htong@itu.edu.tr).

Ahmet Türel, Istanbul Technical University

Ahmet Türel received his B.Arch. (2013) degree from Karadeniz Technical University (KTU), and his M.Sc. (2017) degree in Architectural Design Program from Istanbul Technical University (ITU). He began working as a Research and Teaching Assistant at Bursa Technical University (BTU) in February 2014 and transferred to ITU in September 2014, where he holds the same position. He is currently a Ph.D. candidate at Architectural Design Program of ITU. His research focuses on migration and space, the migration journey, and the impact of migration on urban space. (email: turela@itu.edu.tr).

Habibe Şenkal, Istanbul Technical University

Habibe Şenkal received her B.Arch. degree (2018) from Trakya University. Currently, she is a graduate student at Architectural Design Computing Program at Istanbul Technical University. Her research focuses on exploration of cultural heritage with deep learning, the inspiration of artificial intelligence in architecture, and form finding with subtractive manufacturing methods. (email: senkal21@itu.edu.tr).

S. Feyza Yagci Ergun, Istanbul Technical University

S. Feyza Yagci Ergun received her B.Arch. (2011) degree in Architecture and M.Sc. (2013) degree in Restoration Program from Istanbul Technical University (ITU). She obtained her Ph.D. (2020) from the Architecture Department of Technical University of Munich (TUM). She worked at TU Munich as a lecturer in 2017 and had research experiences at ETH Zurich (2013), TH Köln (2009) and TU Berlin (2022). Currently, she is an assistant professor at ITU. (email: fergun@itu.edu.tr).

Orkan Zeynel Güzelci, Istanbul Technical University

Orkan Zeynel Güzelci received B.Arch. (2010) degree in Architecture from Istanbul Kultur University (IKU), M.Sc. (2012) degree in Architectural Design Program, Ph.D. (2018) degree in Architectural Design Computing Program from Istanbul Technical University, and Post Doctoral certificate (2021) from University of Porto. Currently, he is an assistant professor at ITU and a researcher at FAUP+DFL/CEAU. (email: guzelci@itu.edu.tr).

Sema Alaçam, Istanbul Technical University

Sema Alaçam received her B.Arch. (2005) degree from Istanbul Technical University (ITU), M.Sc. (2008) and Ph.D. (2014) degrees in Architectural Design Computing Graduate Program from ITU. She had research experience from TU Delft, Hyperbody Research Group (2006-2007), ETH Zurich, Chair of Structural Design (2013-2014), University of Oregon, Department of Philosophy (2017), and Université de Versailles Saint- Quentin-en-Yvelines (2017-2018). Currently, is an Associate Professor at ITU, Faculty of Architecture, where she has been the Departmental Vice Chair at Department of Architecture between 2021-2022 and the Coordinator of the Architectural Design Computing Graduate Program between 2018-2021. (email: alacams@itu.edu.tr).

Cover iJET – Vol 18, No 18, 2023

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Published

2023-09-25

How to Cite

Tong, H., Türel, A., Şenkal, H., Yagci Ergun, S. F., Güzelci, O. Z., & Alaçam, S. (2023). Can AI Function As A New Mode of Sketching: A Teaching Experiment with Freshman. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning (iJET), 18(18), pp. 234–248. https://doi.org/10.3991/ijet.v18i18.42603

Issue

Vol. 18 No. 18 (2023)

Section

Papers

License

Copyright (c) 2023 Hakan Tong, Ahmet Türel, Habibe Şenkal, S. Feyza Yagci Ergun, Orkan Zeynel Güzelci, Sema Alaçam

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