Exploring Integration of Parametric Design Methods into Interior Architecture/Design and Architecture Education

Nowadays, the new environment brought about by communication and information technology denotes a change in interior architecture/design and in its educational activities. Due to the advancement of technology and changes in the design process, new ways of thinking that go beyond interdisciplinary approaches are required in both practice and education. With the advent of parametric design, interior designers and students may actively engage in all phases of the design and development process, essentially extending the process up to the point of production. This research tries to explore the diversified use and integration of parametric design methods in interior architectural/design education and hence determine its benefits and shortcomings. The study firstly reviews the literature with an emphasis on comprehending the parametric design phenomenon and secondly studies a series of cases utilizing parametric design methodologies in various interior architecture/design and architecture programs. A systematic framework for analysis of parametric design has been developed as a result of the literature review and hence it has oriented the exploration of multiple cases accordingly. Data were collected through an in-depth exploration of multiple cases of different interior architecture/design programs besides architecture programs worldwide over their websites. Accordingly, 25 cases were examined to see whether parametric design techniques were integrated into interior architecture/design as much as architectural design education without replacing the traditional education methods. It has been revealed that there are 23 case studies in the architecture program but only 2 in the interior architecture/design program with parametric design. As a result of this study, it has been achieved that parametric design techniques have limitedly integrated into interior architecture/design programs compared to how substantially it has been studied in architectural programs. The findings show that the implementation of this method in different course groups has many benefits and contributions. The use of digital techniques, and search for form; particularly observed in design studio courses, modelling and reuse of parametric design explored in parametric design courses, variations in generating alternatives attained in extracurricular activities and algorithmic thinking in design studio courses were explored as the most popular approaches in the implemented cases. This study concluded that the parametric design method possibly integrated into interior architecture/design education without displacing the established educational approaches.