Contemporary Interior Design Education With a Touch of Arts: the Artist's Cove Project

Abstract

The study focuses on multi-fold approaches, aiming to enhance creativity, develop intellectual base, and create awareness in interior design students, on aspects of culture that are not inherently or directly related to interior design. It has been well documented that creativity can flourish best when one can think flexibly, combining knowledge from various areas of life. An interior design brief concerning more than the answer of a functional need, necessitating also research in other fields, enables an enriched design process in interior design education. The study concerned the creation of an interior space that acted as part of an artists' residency program, for a contemporary Turkish artist by second year students of the Department of Interior Architecture and Environmental Design at Izmir University of Economics. This particular studio focuses on learning how to create a concept that ties all spatial aspects together, as well as spatial identity. The aim of the project was threefold: to create an awareness regarding Turkish contemporary art and artists; to create a cove, as a place for producing, creating, living, and exhibiting/sharing of the work that contributes to the sense of belongingness and increase of awareness regarding art in the community; and to become accustomed to contemporary architecture and interior design that was created by a major company in Turkey. The introduction of the brief was followed by the distribution of the contemporary artists' names to the students after a brief presentation by an exhibition curator and expert in the field. Students were simultaneously expected to develop spatial and structural skills, improve their knowledge of Turkish contemporary artists and artwork by creating a user-focused identity for the interior space, as well as have the chance to work in a state-of-the-art building. The results included the creation of user-focused interiors adjusted specifically for the artists' needs. Students had a chance to communicate with the artists themselves during their research process, which also helped them to gain direct information from the potential conceptual users. The chosen building taught students about structure and avant-garde design, with its use of innovative interior materials and style, as well as enabling flexibility in the interior space. Overall, the project enabled students to not only learn about user-focused interior design and creating a related spatial identity, but also about other cultural productions contributing to their immediate and future knowledge base. Results were fruitful, and creative interior solutions that stemmed from the multi-fold approach could be easily observed.