Assessing the spatial perception of interior architecture undergraduate students – the case of Çukurova University

Space, one of the elements of architectural design, is a defined void where users can perform various actions. Components such as floors, walls, ceilings, and furniture that make up the space are shaped according to the function of the space and the desires and needs of the user. The meaningful relationships between these components and the experience they create in the user's mind are expressed by the term perception. This experience is primarily shaped through the senses. The duration of the experience of the space and the connection the user establishes with the space are among the other factors that influence perception. The relationship between space and perception is important in interior design solutions in order to create livable spaces. Perception and perception theories are an important research topic in the social sciences and a subheading of environmental psychology. Studies on how individuals perceive their environment and space are of particular importance in this context. The aim of this study is to determine how users perceive the space they live in and the changes in perception depending on the duration of their stay in that space, using an example space. Based on this, 104 volunteers from the first and fourth grades of the Interior Architecture Department of the Faculty of Architecture at Çukurova University were selected. In the study, these students were asked to share their experiences of the spaces where they were educated through a questionnaire. In the selected space, first-year students had just begun to form new connections with the space where they were educated, while fourth-year students had spent a long period of time there. It was determined that there was a difference in perception between first-year and fourth-year students due to the interior design education received by the fourth-year students and the connections they had formed with the space. The study examined how students interpreted this perception differently according to their level of education. The research was conducted using a mixed-method approach. In the quantitative data collection process, a questionnaire developed by the researcher was used, and participants were asked to reflect their perceptions of the faculty where the interior architecture department is located and the space they experienced. The Likert scale questions in the questionnaire were analyzed using the SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) program. Students' evaluations of specific interior spaces (entrance hall, foyer, corridor, workshop units, social areas, etc.) were compared according to class level using a statistically independent sample t-test. In addition, cross-tables and chi-square analysis were used to examine the relationships between students' class levels and their awareness of physical space components, based on concepts asked about how certain spaces made them feel. The cross-sectional model used in developmental research methods was employed in the analysis of the data. This method was used to obtain feedback aimed at measuring the perception of the identified concepts. In the qualitative data process, textual data collected through open-ended questions in the questionnaire were classified using thematic analysis, and the themes that emerged in each grade level were tabulated by frequency. The analysis revealed significant differences in students' perceptions of spatial components such as light, form, sound, and color according to grade level. The sample of the thesis study was limited to first- and fourth-year students in the Interior Architecture Department at Çukurova University, and there are some principles underlying the examination of these groups. The main reason for limiting the study to these two grades is the assumption that the differences in spatial perception experience between grade levels would be most pronounced at these levels. First-year students begin the educational process without having learned any spatial concepts or received design education. However, fourth-year students are approaching the final stage of their interior architecture education and are known to have attained professional maturity through the design knowledge they have accumulated over the years. Considering these criteria, it is anticipated that the differences between the two groups under examination will be more clearly discernible. At the same time, the suitability of the methods to be used for the analysis of the two groups is also a consideration. In this study, which was conducted through space and design, it was concluded that students strengthened their sense of space, increased their awareness of the different components and elements that make up space, and developed their ability to perceive space. The data obtained from the SPSS analysis revealed that first-year students tended to use more superficial and general concepts in their evaluations of the space, while fourth-year students focused more on functionality, atmosphere, material quality, and sensory characteristics.This situation shows that interior architecture education has a positive and developmental effect on students in terms of spatial analysis, perception development, and design awareness. At the same time, it can be interpreted as evidence that interior architecture education is a process that develops the perception skills of individuals as well as training them to become professionals. This study is important in that it opens up a discussion on how students' spatial perceptions change in relation to the knowledge they acquire through their education and their ability to interpret this knowledge. In this respect, it is believed that the study will contribute to the relevant literature and to interior design undergraduate education. The study is also important in terms of how the knowledge students acquire from courses related to space in interior architecture education will change in their professional lives. It is hoped that this study, which observes changes in individuals through the spatial perception process, will guide researchers in the field.